San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

September 30th, 1899 "In Missouri." It is a strong play, an interesting play, a beautiful play. It has that breeziness, that Westerness, that glad handiness about it and one can imagine himself in Phoenix, and being entertained by Gus Hirshfeld. I am sorry that space prevents me from writing at length about "Arizona.' ' Bob Fulgora's Hopkin's Trans-Oceanics are entertaining the patrons at the Grand. Tim Murphy, Flo Irwin and Laura Joyce Bell are the headliuers at the continuous show at the Columbia, whilst "A Man of Mystery," a new hypnotic melodrama, is at Havliu's and Tom Miaco's "Grass Widows" are gamboling on the green at the vStandard. The St. Louis Exposition opened last week. One of the features is a Sportsmen's show, with an aggregation of Indians that would make Charley Lummis blush with envy. GaTy Pallen. "BOSTON Special Correspondence Boston, Sept. 20. — Herbert Kelsey and Effie Shannon are at the Boston Museum this week in "The Moth and the Flame." The}' are playing to crowded houses. The company will put on a new comedy called "Border Side." * * * "The Wife" opened the fall and winter season at the Castle Square Theater. The old stock company is returned. * At the Grand Opera House "Courted into Court" is running this week, and the sensational drama "Wep-Ton-No-Mah" is the attraction at the Bowdair Street Theater. Other attractions are as follows: "Mile. Fifi," Park Theater; "Way Down East," iojth performance, Tremont Theater. A burlesque show headed by Sam Devere is on at the Howard, and an unusually good vaudeville bill is given at Keith's. At the Lyceum and the Broadway burlesques are holding forth. *** Seats and boxes for the engagement of Mr. Richard Mansfield at the Hollis will go on sale Tuesday morning, Sept. 26. Mr. Mansfield will open his season here Oct. 2, presenting again "Cyrano de Bergerac" for fourteen performances. * * "The Cuckoo," one of Charles Frohman's most recent comedy-farce successes, will begin a two weeks' engagement at the Boston Museum Oct. 2, with the original New York cast. This is the adaptation of Henri Meilhac's "Decore," whose production at the Avenue Theater, London, was strenuouslyopposed for a time by the Lord Chamberlain, the censor of plays. C. W. The attendance has been picking up at the Mechanics' Fair the past week. The arrangement of the booths is pleasing to the eye, and Bennett's Concert Band give a fine concert afternoon and evening. Alice Raymond, cornetist, well known on the vaudeville stage, is the soloist. # The title of May Irwin's new comedy, "Sister Mary," is not a new one. A play with the same name, by Wilson Barrett and Clement Scott, was produced at the American Theater on May 15, 1894, with Julia Arthur and Leonard Boyne in the leading roles. * * The Castle Square Opera Company opens its season at the American Theater, New York, Oct. 2, in an English presentation of "Die Meistersinger." The musical World MCKENZIE CONCERT About 2000 people gathered in Odd Fellows' Hall last week to hear the concert of the McKenzie Musical Society of one hundred voices. All amateurs are lured by the social advantages of membership who by their lack of talent or application retard the progress of the society as a body. This should not be and the writer who is a friend of the boys and girls even if she does scold them a little hopes to see the time when every applicant for membership will be an earnest student. The program was very well rendered taken as a whole, including: Overture, Orchestra ; "Winter Lullabj'," McKenzie Musical Society; "Melba Waltz" Priscilla Davies ; "Over the Waves, "[Sobre LasOllas] (arranged by McKenzie), Ladies quartet, Freda Nipgen, first soprano, Margie Wheeler, second soprano, Lillian Ewing, first alto, Eugenia Breitengross, second alto. Scene and Romanza — "Celeste Aida" Hugh N.Callender; (a) "Our Brave Volunteers" (first time), Mrs. M. C. Perkins, dedicated to First California Volunteers; (b) "Vacant Chair"(In Memoriaruj, McKenzie Musical Society ; "Inflammatus" [Stabat Mater] Margie Wheeler and McKenzie Musical Society; "Male Quartet" H. M. Calender, first tenor, C. M. Winchester, second tenor, J. P. Faivre, first bass, Emery C. Coates, second bass; "Sweet Face of My Mother," Master George Kroger; "Home to Our Mountains" Trovatore, Lillian Ewing and H. N. Callender ; "Pensacola Pickaninny", [first time] McKenzie Musical Society; (a) Hawaiian Song "Aloha Oe"; (b) "Flag of Liberty" by general request, [arranged by McKenzie from Ganne's] celebrated Pere La Victoire March, McKenzie Musical Society. The audience had looked forward to hearing Miss Margie Wheeler who is rated a prize pupil and was to have made her debut as a soloist but a severe cold prevented her appearance in the "Inflammatus" although she was to have enough to sing in the quartet. No doubt she would have shared the laurels with Lillian Ewing, who made quite a hit in her first appearance in solo work. Her mezzo-soprano voice is really the sweetest the writer has had the pleasure of hearing among these young people and she sang with smoothness and grace considering a short period of study, and seemed to possess real musical feeling. I heard the other day that I was spoken of as having a weakness for looking for modesty in amateurs as well as in artists, and I think I may own to it in saying that this young lady with her pretty voice, auburn hair and brown eyes was quite a delight in that respect. My collection of such specimens is not complete and I trust my little favorite may continue to humor me in this. Last concert Miss Priscilla Davies received a little hint about want of soul and like a brave