The Billboard 1909-03-13: Vol 21 Iss 11 (1909-03-13)

The Billboard MARCH 13, 1909. London Letter (Continued from page 12.) of the carnival. Felix Mottl’s leadership | brought the musical value of the opera to the highest import. Astounding in singing and act‘ing, an eminent masterpiece was Miss Fass blender’s Electra, and also Miss Fay’s Chryso Since H. B. Irving first subjected himself to the player’s crucial test of tragic expression, oy his initial assumption of Hamlet at the Adeiphi, four years have passed; and the result of the provincial experience gained meanwhile by his thoughtful study is seen in his | matured rendering of the most varied and nany-sided of all Shakesperean characters. actor’s youthfuiness still strikes one as a spe‘lally noteworthy feature, alike in face and ferm, while his reading of the part has become less uncertain and more in accordance with it self. But it is a question whether what the impersonation gains in consistency is not lost in impulse and intensity. Irving was at his best Ophelia and his mother, note of tenderness, its grave reproof. evwer-varving phases, ing in the action and liloquies. audience The in his scenes with the first touching the the second impressive in Picturesque through its the motives felt as wantimpersonation are intensified in the imagination in the introspective soIt should be said, however, that the unmoved by any of these appeals to their judgment, applauded Mr. Irving's perforfaanee to the echo. Dorothea Baird’s sympathetic personality hap pily masked in no slight degree the lack of enthralling influence in her Ophelia. The King had a verile representative in Frank Tyars, and the shrewdness as well as the silliness of Polonius were well expressed by Tom Reynolds; while the crim humor of the Grave-digger found a capable expositor in Charles Dodsworth. The coming of age of Mr. Benson's Shakes peare Festivals at Stratford-on-Avon this year is to be celebrated by a program which provides a remarkable series of performances. This is the twenty-first occasion on which the celebration Mr. which Benson, end the has been achieved extraordinary here year after year by his Shakespeare company is testified to in striking fashion by the generous co-operation now offered by other leading actors and actresses. If such a program as is now announced were arranged for London it would be the dramatic sensation of the season; but it is to Stratford, now the Shakespearean Bayreuth that one must go, and that year by year more enthusiasts do go, to witness a commemoration of the greatest of all dramatic poets, conceived in the form ealculated to do him the most appropriate honor, the unique presentation of a whole series of bis plays. Not only, however, company to produce are Mr. Benson’s own as many as fifteen of Shakespeare’s plays at Stratford during the three weeks of the Festival, but in addition, they are being reinforced for this occasion by the co-operation of Forbes Robertson and Gertrude Elliott, Lewis Waller, Matheson Lang, Henry Ainley and Constance Collier, Genevieve Ward and Robert Lorain and Ethel Irving. The fact that Ethel Irving will be making here her first appearance in a Shakespeare part—that of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing—will be of exceptional interest to those who have at Stratford will have been directed by | BUuCccess | | Scheusplelhaus in Munich. | play themis was a great piece of work. The tremendous applause was in the first place an acknow!ledgment of the highly artistic performance and a great praise for the composer. VERY POOR PERFORMANCE, Das Thal des Lebens—The Valley of Life— farce by Max Dreyer, a play which had been prohibited by the authorities for a long time, and which has been released by the censor, recently, was offered for the first time at the Owing to the miserable stage management the performance was anything but a success and only the splendid of Lisbeth Steckelberg, as the pretty and seductive countess, saved it from becoming a flat failure. HOTEL AMOR IN HAMBURG. The first performance at the Operetten-Theater in Hamburg, of the operetta, Hotel Amor, by Benno Jacobsohn, music by Charles Philip, scored a lively success in spite of some drawn= parts. Music is very attractive and melodious. WAGNER’S WALKNERE IN MADRID. The singer, Miss Alice Guszalerwicz, prima donna of the Cologne Opera, was a great success as Brunhilde, | nere, which was offered in the opera house at Madrid, Spain. watched the development of her art as a comedy | actress. [V:. Henry stance Venice, But Lewis Waller’s Hotspur in Herry Part 1., Forbes Robertsons Buckingham in VIll., Mr. Ainley’s Shylock, and ConCollier's Portia in The Merchant of and the Hamlet of Matherson Lang and Ophelia of Hutin Britton, would also, if announeed at a London theatre, draw playgoers in thensands. The enthusiasm which Mr. Ben son’s efforts have stimulated towards the annual ‘lebration of Shakespeare at Stratford may be gauged by the remarkable way in which such leading members of the theatrical profession come forward, as a service of love, to assist in giving to it a unique characjer by exceptional performances such as_ these. It