UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA THE GERMAN DRAMA ON THE ST. LOUIS STAGE BY ALFRED HENRY NOLLE A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Smtumint NUMBER 32 PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 1917 EXCHANGE PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AMERICANA GERMANICA MONOGRAPHS DEVOTED TO THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE Literary, Linguistic and Other Cultural Relations OF Germany and America EDITOR MARION DEXTER LEARNED University of Pennsylvania (See List at the End of the Book} UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA THE GERMAN DRAMA ON THE ST. LOUIS STAGE BY ALFRED HENRY NOLLE A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Ammratra (fermattini NUMBER 32 PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 1917 COPYRIGHT 1917 BY ALFRED HENRY NOLLE The author wishes to acknowledge with gratitude his in debtedness to Professor M. D. Learned, of the University of Pennsylvania, for the encouragement and valuable assistance ren dered by him in the preparation of this work, and to Dr. E. M. Fogel, of the University of Pennsylvania, for aid in reading the proof. He further wishes to express his gratitude for the cour teous treatment extended by the St. Louis Public Library, the library of the State Historical Society of Missouri, and the library of the Missouri Historical Society, in giving free use of source material found in their respective archives. Alfred H. Nolle. Columbia, Missouri, July 7, 1917. 381615 THE GERMAN DRAMA ON THE ST. LOUIS STAGE. PREFACE. This account of the German drama on the St. Louis stage is intended to form a contribution to the history of Americana Germanica. It is based essentially on material gathered at first hand from the files of the German newspapers published in St. Louis contemporaneous with the stage in the various phases of its existence. For the period 1835-1898 the Anzeiger des IV e- stens was used as the primary source; from 1890-1914, the Wcst- liche Post and its Sunday edition, the Mississippi Blatter. These were supplemented by other contemporaneous German and English papers of St. Louis and in several instances by the Deutsche Pionier of Cincinnati and the New Yorker Staats- Zeitung. The files of the newspapers are in most instances com plete. They present gaps from October 21, 1838, to October 29, 1841 ; October n, 1843, to October 18, 1844; October 23, 1848, to October 20, 1849; October 20, 1851, to April 19, 1852; Octo ber 20, 1852, to April 1 8, 1853; April 21 to October 19, 1860; October 20, 1861, to April 22, 1862; October 21, 1862, to July 20, 1863, and in several isolated instances individual issues are missing. The narrative history of the stage for the periods repre sented in these gaps has been gleaned from other sources, but statistical material as to the repertories for the period cannot be collected. If records for the period represented by the several gaps are extant, diligent search has failed to locate them. They are not to be found in the several libraries in and about St. Louis, including the library of the State Historical Society of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, and the excellent German library in Belle ville, Illinois, nor in the Library of Congress. Heinrich Bornstein in his memoirs l treats in some detail the period of his activity on the St. Louis stage and to a certain 1 Funfundsiebsig Jahre in dcr alien und neucn Welt, Memoiren eines Un- bedeutenden. Leipzig: Otto Wigand, 1881. " St. Louis in friihcrcn Jahrcn. Ein Gcdcnkbuch fur das Deutschtum, St. Louis : A. Wiebusch und Sohn Printing Company, 1893. 8 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage extent the period preceding his activity. E. D. Kargau in his St. Louis in friiheren Jahren 2 devotes fifteen pages to a sketch of the German stage prior to 1893. At the time of the opening of the Germania Theater the souvenir programs for the initial performance contained a brief account of the stage, which was substantially reprinted in the St. Louis Tribune for September i, 1892. The Anzciger des Wcstens for July 12, 1897, reprinted that part of an address on "Die deutsche Biihne in Amerika," which dealt with the St. Louis stage, made by Ferdinand Welb before the "Deutsch-Amerikanischer Lehrerbund" convened in Milwaukee. This account, as Welb professed, is taken almost verbally from Bornstein s Memoirs. Subsequently the Missis sippi Blatter for July 2, 1899, and March 14, 1909, printed his torical sketches of the German stage in St. Louis. These, the last of which was compiled by Welb, are based upon Bornstein s Memoirs and Kargau s account, supplemented by a brief account of the occurrences postdating the appearance of Kargau s book. They are popular articles full of inaccuracies. They give no idea as to what was actually performed on the stage. The New Yorker Staats-Zeitung for October 5 and 12, 1902, contains an account of "Die deutsche Biihne im Western," by Carl Pletz, which takes into account the St. Louis stage, but, necessarily, considering the wide field the article covers, in very brief compass. Of these several accounts of the stage only one, the Memoirs of Bornstein, was a real help; the others were suggestive and helpful in out lining the history of the stage, but, due to their inaccurate or sketchy nature, had to be used with caution. All values are in the last analysis relative values. To gain a conception of the literary value of the St. Louis stage during the various phases of its existence, its history has, therefore, been divided into five periods. On the basis of these a statistical survey of the literary complexion of the several stages has been made. The statistical material on which such estimates are based is added in the Appendix. The division of the history of the stage as a basis for establishing comparative values is not, how ever, an arbitrary division. The divisions represent natural and logical periods in its development. