Evening Star Newspaper, December 3, 1922, Page 61

WO of Washingon's oldest theaters seemed to be making faces at each other across the Avenue 3s they threw in the switches last Monday for the clectric illumination for the first time in many months. While the villain in “Bull Dog Drummond” was plying | his malevolent arts industriously the villain of so-called melodrama was being mercilessly “joshed” by John Merkyl. Mr. Merkyl managed to reveal the comedy intentions of several authors, not to mention a couple of composers. | * k ¥ % ACKWARD, turn backward, oh, Time, in thy flight! Keep turning till we reach the dear old days when the melodrama flourished, with the villain pursuing the rustic maiden, the hypocritical church pillar <queezing the poor and the simple-minded farmer about to sell his land ior a song to the wily speculator. This is the basis of the burlesque and ! the villain has at last come ints his own. Instead of being hissed in scorn, he is welcomed with genial applause as the promoter of an honest | laugh. i & HE show should head direct for Broadway, where the charm:or ex- istence is largely dependent or a sense of superiority to the New England rube. The creator suggests one of those actorial occasions which undertake to let the public in on the self-scintillating wit of the Thespian when released from managerial restraint. On these occasions the actor, | released from discipline, naturally indulges the ambition to get away ; irom the day’s work for which he is qualified and do something for which | he isn't qualified at all. * ok K F all amateurs who haunt the theater, the actor is the worst, ii you let him alone. ¥ % ¥ % 'AKEN scriously, “Hayseed” is a solemn reminder of the poverty of ideas in the current theater. Musically, it suggests the possibility that the young man who plays a mouth organ in a scenc depicting an im- promptu movie rehearsal (novel inspiration, isn't it!) had influenced the musical contributors. The popular orchestras have utilized every instru- ment, from banjos to cowbells, except mouth organs and jewsharps. These are not loud enough to be practical. but the mouth organ might be used instead of the piano by the composer anxious to catch the popular taste. The poetry is better than the tunes; of the reiterative school, which takes one or two words and hammers them relentlessly into recol- fection under genial circumstances which render intellectual_resistance ditficult. The music is a barefaced example of song “plugging,” the num- bers being introduced in a form that serves the purposes oi the music publisher at the expense of the performance. They are abruptly introduced and assert themselves as intrusions, rather than as normal incidents. * ¥ Xk ¥ IN order to have burlesque there must be a theme of dignified intention " as the background. The American stage has furnished no such theme. Yet people must laugh. The desire for laughter is so strong that the most tawdry inventions are welcomed if they imply a permit for a smile. Hayseed” is compelled to go away back to the days before the great war and ridicule the types which no longer exist. The metropolis, how- ever, ignoring the farm bloc and the upstate vote, loves to assume that they are still with us, and “Hayseed” should have a patronage in the realm of the white lights. * Xk ¥ X 'O see both “Bull Dog Drummond” and “Hayseed” in the same week _ induces a confusion of mental processes. The impressions merge and I feel as if l had seen “Hayseed Drummond” or “The Bull Dog Still Pursues Her.” The villain in “Drummond” is Capt. Croker-King, who played the professor of crime in the Sherlock Holmes film, which sought in vain to prove that John Barrymore is as effectual in the movies as William Gillette is in_speaking roles. Croker-King is a villain worthy to rival Theda Bara in her palmy days as a vamp. His facial play is delicate yet positive; his gestures natural and convincing. H. B. Warner has the advantage of sympathy on the part of the audiences, but his part does not call for the resourcefulness of technique displayed by the master criminal of the rough-and-tumble underworld play, which