Evening star., 1914-04-19

are natives Of London and one a native
| of Dublin. These four comprise the en-
| tire acting cast, and each is required by
the character of the play to be finished
musician. vocally and instrumentally,
| there being musical basis or motive
to the entire action of the play.
| Charles Maude. the male member of
| the cast, is a cousin of Cyril Maude and
also a son of the great Jenny Lind, to
which source he can easily trace his fine
( musical instincts. Mr.. Maude Is an ac-
complished pianist
| Miss Ethel Browning. the only Ameri-
! can member of the cast has appeared
in prominent roles In classical dramas
playing Puck in Midsummer Nights
Dream" and a prominent part in Marta
| of the Lowlands'' at its New York pres
| entation at the Amsterdam Theater. She
| possesses a lyric soprano voice of pure
quality, and to further round out her
| musical education she has spent the past
two years in the study of operatic roles
abroad. She has the role of the neg
!ected little orphan of Italian parents,
whose only heritage is music.
Miss Marguerite St John, who has Gre
al ed the role of the lodginghouse keeper,
Miss Love. needs but little Introduction
here, her most recent success prior to
her present role being that of Lady
Beaconsfeld with Mr.. George Arless in
'Disraeli.''
Miss Helen Royden, who is cast for the
part of Zelda Selby. the ''prima donna
product of Broadway music comedy"
has for the past two seasons been abroad
doing concert and operate work, appear
ing in Stuttgart, Vienna. Berlin Munich,
Dresden. Budapest and Brussels. She has
coloratura soprano voice of richness
and beauty of expression.
In a lodging house on <4th street lust
around the corner from Broadway" and
In the attic room occupied by Chester"
a composer who has Just arrived from
Europe with beautiful ideals, but no
money, the story of the piece is laid.
This room is looked after by the land
! lady and her one servant. Marie.
| Chester meets Zelda who is also a
roomer, and a fiashy. vulgar greedy
young woman She introduces the COM
poser to manager and agrees to sing
the role in his opera on the night the
opera is to have its production Zelda
to win a good thing the young son of
family with money, deserts Chester.
who gives up in despair and attempts
suicide. Little Marie, who has always
looked upon Chester and his works as
being almost divine" saves him from
this fate. She announces that she will
sing the role. To the desperate Chester
this seems insult, hut in the midst of his
despair the poor little Italian girl stands
| IN the garret and sings the song Loves
Consolation" She knows the opera COM
pietely. Like Trilby in Du Maurier's
famous story. she develops by some in
| spiration the power to enchant her hear
| ers and to sing without training without
\ fear and almost without consciousness to
| her everlasting glory and for the success
| or chester. The penitent return of the
! pr1ma donna OTTER the opera and the plea
| of the little slavey for her and her offer
| to give up the fruits of her own triumph
! lead to striking climax The music of
/ the play is arranged to follow the action
! somewhat in the form of a sonata COM
prising three or four distinct movements
each with a unity OF its own. vet ali re-
lated so as to form a perfect whole.