THE COURIER.
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if
V
THE THEATRE
Last Thursday the Oliver was opened
by Madame Helene Modjeaka and her
large company in Cleopatra. The house
was filled with a brilliant" audience
among which were those who had seen
Madame Modjeaka play many parts. As
Cleopatra she was lissome and giaceful
and her costumes were gorgeous and of
superb color but she was not Cleopatra.
Not that it mattered, whatever Mod jeska
plays she makes the heart beat with the
sweet cadence of her voice and her en
wrapping womanliness. The company
was costumed in exquisite taste and
most richly. The scenery was very
elaborate and beautiful. The support
was exceptionally good, especially the
leading man who played Antony, and
the two littin Egyptians, Iris aud Char
mian. The subjoined tribute to Mod
jeska is taken from "The Passing Show"
by Miss Cather, published in this paper
last March:
In New York I went to see Modjeaka
in "Mary Stuart." I had not seen her
for six years aud I was almost afraid to
go afraid that she might have changed
too greatly. She has changed, indeed,
but only as a flower from which the
rains have washed the brilliance of its
color, or as an antique marble which
time has ravaged but never lost its high
significance . The old poetic charm, the
old regal manner are still hers. To me
there has always been something of the
mediaeval in this woman, something of
that spiritual fineness and delicate re
serve which the age of chivalry bred in
women; eomethiDg of that dignity which
walked between the shadow of the clois
ter and the effulgence of the court,
something that accords with the mellow
notes of the flute, something .that be
longed to the days when men thought a
woman's love worth sacrifices, and pil
grimages, and hard fought battles, like
the Holy Grail or the sepulcher of
Christ. When I see her play I can
understand how Dante loved Beatrice
for a life-time, and how Petrarch sang
of Laura in a dungeon, how knights of
old died to kiss their mistress' hand.how
the old chatelaines, believing in the vir
gin, caught on their own brows the re
fulgent light that shone about Mary's
head and became to men, mediators
with God rather than ministers of plea
sure. Idealism lived in men until it
died in women.
To step from the son.id, blatant, nak-
ed materialism of such
plays as "The
Tree of Knowledge" and
The Conquer
ors" into this woman's presence is to en
ter another world, a wcrld in which the
imagination soars rather than that in
which the senses riot. You remember
it was just the same whatever the play.
If her Camille was too refined.it was be
cause poesy cannot be gross, and a queen
cannot be common. Ah! the pity of it
that this woman must grow old! Never,
surely, did we so need such serenity of
soul as her's, never before did we so
need to hive life set to musi. Her s is
indeed the charm which age cannot
wither nor custom stale.
There is no woman on our stage today
who can read bUnk versa as she can.
The technical perfection of her reading,
despite her accent, always awes nu a
little. The metre never hampers her;
she handles it as freely as prose. Her
sentiment is of the kind that is most
naiurauy expreuseu id veree. iyuoubub
needs breath she pauses and takes it
naturally expressed in verse. When she
raiuer man uiur a epuuueu ur uurrjr a
line to its end. Ah, Lady, when shall
we look upon your like again? Our
world is given over to Anna Held and
Julia Opp and Maude Adams and their
kind, to daughters of joy and brazen in
competence and china playthings, Cor
delia, stay a little!
Last Friday at the Funke Charles
Dickson, Henrietta Crossman and Nan
ette Comatock in "Mistakes Will Hap
pen" played to a moderate business.
This company of nine are artiits every
one. Their, performance was finished.
The perfection of workmanship was not
lost on those who were there but they
6hould have played to standing room
only. It is rare indeed that so good a
play and so good a company appear here.
Reproaches are frequently addressed to
the theatre managers that they do not
get the best here. Well the best was
at the Funke last Friday and lacked a
representative audience. The Lincoln
public responds to a name of extra
familiar fame like that of Modjeaka. Joe
Jefferson or Crane, but when a company
composed of the best modern actors ar
rives we are not sufficiently acquainted
with the modern stage to take an excel
lent performance for granted. In on
sequenco actors of acknowledged pres
tige have played to poor houses in Lin
coln, and to tell the plain truth the
place is not popular with them.
The .other members of tho "Mistakes
Will Happen" company are Charles liar
bury, William Hawley, Franklin Gar
land, Edmund Lawrence, Ben Deane.
Adah Eckert and Carrie Behr. Carrie
Behr's song and dance with Edmund
Lawrence made a hit worth chronicling.
Henrietta Crossman was graceful, quick
witted, and coquettish as she always is.
Nanette Comatock is charming. Her
mellow voice vanquishes what defenses
her beauty leaves, and she uses it as
Maude Adams does to stay. Mr. Dick
sou has the cool, nonchalance that
William Gillette has made popular.
Oliver theatre patrons are delighted
with the new curtain whose soft blue
draperies forever conceal the horrid old
witches and the fountain of youth which
was impossible in drawing and color.
The sallow old women are painted out
and the new picture soothes whore the
old irritated. It is .unfortunate that the
artist has chosen to paint his name so
large on one of the marble steps in the
picture. Artists generally place their
names in the corner of the picture
where it harmonizes with the composi
tion and must be searched for by an ad
mirer. The sign on this curtain is a
blot and should be placed less conspicu
ously in a corner.
The "Gay Matinee Girl" on Thursday
and "A Milk White Flag" on Saturday
were of mpdiocre merit in cast and play.