the scheme of the Shakespeare Memoria) Committee for a national theatre is ever to become realzed, its feasibility, so far as the profession oncerned, must have been seriously advanced by what has already been accomplished at the Stratford festiva The this year will be from May and while Mr. Benson's revival of Cymbeline will be the principal item in his yen series, his work in connection with the old English theatre will be further exemplified by the production of four of the mediaeval Chester Mystery Plays, the resuscitation of which on the modern stage is a new archaeologists and historians of the native dra. matic genins of the English people in pre-Elizabethean days. Berlin Letter 12.) is « season s, April 19 (Continued from page attentive and thankful, although now and then some hisses were noticeable, but all in all the opera was well received. It is impossible, however, to say that the impression upon the public will be lasting. The accomplishments of the main were phenomenal. Thila Plaichinger, as Electra, made a human, a probably too human form out of this character. Her voice, however, sometimes failed, and she was compelled to speak instead of singing some _ parts. Mrs. Marie Goetze was a splendid Klytemnestra in play. but her voice showed here and there some slight faults. Miss Francis Rose, as Chrysothemis, developed a voice that was surprising, and had the articulation of her speech been better, her singing would have been faultless. It was, therefore, not surprising that three female voices, so different as they were, could not prevent a sort of a tiresome feeling and everybody seemed to be relieved when the male parts—Mr. Bischoff as Orest, Mr. Gruening as Aegitt, and Mr. Sommer as servant—had their inning. No fault conld be found with the chorus and the orchestra: both done their utmost to bring about the success of the performance. Se much be said, however, that the fate of Electra will largely depend upon the comprehension of the play by the public, which is lacking so far. A FLAT FAILURE. Brautfahrt. a romantic play Henrietta Klara Von Foerster, received its premiere at the Court Theatre in Kassel. The play is of a patriotic nature, but so weak that the public did not hesitate to show its indignation in a plain way. ELECTRA IN MUNICH. Like a tremendous Maestoso, sounded the first performance of Electra, in rhymes, by : | his elder revelation to all but | money. | equal actresses | through the jolly time | The performances of Reinhardt’s ensemble, at the Artists’ Theatre in Munich, will begin on June 15 and last until October 1. Director Reinhardt will have personal charge of all plays, which promise to be a great attraction for the Bavarian capital. Owing to a severe sickness, Madame Schumann-Heink was compelled to cancel her engagement at the Court Opera House, which is greatly deplored by the music loving public. MUSIC NOTES. The Philharmonic Orchestra, which had lately the doubtful fortune of having a new leader every day, had Frederick Weigmann as leader during its last concert. The program was very copious and was carried through in a very able manner. The soloist, Ellison van Hoose, who has not a very strong tenor, made a very good impression. The popular Sunday’s soirees of the Hollandish Trio are largely attended. lIacques van Lier, ‘cellist, played the G-major Trio, op. 112, by Philipp Seharwenka, in a very acceptable way, while Miss Eva Lessmann rendered a few nica songs. In Cesare Barison we have a violinist, although in faster passages ness is noticeable, which, overcome. The song recital of Clara von Horsten-Strauss at the Beethoven Hall, proved to be a nice success for the singer. At the beginning. a little shy, she soon became steadier and finished her program successfuily. As successor to Karl l’angner ‘u the leadership of the Phijbarmonic Concerts at Bremen, Mr. Ernest Wendel, formerly concert-master of the Thomas Orchestra at Chicago, has been selected. ‘ AMERICAN ARTISTS ABROAD. The Christie Duo, American eccentrics, at the Apollo Theatre, Berlin. The Three Houks, American jockeys, are with the Circus Beketow at Liege, Belgium. Rita Cobel, American singer, at the Concordia some little roughhowever, he may soon Theatre, Bromberg. The Niel Sisters, American dancers; the Four Tarabonis. American classic dancers, and Gibsy Woolff and her Pickaninnies, Parisiana at Budapest, Hungary. Camp and Carry, American eccentrics, at the Reichshatten Theatre in Erpurt. The Four Creole Belles, American dancers and singers, at the Eden in Trieste. Bacchus and Miss Meallan, American at the Variety Flora in Amsterdam. Paris Letter (Continued from are at the duet, page 12. Coquelin, cadet, brother, This, by parts, one who died just ten days after likewise left considerable will, was divided into three going to his brother Gustave, another to his nephew Jean, son of Constance Coquelin, and the third to the children of pis sister, Mme. Pottiez. ane Comedie-Francaise was enriched by the same will to the number of many valuable works of art. A few days ago, at the Theatre Martin, where the play, La Femme X, is being presented, a man was so overcome by his enotion that his heart