May 31, 1923
MUSICAL COURIER
64
AMUSEMENTS
B'way at 51at St. “Subway to Door” EDW. BOWES, Mng. Dir.
CAPITOL
World׳« Largest
and foremost Motion Picture Palace
Beginning Sunday, June 3rd
THE
”RAGGED EDGE”
by HAROLD McGRATH Superbly Acted by
ALFRED LUNTandMIMI PALMERI
Directed by HARMON WEIGHT from an Adaptation by Forrest Halsey
CAPITOL GRAND ORCHESTRA
Erno Rapee Conducting CAPITOL BALLET CORPS—SOLOISTS
(Presentations by Rothafel)
iParamotuU ^¿cUires^
Theaters under direction of Hugo Riesenfeld
RIVOLI BROADWAY AT 49th ST.
BEBE DANIELS and ANTONIO MORENO In ״THE EXCITERS”
By Martin Brown.	Directed by Maurice Campbell
Scenario by John Colton and Sonya Levien RIVOLI CONCERT ORCHESTRA
RIALTO BROADWAY at 42d ST.
AGNES AYRES in ״THE HEART RAIDER”
By Jack Cunningham	Directed by Wesley Ruggles
From the story by Harry Durant and Julie Herne FAMOUS RIALTO ORCHESTRA
Gertrude Lang’s Success in Blossom Time Continues
Three months ago a new Mitzi appeared in that popular operetta, Blossom Time, and was hailed by the critics as a “new Shubert star.” She was Gertrude Lang, a young soprano who had attracted much attention in her brief sea-
GERTRUDE LANG
son with The Passing Show of 1922. Many conflicting opinions were offered regarding her possible success, but succeeding her initial appearance not a dissenting voice was raised against her. Her beauty and charm, as well as her lovely voice, compelled the admiration of all who witnessed her capable handling of the difficult role. The part of the naive and fascinating Mitzi might well have been created especially for the equally naive and fascinating Gertrude Lang.
The Blossom Time company has just returned to New York after continued triumphs on the road. Once again it has been established in New York, this time at the Shubert Theater, and, as in the first days of its overwhelming success, proves to be one of the most popular musical attractions of the season. Miss Lang’s reception by the various audiences is remarkable in the extreme, and every performance continues to add to her long list of admirers. As an actress and a singer she has proved herself worthy of the difficult role which was assigned to her.
John Charles Thomas Records Nichavo
John Charles Thomas has just recorded Mana Zucca’s song, Nichavo, for the Vocalion. It is one of the most successful recordings he has made and has won instantaneous approval from the phonograph public. He has been singing this song on all his programs and will continue to do so next season.
Schmitz Tour Ends
E. Robert Schmitz, pianist, has completed the last recitals of the two months’ tour which took him to the Pacific Coast and back. After finishing in Pittsburgh, May 24, he returned to New York for a much needed rest before going to Chicago for his five weeks’ session of master classes.
Musical Comedy, Drama and Motion Pictures
applause. The second time we saw it, it was at the first performance, and the theater was packed and there was a good deal of demonstration on the part of the audience showing approval and marveling at the feats which Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have accomplished. This film should׳ be shown in every school in the United States.
For the first showing in the afternoon and evening Mr. and Mrs. Johnson made a personal appearance. Mr. Johnson stood beside the large stage and talked as the pictures were thrown on the screen. It took us back to our childhood in the old days when the Stereopticon and the “ ‘fessor” usually operated the machine himself while expounding great learning to the children. It was very interesting. We would much have preferred not to have heard and seen Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Mrs. Johnson is a tiny little creature, very pretty and very dainty, and was totally different from the girl of the pictures who was photographed with the wild animals of the jungle. To hear this charming little person one could not believe it was possible for her to endure the hardships of their two years’ safari. Mr. Johnson is a big fellow and looks as though he were over six feet tall. He appears very modest and certainly conveys the impression that he is unaccustomed to making public speeches. It might have been much better to let the audience weave its own romance about these two remarkable people. Mrs. Johnson said that she was^ very much afraid here in New York City. Taxicabs terrified her, also the crowds, and she was anxious to get back to the wilds. It is understood they will return shortly for a five years’ stay, and if their future pictures are more wonderful than their present film, the world and science have something to which to look forward.
The Rivoli.