was the best New York could do for so important an opening. * k * - THE, date of the openings of both Poli’s and the National was more or | _less uncertain for a long time, and the bookings were more or less limited in the matter of selection. because so many attractions had been sent elsewhere. Play patrons took both “Hayseed” and “Bull Dog” good- x;‘ar(izé;cdl_\- enough, glad to see the theaters getting into their customary S * “‘ABIE'S IRISH ROSE” took a . melting pot. in another -effort to talents. * % % t hilarious view of the great American Fay Bainter presented Manager William Harris, jr., secure a play worthy of her more than ordinary = * %k % % 'ORTUNE GALLO visits the city from time to time with his San Carlo 5 Opera Company. His next engagement ought to be a record-breaker, for the impression he has leit has invariably been good. Salazar, who sings the music of one or two roles surpassingly, is still in the organiza- tion, and Dorothy Jardon, who has been a popular prima donna for a number of seasons, W'I“ be revealed in a setting calculated to disclose her _’jvghest capacities. No effort is made to introduce novelties, unless the Jewels of the Madonna” for Saturday matinee is accounted a novelty. (rand opera is a display not of present original genius, but of technical proficiency in works of long familiarity. So is the drama, for that matter. * * % DAVm WARFIELD is going to play Shylock. “The Merchant of Venice” is a thoroughly familiar play and one that needs no pro- tagonist. Many actors are going into Shakespeare, in response to a de- irile thought. The, fact that a man has been a comedian does not disqualify him for Shakespeare. Even E. H. Sothern, who was never so completely at home as in light plays like “Lord Chumley” and “The Highest Bidder.” is accepted as an associate with Julia Marlowe. Nat Goodwin played Shylock, and played it by no means badly, but the au- diences were alert for comedy and the reviewers were loth to credit a player so prone to gleeful irresponsibility with the right to associate his name with classic dignities. Warfield at the outset of his career played what was supposed to be a_travesty of Svengali in an extravaganza called “The Merry World.” He played the role with a note of sincere emphasis that lifted it out of the atmosphere of irresponsible fun. That he will play Shylock with intelligence and emotional force is more than probable. But an actor is a creation not so much of his own talents as of the imagination of audiences. Strive as he,may, he is still a passive quantity, and both Mr. Belasco and Mr. Warfield are bold in putting to the test of whether the public needs a new Shylock enough to sacrifice ingly an old Music Master. PHILANDER JOHNSON. Making Grand Opera Pay R N Keie's IrusnRoss” ELSIE RNIGHT Cosmos President RUTH CHATTERTON National N, D..C, Current Attractions AT THE THEATERS THIS WEEK. NATIONAL—“La Tendresse,” drama. Opens tomorrow evening. POLI'S—“Aida,” San Carlo Grand Opera Company. Opens tomor- row evening. GARRICK— PRESIDENT—"Abie’s evening. B. F. KEITH'S—Dolly ¢ row afternoon. BELASCO—"Steppin’ Around,” Shubert unit. noon. COSMOS—“The Melody Revue,” morrow aiternoon. sters, vaudeville. ust Married,” comedy. Opens this evening. Irish Rose,” comedy. Performance this New show opens tomor- Opens this after- vaudeville. New show opens to- STRAND—“Browne’s Bathing Beauties” Shown this afternoon. GAY ETY—"“Bon Tons,” burlesque. Opens this afternoon. = NATIONAL—“La Tendresse.” Henry Miller and Ruth Chatterton, two of the foremost stars of the stage, will be seen at the Natfonal Theater this week, commencing to- morrow, in Henry Batille's play, “La Tendresse,” which was recently’ pro- duced at the Empire Theater, New York city. It has been conceded to be Mr. Miller's most important contribu- tion to the theater. Its story treats of the most beauti- ful phrase of love—tenderness. An absurd and charming couple love, but are entirely unsuited to one another and separate. By Ytheir strength of character they fopce themselves to survive, and from the ruins and ashes of their love comes an overwhelming tenderness which transcends