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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1900)
- ' - . . V?' TEE SUNDAY OBEGrONIAN. PORTtiAND, "APRIL" 8, 1900. RMATl Marquam Grand CALVIN HEIUG, Mr. Special.... Announcement PAOEREWSKI The World's Greatest Pianist 17 . . InaPHsWBilaWaalaHlVLaBBBBBBBBBB , ' r prwd Back la the Bnatneaa. fta tack la tha tnatsaos again, boya: Tm back la the txumeu to stay, m traveled from Texaa to Main, bar 'With nerer a copper for pay. rm bade In tha busmaas again, dot; rm strolling on upper Broadway. Ton all rolaea a about Tbat I ousbt to cet out. But Tm back In tba tnal&caa to star. Tv played avery town In tba Stataa, bora From Tampa to Kalamacoo, r-re oft bad to wildcat" for-date, bora. And do all tba blllportlng. too; I admit tbat rva made grave mlatakea, boys. In trying this art to pursue. But onoa a "protean," Toure cauebt In a mesh. And tbere'a nothing elae you can do. 'Jm a aaleaman rm not a success, bora. And bookkeeping not to mr mind; 'As an autbor. you'll readily sueea. boya, I could never a publiiber find. Tra tried bundreda of taint mora or leas, boya. Bet In all I bar bad to raalcn. Aa "Help 'Wanted" I read I am forced to concede That tbere'a notblcr at all In my Una, 80 Tm back In the business' again, boya; Tm back In the business to stay. Xf they want good all-round leading men, boya. Til work from September till May. Ota you lend ma a At or a ten. boyat r a few little bllla I rauat pay. "What's that? You're Just outT v Bow old that come about t Well-ril see you again, boya; good. day 1 David Miles. In Dramatic Mirror. WITH ENTIRE FRANKNESS Fun, With Some Axtlatlo Drawbacks, sad Staffer llusso'a Debut Marie the Boston Lyrics' Season. Two weeks of clean and wholesome fun, with en exhilarating flavor of Italian bel canto from, a young tenor who comes to us absolutely fresh and un spoiled these "ore what the Boston Lyric Opera Company has given us. And as both happen to be rare commodities now-a-days in the amusement world. It would be churlish of us not to be grate ful. Russo's personality has proved an in teresting study. He is a naive compound of the artist and the athlete. In his ex uberance of enthusiasm for art. he puts little or no restraint upon himself. In addition to a voice of rare purity and power, he possesses remarkable lung ca pacity and breath control, and of these he has given frequent exhibitions. Some of these breath suspensions have been so startling as to send a cold chill down the back of timid listeners. Except for this extravagant, but delightfully In genuous display of power, his vocaliza tion Is very nearly perfect. He Is a tenor that will, no doubt, be eagerly sought by enterprising lmpressarlos. His superb slngjng this past week of the "Lucia dl Lammermoor" scena; the Manrlco arias from "II Trovatoro": the Duke's song, "La Donna e Mobile" and the tenor part In the great quartet from "Rlgo letto," will long be remembered with de light. Of course there have been things to cavil at In the work of the company breaches of good taste that might, with a little study, be easily remedied. The fiasco of the fat Valentine who. In the "Faust" death scene, turned tragedy Into farce, has not been duplicated the past week; yet every evening has witnessed some small contretemps that has stolen force from a thrilling dramatic situation. An Example. Take, for example, the great tomb scena. Just referred to, from "Lucia dl Lammccmoor," Toroba degl' art mlel. which Russofethi'Tole of Edgardo, sang with such Impassioned power, Thursday night. The hero, while wandering among the graves of his ancestors, hears the toll of the castle bell; -attendants bring him tho news of Lucia's death, and In a frenzy of despair, after giving relief to his feelings In a tragic outburst of rong, he stabs himself. It is a grand and gloomy aria, generally regarded as a crucial test for ambitious tenors, and Russo rendered It with noble effect. All would have gone well had not a partic ularly lank and cadaverous attendant, of towering height, been Inadvertently placed In