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 9 I. 1842-1859. THE BEGINNINGS. The first German theatre in St. Louis dates from the year 1842. In the summer of 1842 Rudolf Riese, an actor of ability, originally from Berlin, in the course of a variegated existence, became stranded in St. Louis. A number of young Germans, on becoming acquainted with the man and his plight, sympathized with him in his embarrassment. Money these for the most part poor clerks and business apprentices did not have to offer the stranded actor. But out of a desire to aid him they encouraged him to arrange a series of theatrical performances for his benefit. To this end they offered their assistance as dilettantes. The result was the first performance of a German drama in St. Louis. :{ For a record of this first performance we are indebted to the facile pen of Heinrich Bernstein. "Die jungen Leute gingen zu einem deutschen Wirte, dessen Gasthaus an der dritten Strasse zwischen Pine und Olive den Schild : Zum Bremer Schliissel trug, und mie- teten dessen oberes Lokal, einen langen Saal, der als Speise- zimmer bei Hochzeiten oder anderen festlichen Gelegen- heiten benutzt wurde; aus Zimmermannsbocken und Bret- tern wurde eine Noth-Buhne improvosirt, und so weit diese reichte, wurden die weissgetimchten Wande des Saales von einem Zimmermaler zu einem Walde umgepinselt fiir die Scenen, die im Zimmer spielten, wurden billige Tapeten zu Coulissen und einer Hinterwand zusammengeklebt und der Vorhang bestand aus zwei zusammengenahten Bettdecken; ein paar Holzstiihle und ein Tisch bildeten das Ameuble- ment der Zimmer-Dekoration. Mit diesen Dekorationen 3 Historically authenticated interest in the German drama on the St. Louis stage dates from the year 1838. "Am 21, September 38 trat der erste Schauspieler in St. Louis, Icks (vom Konigsstadter-Theater in Berlin), auf und declamirte wiihrend der Zwischenacte den Monolog aus Wallenstein s Tod. Da noch kein deutsches Theater existirte, so fand dieses Ereigniss auf den Brettern des alten St. Louis Theaters (amerikanisch) statt und scheint von Erfolg gekront gewesen zu sein ; wenigstens trat der Kunstler noch an verschiedenen Abenden auf." Der deutsche Pionier (Cincinnati, 1871), III. 275. The innovation had, however, no immediate consequences in introducing German drama permanently on the St. Louis stage. io German Drama on the St. Louis Stage wurden als erste Vorstellung Schiller s Riiuber aufgefiihrt; den Thurm, in welchem der alte Moor gefangen sitzt, hatte der kunstsinnige Zimmermaler so tauschend herge- stellt, dass er aussah wie ein riesiger Gugelhupf ; da kein Lehnstuhl fiir den alten Moor aufzutreiben war, so wurde eine alte Waarenkiste genommen und eine Wand derselben bis zur Sitzhohle. herausgesagt, die dadurch gewonnenen Brettchen dann als Sitz auf Leisten genagelt, das ganze mit einem Bettuche iiberzogen und der Lehnstuhl des alten Grafen war fertig. Hatte sich nun irgend ein Muthwilliger den Spass gemacht, oder was es Zufall, genug, ein Zipfel des Bettuches hatte sich in den Strick des Verhangs verschlun- gen, die Vorstellung ging los, die vier Mann im Orches- ter hatten eine Ouverture herungtergestrichen, der Souffleur gab das Glockenzeichen und der Vorhang rollte in die Hohe. Aber mit ihm ging ztigleich das Bettuch hinauf, der Lehn stuhl, in dem der alte Moor sass, wurde dadurch riicklings umgeworfen und ein heilloses Gelachter begriisste diesen tragi-komischen An fang. Der Vorhang musste unter stiir- mischer Heiterkeit wieder heruntergelassen werden und erst als.Alles auf der Biihne wieder in Ordnung war, nahm die Vorstellung ihren Verlauf; da keine Schauspielerin auf zutreiben gewesen war, so wurde die Amalie ganz heraus- gestricken; es wurde nur von ihr gesprochen, aber sehen bekam man sie nicht. Die Rauber-Statisten, lauter junge Volontars, waren viel zahlreicher als die Darsteller, sie hatten alle ihre Revolver und Jagdgewehre mitgebracht und bei der Rauberscene im dritten Akt wurde so furchtbar drin geschos- sen, dass der ganze Saal dick mit Pulverdampf angefiillt war und ein undnrchdringlicher Nebel herrschte, durch welchen die Talg-Lichter der Beleuchtung wie rothe Pimktchen schimmerten. Den fiinften Akt wollte aber Riese nicht spielen, wenn er nicht eine Amalie, wenigstens zum Tod- stechen, habe ; endlich musste die Kochin des Wirths ein weisses Kleid anziehen, sich die Haare auflosen und in den dichten Pulvernebel auf Riese zustiirzen, worauf dieser mit den betreffenden Worten seiner Rolle sie erstach und als die arme Kochin nicht gleich umfiel, sie mit der Faust nieder- schlug. Von den letzten Akten hatte man des Rauchs wegen fast nichts mehr gesehen und anch, da das ganze Publikum fiirchterlich hustete, wenig gehort ; am Schlusse jedoch wurden alle Mitwirkenden mehreremale stiirmisch gerufen, German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 1 1 worauf die ganze Einnahme unten in der Wirthsstube ver- kneipt wurde. Die Zeitungen jener Zeit haben uns die Namen jener Manner aufbewahrt, die damals die erste deutsche Theatervorstellung in St. Louis ermoglichten, den Karl Moor spielte Riese; den Franz John D. Hill, ein bekannter Holzhandler ; den alten Moor Heinrich Fischer ; Hippo Krug, spater einer der popularsten Wirthe der Stadt, spielte den Schweizer und den Hermann dazu ; Georg Bressler von Belleville den Schufterle und Block, von der spateren sehr geachteten Firma Block und Evers den Spie- gelberg. Die Vorstellung, die im vollsten Sinne des Wortes Sensation machte, musste nicht nur in St. Louis wiederholt werden, sondern der Ruf derselben war auch nach dem benachbarten Belleville gedrungen und Riese wurde einge- laden, mit seiner Gesellschaft hiniiber zu kommen und die Rauber aufzufiihren. So wurden denn die Rauber mit derselben Besetztmg auch in Belleville aufgefiihrt, und da kein Orchester aufzutreiben war, so zog Hippo Krug, wenn er auf der Buhne seinen Schweizer und Hermann verar- beitet hatte, einen Domino uber sein Costume, lief ins Pub- likum, wo vor der Buhne ein Klavier stand, und spielte darauf die Zwischenakts-Musik, wobei ein Herr Ochs mit Es-Clarinette und ein Herr Daun mit der Violine ihn accom- pagnirten. Nach der Vorstellung wurde wieder die Nacht hindurch die Einnahme verkneipt und als es Tag wurde, hatte keiner der Darsteller auch nur einen Heller, um nach St. Louis zuriickfahren zu konnen ; da erbarmte sich ihrer der Bierbrauer Gottfried Busch, Hess seinen grossen Bier- wagen anspannen, lud die ganze Gesellschaft hinauf und fiihrte sie unentgeltlich nach St. Louis zurikk." 