Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-03-28
Carmen Is Presented by
Ferris Hartman Company
nY sHIRLEY oLYMPIUs

To temper criticism with kindness
one should say that the presentation
of Carmen" by the Hartman company
at the Grand opera house yesterday
was well received. Evidently patrons
of the Grand like opera in English as
well as they do musical comedy, for
large audiences greeted both offerings
of Bizets famous work yesterday.
Once in while the audience laughed
In the wrong place or was bit penu-
rious with applause, but aside from
that everybody seemed to be enjoying
himself after fashion.
One week is all too short a time for
artists of any pretentions to learn
parts and music of any grand opera.
The beauty of grand opera lies mostly
in the exactness with which every note
from the orchestra and singers, every
word and every situation dovetails to-
gether. Such nicely cannot be worked
out, although its observance may be
attempted, after a weeks rehearsals.
And again, much of the beauty of
the italian is lost in translatinng the
libretto into English.
1t is for the two reasons assigned
the critic should be indulgent
Georgianna StraC IS, who has been
associated with grand opera companies
for several years, made her debut yes
terday with the Hartman company,
singing Carmen. Miss Strauss has an
excellent contralto of wide range and
much power. Her upper register is un-
doubtedly the best So lear are the
high tones and so much more reso-
nant are they than the low notes. one
is almost forced to saytNhe has a
mezzo-soprano rather thanfa contralto
voice. Her rendition of Carmen was
not marked by any superlative quail
ties however. Charles Farwell Edison
sang Escamillio satisfactorily His
"Toreador' song was greeted enthusi-
astically. Joseph Fogarty's Zungia and
Thomas Persse's Don Jose were fair.
Edith Mason did we'll witt Michaela.
Myrtle Dingwall, she of the raven
hair and flashing black eyes, looked
more like an ideal earn n than any
other person on the stage Miss Ding
wall and Carmen Phillips, respective
ly, portrayed Frasquita and Mercedes,
friends of Carmen. Ferris Hartman
and Walter De Leon introduced much
comedy as tn brigands. They saved
the opera from being exceedingly tire
some.
Harry Mestayer, the popular and
artistic member of the Burbank stock
company, was most happily surprised
yesterday by receiving an offer to Gre
ate a part in one of Cohan and Harris
new plays to be produced in the sum-
mer or early in the fall. The Offer
came like a windfall to Mr.. Mestayer
Although he has been planning to &c
to New York this summer and, as he
phrases It, TRY his luck once more, y
he had no idea he would find a part
waiting for him on his arrival in the
big city.
AS is well known, George NJ. Conan
and Henry b. Harris produce more
plays than musical comedies, although
it was in musical comedies both Sc
cured fame and fortune first. It Is for
one of the plays that Conan and Harris
want Mr.. Mestayer.
When Mr.. Messenger leaves the Bur-
bank company, of which he has been
a member for several years, his place
will be hard to fill, for in detail ano
deep study he is one of the most
faithful actors on the stage. He alsC
will leave behind him a host of friends
who will wish him every success II
his new undertaking.
Otis Skinner and his excellent com
! pany will begin a weeks engagement
at the Mason opera house tonight
The bill will be your Humble Serv'
ant" a story of stage. life
Florence Roberts will open a two
weeks engagement at the Auditorium
tonight Her first week will be de-
voted to 1.-The Transformation" and
her second to Gloria" both excep-
tionally strong dramas.
After an absence from the stage OF
two years and half, Mace Greenleaf
one of the most popular actors who ever
appeared in Los Angeles, as well as one
of the most capable, will make his re-
appearance at the New Nielsen theater
next Saturday night, April 2. when
that playhouse will be opened under
the management of c. a. Quintard.
Mr.. Greenleaf will essay the role OF
Don Jose i'm the Olga Nethersole dra-
matte version of Carmen" He will
play opposite Miss Hortense Nielsen,
the star of the Nielsen theater stock
company.
1t was nearly three years ago that
Mace Greenleaf married the beautiful
Miss Lucy Banning and retired from
the stage for all time, according to his
announcement then. But the lure OF
the footlights together with the inn
portunities of Manager Quintard were
too strong for the handsome actor, who
delighted thousands as leading man at
the Burbank theater. For three weeks
Mr.. Greenleaf considered the large sal
airy offer made by Manager Quintard
and finally accepted. The contract was
signed yesterday afternoon
Mr.. Greenleaf, who is one of the
most popular actors as well as society