the foreground as -the favored recipient of the unhappy Edgardo's rav ings. Was it absolutely necessary that the shortest and the tallest In a company of 40 members should be so conspicu ously brought together in this tragic crisis? Other breaches of good taste might be pointed out an ovor-Jiberal use of the rouge-pot among the women, for ex ample. A little care would quickly rem edy these defects, thereby materially Im proving the general effectiveness of the company. The working principle which Colonel Thompson has adopted for his company Is that the public demands a large repertory, rather than finished art. Eleven complete operas, without counting repe titions, or special acts Introduced to make a- double bill, constitute the repertory for the two weeks' season Just concluded. It would be manifestly absurd to expect carefully planned details or smoothness of performance with such a repertory as this. Doubtless, the Jingling of sliver dollars at the box office Is a substantial argument In Colonel Thompson's favor, yet there will be many found who .hold to the view, that a smaller repertory and a more polished art would meet with en couragement and support from the people. MERIWETHER. PADEREWSKI COMING. Manager Helllar Secures the Great Pianist for April 11. Through the untiring efforts of Manager Helllg, he can at last positively announce that Paderewskl, the great pianist, will appear at the Marquam Grand on Wednes day evening of this week. The sale of boxes and seats will begin at the box-office of the theater tomorrow evening. This achievement has been brought about through an arrangement with Messrs. S. H. Freidlander & Co of Saa Francisco. who are conducting PaderewsM's tour on this coast Pianists come and go: each has a fol lowing of some sort large or small, as the case may be hut Paderewskl stands alone; he Is a figure by himself. In the musical world. The reasons for this are various, although if you were to ask his admirers of the emotional sex -why they place the long-haired player, like are idol, on a pedestal, to be 'worshiped In rhap sodical ccstacy. the answer would come In adjectival phrases, of wild apprecia tion, of no critical value whatever. They cannot, or they will not. believe that Eu gene d'Albert is equally as good In a Beethoven sonata, and that De Pach mann has a finer gift for the sensuous music of Chopin, and they fall to realize that If d'Albert and Paderewskl were placed behind a curtain, they would bo absolutely, unable to say with certainty who was the player. Paderewskl made his appearance at a favorable moment. In the beginning of the present decade, there was no great pianist looming there In the public eye. Rubinstein was the last of the giants, and ho had practically retired from tho plat form. The golden fruit was .hanging ripe upon the tree, -although ' It was ,not for the flrst comer 'to pluck nnd eat: only he who was favored of tho gods could touch the magic bow "thai guarded lis treasure, as seeureiyasthe-oelt bf flre'encompassed the sleeping-form oTUtunnfiUdeT The "Fearless Youth." Then Paderewskl, the "fearless youth" Paderewskl, with his sandy circlet of lusterless hair; his strangely Interesting furtive gray eyes; his pallid complexion and figure lithe as a willow wand, came within view, although at the beginning only a few realized his power. He wooed and he won, and now he leaves the woo ing to his patrons, and there Is a scramble by them for places, at so many big round dollars a head-, and his admirers sit at his feet as though he were. In sooth, a god. They listen In ecstatic silence breath ing is not absolutely forbidden, although that vital function of nature has to be controlled, with due regard to the player's plantsslml but no other movement of the animal body Is permitted. Indignant "s-shs" promptly follow the unpremedi tated rustle of a lady's silk dress during a performance of Chopin's sonata. Pad erewskl places his trust In Beethoven and Chbpln. two composers who cover, be tween them, the finest range of piano forte literature. First of all we tread with