The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 6, 1903, Page 42

2 THE FAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1903. & : $ “And was it here you got your first o “No, that was at the Baldwin, - B S8 pensively recalled, *in v « 1 out curiously, as thos ily do. Kate For- work the one king." ™ seem be the other " ts' emooth e other tanned cheek to her think? But not on pores shall teh to-day. 1 was unwelcome, none of the u to produce ned way ew York, I'm see 1 asked York and liked ay immensely. You m actress,” and Miss r head in graceful hardly w sure of it, and Mrs. Fiske's was e to see ® 1 is the Cam- emotional, ¢ to me.” nwelcome?- . t " : 8 w s of the plot are given to a housemald or a foot- man the) lost. T dience pays no attention, and the play in consequence suffers 3 the ence usually roductory forgets all abe seats, the fuss of late ¢ 1 the lttie star insists though, if it be given to the z people. The strong act of the is the third—there arc four—of where the two women meet tch has obtal the her and make herself known ter, however, but does dies. There is Hatch wiil hame’ upon very good one, 1 muse you 1o see the have thirty of them in t Y Oh, but they got on one's st You know, I avs said,” Miss Rob- pausg, “that I pers and never gage car if T were a I am with a sixty-foot ng sidetracked all ov d thirty child besides! n. aren’t you, Miss d, wondering then about rs?” 1 ask pre ¥ nd proud of pretily “Where aid you begin your career?” “Right here,” pointing a decisive little r toward the auditorium. “And, my! difference between then and now! 1 three years here before I ever spoke “Doing what? Not i Yes, supl and Miss Roberts hed her mellow little gurgle: “pulling re around, dusting the piano, carry- And now a girl wants a line has been here three week: d the playhouse then?" Osbourne & Stockwell's forn star ' the actress replied, as in ing in the part, feli ad to give it up. y attempted it afraid of it. Then oberts took the part one day ext. Mr. Morrison, mpton were rs, by the way.” rt 4 went comfortably s Forsythe's place she did not recover for ward 1 went to the ter, then managed by Mr. and Mr. Hayman. You know ried the manager,” she ly. “I've been married, teen years."” “No!” to this was man- much more than common con- grippe and 1 of the com , but somehow g« Miss R “And th “Well, after that at other nove ason be: are we to have he Unwelcome Mrs. "he D’Annunzio ‘La Gloconda’ chiet mong the new things,” the actress re- pardonable satisfaction. play at a serles of matinees—and it . be Dproduced very Everything will be as fit tiful as it can be made, even to v drop curtain. You have to do well in San Francisco. People here. You remember the story of s wite and friend, ie that falls upon of the destroyed sta: w I v to w came y:. On eve? #s Roberts nodded rget it,” I testified. u to undertake such a Duse has yet done it here, an sassent and v 1 came to do the play was 1 was playing in Seattle and afternoon ree reading something like this: ‘Dear Miss Roberts: There is in the library here a translation of D'An oda one zio's “La Gioconda.” Won't you re Duse's part might have been writt you. A M.’ And T did get the translation, wrote East then to find out about the rights and here I am to play the part!” n right in my impression that the t New York gave Du: nd D'An- no too warm welcome in ‘La unz “T¥ stand of cou coming G eches as long as hed her plumy easy to unfler- conda sald. “There this,” and she arms to thelr longest * th and in Italian—one may worry French, but we have few au- dlences here that know enough Italtan to enjoy the long speeches. You will find, too, that the drama’'s interest is ldrgely atmosphere. There is very little— ¢h deeply expressive—action. Then ines are very beautiful.” “Whose your translation?’ Arthur Symonds’.” 1 witness, “and the cast Henderson is to be the sculptor —he just the fine nervous personality for the part,” Miss Roberts stated, “‘the others are not yet decided upon. But they will be most carefully chosen. I have Robert Aitken—how proud San Francisco should be of that boy—to over- look the arrangement of the sculptor's studio.” now what else is on the pro- lied this versatile pers wanted to do ‘Magda.’ 