Through the courtesy of the Ned Wayburn Office, patrons at the Rivoli last week enjoyed an unusual treat. The Ben Ali_ Haggin tableaux, giving a story of Old France, and entitled Du Barry, with a special musical setting by Victor Herbert, is a feature which for beauty of line and frame, loveliness of lighting effects, it would be difficult to duplicate. On all sides were heard murmurs of delight and appreciation. It is good to note the master hand of Josiah Zuro again in evidence.
By way of variety, the Rialto and the Rivoli exchanged orchestras last week, and Mr. Zuro and Mr. Littau conducted the overture, which consisted of selections from Faust, with a finish which bespoke ample preparation. Riesenfeld’s Classical Jazz followed, scoring its usual success. The martial strains of Nora Flynn’s Tim Rooney’s at the Fightin’ were sung by Frank Robbins, baritone, with appropriate vigor. Madge Bellamy, in The Soul of the Beast, was the feature picture, with Reginald Denny in The Wandering Two, of the New Leather Pushers series, running it a close second for popularity. The Rivoli Pictorial completed the bill.
Notes.
Julia Glass, pianist and artist-pupil of Alexander Lambert, is one of the soloists at the Capitol this week.
Alma Beck, contralto, is singing Rhea Silberta’s Yahrzeff, as a memorial number at the Capitol this week.
Jane Cowl has broken all records for playing Romeo and Juliet, at the Henry Miller Theater. She is now in her fifth month of the exceptional run.
Charles Wagner, concert manager, who recently branched out as a theatrical producer, sailed on May IS, with his star. Sidney Blackmer. Sigrid Onegin, the Metropolitan singer, was also a passenger.
B. S. Moss will build a twin theater to the little Cameo, at Broadway and Fifty-third street. The seating capaciti' will be 2,000.
Mrs. Fisk will be under David Belasco’s management next year. She will be seen in St. John Ervine’s new play, Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.
Charles Dillingham will bring to America the Teatro dei Piccoli, the Italian marionette production which has been such a success recently in London. The Dresden will likely be the theater.	May Johnson.
Roderick White’s European Successes
The American violinist, Roderick White, who is now concertizing in Europe with great success, has within the last month given recitals in Berlin, Paris and London. It is noteworthy that in each of these European capitals Mr. White has played entirely different programs. The violin ist has spent many years abroad as a student of Leopold Auer and as a concert artist, and he knows the European public so well that in each city he gave programs particularly suited to each. In Berlin he was accompanied by Waldemar Liachowsky, in Paris Eugène Wagner played for him, while in London he was accompanied by Percy Kahn, whose work is well known in this country.
At his second London recital at Aeolian Hall on May 10, he was assisted by the London Philharmonic String Quartet which accompanied him in the Tartini concerto in D minor. Mr. White’s own number, the Spanish Serenade, which he played as an encore in Berlin and Paris, was programmed at the second London recital and was so successful in each city that it was redemanded. Among his enthusiastic admirers at his London recital was the theatrical manager, Arthur Hopkins, who recently brought glowing tales of the violinist’s success to America, and Helen Lord, who has made such a hit in Anna Christie in the English metropolis.
WJZ Opens Permanent Headquarters in New York
Conveniently located in its new and extremely artistic headquarters in the Aeolian Building, WJZ celebrated the official opening of its broadcast central in this city with a gala concert. Two programs were transmitted simultaneously on different wave lengths, with the identifying call letters WJY and WJZ. The artists who were scheduled to participate in the program on this occasion were:	Cecil
Arden, Carolyn Beelqe, Estelle Liebling, Philine Falco, Robert Armbruster, Betsy Lane Shepherd, Frank Kneeland, the Sittig Trio, Genia Zelinska, Maximilian Rose, Mary Luding-ton, Arthur Seymour and Anna Pinto. General Harbord, president of the Radio Corporation of America, gave an interesting talk.
Laureate Taylor returns for the second time this season, with a new offering at the 48th Street Theater entitled Sweet Nell of Old Drury, a revival of Paul Kester’s famous comedy. It is supposed to run for four weeks.
The Ethiopian Art Theater has lasted only two weeks. The first offering, Salome, received unusually good criticisms; but the second week the Negro company offered Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, and while it was novel and decidedly not conventional, the company closed the following Saturday night.
A1 Jolson, in Bombo, returned to New York, going to the Winter Garden. There is perhaps no comedian before the public today who has a bigger following than Jolson, and after the second week the financial returns have far exceeded expectations. Bombo ran for a considerable time at the Jolson Theater last year and then was sent on tour. This return engagement only proves the great popularity of the comedian. The production is practically the same except that most of Jolson’s jokes are new, or at least were not in the original production and he has introduced several new songs. The one which seems to have created the biggest sensation is entitled Dirty Hands and Dirty Face. It has not been decided how long Bombo will remain at the Winter Garden, but if box office receipts can prove anything it would seem a wise move on the part of the Shuberts to keep him there for some weeks.
