The Washington herald., 1915-11-21

\ hich he refers with evident pride.
New York is universally familiar
with the Metropolitan Opera. in gen.
eral way, and its devotees are nu-
merous and conspicuous part of the
population But comparatively Few
of them know the life back OF the cur
tain. Therefore, The Great Lover"
is a more than usually interesting rev.
citation. The theater has ahcwn its
most intimate affairs so often In the
prints and on the stage itself that IL
retains very few mysteries for play
goers. The opera has not hitherto
been SO frank and the play gives us
new atmosphere, showing US nrst
the directors Office where the singsrs
and conductors drop in to transact
their business and show us some OF
their petty ways in the matter OF
roles, appearances and the like. Then
we have the great barytone's dressing
room during a performance OF Don
Giovanni" where We are given yet
closer view of the small politics OF
the opera singing world. Finally, we
have the parlor Of his suite at the no.
tel and here we get an intimate rev.
elation of the mans character and
career.
Ditrichstein's Best.
The play is SO well cast and well
staged that we feel all through the
performance that we are in the opera
and almost of it. Even the character
of the American girl who has devoted
herself to study for the operate stage
and is trying to make her way against
the undercurrent OF foreign and mean
intrigue is contrIbutory to the realism
and is well personified by Virgins Fox
Brooks, daughter of the veteran the
atrical manager, Joseph Brooks Most
OF the company have been well select
ed for their ability to represent types
familiar in the encourage OF the opera
which lends an amusing aspect TO
many of the scenes Especially effect
i've is Beverly Sitgreaves as a contem-
porary and early sweetheart OF Paurel.
who knows him and his career to the
point of contempt and hatred for this
hero to whom the sycophantic crowd
bow down.
OF courSe, Mr.. Ditrichstein is Paurel.
and as part author he has seen to II
that nothing has been omitted to cen
ter interest in the role. 1t is one that
he fits, and that fits him admirably.
Even the foreign accent he has never
been able to overcome. and his peculi-
arity of utterance are aids rather than
blemishes. In his enthusiasm for the
part he abandons the strutting and
overposing that have marred some of
his other performances. Without ex-
cusing them he makes us understand
the reason for the variety and petit
ness of the opera singer. and shows
us how real and tangible are profess
sionaI rivalries with their jealousies
and chicanery. He even gives US a
touch of very genuine emotion in his
discovery that there has finally gone
from him for good and all the voice
that made him a sovereign in the little
world of the opera that imagines itself
so big and assumes to itself so much
in the scheme of things.
Cast and staged as ii is, The Great
Lover" makes most interesting enter
1t is not moving in a big
way, for 1t is. in fact, comedy. and IL
to be seen what its power as
a play will be in less perfect presents-
ton. Its value may also be questioned
in places where opera is less well
known than in New York. But here,
and done as it is. there is no question
Of its power to draw.
More PIayIets.
That curious little band of young and
themselves the Washington Square Play
ers. although their thester is in East
street. more than three
niles from Washington Square, have put
On their second bill of their second sea-
son. As usual. II consists OF four one-act
pieces. Three of them are TRANSACTIONS,
The Honorable Lover" from the Italian
II Bracco; Literature from the Aus
rian Of Schnitzler. and "Whims." from
he French OF De Musset- None of these
s especially striking, although they are
Ill interesting and acted agreeably in the
neither professional nor amateurish
n fhaGa rNlo Tha Last L. O
progressive art setting and
costumes designed and executed by those |
members Of the organization who are as
signed to this branch of the work.
"Overtones" has a most original idea |
veil carried in the writing and PERFORM
ne. The characters are two women. one |
lttired in green. and the other In pink. |
Always close to each of them is her over |
one. shrouded except when they speak |
n green and pink yelling which SYM |
'olizes their invisibility. The women are,
m the surface. social friends induIging in !
concerning their respective |
ives and interests. Their demeanor and |
are conventional, but when |
hey speak with lips their overtones say !
he things that are in their hearts. and |
how the real feelings that the women !
themselves are concealing with smiling /
Although brief, this is q |
cry novel and effective slIit. whose pos
Utilities may be readily imagined. The
uthor is Alice Gerstenberg.
Chatter.
The opening weeks bill at the Metro
'olitan seems chosen with the idea of dis
.rming international feeling. The COM
osers are two Germans, two Italians,
ne Frenchman and one Russian-wag-
er. Strauss. Verdi. Puccini, Saint-Saens
nd Moussorgsky.
The first of Shakespeare in New York
his season will be Romeo and Juliet"
( the Forty-fourth Street next week.
he Juliet. will be Khyva st. Adams, a |,
s-year-old daughter of Oscar Saenser, |,
weil-known singing teacher in New
'ork. The saspirant for Adelaide Nell
on's role has had only desultory expert
nee on the stage. but her friends claim
he is another Mary Anderson.
Alone at Last" cannot break into
Iondon, for the present at least Lehar,
he composer, who also wrote THE
Terry Widow" is an Austrian, and Lon
on will have none of him.
George Bernard Shaw's newest play,
Thich Is likely to be seen here early
ext year. is called Michael O'Blaherty, &
: C." England's fiercest critic has ,
ound it wise to keep mute since the warI
cyan. but the title Of the new play sug-
ests that he Is no longer able to keep
till about the big topic. X
Billie Burke's next appearance will be i
dramatization of Hall Gaines The
Woman Thou Gayest Me-" IL
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who ar IL
ives from England this week, Is to APP
ear In film plays for one of the Ameri-
an companies II
Grace Georges next production win be 4
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