376 CHAPTER XXVII. 1869-1872-1880. The Trimble Opera House under Lucien Barnes and Others. THE city of Albany owes its present beautiful theatre to the energy and enterprise of Mr. Lucien Barnes. After the burning of the Academy of Music in 1868, there was much talk as to how it should be rebuilt. Various plans were proposed, and a joint stock company was talked of. Indeed, an act of incorporation was considered by the legislature, but for some reason the building was not erected. At length, Mr. Barnes, who, meantime, had married the former manageress, Miss Trimble, undertook to do singlehanded what combined effort had not accomplished, and in exactly fifty-one days from the time of beginning work on the blackened ruins, completed and opened to the public one of the most beautiful temples of the drama in this country. Mr. Barnes had been for about ten years chief clerk and cashier of the state insurance department, in which position of trust, millions of dollars passed through his hands. This position, which he had held to the satisfaction of all, he resigned to become manager of a place of amusement, to him an utterly new and untried business. In order to raise the capital necessary to build and conduct the theatre, the "Trimble opera house bonds" were issued to the amount of $40,000, having ten years to run, with the stipulation that ten per cent. of their face was to be met yearly, together with seven per cent. interest. With the theatre in existence, there is no necessity for describing it in detail; suffice it to say that it was furnished, to begin with, with all the modern improvements, was heated with steam, and supplied not only with all the comforts possible for an audience to enjoy, but with many luxuries. The stage is a model in all respects. The drop curtain, painted by Lewis, then scenic artist at the New York Academy of Music, is one of the prettiest ever shown in any theatre in America. One fact is worth mentioning in this connection: the contract with Lewis stipulated that he should deliver the curtain in the theatre; he expecting to have it completed in time to ship by boat. Failing to do this, it had to come from New York on two cars, for which the artist had to pay $126. The orchestra chairs then numbered only three hundred. Of these, one hundred of the frames were coming up from New York by rail only the day before the opening; yet they were upholstered, painted, in position, and occupied the first night. This is merely a specimen of the way in which the work was driven. The architect was Thomas R. Jackson, who, it will be remembered, was also the architect of the old Academy. Mr. Vanderwerker, the former carpenter, was also employed, and John Bridgford was the master builder. Thursday evening, December 30th, 1869, the Opera house was thrown open for the reception of the press and a few invited guests, Mr. Charles Leland furnishing refreshments. The next evening, Friday, December 31st, the theatre was opened to the public. The opening address, written for the occasion, by a citizen of Albany, was spoken by Georgie Langley. "The School for Scandal" was then played, cast as follows: Sir Peter Teazle... Sir Oliver Surface.. Joseph Surface.. Charles Surface Sir Benj. Backbite Rowley.. W. H. Collins .S. Harold Forsberg .J. B. Brown Prices were one dollar, fifty cents and thirty-five cents. The receipts were $548.90; the next day being Saturday, a matinee was given to $375.50, and the evening performance to $457.80. With the exception of Mr. Albaugh, leading man and stage manager; Henrietta Irving, the leading lady, and Mrs. Le Brun, these were all first appearances in Albany. Charles L. Underner was leader of the orchestra. On Monday evening, January 3d, he entered the musicians' room, as usual, and there staring him in the face, was a broken looking-glass. "Ah!" he said, "somebody is going to die! I hope it is not I." In less than half an hour afterwards he was seen, while leading the band, to drop his head. Some in the audience thought he was drunk. Those around him, however, knew better, and went to his assistance. He was taken from his seat and carried home a dead Heart disease was the cause of his sudden demise. Sig. L. Parlati succeeded him as leader. man. For two weeks the legitimate was played by the company, but the old style of drama did not prove the necessary attraction, and something of a more modern character was sought for. "After Dark" was projected, but it was found that Mr. Lawlor, manager of the opposition theatre, held the right to produce the great railroad scene in the play; consequently it was postponed, and instead, on January 17th, Edward Eddy appeared in his varied and extended repertory, and played to large houses. He was followed by Edwin Adams. January 31st, "After Dark" was produced with new scenery, a great concert saloon scene, and a steamboat explosion instead of a railroad catastrophe. This ran a week, and then had to be taken off on account of another engagement, the business Saturday amounting to $850. The play was a great bill for matinees for weeks afterwards. The view of London bridge was a gem. Harley Merry, the painter, had then just returned from Europe, and was kept busy with his brush for months. At the opening, there was only just scenery enough to play "The School for Scandal." When Mr. Barnes left the theatre, two years and a half afterwards, it was as well stocked with this important essential as any in the country. Rose and Harry Watkins were the next stars, and played to moderate business. John Brougham followed, playing to only about $250 a night. F. S. Chanfrau's average was about $50 better. The Florences, however, who were here two weeks, played to fine business, a complimentary benefit, March 17th, being attended by one of the largest audiences ever seen in the theatre. March 21st, first night of "Ixion," the burlesque made popular by the Thompson troupe. This, produced at a large outlay, ran till April 2d without interruption, averaging from $400 to $700 a night. April 7th, Mr. Albaugh took a benefit, and made his last appearance at this place while it was under Mr. Barnes's management. April 11th, Eddy began a second engagement. A April 26th, "The Black Crook" was brought out, with Bonfanti to lead the ballet, and ran eight times a week, till May 21st, the business varying from $400 to $700 a night. Miss Irving was the Stalacta. special boat was run to accommodate the Troy people, who flocked in crowds to see the spectacle."The Black Crook" was first put on the stage at Niblo's Garden, September 12th, 1866, and ran continuously till January 4th, 1868, having 465 representations, the gross receipts being $760,000. Two hundred and eighteen persons were employed to run it, exclusive of the dramatic corps. Mr. Wheatley, manager, having nearly beggared himself in trying to produce the legitimate drama, retired with an independent fortune. C. M. Barras, the author, was also made a rich man, and Jarrett & Palmer, who managed the ballet, were large sharers in the profits of the enterprise. The spectacle was several times revived, and reproduced with diminished magnificence, in all the principal cities of the United States. "The White Fawn," "Leo and Lotus," "The Devil's Auction," "The Twelve Temptations," etc., were afterwards brought out, in the hope of repeating the success of the "Crook," but in that the limit of spectacular beauty had, apparently, been reached, and all others suffered in comparison. Thursday afternoon, May 12th, Parepa Rosa's Engligh opera troupe sang The Bohemian Girl," at doubled prices, to $740. This was a stroke of enterprise on the part of Mr. Barnes, who, knowing that the company were to pass through en route for Boston, and being in the midst of the "Crook," hit upon the idea of an extra matinee performance, which worked admirably. The season closed May 21st, the receipts having been, for January, $10,684; February, $8,186; March, $9,663; April, $8,456; May, twenty days, $7,290. Total, $44,281. July 4th, Albert Aiken appeared in "The Witches of New York," after which Kelly & Leon's minstrels appeared for a week, and "Fernande" was also produced. The preliminary season of 1870–1, opened August 17th, with a ten-night engagement of Hernandez Foster and his troupe of pantomimists, in "Humpty Dumpty,' the first time it had been produced in Albany since its great success in New York. The opening night's receipts were $550, and business was good during the entire engagement. August 29th, Lydia Thompson made her first appearance in Albany, supported by Pauline Markham, Belle Howitt, W. B. Cahill, Willie Edouin and others. |