The billboard (Jan 1911)

JANUARY 28, 1911. . The Billboard 29 Amusements in Foreign Lands PARIS LETTER The Knlgbt of « Sorrowful Countenance has . beautiful story nod the Don Qutcbott* (Don Quixote, we •pi" '«> of M. Msseoet. one of iV. cVuirector..of the NetlonalOpera I. bri- dled with obvious reverence. Produced luc week died wltn oorious reirmire. rIU ~^73^z .1 the Galte Lyrlque here, we see the strange hero offered la a lofty awl sincere spirit. Henri Cslu rnsd- tbe libretto to M. Massen- et's music, snd. following Le Lorrnln. be baa done well by himself and the work. He shows 5. the knigbt-erreut, toe champion of the weak and tne oppressed, pstbetlc and altnoat ■treat In hla aubllme madness.- In the owning Scene a g-y crowd la cheering Dulclnea a frail, fssctaetlug young besnty. a kind of Cellmene if tie SouUl. Don Uuliote (or Qulcbotte. aa you prefeorfollowed b? bla faithful S.ucbo. offer. her t arrenide. Ibe be.utjr refuses to MM to him unleaa be reetorea to her the necklace by the terrible robber. Tene- •lolen from Ve'erlesslf uiy Don Quixote departs on the peril- errand. Be engsges In a terrlnc battle the windmills, lb ill t ous rrraoo. ur eum«|.-. ■ with the wlndmllla, then romee upon the bandit and hla band. In leta than a minute be la bound hand and foot, while bla captora aland about laughing at and jibing him for having the temcr- attack them single handed. But they " —nek by bla bravery (hat be looks upon « l .iS. , e^' , i|i, , ^de^ud Ity to attaca mem «iu» ■»-• "Z7t an forced to retard this strawy man In a dif- ferent light, because of his boldness, and the leader of the" band la ao alruck by bla bravery obeys depart In peace. When be arrlres at tba bouae of hands her Jewels, he ssks ber to wife. She replica by laughing, tbongbtlewaly. Don Quixote makes no retort but with a wo- man's Instinct, Dulclnea knows she bss given him a stab to the heart. In gentler tone* ahe telle him that aba la not worthy of the honor. For all that ahe has glren a fatal Wow. In the anal act we see Don Qnlxote In Hie forest. Bis back Is against a tree, bla lance, •word and buckler at bla feet. Life la ebbing fast yet the knight stands to meet death, which will put an end to his sufferings. Be utters no word of blame for bla Dulclnea. the girl who baa killed blm. bat silently telle dead Into the arma of the nobbing tsaacbo. The moon sheds a ghostly light OTcr -the scene. M Marrams la Don, and bla pathetic Inter- pretation of the character mnde^drep lmprea at^^c*M?. ale M*'F-ugere' mated the" r,X? of laocbo. The Drat perform sue* wan really at real one. and therefore one Is able now. for the tint time, to glee an Idea of what Is really thought of the work. The mule la very much Massenet, and be does not attempt In do too much with It. He does thst very rare thing, resists all temptation to eoar. stlcka close to hla subject, and tba result la quite touching, bnman Interest work. Henri < sin aa 1 re- marked, works bis libretto over-after the he- roic comedy by the poet. Jack Le terrain, who died In poverty shortly after the Ural Monte Csrlo performance. , LE MIRACLE. * While Measenet. of the Opera, waa working on Don Qulcbotte for the Oelrte Lyrlque. MM. Oheusl end Mlrsnue were busy with Georges Hue on a piece for the Opera. Le Miracle la Its name. Ohenal aad Mlraone making the llt.rctto. and Hue the mnalc for It. The drat performance took place at the Opera laat week. Tne scene of. the plot Is lsld in the year 14X3. A tnwn In Burgundy Is besieged by a band of Italian freebooters and Is secret- ly ssred by Altx.. a beautiful conrtessne.. who glere herself to the csptaln or the marauders. The people bellere the town to bare been wared by 8alnte Agnes., and Loys.. a ynong sculptor. 