Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30
The Foreign Stage.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

LONDON, June 15 1907.
Folk In America who cannot abide
musical crazes' will do well to quit
the country without loss Of time. They
must not flee to Europe. however. for
to do so would be to encounter the
precise thing they will be wanting to
avoid, namely a waltz-a waltz which has
kept all the continent humming for the
past twelve-month, and which has just
scored hit in this country such as has
not been known for many years. 1t is GER
tain sure to cross the Atlantic before much
time has passed and then, WE'LL,
One cannot put musical notes in letter.
else the waltz refrain in question might be
set down here. Neither can one really de-
scribe melody in print, SO l must try to
give you an idea of the fascination of this
waltz from THE Merry Widow by going
into details bit regarding it's phenomenal
cling its electrical effect upon an audience
at Days Theater where the operetta con-
tanning 1t was given for the first time in
England Saturday evening last.
X
But first to explain about the operetta
itself. which Is known throughout Europe
as die Lustige Witwe." Composed by
Franz Lehar a Hungarian, 1t was first
given in Vienna about a year ago. and not
only is 1t 'still running in the Aus
trian capital. but it has been produced in
almost every other continental city of the
first rank; having been performed, in fact,
something like 1900 times! And the Won
derful waltz has done 1t all; of that there
is little doubt since. apart from it and per-
haps two of the songs, The Merry
Widow" is only fairly melodious and
nothing very special regarded as enter
tanment. But the melody of this dance
and the dance itself! Well, wherever you
go on the continent where there is a band
you will find it playing "Balsrenen"-as
the waltz is called-and the composers
profits out of the sale of the music are
said to have been 100000 already.
1t is safe to say, too. that probably few
more languorous, not to say sensuous.
things have been seen on the stage than
this waltz even as two Anglo-Saxons
dance it at Daly's Theater. It is intro
dance. and 1 will not try to describe the
business" as you are sure to see 1t in
America before long. One may say, how
ever. that it is not hard to understand the
sensations of Otto Matherson, a leading
Danish actor, who. after seeing his wife.
Gerda Krum. do this dance with another
man some dozens of times, became so
maddened by jealousy that he shot her
dead on the stage of the Aalborg Theater.
*
At Days the dancers are Joe" Coyne of
America and Lily Elsie. whom George Ed
wardes finally chose for 1.-The Merry
Widow" after postponing the London pro-
duction Of the piece for months in despair
of finding anybody who could fill the title
part. His first choice. naturally, was the
actress who created the part in Vienna, but
no terms could tempt her to come to Lon
don. and where an English songstress
could be found strong" enough for the
role even Edwardes did not know He in
duced Marie Tempest to go to Vienna and
see 1.-The Widow but she asked to be ex-
cused, and the managers quest seemed
more hopeless than ever He seems to
have done the right thing, Though, in
choosing Lily Elsie to play Sonia for
though she previously has had only small
parts, she won in canter Saturday night
The famous waltz comes in the second
act of THE Merry Widow and while 1t
| was danced the audience sat spellbound.
That is not too strong word to use; we
| were entranced. just as Europeans have
| been, by the haunting refrain with its
slow, dreamy swing. as Dwell as by the
| languorous grace of the dance itself Then
came thunderous applause and a repetition
| Of the dance. during which an almost SOL
emn hush fell on the spectators. After this
| the curtain fell and as Herr Lehar, the
| composer, who was conducting, turned to
| leave his seat he received such an ovation
| as probably seldom has been heard in
London playhouse. Writing of this scene
one of the London critics-who heads his
article Audience Maddened by Waltz
says: Those In the pit rose to their feet
to cheer him and hats and caps were
waved at him as though at victorions