The billboard (Nov 1911)

8 XHe Bill board NOVEMBER 4» 1911. AMUSEMENT EVENTS OF THE THE MI LLION S CORES Farce Adapted from the. French by H. B. Smith and Pro= duced by Henry W. Savage at the Thirty=ninth Street The= aire. Sets Gotham Alaughing-Critics Unite in Praisuig It New Tor*, Oct. 25 (SpecUl to The BUlboatd). —Occasionally a new farce Is prodaced that Is fmrnr enoagb to'- set New York to langUng. Bnch a one Is The Million, adapted by H. B. Bmitb trom the French of Ber and GnUlemand, ■Bd produced by Henry Savage lart night at the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre. Paris Is said to have been »r<ioally aronsed by the. piece last year, and tbonjjh the American prodnctlon has been toned down somewhat to snlt the more del- icate palates on this side of the water, it sail retains enon$;h of rotigb and tnrable brfsteroos- neas to cnre tbe worst case of bines that ever appeared In a theatre, laie MOIIon was de- Ugbtfany acted, the players seroied - lo ester Into the spirit of the tnn and witticisms were ceelea off as thongb shot from a Gattling san, while the audience that completely filled the honse eoBtlnnally foand Itfielf Interrnpting one langh to start another. William Bnrress, En- gene O'Brien, Taylor Holmes. John A. Bntler and Irene Fenwict ftimlshed most of the fnn, bnt there were several others who wonld also have to plead gnllty on that score. The papers with one exception were pretnse In eologlstlc comment. The Tribnne being the only dissenter. This paper, however. In Its an- imadversion, gave the prodnctlon credit for belnjr hnmorons. The chief complaint made by the Tribnne was that the plot was conventional and hackneyed. Prefacing Its remarks by this headline: "No Bnd of I<angbB in The aiUIton," the Times gave the new play a very fair and impartial review as follows: "Good farce Is so rare that when It does hap- pen along, one onxbt to be truly gratefnl. For tbongh many are tried, bnt few are chosen. Nor will the addition of The Million to the few make the nnmber greater by more than one. Which mayxMnnd like a paradox until yon think it -.fTbe.. fact that' this' new farce from the . flVendt, vpon. which £eo . Ditricbetein originally labored,', and wlilch Ik- now programmed with credit oabr to the MessHL Ber and GoIIlemand, Ita French antliors. is one of tbe fmbest and tnnnlcst pieces of im kind which has beea dlB- dosed in some time. Wltli tbe exception of Opera Singers froiii Abroad Kew Tork; Oet^ SB (Special to Tbe Billboard). . —A number of opera singers arrived ye«terdfiy on the KaLoer Wllbelm 11. Among them were: . Miss Maggie Teyte, the yonng Engllsb soprano, mbo win l>e a member of Andreas Dippel's Cbl- eago-PbUadelphla Opera Company, and who is - visiting America for tbe first time. She was accompanied by ber bnsband. ArtOTO To«canlni.. tbe Italian condnctor of the Metropolitan Opera Honse, came back, and Potnam Griswold. the American bass, wlio has been singing In Germany was also a ims- senger. He Joins the UetrapoStan Open Com- pany. Among the members of the Chlcago-Philn- delphla Company, on board were: Charles Dal- moiea. 6a!>taT Hnberrtan, Uarle Ssmmafco. Hec- tor DnfTanne, Amadeo BassI, Nlcolo Fosseta, and .Artnr* Tentnrlnl. Baby Mine, which is really a farce dnssic. this one created more laughter last night than most of the other recent farces all put together. It Is best In Its first two acts. stlU very funny In Its third, only moderately amusing In the fourth, bnt taken In Its entirety provides a whole evening of very Considerable amusement." (Contbmea on page S2.) QUAKER GIRL'S P REMIERE The Tuneful Little Operetta, a London and Paris Success, Greeted with Enthusiasm at Its Metropolitan Per- formance—The Company Very Good New York, Oct. Si (Special to The Bill- board).—^The Quaker Girl, a musical comedy in three acts, by James T, Tanner, mnsic by Li- onel Monekton. was presented last night at tbe Park Theatre, formerly the Majestic Theatre, by Henry li. Harris. Tbe Quaker Girl Is a London Gaiety Theatre success, which also dellgbted Parisians during MARGUERITA SYLVA RETURNS. Ketr Tork. Oct. M (Special to Xhe Billboard). —^A large and brilliant andience greeted Uar- gnerlta f Sylva In her first real appearance In Gypsy Ijove, at the Globe Theatre last even- ing.