him the care fully cut paths of classic art. as repre sented by the Beethoven sonatas, and then wc follow the beckoning hand of the Pol ish composer, with whom we share the fairy revels of his fantasia In F minor; dream of nightingales and somber wood land shadows, through the nocture Op. 27, No. 2; harken solemnly to the B flat minor sonata, with its fateful funeral march, and then pass onward to the play gardens of pianoforte music: pirouette to the lively measure of the etudes. Op. 25, Nob. 3 and S, and dance gaily to the JOKlf T. TDMUrKT, El Ifrnnce Pndercvrslct. I ' ' . .KHSH VIRxAel.Hl ill; wvmmtk -wai i u an LMK2? Wlfc V MMm JH IRk Wfm AVN N3 - . Jr,jn, VWVN. JW. ilAf Ns$sss"c r jrrw4-zr IL: Mi ssMaaaiM C enchanting strains of the mazurka In B minor and the favorite valse In A flat. Op. 42. A soupcon of Lltz, and the con cert la over. Aa K Dntvrlnf- Caret. It Is Indeed remarkable and speaks Paderewskl's power as a drawing card, that his popularity Is, In no wise, dimin ished by the heavy demands that have been made upon it In America. Most of the great European pianists have visited this country during the last few years, but although they had the spice of novelty In their favor, none was able to achieve a success that could be compared to bis. TrLrirTrvf ttti hoM hts former Im i pregnable-position in the hearts of lovers j of the piano. Since his reappearance in this country, lost December, he has created the usual furore In musical circles. Every place that he has played the houses have been packed. In Chicago recently he had to be rescued by stage hands from a mob of women at the Auditorium. Nelthet the turning off of the electric lights, nor the lowering of the Iron fire screens that separate the stage from the auditorium. .served to stop the onslaught on him. Mu sic and Paderewskl these women must have, and for a full hour after the pro gramme of the regular concert was over, they kept the exhausted master of tha keyboard working for his freedom. He was only released when everything else had been unsuccessfully attempted by stage hands rushing In and carrying the piano off the platform. "HAVE YOU SEEN SMITH t" Davis' Company of Fanmakers Begin at Cordray'a Tonight. One of the brightest modern farce-comedies, "Have You, Seen SmithT" will open a week's engagement at Cordray'a The ater 'tonight. It is In the hands of a ca pable company of comedians, and has been doing an excellent business this season. There are several pretty women In the cast and' much new, funny business is; pro vided. The attraction has acquired an Im portant' place nmong the lough-producers and Is making a strong hid for a top seat The fantastical exploits of several per sonages. In the course of the evolution of tho farce, cause many amusing compli cations, and the disentanglement affords an opportunity for' comical situations and interesting tableaux. Incidental to the plot Is Introduced a plenty of songs, dances and marches of every description. Sev eral musical novelties will be heard. "PUDD'NHEAD WILSON." Burr Mclntoalt to Appear In Mayo's I'Iny at the Mnrqanra. Burr Mcintosh, supported by a clever company of players, will be seen at the Marquam Grand Friday and Saturday nights and Saturday matinee of this week. In Frank Mayo's dramatization of Mark Twain's beautiful story, "Pudd'nhead Wil son." Mr. Mcintosh will appear In the role of David Wilson, or, as he is better known at Dawson Landing, Pudd'nhead.' Ashton Stevens, dramatic critic on the San Francisco Examiner, in reviewing the production of the ptay. with Mr. Mc intosh in the title role, at tho California Theater last weel:. says: "Like 'Old Homestead' and other suc cessful American plays of dialect and character, 'Puddn'hcad Wilson has be come an established tradition. Tue same acting characterizes every production ot It. Any Innovation would be resented. The public knows as much about tho plcco as the actors do, and the public wants it served each season in tho came style. Everything Is cut and dried for the play ers. They have but to stick to the tra ditional