James Barton, the clever comedian, is now a star on Broadway. His new musical comedy, Dew Drop Inn, which was brought to the Astor Theater on May 17, is one of the finest musical attractions we have at the present time. The entire production received excellent notices, and as for Barton himself, he quite carried the entire thing. There is excellent dancing aside from Barton’s contributions. He has been surrounded by an unusually good cast and the whole musical show is full of life and sparkle.
The past week was unusually active. The Moscow Art Theater returned to the Jolson Theater for a limited stay. But there is a decided evidence of a lack of interest. Presumably they have played their season.
At the Gaiety Theater, Cyril Maude was introduced in a new comedy, Aren’t We All. The distinguished English actor enjoyed a personal success when he introduced here If Winter Comes, but as a play the public did not seem to take to it. The new comedy apparently will make up for the disappointment of the first offering. The production received unusually fine notices, and Mr. Maude himself came in for much comment on his excellent work. Alma Tell is the leading woman.
The Fulton Theater offered a new play, entitled Cold Fee;. May Vokes and Glenn Anders are the principals. It was fairly well received.
Taylor Holmes, as the principal, has begun an engagement at the Morosco Theater in Not So Fast, an American comedy. The criticisms were not overly favorable, some declaring the play “not so good.”
At the Forty-eighth Street Theater special performances were offered of Sophocles’ Antigone, with Edith Wayne Matthison and Charles Rann Kennedy as the principals. The other parts were taken by pupils of the Bennett School. The critics were enthusiastic and declared the production intelligent and of high artistic standard throughout.
At the Provincetown Theater the Players’ Company, Inc., introduced a play, Sun-Up, by Lulu Vallmer. This is Miss Vallmer’s first play, and it was witnessed with considerable interest. The first two acts have unusual power, and for so inexperienced a playwright they brought forth much fine comment from the critics, but the author suffered the same fault that many others have experienced from time to time —all of the splendid situations she created in the first two acts were killed in a bad third act. With such a fine start no doubt the young playwright will try again and really give us something worth while.
The Lyric Theater is the home of the new D. W. Griffith film, entitled The White Rose. The stars are Mae Marsh and the English actor, Ivor Novello. The picture was received with considerable interest and most of the critics seem to feel that Mr. Novello will become a great favorite with the American public.
Josiah Zuro, a member of the Mayor’s committee on music for the Silver Jubilee, sent out a notice to the public that the Rialto Theater will be open to the public from 11 to 12:30, where all are cordially invited to special concerts in celebration of the Jubilee.
The Society of Theater Organists gave a motion picture demonstration in Elizabeth, N. J., on May 23, as part of the State Rally of the National Association of Organists. William H. Meader, organist of the theater, demonstrated with the film, Mighty Lak a Rose, using Nevin’s famous song as the theme. Alexander Gordon Reed was master of ceremonies and Robert Berentsen, president of the society, gave an address. Warren Yates, organist for the Branford Theater, Newark, N. J;, was present, besides many other well known musicians from New York City.
The Capitol.
The first musical number of the rather elaborate program last week was a picture of Capri. The pictures were interesting and unusually effective. The orchestra played many familiar Italian melodies as an accompaniment. This was followed by S. L. Rothafel’s special arrangement, entitled Impressions of II Trovatore. Elsa Stralia was again the principal soloist and at the Tuesday evening performance she sang unusually well; in fact, her voice was more pleasing than at the other times she has sung here, at this theater.
Frederick Fradkin, former concertmaster at the Capitol Theater, was the soloist. The program note states that this was Mr. Fradkin’s last appearance at the Capitol, in view of the fact he is going on a long tour. Fradkin made many friends while at the Capitol, but he seemed to share honors on this particular evening with the quartet, which sang the beautiful music of Trovatore.
The theater was packed and jammed all week to see Martin Johnson’s famous picture, Trailing African Wild Animals. Some of the pictures shown were marvellous, and certainly all children and grown-ups, too, should see this picture. It is not surprising the film has created such a profound impression. There was no musical accompaniment to the picture. The first time we saw it the silence was punctuated with “ahs” and “ohs” and interrupted with