1* commissioned by the people to esrve s ststne of the saint-for the church balcony. Alls, however, wants the ststne to be nf her- self since! It wsa she. and not the saint who tared the'City. - Accordingly she presents bcrself In sll ber glory before the sculptor Loys. and Immediately It la a case of lore st flrat sight. When the statute Is completed snd Installed resdy for the uoTelllng. sll the town Is present before the church. The people dance ami sing sod wstch the mountebanks and fakirs at their games until the Bishop, and other high church dignitaries appear, and glee tne signs! for Loys to oorell the etstue. When this ts sc- cnmpllshed s grest shout of anger goes up from Hi" mnltltnnr. Tbe slattte Is not that of the •slnt hM the nude modeling of Alia, the sane. The soldiers hsre trouble In pushing back the futions populace, and tbe bishop glrea an ••"leer the order to smash the work. Furious. Alls hurls herself upon tbe men snd prevents him nstng Ibe axe which he bad ralaed. Ally. Is arrested and sentenced to desth. while Loys. excommunicated, baa to remain lu hid- ing. Alls Is told, however, that she rat ssre her loerr If she will break the ststne. snd sfter some hesitation, she consents. Mfltnc aloft the ase. there ta a Saab of Itght-ilng. snd .Mix fslls deed, the Mow onstmrk. i«.t«. who Is present, rushes np to the ststur. teste the roll aside, ami lol It la no longer of Allx. but of •J'lnle Agnes. A miracle has been performed. The saint stands there In all ber Ttrgln robes, '•earen has forglTen Allx. The picturesque cos taming, the dances, the rarlnna little details nf staging I.c Miracle show a certain Ru.etan Influence, pleaaantly. It la true. Hue's music belongs to what might be styled the ultramodern school, and Is clerer, complicated, bss volumes of sound snd color enrnrdasttons, with mases of brssa snd weed, Ihoiigh llshtee touches here and there, aa the ^■n 0 "™"™*"."' *t? W" overbed. . Mile. Cbenel I. delightful ss Alia, and Mure- n£ H .• or 'i». n,, ' :r ' ,, » "* ♦« bis blgb standard W**—*.: The other principals ami Ibe hsllct were excellent, . ROMEO AND JULIET. li.n«i tr "!!* U I" ,n . '«> Freueb Terse, of Romeo snd thi. wJtr WI* i*. "f-mmont. was presented this week st the Odeon. nnder the direction of AUSTRALIA LETTER M. Antolne. M. Jube. ss Romeo, and Mile. Ventura as Juliet were not vastly different from Uomeoa snd Juliets we all have known for so loig, but tbe staging of the piece was better tbsn some versions I have seen In tbe Ststes. The Colonne orchestra gave a masterly rendi- tion of Berllug's due Incidental music to the plsy. DROUTH BEFORE DELUGE. For tne psst few weeks Paris baa had few here are more conservative than Wall g^rsss sLm^eS ms then. , Le Vlell Homme will prulmbly be brought oat at the Port-Salnt-Marllu before summer, and Mine. Bertie Bsdy la scheduled to appear at thi. playhouse In a new piece, entitled L'Enfant de 1 Amour, of which I bare bad occasion to st the but I Knfsnl Oar correspondent complains that ha la constantly receiving inquiries from American teailsis of The Billboard upon which he haa to pay a surcharge for speak heron-. She may also appear NUsSv'tsMt th"de°pe"nu» f upxT^huw^eli'i' de rAmour holds out st the other bouse don. taken from Hrnnlque'a ro- prepared for ber at one nf the le Parts Broadway, the Houle Amsia iTsiusiiiiur wsa siuen mis s drunken ^man named Boyer. a man 10m there could have been no previous Mme. tluxanne Deapria La to have a new play from the pea of Alfred fsarolr. and this will have Its premiere In the spring. Mme. Vera Serglne will return to tbe Odeon. where she will sppesr In "sn Important production" (sir) aa soon aa Ibe Carnival dea Enfanta closes where she la now. Macbeth may be brought out 'at ; (he Corned le Franca I se soon, with Mme. Segond- | Weber ss Lady Macbeth, snd Marie Vlctolre . will be produced at tbe Antolne with Mme. Mr gard In the title part. She will also create tbe principal role In Le Bonheur. (lulno i'« play: and Minnie Brar" mance, la being tueatree near tbe rards. Eve LsvalUerc- will go to Ibe Theatre Michel . to play In a new piece by Robert de Flrrs snd Henri CaUlevet. Mme. Marthr Brandes wIU 1 tour France snd Holland In La Rampe. the Henri de Rothschild play or Ibe atage. Papa, a new play by de Flera ami Calllavet. will be produced at the Gymaase, where L'Anr tie Burl- dan Mncooatant George) and Love Watchea 1 1.