gestures. Intonation and make-up, and the play and the audience do the rest. The most Important figure In the per formance of this sort Is the stage mana gerthe actor-driver, you might call him. Unseen arid unheard from the front, yet it Is his hand that turns the crank and presents tho pictures. The stage manager knew his business at the California Thea ter last nlcht, and the players knew theirs. And one of the cleverest and most (Steinway WEDNESDAY EVENING APRIL 11 XOTE Reserved seats can ba secured by those living: out of the city by letter or telegraph. PRICES Lower floor and first 3 rows balcony, .tt CO Second 3 rows, balcony ....$3.00 Last 6 rows, balcony ....$2.00 Gallery n.50 Boxes and loges, per seat S5.00 TWO NIGHTS AND SATURDAY MATINEE. MR. BURR MclNTOSH Supported by a Capable Company of Players, In Frank Mayo's Dramatization of I Mark Twain's Beautiful Story "Pudd'nhead Wilson" PRICES: Popular With the People. A(3xsymw2" truly American plays In the meager liter ature of our stage was given an Interest ing and Intelligent, if not brilliant, per formance. 'Pudd'nhead Wilson Is about as clever a blend of melodrama and satire as ever has been turned out. "Burr Mcintosh wins easily. This Is the first time I have had the luck to see htm. and I regret that it Is not. a part that calls for original expression, for he would seem to be a first-class actor, with a big, bounding, magnetic personality and -"-": : - - 1 VMfWLWBa WtUAjp and Bon's Pianoforte used.) Sale f Seat Will Begin MONDAY MORNING APRIL 9 . . FRIDAY Lower floor (except last three Last threo rows Balcony, flrst three rows Second three rows CORDRAY'S One Week, Commencing Tonight, Sunday, April 8 Saturday THE FRANTICALLY FUNNY FARCE The Master Magnet of Measureless Mirth YOU SEEN SMITH? Transporting With Temptlnj Traveitits Orchestra and Dress Loges Box Seats Balcony Circle Gallery Matinee 25c any part REGULAR PRICES the rare art of expression. Mr. Mcintosh knows the value of suggestion. His action , leaves something to the Imagination, and It tells. "Frances Graham Mayr plays Rowey I with the right Ingenuousness, and Nina Morris gives a vivid Roxy. even if she misses something of the traditional pumpkin-colored laugh." "What Happened to Jones." Harry Corson Clarke, always a favorite i IS "BATS TOU SIB2S OOTBr Vi 1 SATURDAY, rows..)Jl-50 lift 1 0) 73 Ttalrnnv Tjlst flfx rows . Gallery Matinee prices, 23c. 50c. 75c seats will begin weanesaay THEATER HAVE The Favorite of Fun and Frolic Teeming With Transcendent Tickles Stimulating With SMILES SPREAD LIKE SYIITJP 15 A SOUTHERN SUN. QIC AVITII BRIGHTEST BURLESQUE AND BEGUILEMENTS. BEAMING AND BULGING WITH BEWITCHING BEAUTIES. A DELUGING DOSE OF DYSPEPSIA-DEFYING DELIGHTS. A METROPOLIS OF MUSIC, MIRTH AND MAGNETISM. Circle (best seats). EOc SOc and T5c J1.00 25c and SOc 23c ot house except loges. in Portland, will be seen at the Marquam Easter week, presenting, for the last time. Broadhurst's successful comedy, "What Happened to Jones." Mr. Clarke Is now arranging for the production of a new comedy, called "Whnt Did Tompkins dor which was written for him, nnd. under his own supervision, and the name of which was suggested by himself. "MR. SMOOTH" NEXT "WEEK. Willie. Collier With Ilia Nevr Fnrce. Billed for the Marqnam. Willie Collier and his supporting com pany will appear at tha Marquam. In the successful farce. "Mr. Smooth," on Mon day, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Play and company have been mak ing a big bit throughout the country, and will come from a successful engagement In San Francisco, where the critics have accorded much praise to the production. Mr. Collier Is known In Portland, and his performance In "The Man From Mexico." at the Marquam last season, won him no Inconsiderable praise. Re ports of ils new play that have reached here seem to Indicate tbat It Is funnier than Its predecessor. Mr. Collier Is him self the author. In "Mr. Smooth," a young man, with more nerve than anything else. Introduces himself, under the name of. another man,, to a rich, retired banker. The man whose