New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-24
AUGUSTA VAN BIENE DIES
Well Known Actor Musician
Succumbs on the Stage.

Brighton England. Jan. 23,-Auguste
Van Biene. the actor musician. who
toured for years in America and Eng
land in The Broken Melody" died
suddenly during a performance here to-
night.
Van Biene had been in bad health
and was fulfilling his engagements in
defiance of his physicians advice. He
was playing tonight in the sketch
The Master Musician" His son was
conducting the orchestra.
The actor had reached point in the
sketch where he was supposed 10 fall
back in a chair overcome by illness ard
hunger when the actual collapse oc-
Cured. The audience left the theatre
without knowing of the real tragedy.
Van Biene WAS born in Holland in
1880. and appeared almost six thou
sand times in THE Broken Melody"
which was produced in London for the
first time in 1892
Auguste Van Bicne and his company
were in America last in 1896. He played
at the American Theatre, New York.
Van Riene was horn i'm Rotterdam.
but the greater part of his career as a
musician and an actor was passed In
England. His mother was an actress.
and his two brothers We're musicians.
He went to London in 1867. and for IA
time his career was far from prosperous.
He tried TO get an engagement In an or
chestra, but failed. not because he could
not play well enough. but because there
were no vacancies
He came very near 10 starving. ana
at last he began TO play In the streets
for pennies To get something To eat
He managed to get enough in this way
TO keep himself alive for time. and one
DAY Sir Michael Costa heard him play
ins and asked him why he did H. Be
cause | am hungry said Van Biene'
Then Sir Michael engaged him FOR the
orchestra at Coyent Garden.
After ;ime he began To get small
concert engagements. and then larger
ones. He was so successful in these
that he saved enough money To buy the
rights to "Falka" and 20 take that op-
cretta on a tour Then he managed sue
cessively "Pepita,' Faust Up to Date.
"Ruy Bias" Ghe Gaiety Theatre bur
lesdue). Carmen Up to Date" "Cinder
Ellen Up to Date" "Blue-Eyed Susan,
Planquette's RIP Van Wrinkle" In
which he himself took the leading part.
and the melodrama The Lights or
Home"
But altogether his greatest success
was mis- play THE Broken Melody,
written for him by Herbert Keen and
James T. Tanner for the sake Of giving
him a chance TO act and To play the
cello.
The story Of "The Broken Melody is
that Of Polish refugee who is fine
musician and composer. He has com
posed an opera, and has the usual am
entity i'm getting il accepted by any man
agcr He marries "A poor woman, and a
rich woman falls in love with nm. 1hc
rich woman makes the WE OF Inc nu-
stefan believe that the Russian police are
after her husband and that IL Will be
time So the wife goes away with the
rich woman. She leaves letter Tor MN,
telling him that she has gone Only Ior "A
little, while. and the WICKED rifn woman WON ~
lIltlldltS u ~ 10 w ii'''''''' ~ -
never coming back any more. The mu-
stefan comes home eager To tell his wite
that his opera has been accepted. lie
cannot find her, and he thinks that the
next pest thing is to play little OF the
opera. While he IL playing his eye falls
on the le,tef He stops IN the middle OF
the melody % read il, and then. natnr-
ally, he does not finish the melody. ms
trn,ible lasts for long time, and then
a friend induces him Ia 20 back to his
cello which he has never touched since
his wife left him. While he rs playing
she takes the dramatic opportunity TO
come back. and the ending is happiness.