* Am our VrUlel had tbelr premieres, M. Fella Hugnenet will create the principal character. Rehearsals will start about the middle of the month. It la aald. At the Vaudeville, where Montmsrtre la now holding forth. Le Trlbon will In all provability be produced this a irlng, though Pan] Bom-ret has not quite finished this piece, snd It ts possible ibat It will bang over and he offered, to tbe pa bite next ralL ACTOR MI'RDKRFJI. Victor Regnant, one or the best known actors in France and former secretary or the .%*tcla- tlon of Artists Drsiustlque wsa killed wsek by be bad tween wh 111 reeling. Begnard waa dining at a smsll restaurant Id Moatmartre. near the Moulin Rouge, where be ta "compere" of the revue. Opposite blm at a ta- ble waa a mau who sppesred to have been drink- ing, accompanied by bis two sons, both mere children. In paying for his meala the men of- fered a counterfeit teu-franc piece, whlcn waa refused. He made a scene, and seeing the fel- low wss tipsy. Regnard tried to get him to come bark and alt down with hla dots. Tbe man was at the time abusing the menager -of the place. It wss sll ssld in tbe best of spirit. Regnard Isngblng in good.fellow style, yet Boyer turned, drew hi. pistol and Ureal nolnt blank at the actor. The bullet entered the ab- domen, ahd Regnard dies 4H hours Ister. He waa a close friend of the late Constant Coune- lln. and It was through htm that tbe matin- ees at tbe Actors* Home (for tbe benefit or aged actors I were Inaugurated. Plavers all over France were greatly a booked to bear of tbe crime. Boyer la believed to be craay. as well as an alcoholic. 8H0CKED THE SENATOR. La Femme et le Pantln (The Woman and the Jumping Jack) which Tbe Billboard ansa's* of some weeks sgo, bss hsd much sdrertlslng the last few .lays. Senstor Berenger beard i.»t Reglna Badet did her dance In the nude snd wss so shocked he demanded the police to take a hand and atop the show-. He bsdn't seen tbe show personally. Be had only beard II was Tile. As I have related before, the dance of Mme. Bsdet tskes plsce la s Spanish dsnrlna- hall, and la of daring character. Tbe dancer ha* Mime garments on, but they are scant and probably would reonlre doctoring before silo— no tbe American or British atsge. Bnt In rarle It Is a different thing. Nobody who ssw the dance thought It wicked and no uproar was ^ sbont it. one way Is going B to' T see' r tbe > time are elllf ' heen taken to be. If I may ROLLER KINKS. Jesse Csrey. the American skater now racing In Parts, won the twenty-four hour rsce pulled off at tbe Vol' d'HIv' December 24-28. by shout sixteen laps. He covered 4TT kilometres In the twenty-four hnnrs is kilometre Is flve-elghths of a mile), and ferny, tbe Frenchman, who came second, made 418. two kilometres less. Carey never once left tbe floor In all the twenty-four hours, and not ouly protealonal skaters here, nut physicians ss well, declare they don't see how he accomplished the task. He ate only a few aandwlcuee of breaat of chicken and drank a smsll qnsntlty of cham- pagne to sustain him. At the finish he sprinted two entire lspsl and when he halted he told Jack Banlon (the prise ngbter manageri who ssslated him In the race by looking tjot for bis Interests, thst he felt bully and could keep on going Indefinitely. f understand tbra Is a .record