4 Encouraged by the success of his venture, Riese, who, in the newspaper advertisements announcing his performances, styled himself "friiherer Direktor der deutschen Oper zu Philadelphia und Direktor des deutschen Theaters in New Orleans," announced a series of performances under his directorship in "Rankens Lokal," at irregular intervals dating from July 2 to October 29, 1842. The exact date of the memorable Rauber performance is not recorded. The programs of these half dozen performances, 4 Memoir en II, 240 ff. 12 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage including the initial R duber performance, were made up of the following plays: Die Raubcr und Dcr Eckensteher Nante im Verhor each three times, Die Braut and Die Himmelfahrt ernes Saufers twice each, and Der Nachtwdchter and Die Seelenwan- dentng once each. These plays were announced anonymously. Usually two or three of the shorter plays were given at one per formance, as was regularly the custom followed in the numerous Volkstheater, which made their appearance a decade and a half later, and in the Liebhabertheater, which occupied the intervening period. The theatre established by Riese r> was short-lived. It could lay little claim to artistic or dramaturgical excellency. But it deserves recognition because it was epoch-making in the cultural history of the German element of St. Louis. From it may be traced the history of the institution, which, thru the vicissitudes of more than seven decades, has without serious interruption, but with varying degrees of fortune continued to the present day to fulfill a cultural mission. The period in the history of the German stage in St. Louis beginning with Riese s venture in 1842 till the establishment of the St. Louis Opernhaus, the first permanent theatre, in 1859, constitutes the period of the beginnings. Attempts to establish a German theatre on a professional basis during the period proved ineffectual and short-lived. German theatricals during the greater part of this period rested in the hands of amateur or semi-profes sional organizations, in which one or several professional actors usually formed the nucleus, around which 1 a group of dilettantes concentrated their efforts. The number of dilettantes who in the midst of their work-a-day activities could find leisure to study roles and take part in theatricals was not a large one, yet among the young men of that day there was a -sufficient number of ade quate talent to meet the requirements of a Liebhabertheater, who 5 Ricsc imposed upon his St. Louis friends to such an extent that they were glad to rid themselves of him. They collected money with which to send him to Philadelphia where he was engaged as haritone in an Italian opera company. Under the name of Hcnedetti he sang in Italian opera for several years in Xew York, Philadelphia, P.oston, and other cities, until he lost his voice. He died in 18^9 in the Poor House on Blackwells Island, New York. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 13 showed willingness to take part. In consequence it was always possible for a professional actor or director coining to the city to find ample support to enable him to engage in his profession. Of the Liebhabertheater to follow in the wake of Riese s venture the first to be organized was opened September 16, 1843, under the directorate of Christian and Louise Thielemann. Thielemann and his wife were both experienced actors. Mme. Thielemann (Louise Ehlers), prior to her marriage, had been engaged at the royal theatre in Kassel. Both had played in New York and New Orleans. They subsequently became theatre di rectors in Chicago. The principal amateurs cooperating with them were Christian Kribben, a well-known lawyer; his brother Wilhelm, a Mississippi River pilot; Benkendorf, a journalist; Herman Aschenbach, Julius Buchel, A. U. Ross (Post-Ross), Henry Lischer, Wilhelm Mackwitz, Hippo Krug, and Georg Reichard and wife. The Thielemanns .played with this organiza tion for three successive winter seasons, with occasional perform ances in the summer of 1845. The directorship of the society, with the second season, however, passed into the hands of John D. Hill, a dilettante who had played under Riese. The season 1845-1846 closed May n. A season of post-season perform ances followed, for charitable purposes, at irregular intervals, ending December 12, 1846. Performances during the three years of the existence of this Liebhabertheater had been bi weekly. During the first season of its existence performances were held "im Salon der Hrn. Angelbeck und Linkemeier," at Third and Walnut Streets; during the last two seasons in the Vaudeville Theatre at 24 North Main Street. The price of ad mission was fifty cents for single performances, one dollar and fifty cents for six performances by subscription. Following the last of these performances there was a lull in German theatricals for more than a year, until this same group of amateurs reorganized December 7, 1847, under the presidency of Adolph Abels, into the Thalia Gesellschaft The purpose of the new society was not only to institute amateur theatrical per- formances, but also to arrange balls and other social gatherings for the benefit of its members and friends. Its theatrical per- 14 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage formances differed from those of the Liebhabertheater which had preceded it in that only amateurs were to take part and that only members of the society and their friends were to be ad mitted to the performances, tho exception was made to the latter rule on evenings especially set aside for the entertainment of the public. The Kribben brothers continued to be the spirit and soul of the new organization. It opened its first season January 5, 1848, in a building at the corner of Main and Pine Streets. Per formances were usually given weekly on Wednesday evenings. The price of admission for non-members varied between twenty- five and fifty cents. With the second year of its existence the Thalia Gesellschaft was reorganized as the St. Louis Sangerbund. With the reorgan ization of the society debates and declamatory exercises became its chief activity, to the exclusion of German theatricals, for sev eral years to follow. In the spring of 1851 Xaver Strasser, accompanied by his wife, two daughters and stepson, all actors by profession, came to St. Louis. Supported by local amateurs, among whom Adal bert Lohr especially distinguished himself, Strasser on the 7th of April opened a Liebhabertheater in the "Tontine," on Second Street near Elm. After several performances there he built and moved into a summer theatre in what was then Arsenal Park. Strasser proved a failure as a director. His theatre in the "Ton tine" had