-..When ti>e Lehar. operetta was given its New- York premiere last week. Mme. Sylva was nnable to finisb tbe first performance, giving way to an miderstndy at the end of the first act. Mme. Sylva*a voice still showed the effects of a i bad cold, bnt the performance was Im- measurably Improved by Iter appearance. RUSSIAN PLAYERS SCORE. New York, Oct. 24 (Special to The Bill- board).—The BuitslaB Balalaika Players ap- peared last nigbt at Carnegie Hall, apd re- peated the snccesK of their first appearance. A qnartette-of Rnssiaa'singers .-from the Imperial RtLssIair. Opera Honse appeared with the play- ers. SPORTSMEN'S SHOW. New Tork^ Oct. 28 (Special to The Billboard). —The Second -Annual International Trap Shoot- ing Toomament and Sportsmen's Exhibition has been arrangrd for 1912 at the Sixty-ninth Regi- ment's' -Armory,--Lexington Avenne and Twenty- fifth street; New York City, beginning March 2 and'Closing a week later. Saturday, March 8. 1012: The- latest novelties and fads-.-In guns, ammtmition, fishing tackle, tents, canoes and all out-of-door. eiintpment will be shown by- the varlons concessioners -that:-will line tbe vraBs'Ot ' tbe enelosnre.^- H is - understood tfaat- -Boaton will lie tbe"ne9Ct place-to exhibit the Sportsmen's Show after the present one In New Zbrk. Tbe Mechanics' BainUns wlB prabaUy be ■elected. KITTY GORDON. Ulss Gordon has again aroused tbe Xew York playir-goir by ber delightful work In The En- chantress, Victor Herbert's latest musical ojiera cowlquc, run- up,.caring at the New York Theatre. Her achievement in this production re-ecboes the acclaim of poiiular approval given her In previous seasons In other notable successes, such as The Girl and tlie Wizard, in wbich sbe appeared fin 1909-10, and -Alma. Where Do You Live? in 1810-11. A more recent triumph was registered by the fair songstress at the Winter Garden. New York. Sembrich is Not Broke New York, Oct. 28 (Special to Tbe BIll- lioard).—Tbe ramor has been f;Alnic -tbe ronnds that Madame Sembrich. the celebrated singer, bad been crippled 'financially In Wall Street to sucb an extent that she wonld be comitellcd to retom to tbe operatic staee to recoup. When ibis seport reached Berlin, a corres- pondent of a local paper interviewed Prof. Sten^ei-Sembrlcb, the singer's bnsband. who laughed heartily at the report, and state<1 tliai there was absolutely, no truth in it, and tiiat far from having lost a fortune, his wife was on the point of purchasing a large estate In Switzerland. Prof. Stengel-Sembrlch stated that Madame Sembrich had been engaged to give over ninety concerts In Ameriea'next season, hiit thst she bad no Idea of retnrning to the operatic stage. Frank Byron, of Byron & Langdon, and Arthur 'Wliltelaw, the Irish bnmorlst, wbo worked to- gether as partners , twenty years ago, were oii tbe bill together at the.Orpheum T'bestre. narris- burg. Fa.r week of Oct. 16. That tbey talked over "old times" goes wltlKtat saying, r - ■ Metropolitan Opera Season Opens New York. Oct. 20 (Special to The Billboard). —A number of boxes for the season at. tbe Met- ropolitan Opera House still remain nnsubseribed for. The tenileney sccms to be to subscribe for the special performances that are to take place. This Is attributed to tl:e success of the French operas that were given Inst season. In which Mary Garden was the chief attraction. The in- dications are that this is likely to be a very successful year for the siieclal performancea. Mr. Gntti-Casazza, jreneral manager of tht. Metropolitan Opera (Company,' yestelrday au- n!>nnced the repertoire for the opening week of the sraSon, beginning Mnnrta.v evening Novem- ber 13. when Mr. Caruso will make bis reap- pearance as-Radam>s In- Alda. Mme. Destinn will 'b'aTe the. title role and Mr. Toscanlnl will eo-idpct. The new contralto, ^largarete Mai- zenanrr. will probalily' sing Amnerbi. Kaealg;<klnder. with Jiiss Farrar and Mr. Jadlower In tbe title roles, and eondaeted by • ■■- .'Continued oa-page 60;)' ■ a short stay in that city. That America wiu also sncenmb to the drllgbts of the tnnefnl lit. tie operetta seems more than'likely Jn view at the entliuslasm whirb greeted tba premiere met ropoiltan perfonnance. • . M >^ . Tbe piece Is essentially Kngllsb, with s slight bnt