and overtops mere passion and physical attraction. Because of the length of the play, the curtain is &cheduled to rise at 8:15 o'clock exactly. And because of the importance of its opening scenes iheme"—Anna Fitziu, ;day, double bill. 1equipment. The following cast is an- nounced: Aida, Marie Rappold; Amon- | asro, Richard Bonelli; Amneris, Stella Demette; Radames, Manuel Salazar; Ramfis, Pietro Debiasi; king, Natale Cervi; conductor, Peroni. The operas and casts for the re- mainder of the week follow: Tues- day, “Madame Butterfly”—Tamaki Mi- ura, Anita Klinova, Gennaro Barra, Mario Valle, Pietro De Blasl. Wednes- day matinee, “Tales of Hoffman'"— Josephine Lucchese, Sofla Charlebols, Anita Klinova, Romeo Boscacci Mario Valle, Wednesday evening, “La Bo- Sofia Charlebois, rs. Barra Bonelli, DeBiasi. Thurs- (1) ““Cavalleria Rus- Me: | ticana” — Mmes. _DeMette, Klinova, Mess! Boscaccl, Interrante. (2)"'Pag- lacel”—Mme. Charlebois, Messrs. Fal adas, Bonelli. Friday, “La Traviata™— Mmes. Lucchese, Klinova, Messrs. Barra, Valle, Cervi. Saturday matinee, | “Jewels of the Madonna"—Mmes. Fit- ziu, DeMette, Messrs. Boscaccl, Valle, Interrante. Saturday evening, ‘*‘Car- men*—Dorothy Jardon, Mme. rle- it is earnestly requested that the au-)bois, Messrs. Salazar, Interrante, De- diences be In their seats at that hour. | Biasf. Surrounding the two distinguished stars is a cast indentified lw:):rn"g:e lay during its Pacific coas - Pations. including Marguerite St. John, H. Cooper-Clifte, Elmer_Brown, Tom Nesbitt, Sydney Riggs, Willlam Han- ley, A. G. Andrews, Jean de la Cruz, Judith Vosselli, Florence Carpenter, William Pearce.and Marie Bianchi. POLI'S—San C_arlo Opera. The hundred or more memnbers of | will arrfve in Washington this eve- UTH CHATTERTON, charming and delightful, who comes to the New National Theater this week as co- star with Henry Miller, in Henry Rataille’s play, “La Tendresse,” sees, in the audience which she faces a dis- tinct individuality appertaining to the nights upon which they are as- sembled. To begin with, Miss Chatterton thinks Sunday night audiences are the best to “work to.” "*On Sundays.” Miss Chatterton says, “there is usually a big house, or, at least, so 1 found it. when playing in the west. The people have dined at noon, taken a walk, a motor ride, or a rest at home, and come to the thea- ‘er prepared to enjoy the performance. They are alert and jolly. They laugh mere than do the audiences of any T night. Monday night audiences are vastly different. You get the sophisticated »wd. They are likely to be cold. T lieve this is because they are ‘so- icty’ theatergoers who regard it as a breach of etiquet®s to applaud. They <ome in numbers, however, which proves that they enjoy the perform- ance, even though they show some re- luctance in letting a performer know what they do. “Tuesday and Wednesday bring average houses, playgoers of all class- s, appreciative and generous enough, but having no particular distinguish- ing yualities. In the west, particular- 1y, Thursday is an ‘off night.’ t. ‘maid’s day out,’ and many malds find diversion In the theater. “Friday night has become an inter- esting night to the players and they have nicknamed it ‘educator’s night.” On Fridays come the teachers, who have been busy on all the other nights preparing for the next day's work. ‘They experlence an earnest and ab- sorbing desire to have their sentimen- tal side touched. In pathetic scenes they weep: in love scenes they sigh | audibly, and when they laugh, the laugh gently. Friday is the night for appreciative audjences. ‘“Wednesday matinee see the house full of women, usually all sorts and conditions of them. They, too, are ap- preciative, but not nearly so demon- strative as the Saturday afternoon crowd, which is usually camposed of mothers and daughters, young girls of the matinee, age and talkative young matrons. Men are scarce on both Wednesday and Saturday after- noons. “Saturday night audiences are dis- tinctive, for that is the night when the pay-envelope is open—the night for husbands and wives, young men and their sweethearts, lively young chaps from the big offices