El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-05-19

THE Lyceum Theater this week when
the Society OF American Singers gave
in English "The Maid Mistress" by
I Persolesi. and The Night Bell of
DOnizetti, composer Of Lucia di Lam
mermoor."
These two old pieces were sung for
the first time in this country within
the memory of man although &C
cording 10 some accounts the first
named was heard here more than
century ago.
THE Maid Mistress ia Serra
Padrona) was the chief opera comique
Of the Parisians Of the middle 18th
century and is one Of the famous
operas Of history Donizettis little
work was written and composed
learned and produced in nine days and
is q type Of the sort of musical hu
NOR our fathers Of the 1886 period
enjoyed
The two operas were eharmingly
given. The casting Of the operas
was excellent, every singer seeming
TO get the correct spirit Of his or
/ her role Florence EastOn Maclen-
( non surprised her friends by her eX-
0uisite handling of light role IN
The Maid Mistress" as her name is
generally associated with Wagnerian
Z parts Lucy Gates in The Night
/ Bell had little singing TO do. but
? II was most difficult and she SatlS-
. fled the exacting taste Of the many
experts present David Bispham filled
two roles accepta bly,
s.The Highwayman--
B Reginald de Koven's splendid 90
I year-old comic opera The Highway
man" is being presented in a most
I acceptable revival at the Forty-fourth
Street theater II should please all
+ lovers Of tuneful pieces and those
who like a dashing story with their
music
The plot sounds a bit old fash
0 toned. but il serves as the framework
T Of an agreeable evening As those
with long memories viii recall. Dick
Z Fitzgerald. the desperate young Irish
blade. took 70 the road because he
E had been ruined by Hawkhurst. the
gambler, and was as Captain Scar
, let hunted by the Bow Street run
/ ners. He was beloved by the beau
tiful Lady Constance Sinclair. who
But the dreadful HawShurst stole
1.-THE document. and so Lady Constance,
T in the disguise Of knight OF the
road. made the gambler give up the
precious paper There are var ous
other mfxups. three Captain Scariets
and plenty of lovemaking- Harry 3.
Smith conceived this phantasy-
I The old piece served to introduce
lalluring Blanca Saroya. who despite
her name is said to hail from Phlla-
! nEAnn1a- Efe Is q HbAEAA4Al IA 4tANNNNT
with a deep soprano and some acting
ability The part of Lady Constance
gave her many good numbers. espe-
/ ciaIIy the lively ~Vive Ia BaSatelle,
which quite captured the first night
audience
Thomas CFitzgerald) were most
charming in the duet DO Hou Re
member. Love- while Sam Ash as a
young naval officer. scored with
sGretna Green and While the -Four
Winds Blow
4 Real Japanese Spirit.
How TO get Japanese atmosphere
so true that il would please even the
subjects OF the Mikado- was achieved
In "The Willow Tree by the pres
I ence Of Sakukichi Hatakenaka in the
Mr. Hatakenaka. the Bird Seller OF
iNIessrs. Renrimo and Rhodes story
is a native Japanese actor, and Is
here in order to acQuaint himself
with the practices Of our stage
In producing The willow Tree
any questions Of diction. gesture anc
mira seologv were referred to him as
a final court Of appeal
The result is the full satisfaction
of leading japanese here who have
witnessed the production 1heA
iDraiee the faithfulness Of the stage
setting. the action and the story Il
. the spirit Of Nippon
Mr.. Hatakenaka's association witt
. the drama is quite natural, for ms
| father. one Of the leading merchants
of KOCH, owned the principal theatel
Even today actors in japan have
about the same social standing a.
those of England in Elizaoetnan
, tin7es vneu my lord was wont q
+ saw. on hearing that the players ha'
, arrived. Good 'Sdeathl See tina
= thev are becomingly housed IN m
p stable,"
; wanted To Re An Actor.
For all this, young SakUkichi Hata
2 keraIza wanted TO act In fact, at tn
? end Of his third school year he plead
: ed with his father to allow him L
! laDprentice himself TO an actor-fo
I / il is the custom in Japan for tn
young actor to learn his profession
by serving as makeup boy and valet
NJ The elder Hatakenaka, however