The production of “Aladdin” by John Hollingshead on December
19th, 1892, called forth tributes of praise for the enterprising
and ingenious Manager. The familiar story was well kept to, the
situations were telling, and the four changes of scene were effected
without once lowering the curtain, while the last, “The Veil of
Diamonds,” was amazing. A tableau curtain of glass was introduced,
composed of some 75,000 glass facets held together by _twenty-four
miles_ of wire, and illuminated by various electric and other lights
of different colours, the whole achieving one of the most wonderful
effects ever seen on the stage, one not easily forgotten.
The cast was a strong one, Signorina Legnani--a finished dancer of
the typical Italian school--as the Princess; Mlle. Marie, a charming
little dancer and clever mime, as Aladdin; Signorina Pollini, as the
Spirit of the Lamp; that fine actor and dancer, Mr. Fred Storey, as
the Magician; with good support from Mme. Roffey, Miss Hooten, the
Almonti Brothers, and, of course, a wondrous array of beauty among
the Alhambra _corps de ballet_. Mr. Bruce Smith had provided artistic
scenery; Mr. Howard Russell was the designer of the costumes--as for
several of the Alhambra ballets--which were admirably turned out as
usual by M. and Mme. Alias; and M. Jacobi had once again surpassed
himself in the music, that for the beautiful “chrysanthemum” scene
and a waltz in A, in the finale, proving especially popular.
Another great success was achieved in the production of “Chicago,” in
March, 1893, a lively, up-to-date production, which later ran into a
second edition. “Fidelia,” adapted from “Le Violon du Diable,” was a
romantic ballet that also went into a second edition. The Alhambra
by now had as Business Manager, Mr. Albert A. Gilmer, with Mr. A. G.
Ford as Stage Manager, though Signor Casati, as _maître de ballet_,
M. G. Jacobi, as conductor and composer of the music, were still
continuing in their accustomed spheres.
Yet another success achieved under the same able direction was
“Don Quixote,” with Mr. Fred Storey as a brilliant exponent of the
title-_rôle_, and Signorina Porro as the Dulcinea, La Salmoiraghi as
the niece, and Mr. Fred Yarnold, as the Sancho Panza, other parts
being well filled by Miss Julia Seale (a handsome and clever dancer
and mime long associated with the Alhambra), Mme. Roffey, Miss Hooten
and the Almontis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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