consistent stoiy, and some banntlng tunes. The company Is an exceptionally good one, head- «1 by Clifton Crawford and pretty: and clever Ina. Claire. Tbe critics were unanlinons.tn their praise, hardly-a dissenting note creeping Into tbe re- views. The Sun sums it up tbnsly: "In England com- posers of musical comedy cmrps still resist the temptation to approach gT-;nd opera. This fact became apparent last night when one of last season's London successes. The Quaker Girl, had Its first hearing at the Park Theatre, by wbich name the Majestic is now known. "In form the new piece differs not mncb from similar plays that have come from the same source, but tbe combination of a slight though consistent story and light, cheerful, airy music that had no higher purpose than to entertain proved a most acceptable offering. The thenire has had a varied career since Babes In ToylAnd and The Wliard of Oa drew crowds to Its doors, but there can be little doubt that its lean and desolate days are over for the l>etter part of a season at least. "At the bead of the company Is Clifton Craw- ford, and Ina Claire appears In the part from wbich the play takes its name. Most of those in last night's andience who remembered Three Twins, knew what to expect of the former, and all of their expectations were realised. Mr. Crawford was equally successful as a comedian and romantic actor. His humor was spontaneous. "It was Miss Claire who fnmlsbed tbe surprise of tbe night. The last part In which she ap- peared here was coarse by direction of the au- thors. -A-a the heroine of The Quaker Girl sha was exactly the opposite- -In no musical play Ibis season has an actress tteea more demnre or more winalng. Sbe was pretty to look upon, dainty and appealing as an aetiesi and charming when sbe fians." (Contlnned on-page SS.) Up and Down Great White Way Adrlano Arlanl, an Italian pianist, who ar- rived in tbis conatry recently. Is tbe 8ist pi- anist of bis race to come here since. Toselll and Bnsool. Be will make bis first appearance here next month. SIgnor Arlanl is one of the oldest of the famons Eoropean pianists and Is a na. live of Rome. He atndled nnder - 'Vltale at Pesaro, and later with lieadane and Hascagnl. His first composition was a symphony which Pietro Mascagni conducted at Its first per- formance at the Royal Academy of St. Cecelia. .Arlanl made hia debnt In Kiune and has recent- ly appeared wifli great'aaecesa In the Oerroan cities. There seems. little .probability that Anna Pavlows will dance In tbe present year at the Metropolitan Opera Honsei since she has just begun ber season In England,- and will dance through the English cities for some months af- ter tbe conclnsioa of her long engagement at (Torent Garden, where she is dancing in tbe troupe with Najtnsky. It was said at the Met- ropolitan Opera'House that there was no defi- nite Information there as - to Mme. Pavlon-a'a plans, bnt It was not expectedi'that she would be seen in the ballets there this year. As soon, ■ however, as Mikail Mordkln has recovcrcii iii» strength be will rejoin the company. After being "speechless' on the American stage for seven years, Fred Walton has re- gained his voice with the new rellncr-Dre.vtuj musical comedy. The Three. Romeos. Wnltoa has done only pantomime workrin this cona- try since he was brought here by John C. Plaiier for the original prodnctlon of Babes in the Wood. ■ Otto Hanerhach. n\ilii«r of' The iFasclnntinB Widow, Is collnbnrating 'with Hngli Fdlx, tlie j'oung French compot^er, in a . new musleal piece for A. H. Woods. Hauerhachi and Felix linve not yet decided on a name for tho-new pro- dnstion. but It Is exprate«l that llie play wilt be staged some time In Novembe'r.; - Francis Wilson has comolcted and put into rehearsal his new comedy. Tho Spiritualist. He Will put It on outside of New York on -V'"'- ember 20 and later bring it to Broadway. The company that Is (o support Margaret lll- ington In Charles Keiiyon's new drama, Kiml- llng. will Include Byron Beaslev. George I'ro- bert, Frank Onmp, Charirs Wlngate, Ann Mere- dith, Helen Tracey and Annie MacBcrleln. llltagtoo'a season-will begin at Providence on November 13. . (Continued on page BO.) A complate list of attractions at New Yoi'k Theatres appears on page i37.