and shops, pretty stenographers in palrs and trios. The Saturday evening house has dined generously and feels good; |- it is rather easy to please because it feels in holiday mood; it laughs at everything and gets its money's worth.” E ]nmg from Philadelphia, to open a week’s engagement at Poli's Theater tomorrow evening, With Verdi's “Aida.” The San Carlo company is bringing a list of well known leading singers, and these have been so assigned by Impresario Fortune Gallo that they will be heard to the best advaniage throughout the week. It should be of special interest to hear opera within the walls of the built-over theater, and there is no lit- tle curiosity in the lyric dramas be- cause of this feature of the engage- ment alone. The song week consti- tutes the first event by which acous- tical properties may be correctly Jjudged. The San Carlo has made its way quite substantially into the admirh- tion of opera-goers of Washington and the company’s visits have now be. come a notable feature of the season’s musical schedule. This time, however, there is perhaps & deeper interest, be- cause of the return of Salazar, the Spanish tenor, now of the Metropoli- tan Opera, and of the coming of the diminutive and dainty Tamaki Miura. of “Madame Butterfly” fame, for both are prime favorites with Washing- ton's musical contingent. These two artists, however, will not be permit- ted to monopolize the first honors, for there are five different and dis- tinct sets of principals. Tomorrow evening's presentation of the Verd] masterwork, “Alda,” should prove notable, for a brilliant produe- tion of the favorite Italian opera is promised, with a costly new ascemic GARRICK—“Just Married.” Adelaide Matthews and Anne Nich- ols' honeymoon farce comedy, “Just Married,” with Vivian Martin and Lynne Overman as featured players, will be the attraction at the Shubert- Garrick Theater this week, beginning tonight. “Just Married” comes to Washing- | ton direct from a satisfactory run at i the San Carlo Grand Opera Company |the Adelphi Theater, Philadelphia, with the original cast intact. Vivian Martin is a vivavious, tal- ented young actress whom film fans will delight in seeing in person. Mr. Overman was last seen here in “Oh, Boy” and “Honey Girl.” “Just Married” covers seven days on the ocean, the time required for the French liner La Fayette to sall from Bordeaux, France, to New York. Some oddly assorted couples are on board, including Mr. and Mrs. Jack Stanley, two youthful honeymooners, who are attempting to keep the facts a secret; Mr. and Mrs. U. Makepeace Witter, who have been married twenty vears and are more or less cynical; their niece and nephew, Ro- berta Adams and Percy Jones, who are engaged; Victorie Bertin, a French girl, whom Percy has prom- ised to marry, unknown to his flancee, and Robert Adams, no relation to Ro- berta, whose only excuse for being on board is that he landed there after indulging in wine at Paris. PRESIDENT—*“Abie’s Irish Rose.” “Abie’s Irish Rose,” which seems to be proving all that was antici- pated for it, will continue for another week, including tonight, at the Presi- dent Theater. S It is the work of Ann Nichols and is still running in New York city, now being in its eighth month, while it has been presented for over 400 times in Los Angeles and twenty- three weeks in San Francisco. It _gives Eileen Wilson the role of an Irish girl whose love for her B ggfl':ov i LMES National | parental “objection from - The Sundiy Shar WASHINGT SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 3, 1922. EDNA MoRTON Belasco GABRILOWITSCH Masonid Auditorium youthful Jewish husband, portrayed by Henry Duffy, stands the test of both sides. % also Josef Hofman. Lovu Barry G’aqe_{xj tissement assisted by Margo Raffaro. Maida Du Freame, Anita Stoops and Billie Mayve: and the Morton family, This parental objection takes rather | in a comedy skit studded with laughs. a_strenuous form at times, but it all is brought to a happy conclusion. Leu t. Guy D’Enery, Robert The company is under the direction of Harry Manners. B. F. KEITH’S—Dolly Sisters. With the latest moces in syncopa- tion, trunk