New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-07

Tomorrow night the New Amsterdam
Theatre will open its regular season with
"sweethearts," a new comic opera by
Victor Herbert. with book by Harry b.
Smith and Fred de Gresac and lyrics by
Mr.. Smith. Christie Macdonald is the
star Of the production, which is made un-
der the MANAGEMENT OF Werba ~
. Luescher. The story Of 'Sweethearts' Is
based on an old Flemish legend, which
tells of princess stolen in infancy ana
deposited in tulip bed, where she Is
found by a Woodworking laundress, who
adopts her and brings her up as men,
her Of her own family. This being an OLD
fairy story. and also a modern muslcal
production, it follows, as a matter oil
course, rl,at the little princess emerSes
from obscurity and comes into her own. In
the process Of her return to her birthrisht
love is interviewer with the august dig
nifty Of a throne. Tulip beds and royalty
combined suggest picturesque scenery
and costumes, no small part Of the sue
cess of musical comedy. The scenes de-
picted change from the ancient city or
Bruges. filled with gayly dressed peas
antry and brilliantly accoutred soldiery
i'm the first act TO a feudal castle in
Ziania, far, far away, where, so the man
agenent announces, the costumes will be
"of extreme modernness" The large cast
selected TO support Miss Macdonald in
cludes Tom McNaughton and Lionel
Walsh, the comedians; Thomas Conkey,
Edwin Wilson, Frank Belcher, Robert
OConnor Ethel du Fire Houston, Hazel
Kirke, Nellie Mccoy, Edith Allen, Cecilia
Hoffman. Gertrude Rudd, Gene Peltier'
Gretchen Hartman and a large chorus.
The orchestra, one Of the largest ever en-
ployed in comic opera. will be under the
baton of John McGhie The production
has been staged by Fred G. Latham.
on Thursday night William Collier will
return TO Charles Frohmans management
at the Criterion Theatre, where he will
be seen as the hero of a new farce by
Richard Harding Davis, who's Who?"
The scenes OF the three acts OF this play
are laid in the East and the Far West.
The plot promises much amusement, and
an excellent part for the popular come
dian, Lester Ford chr. Collier, is an in
voluntary cowboy, known as "Soapy
Sam" He is from Massachusetts. he
longs to go home. but he cannot, for,
seven years ago, on his arrival in Ari-
IONA with tenderfoots spectacular cow
boy outfit, every item of IT stamped with
his name he had been robbed Of all his
splendor by a highwayman. Dressed in
his clothes. this criminal had shortly
afterward killed an express agent had
been killed by the pursuing posse and
been buried under the name OF Lester
Ford. which was found stamped on his
WEAPONS And so the real Lester Ford
is sensitive about claiming his own name.
lie confides his sorrow 10 none except
the mistress of the White Hope saloon, at
Last Chance, determined lady. who
rules her prize lighting brother and AL
the cowboys in the district. sBut she has
a tender spot in her heart for "Soapy"
who is thus known because he has curl
Gus liking for frequent additions. Les
ter's father dies in Massachusetts,, leav-
ing a fortune: a lawyer comes to Arizona
In look for the lost heir aud finds him,
only TO receive firm denial. Lester in
sists that he is not himself but merely
looks like himself The lawyer then pro-
poses, for reasons of his own, that Lester
shall impersonate himself in Massachu-
sets, and he. also for reasons OF his own,
consents TO do so. In the company sup
porting Mr.. Collier are Grace Griswold'
william Frederic. Bert B. Melville, Nlcho-