by something tike twenty-two miles tor a twenty-four hour (Cnntlnned on page 40.1 In nance innugni it wicked ana no uproar wss s\"na , tor*^erei«Vr 0 "*ook^etton* M N^ r ' ""'"l wt* i. "gofng "to^w'the^JhoVl^W^lcJ' sT'thls time are still Investigating. No steea bar. been taken to atop the performance—sn.l won't be. ir I may he allowed to predict a little. Sydney, X. S. W„ Dec. 20, 1M0. To the Editor of Tbe Billboard: Sydney la radiant ' with the Influx of tbe country folks, down for tbe Christmas and New Tear holidays. They hare money to burn and time to enjoy themselves, for nature hss been jrenerous to that farmers by the copi- ous downpours of rain, and tbna good seasons bays been assured. Prospects for the coming yesr In all llnee were never brighter, nor the outlook more hopeful tbsn at tbe present. All tbe places of amusement In city and su- burbs are doing phenomenal business, and all the managexs* races are clothed with smiles. Theatres are not going up singly, bnt by Ibe half doxeo. and more contemplated. The Lyric, on George street, will not be ready to open aa was anticipated on the lath Inst., but will no doubt be ready about February L Tbe Adel- and tbe el will be ready to open at Easter, and will : ore to 1 one of tbe largest and the finest of the Ion hss ~—r ihestres under construction. The new Co- No. 2 will be ready to open ahead of it date, as the contractor has 3.000 shsres tbe company, and tbe company la paying too large dividends tn let tbe .contract for tbe new theatre lag behind: so you see. there is method In bis msdness. ss they say. Tbe Ornbeom Theatre baa no far not broken groand. bnt Is getting Its plant onto tbe plot that It la to stand on, and I guess that after the new year baa got settled down to business, there will be something doing along their line anyway. When tbe wbnle ground la covered over with the buUtUngs. tbe Adelphl at tbe eastern end. and tba orphrnm at the western end, covering tbe whole plot that was formerly occupied by Paddy's Market, there will be s gradual change In the amusement cen- ter or tbe city. Jual the same aa It baa changed and gone uptown In New York. Anderson'» Olympic stsnds st tbe corner or Elisabeth and Wexford streets, or what wss called Wexford street before tbe demolition of all of that portion of the city. One or tbe largest and most glgsntlr under- takings In tbe amusement line Is now nnder way. financed by tbe Olympla. Limited, ol Which Mr. Edwin Geach snd William Gee are the msnsglng directors. They plan to change the direction or the amusement sone. going rlabt out ot Ibe regular beaten track ami build- ing on one or the Bnest plots or ground, right on the boundary line or Ibe City of Bydtiey and that of Paddlngton. on Oxford and Do»l'n« streeta. and on the alte where Marshall * old brewery stood. There Is no gainsaying tbe fact that tbe pride or place must is- given to West's, snd It will be a long time before thai position will be wrested from them. The one who la working for tbe premier position Is Tbe Gn-ster J. It. Williams Amusement Co.. Limited, snd the others following. There Is not a place of amusement In this city that ta not nightly open, aa now Is lbs season for tbe eutrepeneurs to coin money, as well ss st Eaaler time, when Ibe great Annual Eaatrr Show la on here. This year will see tbe greatest show that haa ever been held on tbla aide of the I'arlflc. and Ibe public will see vast strides msde In the permanent Improve- ments to be seen on sll sides. The society has expended some $130,000 In new buildings, additions to the ground sees, snd beautifully asphslted foot paths. Esch year shows greater additions msde to the grounds, and there la quite a little city to be round Inside or the society's grounds, with its streets snd ave- nens sll laid nut. named and numbered, well