The Washington times., 1906-12-16
Another Wall From a Victim
Of H-Mannered TheatergoerS

II. Macdonald. held Tuesday afternoon
at the Broadway. II was a truly remark
able tribute TO the widespread popularity
OF the old Bostonians. and a singular
proof OF the affection with which their
old leader has been regarded both by
the profession and the public.
The curtain went up at / o'clock. and
| Victor Herberrs orchestra opened the
| program with fanJasie from The
Serenade." Half an hour later the i'm
mense theater was packed solid. and
| standing room was al a premium.
| Twenty numbers were given in all
including a scene from About Town. d"
the first act OF The Great Divide. ."
! Eleanor Robson In "a Tenement Trag-
| edy, the second act of The Chorus
Lady" and the supper scene from
''Claricef The hit OF Shs afternoon was
Hattie Williams in a selection from
The Little Cherub,' which. according
| 10 the words o. the truthful program,
| was 'interefereu With" by a dozen
prominent male stars. who did tneir
comical best TO impersonate chorus girls.
Henry Clay Barnabee himself. feeble
and almost overcome with emotion
hnally appeared IN the famous ''Tinker's
Song and chorus from Robin Hood
/ The applause on his entrance was deaf
ening and prolonged. During the Iirst
verse he was supported by a regular
/ singing chorus, which later gave way
TO chorus of fifteen noted comedians
After the song he read a short speech
expressing the gratitude Of Mrs. Mac
Donald and himself. which conclusion
10 the program was unaffectedIy touch
Ing. When he finally retired from the
stage. probably never 20 reRppear. the
applause was even more enthusiasts
than on his first entrance.
During the performance Raynon
Hitchcock auctioned a program bear
ing the autographs OF all the performers
for the tidy sum of $3.50, paid by George
Kessler.
II 1t has been a somewhat dull week
In the dramatic line there has been no
dullness in grand opera. Both Conried
and Hammerstein have been busy. ana
"hile no new opera has been presented
at either house, new singers have made
sood and old favorites have gained us,y
laurels.
A the metropolitan the week opened
win La Damnation de Faust" on
Wednesday Lucia de Lamme-uor,r-,
Juhette; at Saturdays matinee
"Fedora," and in the evening ,ra-,r,
haeuser' At the Manhattan, Mop.la,-
Rlgoletto;" Wednesday, Don t3io,-aT-
M Friday, Carmen" Saturday DO,
GIOVANNI at the matinee and Car
men IN the evening. Between the TWO
1here was certainly enough to satisfy
the most eXacung opeTagoers. though
'heFe was no novelty presented at either
mouse The most notable performance
OF the week was from all accounts tba
Don Giovanni of Wednesday night At
me Manhattan. The critics seem 10 feaI
mat IN that performance Hamroerrto,,,
mas distinctly JUSTIFIED himself ann b,-
undertaking. '''7
In fact, Oscar Hamnerstaty, e. ,.t.-
the most talked Of man ON arr,,s,-.-'', ,,.-'s
Just now. His grand opera ,,,,t.,-y
seems 10 De making good. in spite of am
apparent reluctance TO admit tba nossi-
onity that new enterprise. hoVeve-
vast and hoWeve.- well conducted cs,,
possibly cut any considerable fie7Irc
against the Old-estEblished MetroDoIlts,
Opera House institution. Ii Is upda-
nlaDly the fact that Mr.. Hammerstein
Is presenting his operas upon a scale
OF magnitude and munificence consider
dDIy beyond the Conried limitations. and
II - none the less certain that the Deo-
PIE VINO patronize opera because thev
love music are rapidly falling into line
as the most earnest and ardent srD-
porters or the new enterprise The ticket
spectators who used TO have a ready
sale or seats IN the Metropolitan at
largely advanced prices upon ali occa-
sIons complain OF having been stuck"
nearly every night since the Hammer
stein opposition put In an appearance
and this situation, of course is sufa-
ciently significant TO speak for itself
Mr.. Hammerstein has not expected to
make great profit upon his first season
or grand opera Indeed Il Is known
that before he threw open to the public
the portals Of his superb temple of NIL
sic. he laid aside in cash the sum of
100000 10 be drawn upon for any deficit
that might make its appearance. The
chances now seem 10 be. however. that
the Hammerstein sinking fund will
show no appreciable dent at the end of
the season, and that the record of the
winter at the Manhattan Opera House
Will be such as 70 insure a large and
paying subscription For next year.
Hammerstein now l.ss a steamshlD
poker room yarn TO match against Con-
ried's monkey house. According to the
latest yarn, Amedeo E5esi, one of the
only Oscars tenors, fer into the hands
Of a pair OF American card sharpers
while on the way from Colon to New
York, and lost pretty much everything
but his voice between WatIing's Island
and the Scotland lightship. Bassi still.
according to the story, has castles and
things in italy, and viii recover. 1t IS
now Mr.. Conried's press agents move.
Several of the seasons successes are
beginning their last week. John Drew
ends his New York run in Pinero's His
House in Order next Saturday-not be-
cause of any falling of in popular in
terest. but because il has dates to fill
elsewhere, and because il was an
q year ago that '.Peter PAM