The sun., 1915-11-14
OPERA SEASONS PRELUDE
HEARD AT METROPOLITAN
Dress Rehearsal of Samson ct Dalila Gven-Reviews
May Put an End to London's Famous Christmas
Pantommes-Song Writers in Contest

The st note of the new season at the
Metropolitan Opera House was sounded
yesterday morning when a dress re-
hearsal of Samson ct Dalila" was given.
There were only few persons in the
darkened auditorium. The attendance
vas practically made UP of the members
of the opera company who did not take
part In tn representation. NJ Gatti-
Casazza sat in the front row and ap-
peared satisfied. 1t Is an interesting fact
thdt there were no observations as to
the absence Of Sig. Toscanini.
She had been 4 trial to the author
ever since she took her place In the COM
piny. There was scarcely point she
had not fought out with him with the
frenzy Of tiger cat. She could not
make an entrance in that way. She
could not speak this line in that way.
He bore up wonderfully. The other
actors in the company who watched his
self-posscssion when they lost their own
tenpers wageted as TO the length Of time
MS cumposure would last.
quietly. however, that there was almost
! as much surprise as there had been at
the seif-cOntrol OF the star, one morn
| ing she Was especially trying as To what
she could and what she would not do.
IL al mad To be changed. in her opinion.
"of course, you are right, my dear.
he said in the most considerate manner.
''Of course | wrote this play for YOU.
All the time | Was thinking OF how you
would do this or that scene. and how
you would have liked to have II written.
l always kept that in mind, and since
| | only have "A scene here and there we
viii have 1t all changed to suit you
There Was never another outbreak
| from the lady after that She saw 80
well the absurdity of her own conduct
| lnAt II IN that moment she was as mild
as May day.
Florence Walton and Maurice are
| going 10 appear in an English version
Of LA Naison de Ddnse." VIII Miss
Walton wear the same sort of II costume
| in which Regina Badet created such ~
sensation In the PARIS performances Of
| the play?
William Raymond IL to have the lead
! ing role in THE Girl" the expanded
! farce by Edward Peple.
| When Laurette Taylor comes back to
th. country 1t will be to appear first
| In three one act plays. One OF these
| is "Barbaraza." IN which she has al
ready been seen here. 1t Is by Hartley
| Manners, who wrote the other two one
| act plays. II was once meant to be the
| first act OF long drama.
The Moffats. who came into the lime
| light with their "Bunty Pulls the
| Strings" after IA long period of modest
| activity In the provincial towns of Great
| Britain, have another Scotch play. This
is "Bauldy," by A. 4. Wilson. There is
a new Welsh play by the name THE
| Cali" IL Joseph Weber feels he did not
| have enough of the Welsh stage In
| Change
Nothing has swept over the stage In
recent years with the force OF the so
called review. 1t has killed musical
comedy in England and all but put u
| quietus on musical comedy and operetta
in this country. Now 1t is said that the
popularity of this new form of enter
| tainment has even killed that British
| institution, the Christmas pantomima
and that hereafter there will II all prob
ability be no more pantomimei
Such force would not ordinarily have
been attributed to this form of play,
since pantOfnllne az tHTlStiIlus HAS pecii
n tradition in England for years. But
it's existence IL now threatened, There
! is no cause for regret at it's disap-
pearance since anything duller or more
| stodgy It would be difficult tn imagine.
II must be borne IN mind that the
foundation of the review to-day IL
syncopated music. Without the ragtime
! ditties this form Of entertainment never
| could have won It's preponderatinE place
here or abroad. The devastating effects
OF the review are therefore rather the
effects OF the popularity OF ragtime
music.
Emanuel Reicher, who begins his sea
son at the Garden Theatre on Tuesday
night, viii devote the first week to tht
subscribers to the Modern Stage. The
second week OF the play will be for the
American Peoples Theatre. For thess
representations there Ia an entirely dit,
ferent schedule OF prices, the highest