promised well. But his summer theatre "eine grosse dunkle, nur mit wenigen Luftlochern versehene Bretterbude"- proved a fiasco from the start. It came to an abrupt close August 24, whereupon the Strasser family at once left the city. Strasser s ill-fated attempt as director was followed by another lull which lasted until the dramatic talent of the St. Louis Sangerbund again became active. From February till May, 1852, the Sangerbund gave biweekly performances in the old Wash ington Hall. From December, 1852, till the spring of 1853 it performed occasionally in the Varieties Theatre, in the People s Theatre and in the Bates Theatre. In 1850 there was called to editorial leadership of the Anzcigcr dcs West ens a man who more than any other one man German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 15 of his day was instrumental in the cultural and educational uplift of the German clement of St. Louis. "Bildung ist Macht" was his watchword. He was instrumental in organizing the Freie- Manner-Verein which established German schools for boys, and evening and Sunday classes for grown people. In connection with Franz Schmidt he established a school for girls. He lectured extensively on a variety of topics and even taught, for a time, in the girls school he had helped to establish. Thru the fcuilleton columns of the Anzeiger, of which he became sole proprietor in May, 1851, and thru his aggressive and somewhat sensational policy made the most widely circulating German newspaper in the West, especially in the Sunday edition, the Westlichc Blatter, and thru the publication in book form of a library of German belles lettres he disseminated much wholesome literature among his fellow-countrymen. This man, Dr. Heinrich Bornstein, 6 had come to America with a varied and rich experience, not only as a journalist, but more especially as an actor and impressario and playwright. In the course of his long and busy life of four score and seven years his varied career launched him into diverse fields of activity, but the lure of the stage constantly attracted him in one capacity or the other. His old friend and journalistic col league, Emil Klauprecht, writing his necrolog from Vienna, says of him, "Wer Bornstein s Charakter, seine Naturanlagen, geistige Eigenschaften und Temperament mit einem Wort bezeichnen soil, wird ihn ein Theaterkind in der vollsten Bedeutung des * Bornstein, whose father, prior to his marriage, had been a successful actor, was born in Hamburg, November 4, 1805. At the age of ten he was taken to Lemberg, in Austrian Poland. After having studied for a year at the University of Lemberg he, in 1821, entered the Austrian army, in which he served for five years. In 1826 he studied medicine in Vienna, and at the same time did editorial work for Carl Eduard Reinold. From 1826-1827 he worked for Bauerle on the Theaterzeitung." From 1827-1828 he was secretary of the combined Josephstadt Theater and the Theater an der Wien, under Carl. For several years following he served as stage manager in sev eral of the leading cities of Germany and Italy. In 1841, with his wife, whom he married in 1829, he performed with success in star engagements in the leading German cities. The following year he went to Paris, where he became manager first of the German Opera, later of the Italian Opera. Dur ing the revolutionary days of 1848 he was engaged in journalistic and literary pursuits in Paris. With the return of Bonaparte to power as dictator, Born stein, the enthusiastic advocate of political freedom, early in 1849 emigrated to America. A.fter a short stay in Highlands, Illinois, where he did efficient service as physician during an epidemic of cholera, he accepted the editorship of the Anzeiger des West ens, March 8, 1850. 1 6 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage Wortes nennen. Bis zum Ende 1st er ein solches geblieben, es lag in seinem Blutc, seiner Erziehung und den Umgcbungen seiner Jugend." 7 Bornstein believed in the stage as a great cultural and educational and moral force. He writes in his Memoircn, "Die beste Schule der Erwachsenen, die wahre Bildung fur das Volk, bietet inimer die Schaubuhne und Wahrheiten, die in Biichern nur zur Kenntniss von Wenigen gelangen, dringen von dem Podium dcs Theaters aus, schnell und tiei in die Massen und fassen feste Wnrzcln. Die beste Schule des Volkes ist und bleibt eine gute Biihne und die Auffiihrung von Lessings Nathan der Weise/ von Schillers Don Carlos, von Goethes Faust und Eginont verbreitet nichr genialle Ideen und hebt und veredelt die Massen mehr als alle Biicher- und Kathedcr- \Veisheit und alle Kanzelberedsamkeit." He had early entertained the desire of giving to St. Louis a German stage that should take rank with the best in Germany, but wisely realized the necessity of making a small beginning and gradually working up to the desired goal. "Es war mein heissester Wunsch, in St. Louis ein deutsches Thea ter zu griinden, aber die . . . Schwierigkeiten, besonders der Mangel an guten deutschen Schauspielern stclltcn meinen Wiinschen uniibersteigliche Hindernisse entgegen; ja es mussten noch viele Jahre vergehen, ehe ich an die Realisirung eines wirk- lichcn stabilcn deutschen Theaters denkcn konnte. Das Hochste, das im damaligen Augenblicke erreichbar war, waren demnach Dilettantcn-Vorstellungen ; abcr bcsserc, sorgfaltiger vorbcreitete und kimstlerischer geleitete Dilettanten-Vorstellungen, als man bisher zu sehen gewohnt gewescn war." 9 To the end he had in view Bornstein in 1853 organized the Philodramatische Gesellschaft. lie found for his purpose among his friends and acquaintances a number who showed promise, with proper training, of developing into good actors, who enthu siastically embraced his cause and volunteered their services. What they lacked in innate histrionic ability had to be made up by diligence and enthusiasm. At first Bornstein himself and his 1 Anccifjcr dcs IVestcns, October 9, 1892. "Op. cit, II, 222. 9 Op. cit., II, 223. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 17 talented wife had to bear the burden of work in the new organi zation. Bornstein acted as stage manager and acted in the roles of bon vivant and comic character. Under stress of necessity it even became necessary for him in several instances to depart from his accustomed line to play the part of fool or jeune premier. Mine. Bornstein Marie Stelzer, in her youth a danseuse trained under the eye of the French ballet master, Beauval performed with much success as soubrette of the organization. The first season offered difficulties to the stage manager. To adequately fill the role of leading lady (Salon-Liebhaberin) presented a problem. Volunteers were not lacking. But none in the environ ment of the unsophisticated new world had had opportunity to acquire the necessary acquaintance with the life which they were supposed to interpret. The male contingent of the organization were willing workers, but the busy life of a growing Western metropolis did not always afford the necessary leisure for mem orizing the parts assigned them with the precision demanded by an exacting stage manager. But the really capable dilettantes under the professional guidance of Bornstein and his wife gained in attainment from performance to performance. The second season brought the acquisition of a very valuable asset in a young Austrian physician, Rudolf Gussmann, who had emigrated to America on account of political banishment from his native coun try. Gussmann possessed marked histrionic talent and literary ability. He for this season assumed the role of leading gentleman (Salon-Liebhaber) which Bornstein had found difficult to fill to his satisfaction. The second season also profited by the acquisi tion of two professional actors who had become stranded in St. Louis, Carl Stein, a character actor of repute, and his talented wife, who later became directress of the German Theatre in San Francisco. 10 10 Those recorded as taking part in the performances of the Philodra- matische Gescllschaft in addition to those mentioned above were: Messrs. Albert, Aschenbach, Assmann, A. S. Bornstein, Btichel, Gayer, Gensis, Ferdi nand Klunder, Christian Tvribben, Lconhard, Lischer, Miiller, Nebel, Preyt- ner, Schmidt, Hermann Schroder, Stierlin, Thomas, Warnecke, Wild ; Mmes. Charton, Frimmel, Koser, Kroger, Miiller, Novaak, Schiller, Schlesiger, Schroder; child parts Carl Bornstein, Kl. Fuchs, Georg Hoffmann, Kl. Meckel. 1 8 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage The efforts of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft met with an enthusiastic and appreciative response on the part of the Ger man public from the start. On the opening evening of the first season two plays from the pen of Bornstein were presented in the Varieties-Theatre, located on Market Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets, one of the largest theatres in the city, before an audience which crowded the house. The first of these plays, a five-act Lustspicl, Betrogene Betriigcr, was later performed with distinct success more than twenty times in Vienna and became a favorite in the repertory of many stages in Germany; the sec ond, a "Lebensbild aus dem Deutsch-Amerikanertum" entitled Deutsche Eimvanderung und deutsche Gesellschaft, became part of the repertory of practically every German dilettante stage in the United States at that time. This initial success augured well for the future of the organization. It played weekly for four winter seasons with growing artistic success. Houses were re ported good, even in bad weather. During the winter of 1854- 1855 the organization suffered competition at the hands of a com pany managed by Benrodt, which the latter recruited largely from the ranks of a company to which he had belonged, which had been brought to St. Louis from Louisville in the summer of 1854 by Julius Botzow for a series of performances beginning July 3. The keen rivalry that existed made the Philodramatische Gesell schaft more determined to put forth their efforts. In consequence a professional stage attempting to play three times per week, entailing the expenses of salaried players, after a short-lived season beginning November 20, had to succumb by the middle of February to the superior performances of their competitors, whose popularity made it possible for them to utilize the larger Bates Theatre after Benrodt had got possession of the Varieties. It spelled failure for Benrodt to attempt to stage plays beyond the possibilities of his limited ensemble. What he lacked in qual ity he attempted to make up by use of the sensational. Flis adver tisements for Goethe s Faust, for example, contained the com ment, "Zum Schlusse des Stiickes Fausts Hollenfahrt! Erster Tableau mit Brillant Feuerwerk!" The Anzeigcr dcs Wcstcns, Bornstein s paper, echoes the rivalry between the two stages. In German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 19 a review of a performance of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft that is typical it says : "Es ist interessant und fiir die Darsteller anregend, vor einem solchen gebildeten, empfanglichen und kunstsinnigen Publikum zu spielen, und die stets gedrangt vollen Hauser bei der Auffuhrung einfacher Lust und Schauspiele stehen im erfreulichen Contrast zu jenem Treiben, wo mit ellen- langen Zetteln und Trommlern und Trompeten und Geigern und Pfeifern auf den Ankiindigungen, Gothes und Schillers Meisterwerke zusammengestrichen, verstiimmelt und ver- hunzt von anderthalb Schauspielern und einem Dutzend Statisten vor leeren Banken herabgeleiert werden. Der Kuntsinn des hiesigen deutschen Publikums hat sich abermals glanzend bewahrt, es hat bewiesen, dass es sich keinen Sand in die Augen streuen und sich nicht durch grosse Annoncen und atemlose Puffs verblitffen lasst, sondern richtiger Weise eine gerundete, naturgetreue und von einem lebendigen Geiste durchwehte Darstellung eines guten Lust oder Schauspieles einer Tlollenfahrt mit Brillant-Feuerwerk oder irgend einen grossen Banditen vorzieht. Wir kennen unser deutsches Publikum hier und sind stolz darauf und eben darum auch nur laden wir uns alle die Miihen und Plagen, die Opfer und Anstrengungen auf, die die Organisation und Aufrechthaltung einer Dilettanten-Buhne unabweisslich mit sich bringt." n The Philodramatische Gesellschaft during the first three seasons of its activity donated the net proceeds of its perform ances to charitable purposes. Its announcement states : "Das Privat-Interesse hat mit diesen Vorstellungen gar nichts zu thun, im Gegenteile mussen alle Darsteller, mit Vernachlassigung ihrer eigenen Geschafte, Opfer an Zeit, Miihe und selbst Geld bringen; aber sie thun es gern, weil es dem doppelten Zwecke gilt ; den Geschmack und Sinn fiir deutsche Kunst hier zu heben und gute und nutzliche Anstalten befordern zu konnen." 