The Washington herald., 1908-02-02
NEW YORK THEATERS.

ic this week. assuming the part Of Lord
Dundreary, made famous by his father.
The play was first produced thirty years
ago. but its reception on Monday proved
that It stiIl possesses strong vitality. The
audience laughed just as long as Dun
dreary was on the stage. The critics the
next day We're all with one exception,
bubblng over with praise. Alan Dale
alone undertook to dissect the anatomy
Of the jokes that made the public gay,
Some Of these jokes have been worked
over so often that they do sound a little
stale. Mr.. sothern has gone about his re-
vival in a reyerent spirit
The musical event Of the week was the
first local production Of THE Waltz
Dream" at the Broadway Theater, where
Anna Held closed on Saturday night. The
interest inspired by THE Merry Widow
was responsible FOR the packed house that
greeted the latest Vienna importation
This much hegalded work Of Oscar Strauss
was looked forward 10 with feverish an
ticipation, and in a way realized all that
was expected Of it. So far an tuneful-
ness goes. the composer has been emil
nently successful If any fault Is 10 be
found. Il is @ith the libretto and with
the production itself. The book does not
possess the interest Of its rival. and OBJ
vious carelessness was shown IN the de
tails of the mise On scene. Although
lavishly staged. the material was not
judiciousy handled and the orchestral
work was not up 10 the mark. This not
withstanding The Waltz Dream" prom
ises 20 hold its own on Broadway The
triumph Of the evening was scored by a
young tenor who has gained some reputa-
tion locally as a church singer This
fortunate individual is Edward Johnson.
who sings Lieut.. Mkt. A goodly portion
Of the more drastic amusement was fur
nished by Charles A. BigeIow. who ia
the part Of Joachim XIII. emperor OF q
No-Where-land, has "A congenial role that
enables him 20 shine with some dlstinc-
ton as an eccentric comedian.
The Emperor Joachim. desiring 10 per
petuate his race, commands Lieut. Mkt
to marry the Princess Helene OF Flausca-
thurn. The lieutenant reluctantly obeys.
mautes the princess, but the very night
Of the wedding leaves the palace and Tee
pairs 10 public garden. where q ladies'
orchestra is playing a waltz which he has
heard in mis- dreams. Tie gallant HeU-
tenant falls in love with the leader Of
the orchestra and dances with her the
dream waltz. Things promise 10 become
interesting, for the princess loves him
and sets about % regain her wayWard
lover. The reconciliation is not clearly
explained. But in the last act the lieu
tenant. having been induced 20 return %
the palace. becomes enamO-ed Of the pTiu-
cess, and the inference is that they live
happily ever after
The finale ~ tHe second act represent
ing the garden scene, is worked up into
"A splendid effect and created a storm OF
enthusiasm. Two waltz movements per
meate the whole action. One is the dream
waltz. which is repeated in various
forms. the other Is the kiss waltz "a
haunting melody which was wei sung.
and scored "a marked effect Several other
charming numbers are dispersed through
the operetta which exercise "a pronounced
spell The full value Of the work was
not developed through the uucvenuess Of
the orchestral features. and the fact that
tEe operetta Is not as well cast rs it
might be- The adaptation is in the main
excellent, marred only iH one unfortunate
particular by the Interpolation Of some
cheap American musical comedy nonsense
IN the shape or q Cat-CaIl iutermezz0 in
the second act. Il provides a few mo-
ments OF violent fun. but is wholly ont
of keeping with the artistic spirit OF the
rest Of the work The Ibretto is by Felix
Doermanu and Leopold Jacobson. adapted
by Joseph Herbert
Like "The Merry Widow" the interest
in '"The Waltz Dream" ceuters around
the seductive strains of the waltz This
fact has led 20 much discussion in the
press. by "a the writer's have followed.
it is treated as something new. But old
playsoers viii readily recall the wal-z
theme or Docl.ugeTs Don Caesar" an
opercta successfully presented by the
McCauu Opera Company. The Hbreto
dealt with the familiar Don Caesar de
Bazan" material Don Caesar is confined
in prison, condemned 20 Dee shot During
his confinement no sings a serenade in
thrce-fouTrhs time. which so faselnates
his iaIleV that Ie becomes Don Caesars s
friend, and Is persuaded by the latter 20
withdraw the bullets from the guns with
which the soldiers are to execute Don
Caesar. The plot turns on the waltz ard
permeates the whole score. Even Doel-
Hnger was not the first 20 employ this
device but his popular opera is the most
conspicuous example Of its use i'm COM
paratiyely recent times Twenty years
ago tho waltz from Don Caesar" was
sung on every street corner. Ike the
waltz from THE Merry Widow" to-day.
After no end OF puffy advertising.
Adelue Ge0ce has come 70 town and
taken possession. She is Danish girl
who has for several years owned a good
portion Of London and has now extended
her conquest over this metropolis As a
dancer she is the ne plus ultra OF
saItatorians. As one paper put it Wednes-
day morning. after her debut at the New
York Thcater the night before: Gold typs
is about the poorest medium I'm the world
TO do justice 20 Adeline Genee. A post
might be inspired by her dancing; the
inspired essayist Of the dreaded first edi-
tions is overcome by the difficulties Of the
task. one might hurry together ali the
ad1eCrveS possible, gtill much would re-
main Unsaid And that. too. any reader
with "a dictionary. q book of synonyms.
and a choice OF words might more
leisureIv and with equal facility do for
himself"
Can you fancy anything more ardent?
Yet one London reviewer declared: IF I
could dance a criticism Of Genec. ] might
do her Justice" We have other tributes
TO her vibrant body" the rich. sensuOus
loveliness Of her movements" and ''bijou
beauty
This much celebrated dancer appeared
in three separate dance numbers in a
familiar setting Of musical extrava ganza
under the inspiring name OF "The Soul