stopped beating and refused positively to start up again. An undertaker was called in. Now, Idon’t know whether Mr. Savage wants this item or not, inasmuch as he is reported to have bought the play. Porte-Saint A snow-bound train other day, had aboard in Eastern France, the a bunch of actors and ac‘tresses. They got so hungry they went foraging and finding a farm house, killed off all the chickens in sight. The railway is being sued by the farmer, so this time the ‘‘frost’’ bites somebody else beside a * manager of the show Some time ago I told in this column of the repeated disturbances of the play, Le Foyer, at the Comedie-Francaise, by people in the andience who opposed it., Now that ine piece is on the road the trouble continnes. At Perpignan the presentation precipitated a riot of serious size and later. at Pau, sonthwestern France, at the Theatre du Palais d’Hiver, a more serious scramble than ever took form. At this place, some of the passages which had caused the riots in other places had been cut from the play, but the tone still offended and many arrests were made when the police arrived upon the scene. Of course, the play was stopped during all this fighting. There were several noblemen in the crewd taken by the officers. As outlined some weeks ego, Le Foyer has a baron for a villain and severely dea »ncee French charities. M. Jules Claretie, the Comedie-Francaise, refused to stage piece and though the authors brought suit compelled the playhouse to present it, some one else ducirg. But—— The authors have nothing to grieve over. Wherever it is presented there is almost as big a riot | che and he »amed , Inet | in in Richard Wagner's Walk| ' fatally very talented | who shows a fine technic In his play, , of death, , Tom, in the scramble for seats as the insides of the theatres have ever witnessed over the contents of the play. At Pau, where one of the mast severe fights took place, thousands were turned away after the S. R. O. sign had been hung out. And French theatres don’t hang out that sign, either, until there is no further room to hang on by the eyebrows. The shareholders of the National Opera here | and | in general convocation February 26, discussed the great diminution of the company's capital, as told in Tue Billboard some weeks ago. They voted to increase the capital, but, so far as is known, nothing was said in regard to the reported friction between Messrs. Messager and Broussan, the co-directors. Here’s a tip for the managers of theatres in college towns: At the Casino, at Lyons, the other day, a crowd of students tried to get special rates and were refused. This was sufficient for the rah-rah boys to ‘‘rush’’ the door. For several minutes the attaches of the playhouse held their own, and in the meantime the police were hot-footing it in the direction of the riot. Bing! Before the boys knew just what had struck them, they found themselves sprawling the street, under a cloudburst of water. The police had turned the fire hose on them, and in just ten seconds the last of the rowdies swam out of the gutter and humped himself. Miss Mignon Nevada, the American light soprano, has been received by the Lisbon public with great enthusiasm. Recently she sang in Barbier de Seville, and during the second entr’acte, sang three selections special. The minis ters and secretaries of the American and Britixh legations were present, as were the nobility of the city and country. Miss Nevada is well thought of here. At the Theatre Valentin, Saint-Meme-les-Carrieres, an actor, who was to exit, knife in hand, was tripped in stage ‘‘grass,’’ and falling. stabbed himself. The dagger pierced his eye and entered the brain. The Opera of Nice has given with great success the opera of Quo Vadis, made from the novel of Henryk Sienkiewicz, just as was the play we saw in America. The adaptation was the work of Henry Jean Nougues. As this was the first work of a very serious nature by this musician, more than usual interest attached to the prem iere. Hitherto, the only work heard by the public as his had been light and shorted compositions, but in Quo Vadis, it is said by Paris critics of music who attended, he has excelled himself. + Speaking of musical dramatics, word has just reached Paris from Genoa to the effect that Signor Illica and Signor Mascagni have about completed a new opera, entitled Isabeau. Sig nor Illica, who collaborated with Puccini and Lombard and later with Alfano, in the opera, Prince Zilah, produced only a few weeks ago at the Theatre Carlo Felice, has finished his part of the work and Signor Mascagni is putting the finishing touches to his music. The first performance will be in Genoa, but the work will be taken immediately to Milan. The plot of the opera runs about as follows: Isabeau, the daughter of the King, is in love with a falconer, who has came to be her page. The King, having no male issue, Insists upon her marrying at once one of the many princes who are her suitors, but she refuses the hand of each as it is offered. Enraged, the father sentences the girl to pass naked through the streets, just the same as did another highborn lady we have heard of, and, under penalty