12 The Deutsche Einwanderungsgesellschaft, the Deutsche Frauen- verein organizations designed chiefly to aid newly arrived immi grants the Freie Gemeinde in New Bremen, the German Orphan 11 Anzeiger des Westens, February 22, 1855. 13 Anzeiger des Westens, January 15, 1854. 2O German Drama on the St. Louis Stage Home and similar institutions were the chief beneficiaries. With the fourth season the plans of the organization and consequently the financial obligations of the members became more preten tious. It therefore avowedly became a professional organization, announcing that henceforth the proceeds of the performances would be divided among the performers on a pro rata basis according to degree of service rendered. For the organization was at no time to become a private enterprise, but to be conducted on a republican basis. With the termination of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft the Liebhabertheater may be said to have played their role in the history of the German stage in St. Louis. During the winter of 1857-1858 the St. Louis Turn Verein gave regular Sunday per formances. During subsequent seasons the newspapers continue to announce performances by one or the other Turn Verein or other organization. But such performances in time became more and more occasional. They did not always please the directors of the regular professional German stage, for they kept away from the regular theatre many who would otherwise have attended. As late as 1909 one of the directors of the professional stage took occasion in a brief historical sketch of the German stage in St. Louis, submitted to the Mississippi Blatter (March 14, 1909) to lodge such a complaint, saying, "An Liebhabertheatern war nam- lich auch in den scchziger Jahren ebensowenig ein Mangel, wie in dem jiingsten Jahrzehnt, in welchem sie als Anhangsel von Gesang- und Turnvereinen den jeweiligen Theater-Unternehmern bald grosseren, bald geringeren pekuniaren Schaden zugefitgt haben." The first attempt to establish a German theatre after the cessation of activities by the Philodramatische Gesellschaft was made by Ed. Herrmann. October 28, 1856, he instituted a Ger man stage in the Varieties Theatre. Herrman mysteriously dis appeared after the second performance, whereupon Robert A. Wolff reopened the theatre November 30. His company included six former members of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft Assmann, Kliinder, Schmidt, Stierlin, Mine. Koser und Mine. Novack. Other members of the company were Dardenne (a German fir ama on the St. Louis Stage 21 comedian, formerly director of the Stadttheater in Augsburg), Diiringer and Fredeking (from the Volkstheater in Chicago), Bernhard Meissner, Steinberg (from New Orleans), Mmes, Marie Dardenne, Meissner and Maria Wolff. Wolff played with varying fortune till March 8, when he gave up the director ship. The company then played under direction of a committee appointed from its members until April 13. During the latter period Carl Stein and Lola Montez played with the company in starring parts, the former as Shylock in a performance of The Merchant of Venice, the latter in four performances of Lola Monies in Bayern. The non-success of the season was due chiefly to an attempt to perform three times weekly in plays beyond the capacity of a limited ensemble. Wolff made efforts to fill the gaps in the ranks of his company. But the country offered no supply of available actors from which to recruit them. The performances of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft had served the purpose they had been designed to attain namely, to awaken an interest in the German theatre. But thru lack of a director who would live up to standards artistically sufficiently exacting to immediately follow up the work of the Philodra matische Gesellschaft, the Volkstheater soon usurped the field. The interest in German theatricals which had been aroused was soon capitalized by the proprietors of summer gardens and beer halls. The first of these Volkstheater to follow in the wake of the activities of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft was opened in Ruedi s Volksgarten, on Second Street between Mulberry and Lombard Streets, on Sunday, August 2, 1857. During the winter of 1857-1858 Ferdinand Kliinder attempted to rehabilitate the German stage in the Varieties Theatre. Kliinder s company con tained good material. In its ranks were included Robert Gilbert (villain and character roles, from the Stadttheater in Philadel phia), Anton Follger, Botzow, Louis Pelosi, Carl Worrett (stage director, from Chicago), Assman and Stierlin (formerly of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft) and Mmes. Botzow, Meissner and Maria Pelosi. During the first part of the season Kronfeld, from the Hoftheater in Darmstadt, and during February Schunck and his wife, of the Deutsches Theater in Cincinnati, performed 22 German Drama on the St. Lrt * Stage with the company in starring parts. Mme. Bdrnstein appeared with the company from time to time. She played without com pensation, solely in the interest of art. But Kliinder s venture, due to various causes, was not a success. Occasionally the per formances, especially those given with the aid of the visiting players, reached a plane which won words of commendation from the pen of the critic. Lack of cooperation on the part of the players, however, and the attendant insufficient rehearsals the critic ofttimes had occasion to find fault on the score of poorly memorized or poorly interpreted parts caused the performances in many instances to suffer by comparison with those of the Philo- dramatische Gesellschaf t, to which the newspapers constantly refer as the high -water mark in German theatricals in the city up to that time. Kliinder s stage therefore did not attract the patron age of those who could afford a good theatre. Moreover, the season was one of financial depression generally. "Shinplaster" was accepted far below par. The great mass of the people flocked to the inexpensive Volkstheater, where the price of admission was usually advertised as "10 cents, wofiir ein Glass Bier verab- reicht wird," or where admission was free as an inducement to the public to come spend their money with the proprietor of the beer hall or garden with which the stage was connected, and where a dance usually followed the performance. During the summer of 1857 and the ensuing winter, in