1g to. Then I shall revive week. And oh!” and the 1 excited hands, “I wanted iything so much in my of the D'Urbe but when the pleted f Fiske's reper- . n't play Tess by any s Mrs. Fiske played it.” re Were many f the part di places where & from hers. how I did want to do the >w Becky Sharp—well, there any other Becky than Mrs. 1' my best side?”’ the little ddenly asked the artist. “It's ng her piquant, smiling, little he m t the left view. e side the photographers all aghed. I noted, however, t she did not have the usual curiosity to see the sketch after it was made. there any Shakespeare on the list I asked then. ear. My season is for only 'Still you have not yet accounted for them,” I reminded the actress. “Well, another week goes.to ‘The Lady Ursula,’ so that the people who don’t want to two dollars to see the play can still see Mr. Hope's charming com- ed laughed the little lady. “And I'm going to do ‘The Frisky Mrs, Johnson.'” “Mrs. Fiske, Amelia Bingham, Marga- ret Anglin, Leslie Carter and Duse rolled I testify to the Roberts ver- Leslie Carter,” she smiled in re- turn; “I bave ‘Du Barry' for next sea- son. Also ‘The Darling of the Gods.’ " “And Blanche Bates, too!” I murmur. “You will not do ‘The Country Girl’ this year?” t this year. And I'd rather play than eat,” Miss Roberts giggled, -fashion. “Bhe’s lots of fun—just as fun for me as for the audience. I think I'm going *to enjoy “The Frisky Mrs. Johnson." t English lordling amusing? was g0 good in the part—‘Really, 1 do love you, Grace. I shall grieve for weeks if you go back on me. Really, I shall the actress quoted. “But the s are all good.” “I could not see Grace falling in love with that puppy.” I objected. “The whoe situation fails to convince. Still, as Mr. Lackaye put i ‘When will you find a married woman falling in love where she might reasonably be supposed to? She'll inevitably turn from her fine husband to a consumptive farm hand.’ Of course, from that de the erring Grace might have loved Mr. Lawfowd's lordling. Not otherwise. You liked ‘The Frisky Mrs, Joh n’ better than “The Climbers’?” Well, “The Climbers’ is really a play for a stock compary, not a star. Then, again, I reaily think it is a mistake when the hero and heroine are married. There is unfortunately no more romance about the married lovers. If Romeo and Juliet were married, for example, who'd care whether he climbed the balcony or not?” Miss Roberts quizzicaily put it. *Zaga, too. Who'd care about Zaza and Ber- | i 1 i | | | | | | [ | b - il e sttt ——— Miss Florence Roberts, the Alcazar Star and Favorite Actress, Talks of Her Theatrical Plans and Ambitions. { . s —_—t nard’s affairs if they were husband and is s0 uncomfortably familiar. The per- instruments—hence the name ‘“concerto tainly delightful concerts of the season Each performance of “Everyman”™ at wife—though no doubt they ought to have been.” “But if I ever write a play,” the actress went on gayly, as I rose to take my leave, “‘be sure the lovers will not be mar- ried.” EXCELLENT NEW VOICES HEARD AT THE TIVOLI O! for the naive vales of opera- H land, that'artless and fantastic country to which the Tivoll sirens again allure! Twelve weeks from now its quaint elixirs will be i’ the blood, and one helpless to sce its dire and lovely absurdities. But yearly, I find, one must go through the same acclimatizing experi- ence. Yearly one must dip doubtfully into its trustful tides, later to belleve them real. Yearly one must see a mag- nified plum pudding carried on the stage as Ptah, and come soon to accept it as the Egyptian Joss. But it goes hardly at first. Not all Alda’s beautiful mezza voce (and Ptah forgive the proofreader for making me say “mezzo voices” on Tuesday last) im- medlately persuades one that to slap the chest with one hand and hail high heaven with the other is the Ethiopian way of expressing emotion—though _strictly ~ ac- cording to tradition. Nor do such won- ders as the corsage of the week's Am- neris—cheerfully reminiscent of our child- hood's best dolls, with the scalloped-top- ped white kid bodies!