The San Francisco call., 1908-08-24
CAST of CHARACTERS
IN oFFENBACH'S OPERA
1.-THE Love Tales of HOffmann'
By Walter Anthony

You who know offenhach only in his
cancan music. his delirous dances and
his coarseness, go and hear THE Love
love music; not otherwise. for his fam
tastic setting of the Continental Poe's
stories is all music. And IL is TO be
heard at the American theater this
week
The feather Drained genius OF Paris
he of the double entendre, the revilor
of kings and dukes and everything else
established-is suddenly become chaste
and fine. Onenbach in "The Love Tales
of Hoffman," is a bacchante turned
poet.
Besides Paul Steindorff is back again
and waves his old time baton over an
augmented orchestra. So are Thomas
Persse, Edith Mason. Joseph Fogarty,
Bernice Holmes and other old time fav-
orites back again, their voices show
ing, perhaps, touch of the years that
have passed since we heard them on
the right side of the bay, but their
spirit quite as fine and free as ever
MISS MASON AT HER BEST
There can be no cavilling at the sue
cess of "The Love Tales of Hoffman,"
so long as the chorus, excellently
drilled, and the orchestra, nicely bal
anced, is on hand, and StelndorH 10
lead.
Miss Mason is at her best in the third
act, where she assumes the role of the
poor consumptive and sings herself to
sleep. In this act, too, Persse and
Swickard do their best work in the
trio with Fogarty, which arises to su-
perb dramatic heights. 1t is grand
opera music.
have had occasion, luckily 1 account
it, to review the opera when it was
staged at Idora park. At the American
it is just a bit better still, and has the
additional advantage of being nearer
home.
To apply the standards that obtain in
grand opera to this more than dlfhcult
work would scarcely be fair to the
principals who undertake a task that
would challenge the vocal accomplish
ments of Caruso. Sembrich, Tetrazzini
and Piancon. Offenbach has written his
music large enough TO contain the skill
of the greatest. For the principals who
participated in last nights perform
ance, only praise may be given for
conscientious, well conceived and fire.
quently inspiring interpretations
OVATION FOR STEINDORFF
To begin at the end again; if you are
hungry for some good music go to the
American, and by all means wait until
you hear the wonderful barcarolle after
the third act, and the fine trio in it.
The large audience gave Herr Stein
dorff great ovation, but not one hand
clap or cheer more than he deserved His
beat is as firm as ever, and his control
over the orchestra and chorus never re-
laxed. Throughout his Interpretation is
poetic even though he is handicapped
by the location of his players, many
of whom are unable to get in the or
chestra pit. If he had been less mod
est he would have responded to the en-
thusiasm of last nights audience with
a speech. But Steindorf was never
known to make a speech in all his life.
AS 1t was, he climbed on the stage
and bowed his Acknowledgements to
reception eminently fitting and wholly
deserved ALI the principals were re-
membered with floral gifts. and the
performance, at least between the acts,
was more like reception to long lost
friends.
There were two home comings yester-
day afternoon at the Orpheum, two
speeches and two set pieces-I nearly
was the appearance of George D. De
Haven with his five dancing damsels,
and the temperance of Eugene and
Willie Howard, who have reduced the
fun of The Messenger Boys Trio" an
act in which they formerly appeared,
to duet Though the speeches made
by the happy recipients of the floral
offerings and the applause We're much
alike there WAS nothing similar in their
acts except their popularity.
The De Haven sextet is composed
wisely of five young women and one
young man. The former dance some
and sing little; the latter sings some
and dances a little. Altogether the
turn is as radiant as a rainbow and
the girls are engaging whether they
wear brown or white costumes. They
dance with grace and abandon and
earn their salaries-I don't care how