name he has taken turns up at an Inop portune time, and the hero Is kept bus; dodging detectives and Inventing stories to keep from getting found out, while ha wooes and wins the banker's daughter. Fortune favors him. and he comes out of the scrape, at last, with his heart's de sire and- a fortune Into the bargain. The complications are cleverly wrought out. and Mr. Collier dispenses the fun as ho goes along. He Is said to be outrageously funny at times and always without ap parent effort. Besides Mr. Collier, there are several other good people In the cast, who will contribute largely to the entertalnment. A bookmaker, with all tho slang of the race-course and the betting ring forever on his lips: a society girl. In all her fuss and feathers: a retired banker, with mora money than brains; a pronounced old maid, crabbed and sour, and a couple ot eccentric servants help to make fun. Mlnstrela nt Cordray'a. Barlow's Minstrels (white), one of the strongest minstrel organizations In tho country, consisting of 40 people, and. hav ing two bands, will play a week' engage ment at Cordray"s. beginning Sunday. April 22. The company nas been doing an excellent business on this season's tour and has been playing to big houses in the Northwest. A feature to the big street parade which tho organization makes. Objected to Belnsr Supplanted. Ono ot the feature of "Tho yiUacp April 13-14 ......... M 6 tl 00. Sale of morning, JOHN F. CORDRAY, Manager A Convulsing, Care-Killing Corker Side-Splitting Situations NEXT ATTRACTION "SUWANEE RIVER 5J Postmaster," when the play was brought out In New York, was a trained baby pig. The slzo of the animal had a bearing on the story and the lines. The author. It ap pears, had forgotten, the fact that pigs grow rapidly, and the result was that as the run there grew In length, the pig in creased In width, as well as length, so that tho management was at Its wit's ends within a few months to secure a new mem ber of the cast to take the part of this porcine player. As the rural drama stayed on one stags almost 200 nights, the pig was a. ham- fatter In both censes of the term before the curtain fell on the metropolitan en gagement. Another pig was secured n . time, but the discarded four-footed actor squealed like all possessed, when taken away from hla accustomed haunts at tha side of the stage. DIXEY AS GARRICK. "Adonis" Makei a Hit In Rohaon's "Oliver Goldsmith." Aside from Mr. Robson's personal suc cess In "Oliver Goldsmith" and from tha dainty, sketchy charm of the play Itself, .there are two features of the performance at the Fifth Avenue that play-goers can be grateful for the Doctor Johnson, of H. A. Weaver and the Garrick and Twitch of Henry E. Dlxey. ' Mr. Weaver Is & splendid old-school actor, whoso telling characterization of tha crusty yet kindly doctor It would be Im possible for any of our modern "character old men" to match or duplicate. His ripe, fine methods are a treat to observe and his presence on the scene arouses regret that there are few artists of his class left us. Mr. Dlxey Is the artlctlc antithesis of tho veteran Weaver, but .that does not mean that his acting Is not equally praise worthy. He docs not suggest Garrick. as he has come down to us in portraits and contemporary record, but he contributes a thoroughly delightful study of char acter, nevertheless, while. In broad con trast, he "doubles" tho boozy bailiff with excellent comic effect. Mr. Dlxey has been noted so long an a capital mimic and graceful entertainer that his appearanca In "Oliver Goldsmith" comes as a. timely reminder that he Is an actor, too, and or remarkable talent. The Usher, lrr the Saa Francisco Mirror. Soon Over. "I love to hear you play." he said. "My reasons? Well, the chief One la that when you play for to 1 i I i t I Your pieces all are brief." Baltimore American. No Donbt of It. Tha New Tork police will have a great deal of support In their theory that cer tain kinds of music ore criminal. Balt zaac Amsiiran .i li f - " -Ct-Jva e'v m.0( -fly ' -J' 'OfcjVA,l.h-Jt. 'ini'ik''mL ' -.'. 4t ." - T a