The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-20
'THE MIKADO'S' HISTORY.

me commercial Vaiue or rev operettaS
has ever been more keenly realized at
the outset than that OF The Mikado."
When the Messrs. Shubert made re-
vival OF the Gilbert and Sullivan work
at the Casino Theater. New York. last
summer. with FRITZ Scheff as Yum-Yum.
there was much controversy as to the
original producer In this country A
Philadelphia writer. who has kept in
close touch with American dramatic his
tory, now comes 20 the front with the
information that FRANK Howe was the
original producer in this country.
The Bitou Opera Company was about
TO close an arduous season OF thirty
Just about this time 1t was announced
that Sydney Rosenfeld would bring a
special company from New York TO Chi
cago 10 produce The Mikado" at the
Grand Opera House. The Bijou contin-
gent. which was then playing in Chicago,
resolved 10 be the first in the field. The
single piano score of the operetta was
thrown into twelve different sections and
each part given TO a member OF the
orchestra. The men copied the solos and
choruses and also helped to arrange the
orchesTation. A few days later the COM
pany and the chorus received their parts
for study. The production was made in
the record time Of I'VE days from the
date the parts were placed In the COM
pany's hands, and not a member OF the
cast REFUSED prompting on the memoir
able opeg4fetg night
Alfred Henderson was director OF the
music, and FRANKIE Howe was his own
stage director OF the members of that
company, Ferris Hartman is now prom
inently occupied as the manager OF a
touring company on the Pacific Coast
Richard Burton, Nella Bowers. Lulu
Stevens. and J. A. Allison have retired
Julie Christian went to San Francisco 10
give lessons in singing, and Is believed
20 be still occupied with that pursuit
Lottie Cruiekshank, who was the Ka-
tisha. after one season with the then
famous Boston Ideals, married a mem
Der OF the LeadVille (COlOD legal fra
ternity and retired. Stanley Fetch, the
Pooh-Bah. and Joseph W. Herbert. the
Ko-Ko. have chung TO the object OF their
first devotion. Mr., Felch being an actor
and Mr.. Herbert at the present time
devoting himself to writing. having just
recently supplied the book for Madame
Troubadour"
Sydney Rosenfeld's production was
made at the Grand Opera House the fol-
lowing Monday. the Bijou presentation OF
1.-THE AIikado" lasting but one week.
Joseph Herbert then Joined the other
company playing The Mikado.
There were other battles OF almost equal
Az
TONS James c. Dun was invited by
Dolly Carte TO visit London to purchase
the license 10 do the Gilbert & Sullivan
opera in America, and it is believed Carte
used the presence of Mr.. Duff in England
20 raise the price on John Stetson, then
manager OF the Fifth Avenue Theater,
New York, who was unknown to Mr..
Duff, in the negotiation for the piece. It
is a fact. however. that the commercial
Mr.. Carte. after several times raising the
price TO Mr.. Duff. finally told him that
negotiations were at an end. Incensed at
this treatment, Duff returned TO America
and without Cartes consent put on the
operetta at his Standard Theater then
located at Thirty-third street and Sixth
avenue.
It was now John Stetson's turn for
wrath, for he had paid Carte a hand
some advance royalty for the sole pro-
ducing rights for America. He called
loudly and vainly on Carte for protection.
which Carte could not. and would not
give, as no international. copyright law
existed and Dun could not be legally in
terfered with. nor could any one of the
two dozen other productions of THE
Mikado" be stopped. Stetson. IN retalia-
ton, engaged a company in London to
present the official "Mikado" at his
Fifth Avenue Theater, and the fastening
of the production was so urgent that the
company was rehearsed on the steamer
coming over This production was made
in August. 1885.