The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-22
BY WALTER ANTHONY
CAST OF CHARACTERS
IN Rossini's Opera,
"The Barber of Seville"

1t blazed a way
The opera was first produced on the
night of February 3, 1915. in Rome, with
Rossini at the piano directing. The re-
suit was a fasco because Paisiello, who
had written music TO the same story,
was an influential factor in Italian mu-
sic and resented Rossini's more mod
ern expression in tone" OF the story OF
the opera. Paisiello had his friends in
the audience. and so no one heard
Largo al Factotum" in the first act,
nor any of the other big solos. Kisses
and catcalls drowned the music. But
the next night, while Rossini slept and
didn't direct, the enemies were worn out
and the opera went with great success.
Donizetti, who did not love Rossini.
was asked once whether he thought it
was possible that Rossini had written
the music TO The Barber of Seville" in
10 days. 1T is very. possible" said the
composer of "Favorita." because he is
so very lazy"
Helena Frederick, who sings the
prima donna role in The Patriot" at
the Orpheum. is q pupil of Professor
knudson OF the conservetorium in
Leipzig. After a year OF study in Ber-
lin she went on the concert stage and
toured Europe. Il found the Germa MS"
CAtC 90 = tHr bCcl anu Ct Tic ScN CA :
est of critics"
Monday evening will witness the
opening Of the musical comedy season
at the Princess theater with a produc-
ton of The Belle of New York" which
viii be revived for one week only with
an excellent cast. Oetavia Broska. an
eastern prima donna. of whom report
speaks highly and who last season was
one of the principals in The Waltz
Dream at the Broadway theater, New
York. will make her first appearance
here and play the title role. The other
characters VIII be sustained by Olga
Steck. Marta Golden, Sidney de Grey.
George Wilson Richard stanton Bud
Duncan and Harris Mcguire. Jack
Raines will be the musical director and
Charles Sinclair the stage director
Just as Victor Herbert has become
famous for beautiful music and Kirke
La Sheile died. the greatest producer of
western PLAYS in the country. and A L.
Erlanger is the most potent American
figure in the production of gigantic
spectacles. so Frederic Thompson. in
less than two years, has become cele-
brated for his depletion on the stage
of marine scenes Of more than ordinary
interest
Il is interesting to note the develop
ment Of the ship idea in Thompson's
brain. AS long aAo as 1901 he be-
came famous by devising the outdoor
show known as the "Trip 10 the Moon"
where the passengers. BY an illusion.
left the earth on an airship. This
was Thompson's first ship. In the
second Hippodrome show produced by
Thompson and Dundy, there occurred
a scene called the Court of the Golden
Fountains which was without doubt
the most beautiful water scene ever
presented on q stage.
.Brewsters Millions was lifted from
the ranks of ordinary farce comedies
into the realm OF enormously successful
spectacles by the introduction of the
celebrated yacht scene in which an
ocean going pleasure craft was depicted
in the midst of storm on the Medi-
terranean. This scene was Thompson's
own idea and invention and was
largely responsible for the great sue
cess which the play enjoyed and still
enjoys.
Shortly after hat he introduced. at
Luna park. Coney Island, an attraction
known as the Wreck OF the Corsair. /"
which was an elaboration Of this
.Brewster's Millions" scene In this
show a pirate ship strikes the rocks
and goes down at night in a stormy
sea. His Polly of the Circus" is said
10 be a revelation in stage manage
l meut