upon trunk frocks and vivacious glamour, the Dollys, Roszica and Yancsi, open at Keith's this week as the stellar at- traction. The extra added attraction is Emilie Lea, the little girl who is famed for her high kicking, who has as her assistants Clarence Rock and Sam Kaufman. She will present “Re- hearsing for Vaudeville." Ernest Ball, who wrote ‘Mother Machree,” is also on the bill, to- gether with Julla Nash and C. H. O'Donnell, in “Almost Single,” a ca- price of ‘the eternal triangle; Mc- Laughlin and Evans, in “On a Little Side Street,” a sketch of New York's East Side; Tracey and McBride, in “Bits of Exclusivengss,” something different; the only Chinese quartet in vaudeville, the Chung Wha Four, and Mary Gautier's Pony Boy and com- pany. Aesop's Fables, Topics of the Day and the Pathe news screen fea- tures, will complete the bill The new bill will be presented at the matinee tomorrow. Last week's bill is scheduled for today. BELASCO—“Steppin’ Around.” James C. Morton, heading a big cast in the musical comedy revue, “Steppin’ Around,” will be the attraction at the Belasco this week, opening with the matinee today. Unlike the usual musical comedy cameo. this unit has a genuine plot with its two acts and nine elaborate scenes woven into an enjoyable offer- ing by well delivered strains of melo- dy and fascinating dance. It is all about a prize fighter who has the mis- taken impression that he has killed his antagonist in the ring, and con- sequently flees to Egypt. In the land of sheiks and harems he stumbles upon amusing and thrilling incidents that culminate in the rescue of two beautiful girls, purchased in the slave market and held as vassals. Jim Morton has the assistance of the other talented members of the Morton family—Mamie, Edna and Alfred. Vaudeville specialties will be pro-: vided by the Vintour brothers, acro- bats; Matt Scanlon and _his company, in a comedy_ diversion omlled “The Man Hunt”; Harry Bloom, the ph nograph singer, in up-to-date melo- dies; Harry Roye, in & danoe diver- of "French | | delight in modern music and dancing. | Zin COSMO0S—*“The Melody Revue.” & Kennedy are others in | A new version of songs and dances “with a jazz kick” will be the special feature of *“The Melody Revue, pre- sented at_the Cosmos Theater this week by Nan Deckert, Atkinson and Mark and the Golden Gate Five, an | aggregation of Syncopationists that|1tS oW way at the box office. are said to have discovered a new A dramatic feature of the bill will be the playlet, “One on the Aisle.” pre- sented by James Pembrook and com- pany, which is said to offer a new idea and to be full of merriment. Others will , include Rose Seldon and brother, in wonderful head bal- ancing. posing and jugglery: Boland and Knight, in a Song cycle, with beautiful costumes: the Columbia Comedy Four, in “At Ellis Island.” featuring harmonles and hilarity by a fine male quartet, and Banks and company, in “A Lesson in What?” éxploiting comedy, songs, dances and amusing chatter. The new acrobatic screen star. Rich- ard Talmadge, ‘will receive his firat Washington exploitation, in “The Unknown,” which has been described as Yone gloriously exciting picture play from start to finish.” The supple- mental features will include a farce picture, the Urban Movie Chats and the International News. The new bill will be presented for the first time at tomorrow’s matinee. Today's performances, starting at 3 p.m., will present last week's attrac- tions. > STRAND—“Browne’s Bathing Beauties.” Bothwell Browne and his Bathing Beauties head the current vaudeville bill at the Strand Theater, opening today. The picture “My Old Ken- tucky Home” rounds out the remain- ing half of the Strand’'s double bill. Browne’s Bathing Girls will offer a song, dance and fashion .revuette such, it is sald, as has seldom been been in popular-priced vaudeville. “A Night on the Nile,” one of the spec- tacular scenes, with special lighting effects and incidental m is de- clared a treat of beauty. Three men and six girls assist Browne. Mons. Grant Gardner, a_blackface monologist; Dolly Grey and Bert By- ron, in a vaudeville frappe, “A Girl's ‘Weight"'; Rzinbow and Mohawk, twen- tieth century Indians who sing native songs and do native dances, and the Dalley Brothers In a whirlwind dis- play of acrebatics, tumbling and bal- ancing, also will appear. *My Old Kentucky Home,” featur- s McKenna | - Automobiles Burton Holmes Tonight. | Tonight at the National Theater Burton Holmes begins his thirtieth jannual series of photo-storfes of travel. for many years known as the Travelogues, with “Present Day [ Peking” as his subject. No city in the world has o muc charm of tradition and history, com- bined with typical Chinese splendor and colorfulness, as Peking. Mr. {and brings back a picture story of | this wonderful city, now shaking off yesterday and taking on the new clothing of a progressive today. He will show an unusually large number of artistically colored lantern siides, the resuits of his travels during the past summer, and an unusually large collection of original motion pic- tures. = “present Day Peking” will be given tonight at 8:30 and tomorrow after- noon at 4:30. 4 Janet Richards Tomorrow. Miss Janet Richards will give her Monday Morning Talk | Questions tomorrow at 10:45 in the | Auditorium of the New Masonic Tem- | ple. 13th sireet and New York avenue. In addition to the general review of | outstanding world events, she will on congressioral lcg- | the significance of | pen door™ in the near east and | the present status of the Irish ques | tion. | | Concerts—Lectures | Holmes was there this last summer, | the shroud of the dead traditions of { on_ Public| Philadelphia Orchestra Tuesday. Ernest Schelling, the American | | pianist, will be the soloist with the iPhiladelphh Orchestra Tuesday after- noon at the National Theater. The | concert will be under the local man- | agement of T. Arthur Smith, Inc. The following program has been ar- okowski, the con- , i | ranged by Leopold . 2 in D, Haydn; ductor: S; Concerto peror), for piano and orchestra, Bee- thoven: Slegfried’s Death-Music and the Finale from “Die Gotterdammer- Wagner. Ernest ‘Kchelling appeared first in | the guise of a child prodigy, as did Before he was Gabrilowitsch Thursday Night. Ossip Gabrilowitsch, the distinguish- ed Russian pianist, will be heard Ir a recital at the Masonic Auditorium Thursday evening at $°15 o'clock, ir the ond_ of the planists series being given this season by T Arthur Smith, Inc. It was back in 1900 when Gabrilo- witsch, then only twenty-three. made his first visit to America. Four years before, fresh from the studio of the famous Leschetitzky. he had made his detut in Berlin and had created a furore. In 1900 pianists were = wearing as much hair on the head as could be grown. and Gabrilowitsch was only second to Paderewski in the luxuriance of his locks. “At least, k 100ks as If he can play.” was the sum ming up of first audience, and the battle was half won. On one of thes concert trips, 405, he met Clara Clemens, the daught. and marrfed her. This. perhaps. a counted for the fact that gradualiv America became more and morc in 1918, in moods of contemplat spection and also in lyric fights: are stormier emot nd bursts of passion alien to his artistry. Tickets are on sale by Smith, Inc.. 1306 G street. " Rosenblatt, December 10. There is nothiug quite ®o ti as the music of the human voi excels the tonal b 1y of a instrument. and i clse can inspire. apparent to those wh cnough to hear Josef Jewixh cantor t at the Shubert ing, December 1 Mr.’ Rosenblatt’s v plicated, for it has ali the powers of a real tenor and all the marvelous range of a colorature. Thus, his yoir is really two voices in one, and his programs are combinations of both types of voice. On his program. therefore. will e found numbers like those of John M- Ce L lilti balluds, gracefu 3 also’ there wi T. Arthur fortunate osenblatt. the or. when he appears arrick Sunday ever- five vears old he gave his first public | ¢ performance at the Academy of Music, | Paris Conservatoire, after having been |passed in audition by Ambroise! Thomas, the composer of “Mignon™ and | “Hamlet.” Before he was twelve he had toured and appeared in all the principal _musical centers of Europe. His