made and asphalted. I do not hesitate to say to thousands or Americans thst were they to visit this abow. they would find a verltahle sye-opener. and they would also lesrn tb-*t while we do things In the Ststes pretty well, we arc not the only apple on the tree by long rhslks. Tbe nfllelsl opening dsy is slw-ays tbe Tuea.iav berore Good Frldsy. and the show continues ror ten days. On some dsya the at- tendance runs from 83.000 to 00.000 nald ad- missions. It looka aa If this year will break all records, and I would not ba at all sur- prised If there were not a large lacrosse of the number of blgb-pltcb men. Juice Joints, knife racks, snd the various street fakers that Ibe shows bring together. Right here let me put s warning note Into the ears of any who may be so raah aa to attempt to bring over plated watchea, flaah Jewelry, etc. We In Auatralia have very stringent customs laws, anil NO watchea, chains or Jewelry will be admitted that are made with the main object or swind- ling tbe pobllc. If goods are marked warranted to wear for twenty years, they will have to go Into the melting pot snd be ssssyed. and If they do not come up to the customs requirements, they will not be permitted to land on these shores, and It la pretty certain that the customs will con- fiscate them, and yon will loose your goods. Also watches, srtch ss are so'd by the cata- logue houses, and known - In the vernacular aa "Dash goods.*' marked to wenr ror twenty Tears, and that will go black berore you get them home, will not be admitted Into these Goods of well-known MMsT* raO***'!* oliirrw T coil! J nstx their reputation, and have seen Ai would dl Germany." lr grinds see marked ten carat ther must assay that, and thev will only be allowed a few gralna ror tbe plna. etc.. ■ applies to 15. IK and SS carat gold. Tbe of- llrlals are determined to stop tbe wholesale 1 gross swindling or the country people tbsl come In thousands to the city snd go back to. , advertise bow they have been, taken down. : Seven-Jewel watch movements marked as 13. IT, IP or 22 Jeweled, will have to contain, tbe nnmber or Jewels that they are branded, aod ir they do not they will go to tbe furnace prepared for al fraudulent goods Into-uled to de- ceive, and a mighty good law It Is. too. Goods that are simply plsted must each BwV bear a card marked "Imitation Jewelry, made. In ," and tbe words "Plated"; or If gen- uine gold-Ailed goods, they must be marked as aoch, country where made, and If electro- plated of glided, they muat be so marked. 1 have dwelt longer on this subject than I otherwise would have done, so as to put wise sll who contemplate paying a vlalt to tbla aide. Tbe ahowa. etc., can In no wise be misled, not knowing the conditions that prevail here. 1 also want to say that there Is no plsce lu the world where such rubbish la wold and anch prices obtslned as In this part of the world, bnt they will all. sooner than they expect get caught, aa the lawa are young, aod It la only a matter ot a little time before Ibey will have to go stnlght, or the law "Noar we will French to the world. At the Theatre Royal, the Wm. Deemood-Kath- erlne Gray Company nave closed after produc- ing Tbe Third Degree. Salvation Nell, The Lion and the Mouse. They hsve taken their depart- ure to New Zealand, where a toor of be domin- ion bss been planned. Now tbe piece de resl.t- sncs Is Our Miss Oibt Majesty's Theatre, to sationai play. The Whip. aald to have broken all record a. and 1 guc« thst tt muat ba good, for It ta proposed to let It ran until March next, and It has been run- ning for the past three months, so there must be some drawing attractions to It. At Ber Majeety'a Theatre.