—woo to quick illu- sion. Nor is the shambling lockstep of the noble Egyptian warriors of those things that conduce to dear deception. But these things will be soon joyfully forgotten, and one may as well begin now. The new company so far as T have heard it—I speak only of the “Aida” cast —seems to be exceptionally competent. No company within my Tivoll memories has ever given so smpoth first perform- ance, Every member seemed sure of his part and the ensemble work was conse- quently in notsble contrast to the hesi- tant and doubtful work with which one formance introduced, too, some excellent voices. Benedetto's, the soprano’s, mezza Voce 18 exquisite, her upper notes of ad- mirable beauty, her lower notes of un- usual fuliness. ' She loses quality in the middle range, and on Monday night showed considerable unevenness in her production, but I am told she was very nervous, There is no doubt about the Gregoretti voice, the new barytone's. It is smooth, powerful, without a trace of tremolo and conspicuously sympathetic. It is again beautifully certain in intonation, and Sig- nor Gregoretti's enunciation is a model of the art. Noteunimportantly the signor is quite a handsome fellow. Signor Ischierdo is the best Radames I have seen for some time and is also quite good to hear. He has a wonderful high C—and knows it from his fashion of exaggerating the note—but sings really well otherwise. His every word can be understood and his acting is conspicuous for dignity and intelligence. Cleo Marchesini promises a good Car- men from her performance of Amnerls, and has some low notes that are going to set things humming. It is to be hoped that her get-up in the part will be less of a strain upon the imagination than that of her Amneris, however. Dado is, of course, as good as ever, and the new basso, Travaglini, showed him- self a distinctly pleasing singer. Chorus, orchestra and Mr. Steindorff are all in fine fettle and the season is full to the brim of promise. This week will be given “Faust” and “Rigoletto,” with Agostini and Tina de Spada in the former and Gregoretti as Rigoletto and Tromben as Gilda. * s e Mr. Scheel has a fascinating novelty on this week's symphony programme in the Handel “Concerto Grosso” that will be played for the first time here next Tues- day. The twelve “concerti grossi,’ of which this is one, furnish invaluable food for symphonic comparisons. They are the most important and beautiful of the predecessors 6f modern symphony, and interesting to a degree also in their witness to the radical extent to which Handel's Italian sympathies affected his art. They were written for strings only and in form are like the earlier sonatas, with solo opportunities for most of the grosso.”” The particular example on Tues- day's programme is perhaps the most beautiful of the set. The symphony will be Dvorak"s ‘‘New World.” acied It presents itself to two of my cor- respondents that my comment upon the performance of the English horn solo in the Sibelius “Legende,” given at last week's symphony concert, was unfair, for the following reasons. Mr. Louis Mundwyler, the soloist in question —and to whom I hasten to ac- knowledge a debt of gratitude for his most able and artistic handling of the oboe work in the *“Eroica”—had only an English horn of the old ‘“high"” pitch in the Sibelius solo, which com- pelled him, therefore, to transpose his part the necessary half tone lower. Un- fortunately, the difference between the normal pitch of the orchestra and the pitch of Mr. Mundwyler's instrument was not quite the full half tone! The uncertain rhythmic quality of the solo one of my correspondents ascribes to the inherent impossibility of the work itself, the other to thd excessive sensitivene: of the instrument. With an artist of Mr. Mundwyler's caliber at the end of it I should judge rather that this was due to the general horror of the situation. And now, whether it is to applaud or deprecate the oboist’s rash heroism is the question. I myself, still unaccustomed 1o the programmed names of the orches- tra, had not ascribed to Mr. Mundwyler the sins of the Sibelius horning, not imagining for a moment that Mundwy- ler's kind of player could be responsible, Yet upon his head the responsibility in- evitably descended with the audience, and the question is whether that kind of seif- sacrifice is worth while? Also, whether criticism of the unpleasing result is “un- fair”? The two popular symphony concerts to be given by Mr. Scheel and his men at the Pavilion to-morrow and Wednesday afternoons will recall the joys of the Vienna Prater days. The concerts will doubtless be crowded, as opportunity to hear the orchestra is exceptional for the grand army of working folk. : . s . On