return to the concert fleld after | three years’ devoted to war service 1 has awakened wide interest in his tour I of this country. Geraldine Farrar Thursday. | Geraldine Farrar. America’s prima donna, will be heard in concert ati Poli's Theater next Thursday after-! noon at 4:30 o'clock, under the man- ! agement of Mrs. Wilson-Greene. This | will be the second concert in the Philharmonic Course. Few women in any walk of life have a keener mind than Geraldine Farrar. For her there has never been the word “impossible.” No labor has been too tremendous to achieve a thing - desired and nothing in the world t06 | | blg, too great for her to attempt. She {is an individual from the bottom of her heart, a woman who acts as she |thinks, for herself. and she has tri umphed by her sheer force, vitality. harm and optimism which nothing can displace or disma: | .Seats are on salc at Mrs. Wilson- Greene's Concert Bureau, 13th and G Btreets. THE presentation br David Belasco | of David Warfield as Shylock, in | | strikingly “The Merchant of Venice,” will prob- ably reawaken the discussions that have gone on periodically ever since as to the character of Shylock. There have aiways been those to | icomend that Shylock was more | |sinned against than sinning. and that {he was the victim of a group of {characters devoid of high principles and honor. Others have contended ,that Shylock is the personification of greed, hatred and malice. There is | no record whatsoever of Shake- speare’s own feeling toward the char- acter that he created. H In a lecture delivered in Philadel- | Iphia some years ago, Rabbi Joseph ! Krauskopf, 'D. D., spoke of Shake- | speare’s impersonal attitude toward ihis character, laying stress upon the | fact that the great dramatist pre- | sented human beings so perfectly idrawn that they were to be judged as one would judge living men and women. “The Merchant of Venice,” sald Rabbi Krauskopf, “convinces us the play was first presented in 1595, | 15, - That a male singer can do numb of the latter kind scems fneredibl but Rosenblatt actuslly sings th. ith a fineness trueness rivals even Galli-Curci herself. has mastered the highest notes the human voice. Frieda Hempel December 14. Frieda Hemple, the great sopra will be heard in Washington for first time in a Jenny Lind concert : the National Theater Thursday noon, December 14, at 4:30 under the management of Mrs. son-Greene. Frieda Hempel today has attains the pinnacle in the realm of = She was chosen from all the world living singers to impersonate the ir- mortal Jenny Lind in the histori centennial concert, October 6, 18 the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of the Swedish nightingal One authority on music wrote: “This great honor has come Frieda Hempel because, according * history and tradition, her voice, hs art resemble those rare dowments of the eariier queen Miss Hempel will wear an exa ¥ of the gown worn by the min. teenth century diva and will the same arias. Shylock as @ Human Being that this drama snares the charac- teristics of Shakespeare's other plays in having no motif. One never detects in his plays a conscious design to make propaganda for or against a certain cause, as, for instance, Dick- ens did in his novels ‘Nicholas Nic- eby." ‘Pickwick Papers’ ‘Bleak House, and other. “The Jew and the Christian in this play concern him little as such. Had he intended to advocate the cause of the one or the other he would not have made it a draw as to who is the greater villain of the two. He deals with man. He looks below the surface. He is the pxvchological philozopher. He dissects human nature. He knows the virtues and the vices of which man is capable He knows the laws of psvchical cause and effect, knows what evil passions a certain line of cvil desds and in- fluences will arouse, and he treats man accordingly. “Shakespeare draws in Shylack the picture of a man grievously wronged heartiessly insulted; and he makes him eager for revenge. precisely us the average man would act under such provocation, no matter what his religion.” Audiences in the Theater | property of all. There is no royal road to