—Tbla theatre haa been closed down for a week to enable tbe stage work necessary for tbe production of Tbe Whip, and to gel all things In amootn working order for this masterpiece of stsge witchcraft. Qu> Saturday, the 18th Inst, the show opened to a Cull boose. navlng been too boar to read a tsntb part of tbe criticisms on tbla prodtKllo-i. and not contemplating seeing It, I have no, more to say aa regards this plsy. I hope thst tt makes good for the aake of both producer and tba paying public. There win be some •u>. s • u itss the rotter st 'Ms theatre an July 1 prog., who Mr. Hugh J. Ward will step. Into the place now occupied by Mr. Q. Raasse- clottl as msnsglng director of the Sydney por- tion of the J. 0. Williamson. Limited, theatres, snd bnsloeas. Aa Mr. Ward la aa American, with the most kindly reelings toward Tne Bill- board and Its repreaeDtstlve, ■ presume that when be comes to tskr the reins of office he. will not be content to have Just s few lliea devoted to their flrm'a productions, and the op- positions given proper notices, through extend- ing the usual courtesies to the press. There. are some people Who get an Idea that I hoy are on such s pinnacle or fame thst the press ts of NO use to them, snd when they get that Idea, then la tbe time to get busy and abo~ them that the pen haa got some vtrtoee as weir sa moneyed managers, and that It has also some rights that It requires to be respected. Mr. Ward has bought a beautiful borne at Double. Bay. Woolabra. where Mrs. Ward and ber fam- ily have remained during Mr. Warn s tmir throughout An.tralla ami New Zealand. It . h> known aa LaFavetlr. and Is sllusted right amongst tbe "toff** portion of the city. It hss a Hoe commanding view of tbe waters of 8ed- ney harbor. There la no one who wishes Mr. Ward all the success be deaervra more than 1. At tbe Palace Theatre, tbe narry R- Roberts. Maggie Moore Company have Jnst closed a mod- erately successful sessoo of four weeks. an<r dnrlng that time have given The Shadnwa or a Great City. Tbe Gambler'a Sweetheart aod The Prince Chap. I waa entry that business wss. not better than It was. but he says that II was as good aa he expected It to be at th's. season of the year and ror ao abort a one. an t that when he plays return dates " Ibe Austn"' ►Wit W ||| right. in ir Maggie Moore! Who dors not remember her In the first productions on this aide of the- water, aa Lisale Stnffe) i ■ struck Oil. and aa Biddy Roonsn. Klttv MeShsne and docena or other characters that she has given the nnbltcr i - nlto of her years and a alight (T) Increase- in her svolrdnnols. she Is tbe same win-weav- Msgale thst the Australlsn public have taken, lo their hearts, villi a heart as large ss an ox. and with a kindly disposition for sll s*.- ts brought Into contact with- let us hope tn t Maggie haa many, msnr years or life bern—> ber. and that she will continue to make laughter for tbe millions to come. Mr. Oscsr- Aahe. In apeak log or ber hnaband. Mr. Barry* R. Roberts, says thst "Mr. Roberta Is the be-1 all-around actor that the Australian stage poa- siasts to day." And It was not put forth •< "hot sir." either. The company left for Ade- laide on the lfth. where Ibey will put In » fonr weeks' ace—l st th» Theatre Boysl. op- ening there on the 2»lh Inal.. In The Prln— Chan. May they have many happy aad merer Chrlstmasre together. sn-< may the rntnlng- New Tear prove the most happy and prosperous one thst they have ever known. On tbe 24th. Mr. Hugh J. Ward will onen at this theatre with The Girl from Ri-tor'a. with Miss Ors-e. Palotts. Celta Gllhone. Mand Chetwyn and Bugb J. Ward In leading characters, aod vmv csn take It from me that the fan will be fast and furious and that bnslueaa win be good. After the boom -tart, and the ball gals to. n , ^£S?%ssi ."e n * theatre la occupied by ' Society, and they are p good bnslness. At "ae Criterion Theatre. Mr. demon's Company are tn tha last (Continued nn page 40.1