Evening star., 1950-08-06
DC. Light Infantry
By John CIoqett Proctor

richness and elegance of the in
terror. The general verdict was
one of satisfaction both with the
arrangement Of the interior and
the excellent taste shown In the
ornamentation.
The audience was worthy of
the rich surroundings. While
evening toilets were very general,
many elegant street costumes
were noticeable among the ladies,
the occasion being generally
recognized as one of more than
usual moment, both in social and
dramatic circles.
"The new chairs were found to
be very comfortable and this was
circumstance which, in the gen.
eral interest of the evening, did
not pass without comment. In the
lower boxes on the left of the
stage were the members of the
Building Committee of the Wash
ington Light Infantry Corps.
THE curtain was parted in the
middle shortly after O'Clock, and
E. B. Hay stepped to the footlights.
He was greeted with a round Of
applause. He then recited very
effectively poetical inaugural
address, which was written for
Manager Albaugh by John v.
Hood of Baltimore. Upon the con-
clusion of the address, the curtain
was run up, disclosing upon the
stage the members of the Emma
Abbott Opera Comany. The or
chestra began to play "The Star
Spangled Banner" an American
flag was lowered over the stage,
and Miss Abbott, dressed as the
Queen of Babylon, appeared and
bowed her acknowledgements to
the repeated rounds of applause
which greeted her. Then she rem
dered the national anthem, the
company joining in the chorus.
After these preliminaries, the
orchestra began the overture to
the opera of 'Semiramide,' and
during this interval President
Arthur entered, accompanied by
John Davis. Mrs. Davis and Miss
Frelinghuysen. They were ushered
to the lower box on the right of
the stage. Senator Don Cameron
and Mrs. Cameron were already
in the box, and later in the eve
ming Mr.. Phillips, the private sec
retary, Joined the party. The
performance Of the opera was
then begun, and went along with
great smoothness, considering
that the stage fittings had so re-
Gently been put in.
when the curtain fell on the
second act, there were loud calls
for Mr.. Albaugh, and that gen.
tleman appeared before the cur
tain. In response to the warm
reception, he made a brief speech.
thanking the audience for their
attendance and expressing the
hope that he would be as success
full in the management as the
Light Infantry was In the erection
of a magnificent opera house"
Gate was $3,137
On this occasion a special train
brought from Baltimore a num-
Der of the friends of Manager AL
baugh as well as representatives
of newspapers published in that
city. The total receipts for the
night are said to have been $3,137.
On February 81, 1885. shortly
after the opening fof the Grand
Opera House, the National The
ater was destroyed by fire for the
fourth time and this left only
Albaugh's and Ford's Opera House
to supply the demand for high
grade performances.
Albaugh's, in addition to being
successful as a theater, proved also
to be popular as place for hold
ing conventions. It was here that.
on September 5. 1893. President
Cleveland opened the Pan-Ameri-
can Medical Congress. Previous
to this other notable gatherings
took place, including the meeting
of the International Council Of
Women, March 26. 1888, when Su-
san B. Anthony presided. Here
Olga Nethersole made her WASH
ington debut in 1894 in Camille.
Adelina Patti gave a farewell per-
formance at Albaugh's in 1887.
and seven years later she gave a
similar performance at Conven-
tion Hall.
If my memory serves me right
George S. Atwater conducted,
where the entrance is now, a BIZ
cycle store. In the rear was a
vacant piece of ground which he
had aSphalted and turned into q
riding school.
Vaudeville was first introduced
at the Grand Opera House, Janu-
ary Is, 1899, the theater then be-
ing under the management Of
Burke g. Chase. Chase later
opened what is now Keith's The
ater.