Friday evening next at, Steinway Hall will take place one of the most cer- in Denis O'Sullivan’s single song recital of the year. None of those who heard Mr., O'Sullivan’s last recital will fail to hear this, and as the hall was then as full s it could be, there's no more to be said. t here is what this accomplished singer will sing: “Im Fruhling” . Herr 1 i rger r funtzel Angelus .. Schubert .’Richard Strauss ..Richard Stra n Pfenn B ard Strauss (Old Breton Folk Song) . .Arranged by Bourgauit-Ducoudray ‘Canzone di Taormina™ (Sicillan Mountain Song)...Arranged by Maude Valerie White “The Two Grenadiers Schumann Anacreon’s Grab’ Hugo Wolt ‘Fussreise” ..... ..Hugo Wolt *‘Schumacherlied .. Felix Weingartner Words by Carmen Sylvd. ‘“Trommellied” (from Child _Songs)....Taubert “Butzemann’’ (from Child Songs).....Taubert “Hang Me, Ladies, at Your Doore’” (1652) A gy FOBwES . Henry Lawes “Sweet Rhodoclea, Here I Bring” (from Cameos) . R Liza Lehmann “It T Were But m Cameos) Liza Lehmana Liza Lehmann ‘Words by R. L. evenson. “Every Night My Prayers 1 Say"’.Liza Lehmann Words by R. L. Stevenson. “O'Sullivan Mor” (Old Irish). ... *““The Short Cut to the Rosees’" (Old .Arranged by Mrs. Milligan-Fox SWing Broup Was sung by Mr. ©O'Sullivan, June 13, 106 in the House of Commons, when he was the guest of the Irish party. This was the first and = only time when songs have been heard in the House. “‘Savourneen Dheelish” (in Gaelic) . Arr. Joze rish). . Lament p Arranged by Mary Carmichael earing of the Green . .Traditional *The Donovans’”.Arr. Alica Adelaide Needham ““The West's Awake....Arranged by Esposito “Widow Malone”... Arranged by Moffett “I'm Not Myself at All"........ Samuel Lover At the plano—Frederick Maurer Jr. Notes of the Players. The splendid reception which has been accorded to “Everyman” during its first week's engagement at Lyric Hall has surpassed Ben Greet's largest expecta- tions as to the success of the play on the Pacific Coast. It has now been definitely decided that on September 2 the company playing “Everyman” will return to Berkeley, where their first pre- sentment was made so successfully, and produce ‘“Twelvth Night” in the new Greck amphitheater of the university. Lyric Hall testifies to the appropriateness of the many Innovations which Mr. Greet has made in the old morality this year— the processional through the audience, representing “Everyman” on his way to the tomb proving to be one of the most setive, Mr. Greet is very desirous, that the play be seen by students of schools and col- leges and all socleties interested in the relopment of the English drama. For 11 such a special rate will be made if written application is made to Mr. Greet at the Lyric Hall As Monday and Wednesday are legal holidays the sale of seats on these days will be transfe from man & ¥'s to the b , Lyric Hall, * 6. Mr: iske's season will begin Septem- ber 14 at the Manhattan Theater, New York, where she is busy rehearsing her company in “Mary of Magdala,” in which she will be seen in this city. Mrs. Fiske's engagement at the Manhattan, where she appeared for several months in this play last season, will cover but four weeks, and her tour will »ne of the longest she has ever undertaken. She will be sup- ported by a very strong and well-balanced that promises to give even a more rounded and -symmetrical per- formance of Heyse’s great drama than that of last season. It Is always safe to predict new exceliences in any play which Mrs. Fiske appears for a secon season. because of the thought that this great actress gives to any drama in which she shows the interest displayed by her in “Mary of Magdala.” In every promi- nent character that she has assumed heretofore her repetitions have disclosed new forces and new subtleties; and such is her magnetism In her work beyond that penetralia of the theater commonly eglled “behind the scencs” that she seems to inspire every player associated with her to better effort than the player ever before has shown. This is a wonder of her work reserved for the stage itseif. The marveis of her ability to adjust asso- ciative actors to the ensemble of any play that she directs are well known among players, many of whom that have had the advantage of appearing with her esteeming a season with Mrs, Fiske equivalent to a liberal education im the arts of the theater. be