the citizens are forbidden to spy upon Foleo, the falconer, plays the peeping and is sentenced to have his eves plucked from his head. Isabeau tries, too late, to save him, and after the horrible penalty has been inflicted upon her lover, she declares her passion for him and prays his forgiveness. * March 3. Miss Isadora Duncan, the famous dancer, was seen at the Theatre Lyrique-Municipal (Gaite) for the last time, in conjunction with her class of children. Her engagement her. , has been quite a success. manager of | to do the actual work of pro| Sarah Bernhardt benefit for the purpose of creating a fund for a monument to the late Catulle Mendes, who, as told in The Rillboard some weeks ago, death by falling from a railway carriage. idea will probably be carried throuch. + A lawsuit has just terminated in the courts here, which was watched with a great deal of interest by the profession generally. Andre Dubose left the Vandeville becanse had been offered a role in Pantachon deemed inadequate for a man of his profes sional standing. To appear in it, he urged, would be to lower him in the eyes of the managerial world. Therefore, being offered a part in Samson, he accepted it and quit the Vandeville. Manager Porel sued, first for $8,000, then for $2,000, but in the end he was nonsuited. This makes a somewhat different tune from that played some months ago, when an actor, under almost the same conditions, left his theatre. In this case the judge lectured him and said that the actor was not the one to pass jndgment upon what parts he was to accept or The he which he refuse, unless his contract gave him that choice specifically. We book all our own acts independent. Are open for A-1 acts. Only those that can make good need apply. Salary secondary consideration for drawing cards. RUBY AMUSE. CO., Memphis, Tenn. WANTED TO EXCHANGE for Theatre in small city, or will sell outright, a moving picture theatre with good seating eapacity, near Public Square, Cleveland, 0. For particulars address, E, A. LAVOST, 2337 E. 88th St., Cleveland, 0, —SOLD EVERYWHERE— PESZEINS MAKE UP ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED. provocation | Cain and the music as by | has offered to organize a met his, RUBBER BALLOONS, SOUVENIR GOODS, RUBBER GOODS, CANE RACK CANES, KNIFE RACK KNIVES, FOR CARNIVAL SALES. No. 76, $3.20 per gree We have the largest assortment of Knife Board Knives west of the Mississippi River. Our prices are absglutely rock bottom. We also carry a full line of Streetmen'’s Goods, Carnival Noveltie s and goods for Fairs. We are one of the oldest Streetmen’s supply house in the United States. We have thousands of satisfied custo mers; we can satisfy you and want your busi ness. NO SUBSTITUTING unless you say 80. Orders shipped same day as received, Carnival Whips, $8.00 per gross. Catalogue FREE. COE, YONGE & CO, Ninth and Lucas Ave., ST. LOUIS, MO. UTOSCOPES FOR SALE. $15.00 Each Newly painted, in first class shape; only two dozen left; also a few Mills Unit Picture Ma chines, $14.00; 3 Caille Electric Tower Lifters, $30.00; S Rosenfield Candy Machines, $10.00; 2 Rosenfield Vaudoscopes, $18.00, the machines I have left. Will | cial price on two or more. F. R. MOSELEY, Care of Ravenna National Bank, RAVENNA, OHIO. These are all make a spe —: FILMS FOR REN MACHINES, ACCESSORIBS AN D SUPPLIES. STANDARD FILM EXCHANGE “House of Quality” 79 Dearborn St., Chicago, Tl AT LIBERTY Man and wife for moving picture shows; illustrated song singer and machine operator. Address at once, R, B, REMAN, 1215 Bannock St., Boise, Idaho. ForSale, “California Wonder” — Sheep, with three horns and two mouths, read, one alive, young, healthy and gentle; raised by hand; great for ore show, sure mon y-puller; $100 cash, F. O. B., Los Angeles. F. PRP, MORRILL, Los Sm, Cal. CLOSING OUT ! Thirty reels at $20 per reel: a few reels at $25 per reel and some at $30 per reel. J. SWART, Ft. Scott, Kan. Ticket Wagon, Band Wagon, Tableau Wagon, S large miniature cages, all band carved, witb glass: also other show property. Answer to COOPER BROS., 3 x City, Miss. P. S.— Want show people in all branches. PENNY SLOT MACHINES FOR SALE—10 Rosenfield Vhonographs; 10 Rosenfield Illustrated Song Machines; 1° Majestic Lift and Grip; 1 Watling Guessing Seale, practically new and In first-class shape. Less than half price. Address $90 Center St., Bangor, Maine. For Sale—A Merry-Co-Round For petiestars, write to ANDREW HANSON, 129 Fairfield Ave., Rockford, Ill, : WANTED MUSICIANS : All instruments, to locate in Tampa, Fla; (population 65.000): with or without trade, ne openings for Cigarmakers, ete. VPiano players, Drummers (Bells, Xylophone), also Cornetist, all brass and reed instruments. Openings at Imperial, Gem, Orpheum, and Sulphur Springs Theatres. Write Managers or come ready to work. ©, WALD, Tampa, Fla. Wanted Bass and Tuba for Blondin’s Show. Show never closes; show furnishes good bass fiddle. Write or wire, LEO BLONDIN, Paradise, Tex., 12; Bridgeport, 13; Graham, 15. COON SONG, Two-Step—Ah Don't Bellef W Need You Aftah Saturday Night. Appropria | to the times. (Immense.) Postpaid 25 ets, (no stamps.) C., E. HALLEY, Ypsilanti, Mich,