little girl she has begun her search for that Heaven-born quality and is going to improve, I feel sure. Master George Kroger has also profitted by a request to pay a wee bit more respect to his audience and not to know too much for a little boy in knee breeches. His pretty voice sounded well and his manner was much better. Mr. Hugh Callender set a good example in doing his best with his songs, when in reality his cold was a terrible drawback and he became painfully hoarse at times, but every one knows how well he can sing under favorable circumstances and he was applauded to the echo and compiled to give encore numbers. A great improvement was noticeable in the Male Quartet and they sang very pleasingly, being frequently recalled, the voices being better balanced than the last quartet. We want more vim and better expression in the choruses although some of them were very good indeed. "Vacant Chair" and "Our Brave Volunteers" being pretty. Miss Nipgens's voice was firmer than in the last concert. Many of our boys in blue were guests of the evening. LORING CLUB CONCERTS. On Tuesday evening the Loring Club gave its first concert of the season in Odd Fellows' Hall before a large and appreciative audience, the Minetti Quartet being one of the chief attractions upon this occasion — much enthusiasm being created in their rendering of the Dvorak Quartet in F major. The artistic work of Mr. Minetti is too well known to require compliment, and the concerts given by him this season will be musical treats. The solos of Mr. Frank Coffin were most enjoyable, and it is to be hoped that this popular singer may make his stay in Europe as short as possible. Mr. D. Loring is an acknowledged success as a leader, and his deep interest in the Loring Club has borne excellent fruit; and the male quartet of well-trained voices was the recipient of the warmest appreciation. The songs rendered were: "Rhine Wine Song" [Liszt]; "Ave Maria" [Abt]; "After the Battle" [Liebe]; "The Haunted Mill" [Strong]; "Drinking Song" [Mendelssohn]. The Minetti Quartet played: Quartet, F major, op. 96 A [Dvorak]; largo from Quartet in E minor [B. Smetana]; vivacissimo from Quartet No. 3, op. 76 A [Bazzini]. SPANISH-AMERICAN CONCERT Last Saturday evening the .SpanishAmerican Circle gave a concert in Golden Gate Hall in aid of the Spanish School. The program was a success throughout, encores being the order of the evening. Following was the program: Piano Duet, "Rigoletto" Signor S. Martinez and Mine. Beatrice Di Bernardi; Address in Spanish by Prof. A. P. Alvarez; Address in English by Mr. Britton; Overture, "Pique Dame," J. Lombardero's String Quintet; Jewel Song "Faust," Elizabeth Rcgina Mowry, Mr. Emilio Cruells, Accompanist; Bandurria and Guitar Duet, J. Lombardero and Miss M. Siordia; Melody, "La Cita Nocturna," SignorG.S. Wanrell; Recitation, "Our Folks," Mr. Walter K. Brittan; 2d Cavatina de pagio, "Hugeuots," Miss Elena Roeckel, Mr. Joseph Roeckel, Accompanist; (a) Spanish Dance, (b) La Susana, Mandolin and Guitar Club under the direction ofG. C. Santisteban: Mandolins, Miss Lillian Horner, Master Arthur Ellert, Miss Helene Brunner, Miss Arica Tracey, Miss Alpha Sussman, Miss Maud Leszvnsky, Miss Irma Livingston; Guitars: Miss Grace Horner, Mrs. Sadie E. Ellert, Miss Lucy M. Wade. Miss Emma Boido, Mr. G. C. Santisteban; Lute: Mr. Gecrge Levy; Spanish Song, "La Despedida," Signor G. S. Wanrell. Signor G. S. Wanrell created quite a sensation and the hall fairly rang with applause, as he was frequently recalled, responding most generously to the demand. His voice is one that grows upon one and he has magnificent strength and dramatic force and sings with charming ease and expression. Elizabeth Regina Mowry was also a great favorite of the evening, and like Mr. Wanrell, kind and indulgent to her admirers. KALISHER RECITAL. Miss Clara Kalisher, contralto, made her first appearance in San Francisco since her return from her studies abroad at a reception recital given in Sherman Clay Hall on Thursday evening of last week, receiving the hearty encouragement of her numerous friends that tended to overcome as she progressed a little pardonable shyness — a very good fault by the way in young aspirants to fame, as modesty is the golden kev that very often opens the door to hard, faithful work, and confidence grows grace fully with experience. Miss Kalisher rendered: "Aurore" [J. Granier]; "Liebestreau" [BrahmsJ; "Aufenthalt" [Shubert]; "D e r Wisthin Tochterlein" [Loewe]; "The Maiden and the Butterfly" [Chadwick]; "Allah Gives Light in Darkness" [Chadwick]; "O Mistress Mine" (words by Shakespeare) [Sullivan]; duo from "Samson et Dalila" [Saint Saens]; Ariosa from "The Prophet" [Meyerbeer]; "Les Divinites du .Styx" [Gluck]; "Penso" [Tosti]; "Parmi LesMeules" [Holmes]; "L'Alouette" [J. Granier]. Her voice is a firm, clear contralto, and she possesses the virtue of good enunciation, each number being sung with increased composure and ease, and a good impression being made. Frank Coffin, the tenor, whose popularitv is wide-spreading, was received with the usual warmth that attends his appearance, rendering "Birds Song," "The Woods are Sear" [words by Tennyson] and "Lend me your Aid" [Gounod] from the "Queen of Sheba." While speaking of Frank Coffin, a prominent musician, once said : 'It is a pleasure to play for him, for he in variably knows his music, and his interpretation is always perfect." Mr. Coffin will soon go to Europe. The accompanist is not always properly acknowledged when he is in reality the staff upon which all must lean and a word of sincere praise is due to Mr. II J. .Stewart, who played for the singers giv ing them admirable support.