The Milk White Flag besides the usual
Hoyt coarseness has a repulsive plot.
The corpse is a swindler, his wife ie a
wretched cheap imitation, the other
women are only a shade better and the
men are not membars of good society.
1 the whole play there is not a charac-
ter we would like to know. It is the
work of a man without delicacy and
without respect for humanity.
An Eclipse, which can bs seen with
the naked eye, will occur Monday, Oct.
21th, at 8:15 p. m. at tho Funke opera
house, when the Warner Opera company,
the society favorites, will give their init
ial performance. This company is, with
out a doubt, the strongest company
touring the west this season, universally
extolled as wearing the purple of super
iority. They have selected from their
choice lepeitoire of plays, O. E. flol
burn's masterpiece, the beautiful four
act comedy, "Mercie'a Marriage," as
their opening bill for Monday night,
scened in the most extravagant manner.
-
Gorgeous costumes and every attention
jjoiu tu uctan. uuu i mu iu nee ura
Don't fail to see Cora
Warner, the world's greatest illusion
dancer in her bewildering serpentine,
tire, and lily dance with all the very lat
est electric and calcium light effects.
Also beautiful illustrated songs at each
and every performance. Prices If, 20
and 30 cents, with ladies free Monday
night under usual conditions. Rush for
seat9.
We present in the advertisement an
outline cut of Louise M. Brehany, the
famous prima donna of the Louise Breh
any Ballad and Opera company, who
are soon to favor us with a visit. She
has gained a national reputation
through her success with Sousa s Band,
the Chicago Marine Band, Edouard Re-
menyi, Bernard Listeraann company and
other great organizations, and this year
heads her own company, giving an act
of the grand opera Martha in costume
in addition to a regular concert program.
THE
OLIVER THEATRE
JN. WEN. J. Manager.
ONE NIGHT ONbY
Monday, Ootober S-tm
r
She is a famous ballad singer; in fact,
she is considered the best in America,
and has for her support some renowned
artists. This will be a rare musical
treat and should Lo largely attended, as
it is a rare thing for our music loving
citizens to hear a portion of any opera
by such singers. Secure seats at once
at Box office. At the Oliver Monday,
October 21. Prices-81.00. 75;:, 50c, 25c.
AX tti& Funke
all Next
ITeek
rtc a i Ml TKAUIION
$'ir;
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jUHSTtATIO
r.iiOl
EftPEMTiM
flRElNftLllYatMCE IVY-
Prices. 10, 20 and 30 cents.
Ladies free Monday night un
der the usual conditions.
:
anon
I
4057 Brace Blc.
Isabella A. Fickler,
Proprietor.
Office hours 9 to 5. Wednes
day evening 7 to 9. Explana-
!
Ltions and Health Book free.
IMIMMMIIMMHIIIMmHl
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50CIETY y&cik
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9EPEMTIMF W
VIAI
THE
L0HIS BREHANY
BALLAD AND
OPERA CONCERTS.
Louiai Brehony,
America's favorite Prima Donna, assist
ed by a superb coterie of well known
American artists in a choice musical
program, concluding with a portion of
the grand opera "Martha." beautifully
costumed. A great musical entertain
ment. Pricf s, 81, 75c, 50 and 25c. Seats
on sale Friday, October 21.
MUSICAL MENTION.
Mr. Henry Eames and wife will bo lo
cated at Mr. Paul Bartlett's new resi
dence on II street.
The Cadet band will furnish tho
music at the afternoon exercises of tho
dedication of the Mechanic Arts build
ing and the orchestra and male quartette
in tho evening.
Among the new arrivals at tho School
of Mupic this week were Lulu Wonder
of Blue Springs, Susanna Asbmun of
Atchison, Kansas, and Eva Comatock of
Neligb, Nebraska.
The Univerdity School of Music has
engaged the eminent pianist, Fannie
Bloomh'eld Zeisler, for a recital on De
cember 3d. Madame Zeisler has not
visited Lincoln and is known as the
greatest American woman pianist
On Wednesday evening, October 19th,
at the University chapel the first artist
recital of the series of 1898-9 was given
by Mr. Henry Eames, who has recently
been secured as the head of the piano
department of the university school of
music. Mr. Eames comes from Chicago
with many flattering notices both as re
gards his musiciahship and social stand
ing. Tho program he presented was a
severe one, calculated to test the various
qualities of touch and technic which
the artist possesses, and it was given
from first to last with a degree of intelli
gence and virtuosity that will make Mr.
Eames' future appearances of pleasure
to al. We should be glad to hear Mr.
Eames in a program of popular numbers
and understand that ho expects to give
such a program in the near future. The
following is the program presented:
Hindel Theme and varia ions. E
major.
Beethoven Sonate, C minor, Opp 13.
Grave-Allegro. Adagio. Rondo.
Gluck-Joseffy Airde Ballet.
Rachmaninoff Prelude, C sharp
minor.
Grieg The Birds. The Brook. March
Funebre.
Schumann Faschingschwank. Op.2G.
Allegro.
Chopin Nocturnes, C sharp minor
and F major. Waltz, C sharp minor.
Three short preludes. Prelude, D flat
major. Etude, C minor.
Brahms Intermezzo E Hat. Ballade
D minor.
Liszt Rbapsodie Hongroise, No. 15.
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.'.-'Wttfr-,
