Chinese

Nightly in the old Bowery Theatre, Manhattan, one may hear the eerie shiver of the Oriental cymbal, the monotonous turn-turn of the bass drum, the ultra-bitter sneer of the violin's E-string. This continues from 7 to 12 p. m., without interruption. It is Chinese music, the real article, just imported fresh from Canton. Every few days a new opera is presented, in Chinese, by Chinamen and Chinawomen artists and singers, for a Chinese audience and entirely in the Chinese manner. The following opera may be taken as typical:

The Story. A wicked priest is infatuated with the virtuous heroine, a reputable and happily married woman. He contrives to make his unholy advances through a pandar, but is on every occasion sternly repulsed. The lady's husband is jealous. One night he finds a masculine slipper, not his own, in her room. Othello-like, he rashly accuses her of infidelity. To give adequate evidence of her honor, she throws herself into the river, but is fished out and hauled aboard a passing barge. It belongs to none other than the Emperor himself, on a joy ride with the Empress. The heroine tells her tale; the Emperor persuades her husband to believe in her honesty; all ends happily.

The Performance. The action was merely suggested, never carried out. The actors sang in shrill, piercing falsetto voices, displaying incredible endurance. Most of the principals were relieved by their understudies before the evening was over--except the prima donna, who carried on until midnight. The stage manager came out occasionally and told the audience what all the action was about. a stage hand moved on and off with tables, chairs and other props, as the "scene" changed. The costumes were the last word in Eastern sumptuousness; they were said to cost $500 apiece. There was no scenery.