The San Francisco call., 1909-04-20


Importance of grand opera last night
The front OF the new Orpheum was a
broad white cN9anse. Illuminated daz-
zingly You might have thought that
Hammerstein and his Manhattan song
birds had flown into town or that Con-
ried or Grau or old Colonel Mapleson
had brought some Wagnerian singers
TO Farrell street Automobiles chugged
UP TO the doors, spilling opera gowned
beauties and their escorts: carriages
wheeled into the curb and whisked away
IN twinkling, leaving additions to the
throng- Idlcrs and sight seers kent a
patrol Of police busy opening up the
blockade for the lucky holders of seat
coupons, and dispossessed multitude
across The street looked on the show
enviously and hopelessIy.
CITK's RETURN MARKED
Important though the performance
-s inside. the main interest attached
- the opening Of the Orpheum came
aoout through the fact that San Fran
cisco was down town again. The rin of
enterprise and Industry which set its
way toward the old haunts right after
the nre mas been growing for three years.
Last night il assumed the proportions
OF torrent Gradually the waste places
nave been built upon and the piles OF
Drlck ana mortar which have sprawled
over vacancy have been turned, as with
the rubbing Of an Aladdin's ring TO
great buildings. and the new Orpheum
now stands erect 10 point a night light
down town That's why we We're all en-
lluSiastic, and that's why everybody
wanted 10 get in and participate in the
event Nlich means so much to San
Francisco and 10 the re-establishment
eafrr -,
Is again.
But this is supposed TO be a criti-
clsnl- and not a rhapsody nor mental
conVulsion. However, if you were there
last night and heard the vast throng
inside that new Orpheum shout when
the asbestos went up on the drop cur
tain, If YOU had heard the cheers that
greeted Rosner and his orchestra; if
You had heard the reception that Local
Manager John Morrisey got when ne
stepped TO the stage to announce the
1act that Mayor Taylor was about TO
deliver brief address; If you could
have heard the cheers that greeted
The city's chief executive when he con
graduated the people Of san Francisco
.on The possession Of such a beautiful
and complete structure as the Orpheum;
II you could have seen that vast throng
rise as n man when Mile. Zelie de Lus-
san stepped from the wings to sing
nish this AT once-yOu could have been
Infected rs I was with the enthusiasm
~ Is aI sou might curse criticism and
demand more superlatives.
DE Lys@sN OPENS BILL
after 1ayor TAYLOR. who spoke from
bnE l whose address was warm
with ns and sincerity, had said
f as all" Nile lie LussaD. in
ol gown IS nay neighbor
IT, opened the program. 1t
was extra number, TOO. She sang
rhe STAR Sraugied Banner" while the
f-te audience and the members of the
o-e e-Ira stood. But we wouldn't let
aer go. and She sang again. This time
81 was la PalOma.' General Manager
Martin Beck. hearing that AIischa Ell
man lle great YiOlinist, had just ar
rived got hold Of the telephone and
.oforei Manager Greenbaum $1,000 if
the Russian would come over and play.
Greenbaun was tempted. but WOlfson.
Elmal's impresario. said NO"
Nothing is too good for US tonight"
said Beck 10 President Meyerfeld, and
= ii wasn't their fault that the genius
OF Elman was not heard at the opening
OF the Orpheum.
That was the spirit Of the night. It
was The san Francisco spirit that turns
loose on New Years eve, and that was
. a broad and beautiful stream during the
days that followed the fire.
But about the show. The program
was reviewed yesterday, all but the fly
Ing ballet number Nothing more beau
tiful has ever been seen at Orpheums
new or old. The doves which fly from
the upper gallery 10 perch on the heads
and arms Of the dying women were no
more graceful and aerial than We're
the ozone dancers themselves. The
act is singularly beautiful and the fut-
tering butterfly garbed participants
may feel that they hOnored even the
great show Of last night.
A remarkable fact of the first per-
formance is this: il went off as
smoothly as though the house had been
tenanted months instead Of minutes
There were no waits. no delays and
nothing went amiss Stage Manager
Harry Orndorff had made himself at
home at once. The lighting effects are
vastly superior to any we have seen in
any vaudeville house in this city and
are ia fact on a par with the building
and equipment The ventilating ap-
paratus. from which there was some
fear of annoying TumbIng, was as
n0iseiess as it was effective, and the
fresh air which kept breathing into the
room was refreshing and sweet.
The Crpheum opening was a grand
success Viva AIeyerfeldl Viva Beckt