general musical culture. [ Grand opera must be conducted upon | business principles, the same as any | other growing enterprise; it must pay In or- |der to be popular it must first be | sound and honest in its artistry, and, | above all, it must be.made available |at prices’that enable all to share in |its pleasures. The offerings, of course, must be worth the price demanded.” That, in a nutshell, is the ipse dixit of Fortune Gallo, managing director of **THE only way to have a musical, people is to make music the! the San Carlo Grand Opera Company. | | tours of his company. |ing a period that was doubly beset who has had the temerity to fiy in the face of tradition; to put his faith and his cash into one splendid ven- ture—an attempt to produce the mas- terworks of the lyric stage at regu- lar theater prices. He is the only an who has done so. And he has made money at it. For decades practically every im- presaric has gone upon the theory, | famous. | has done much’ to widen the musical stated or implied. that American fools so far as grand opera is 1 cerned; that they cannot appreciate fine opera unless a high, and some- times prohibitive, price is charged for it. The theory has been that if | music lovers were only charged enough they would think any singer In Europe grand opera i= sung at a price within the reach of the fruit peddler, but it has been {held that the people of this country are rare and apart. Signor Gallo, whose organization eyes of America, has permanently and finally shattered this notion—a fact conclusively proved by long, un- broken and eminently successful And this dur- by obstacles, when other organiza- tions of like nature, high-priced and otherwise, suffered heavy deficits. To- day many of the glorious voices of the world are upon the roster of the San Carlo, and Impresario Gallo has not raised his prices above first-class theater rates. ¥ ing Monte Blue and Julia Swayne Gordon, the feature film attraction, is a story of the southern sentiment of mother love, taken from the original story by Anthony Paul Kelly. The picture is replete with thrills, love and excitement, including a spectacu- lar horse-race scene. GAYETY—“Bon Tons.” “Bon tons” afternoon for a week's stay. This season the “Bon Tons” are said to be better than ever and work on a much larger and more elaborate scale. TWo big acts and twelve gorgeous scenes are promised, with special chorus of youth and beauty. - In the matter of principals, the “Bon Tons" comedian of quaint and individual method and manner. Bert Stratzman will be his chief assistant in the comedy intervals, and will also pre- sent a vaudeville specialty novel in detail and entertaining. Dave Kind- ler will be the “stralght” and Wi present his clever whistling “stunt,’ both as a specialty and in_ leading one of the chorus numbers. Jean De- Lisle is the prima donna and leader in the fashion show. She comes with the reputation of having a rare s0- prano voice and the unusual acoom- plishment ameng. prima donnas of being a wooden shoe dancer par ex- cellence. In a speclalty with the Fra- Jacob & Jermon's open at the Gayety Theater this sier Trio of musicians, she feature John Barry, ‘I is said to|*Shore Lea be charming. Gertrude Beck will bo the soubrette and Lou Barfy - genue. Arcade. With the dancing season mnow in full swing, the Arcade will present, in addition to its regular cvening pro- gram, 2 request “Paul Jones” to- morrow night. and a novel “Blac Cap” dance. with funny prizes, Thurs- day evening. “Rita Coventry Dramatized ULIAN STREET'S novel, “Rita Cov- entry,” the story of a tempera- mental cpera singer, has been drama- tized by Hubert Osborne and will be presented under Mr. Osborne’s direction by the drama students of Carnegie Institute of Technology. Pittsburgh, during the week of December 11. The comedy is in three acts. Mr. Street has been in constant touch with the work, and will be present at the opening performance. If suc- cessful, it is planned to later produce the play in New York with a profes- sional cast. . Osborne is an assistant pro- fessor in the department -of dra: \ma at Carnegle Tech and the author ef oo