competition to Kliin der s enterprise, the theatre in Ruedi s Volksgarten usually played three times weekly. The level of performances of the Volks theater which the economic situation of the people had helped make popular soon shaped popular taste and created a demand for such performances. During the summer of 1858 the theatre in Ruedi s Volksgarten played daily, and three other German stages the Deutsches National Theater, established in Flora Garten, on South Seventh Street, May 22, by Gilbert and Schunck, the one in the Tyroler Halle, at 2 Carondolet Avenue, and the St. Georges Theater, on DeKalb Street between Barton and Victor less frequently, the first two usually three times per week, the lat ter on Sundays. During the winter of 1858-1859 the Volksthea ter brought the number of German stages in St. Louis up to eight. Germacn^rama on the St. Louis Stage 23 Of these one, representing an attempt by Jules Bonent to estab lish a first-class stage in the Varieties Theatre, with prices at fifty, thirty-five and fifteen cents, proved short-lived. Of the Volks- theater those in Ruedi s Volksgarten, in Flora Garten, and in the St. Louis Stadt Theater (formerly Bechner s Varieties), on Fifth Street between Morgan Street and Franklin Avenue, usually announced daily performances. The others advertised irregu larly or not at all, but usually played several times weekly or daily. The theatre in Flora Garten, admission to which was usu ally twenty-five cents, was the only one which received occasional recognition from the newspapers outside the advertising columns. A contributor to the Anseiger des West ens for December 24, 1858, appraises it as ranking first among the eight stages playing at that time. During the summer of 1859 the number of German theatres in St. Louis reached fifteen. Most of these were ephe meral. Changes in management and personnel were frequent in all. Notice of them disappears entirely with the establishment of the first permanent German theatre in St. Louis, in September, 1859, with the exception of a series of performances in Flora Garten from November 21, 1860, to March 31, 1861, under the management of Emil Hochster and O. Schadt. 13 The theatres in Ruedi s Volksgarten and in Flora Garten, and the one con ducted by Alexander Pfeiffer in Apollo Garten, on Fourth Street between Poplar and Plum, from May 23 to September 5, 1859, were resuscitated after the disturbances attending the Civil War had terminated the permanent German theatre established in Sep tember, 1859, but only the Apollo Garten Theater was destined to flourish. It played winter and summer with but slight inter ruption under frequent change of management thru the winter season 1890-1891. If we stop to view in perspective the development of the stage during this period of the beginnings, the performances of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft, from the standpoint of dramatur- 13 The Flora Garten ensemble for this season consisted of Messrs. Schone. Mahl, Hafner, Beekier, Werber, Petersen, Weber, Seifert, Eugen ; Mmes. Schadt-Meaubert, Taraskiewicz, Miihl ; Mile. Weber, and Lina Burgk (child parts). 24 German Drama on the St. L^^f Stage gical excellency, stand out as the hif h-water mark. The Prrilo- dramatische Gesellschaft wisely limited its efforts to the class of plays commensurate with the capacity of its ensemble. Under the guidance of Bornstein, a man of indefatigable energy, who in business circles had the reputation of getting the maximum of work out of his employees, 14 the performances of the society gained unstinted praise in press reports. Most of the comment on the stage of this period must be gleaned from the columns of Bornstein s paper. Its relative validity is in a measure attested, however, by the fact that subsequent critics ofttimes take the per formances of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft as the basis for comparative judgment in estimating later performances. Other stages statistically show a larger per cent of plays of literary worth presented, but such plays were usually given with limited ensemble, or by amateurs who lacked the guidance of the experi enced artist. Press comment upon the plays of the Liebhaber- theater preceding the activity of the Philodramatische Gesell schaft was usually favorable, but it was avowedly so "mit Beriick- sichtigung der Verhaltnisse." 15 II. 1859-1861. THE ST. LOUIS OPERNHAUS. When Bornstein, due to the pressure of business activities which demanded his time and attention, reliquished his interest 14 Cf. William ITycle, Encyclopedia of the History of St. Louis (New York, Louisville, St. Louis: The Southern History Co., 1899), .1, 44. 15 A statistical survey of the plays produced on the several stages during the various periods in the history of the German drama on the St. Louis stage will indicate the relative character and literary value of the several stages. For comparative purposes the statistical survey of the several stages for the period of the beginnings and for subsequent periods is arranged in tabulated form in the appendix following the narrative portion of this work. For the period of the beginnings the repertoires of the various amateur theatres, including the Turnverein performances, are included in the statistical survey; for the period after 1859, only performances on the several profes sional stages. Opera performances are included where they form a part of the repertory of a regular German stage. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 25 in the Philodramatische Gesellschaft, he announced that it was his intention to relinquish permanently his professional interest in the stage. But opportunity needed but present itself to induce the actor and impressario of eighteen years experience on the European stage to change his mind. The Varieties Theatre prop erty had not been a paying investment to its owners. It was accordingly sold at a bargain to two public-spirited citizens of St. Louis, Captain Eads and Mr. Dickson, whose purpose it was not to make money out of the new investment, but to save the property to St. Louis for the purpose for which it had been built. They had the building renovated and approached Bornstein with the proposal to take over the management thereof. Bornstein acquiesced. He placed the editorial columns of his paper in the hands of his friend, Dr. Charles L. Bernays, an experienced journalist who had emigrated to America with him, and the man agement of the technical details of the paper in the hands of his eldest son. He was thus enabled to devote the major part of his time to the new venture, which, tho destined to be short-lived, was to give St. Louis the best permanent theatre it had yet had, and after its suspension, was to have for some years to follow. The St. Louis Opernhaus represents the first Bluteseit of German theatricals in St. Louis. Bornstein announced his aims and intentions with reference to the new undertaking in a series of articles in the columns of his paper. They are contained essentially in an excerpt from the first of them : "Es ist uns dabei vor Allem darum zu thun, den richti- gen Standpunkt festzustellen, den eine deutsche Buhne in St. Louis einnehmen kann und soil und zugleich das Ver- haltniss dieser Buhne zum Publicum und umgekehrt, naher zu beleuchten. Wir wollen hier nicht in die vielbesprochene Frage eingehen, ob die Biihne eine Notwendigkeit fur den Bildungsgang und das gesellige Leben eines Volkes sei, wir wollen hier nicht den Einfluss derselben auf Pflege und Entwickelung der nationalen Literatur und Kunst hervor- heben, wir wollen uns einfach mit der praktischen Frage beschaftigen : Tst ein deutsches Theater in St. Louis ein 26 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage Bediirfniss und kann es daher bestehen? Die eigentliche Losung dieser Frage kann nur clurch ein Experiment, durch die Erfahrung gebracht werden und wir konnen nur von anderen, namentlich von europaischen, Theater- Verhalt- nissen, ziemlich unsichere Schliisse ziehen. In Deutschland hat eine Stadt, die 12-15,000 Einwohner zahlt, ein Theater, das tiber der Mittelmassigkeit steht und Stadte von 30-50,000 Einwohnern haben eine gute, stabile Biihne mit Oper and Schanspiel. St. Louis hat eine deutsche Bevolkerung von 60,000 Kopfen, und diese Bevolkerung ist durchschnittlich wohlhabender und zugleich lebenslustiger, als die gleiche Bevolkerungszahl irgend einer grossen Stadt in Deutschland. In Deutschland haben Stadte wie Hamburg, Bremen und Wien vier bis fiinf grosse Theater, die Sommertheater in den Umgebungen gar nicht gerechnet. Nun unser St. Louis hat in diesem Sommer an fiinfzehn Sommertheater des ver- schiedensten Calibers gehabt und wenn die Unternehmer, ihrer grossen Unkosten halber, auch keine Schatze sammel- ten, so zeigte sich doch von Seite des Publicums ein lebhafter Besuch und eine grosse Theaterlust. Alles ware sehr ermuthigend, wenn die Erfahrung vergangener Jahre nicht ware. Ausser der philodramatischen Gesellschaft, die stets voile Hauser hatte, die aber auch nur 10 bis 20 Vorstel- lungen in einem ganzen Winter gab, haben alle folgenden regularen Theater-Directionen theils hochst mittelmassige, theils absolut schlechte Geschafte gemacht. . . . "Bei einer Bevolkerung von 60,000 Menschen sollte man doch, selbst bei ganz bescheidener Stiitzung, fiinf Pro- cent als Theater- Publicum anschlagen konnen ; das gabe von 60,000 Deutschen drei tausend Theaterbesucher. Nun denn, wenn von diesen drei tausand jeder Einzelne nur einmal in der Woche das Theater besucht, so kann eine gute deutsche Biihne hier bestehen; wenigstens ist ihr dann ein Stamm- publicum gesichert und die Fremden und Durchreisenden und jene unregelaren Theaterbesucher, die nur bei beson- deren Gelegenheiten ins Theater gehn, miissen dann den etwaigen Ausfall decken. Unsere Leser werden gestehen, dass wir sehr bescheidene Anforderungen an die Unter- stiitzung des Theater-Publicums machen und dass man German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 27 glauben sollte, diese Wiinsche und ihre Erfiillung lagen im Bereiche der Moglichkeit und wiirden sich wohl verwirk- lichen. Wir wiinschen und hoffen es, denn sonst hatten wir die Aufgabe nicht unternommen, mit deren Losung wir uns jetzt beschaftigen, wir haben von Anfang an das feste Ver- trausen gehabt, dass die deutsche Bevolkerung von St. Louis ihr eigenes deutsches Theater haben und erhalten konne, und in diesem Vertrauen haben wir gehandelt. "An abrathenden und warnenden Stimmen hat es nicht gefehlt; Manner, die wir zu unseren wahren Freunden zahlen, widerrieten uns ein deutsches Theaterunternehmeii zu beginnen, sie stellten uns vor, wie wir unbedingt viel bessere Geschafte machen miissten, wenn wir uns nicht bloss auf einen Theil des Publicums beschrankten, sondern, wie die amerikanischen Theater, auf das ganze Publicmn, Ameri- kaner und Deutsche, Irlander und Englander, speculirten. Wir gestanden ihnen zu, dass sie Recht hatten, und dass wir als Geschaftsmann unzweifelhaft sicherer und vorteilhafter speculiren wiirden, wenn wir heute eine italienische Oper und morgen ein englisches Schauspiel, diesen Monat die Ravels und im nachsten die Martinettis vorfuhrten, aber wir bemerkten zugleich, dass der Gedanke ... in St. Louis eine stabile, gute, deutsche Biihne zu begriinden, uns viel verlockender sei, dass wir diesem Gedanken und diesem Wunsche schon f riiher vier Jahre angestrengter Bemuhungen mit der philodramatischen Gesellschaft geopfert hatten und dass wir nun, wo Mittel und Unterstiitzung, wo die Zahl der darstellenden Krafte und die Theaterlust des Publicums gestiegen seien, ernst entschlossen waren, wenigstens einen ernsten Versuch zur Durchfuhrung dieser unserer Lieblings- idee zu machen und weder Miihen, noch Opfer zu scheuen, um sie zu realisiren. "Das Publicum kennt somit unsern Standpunkt als The- aterunternehmer, es ist nicht Speculationstrieb, nicht Gewinn- sucht, die uns leiten, denn der Gewinn eines Theaterunter- nehmers hier ist noch immer ein sehr problematischer gewe- sen und obenein haben wir zu leben/ wie man im gewohn- lichen Leben zu sagen pflegt, und diese Zeitung giebt uns so sichere und so reichliche Ertragnisse, dass wir uns wohl 28 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage damit bescheiden konnen. Wir wollen also bei dem Theater- annehmen nicht reich werden, wir sind sogar, in den ersten Jahren wenigstens, auf Opfer gefasst, und wenn wir uns diese Opfer und mehr noch die ungeheure Miihe und Arbeit, die eine Theater-Direction mit sich bringt, aufladen, so geschiedt es, um in dem deutschen St. Louis ein deutsches Theater herzustellen und fest zu begriinden, das der Zahl, der Stellung, der Bildung und dem Einflusse unserer deutschen Bevolkerung entspricht." 1G It goes without saying that in a period of heated political controversy a man of the prominence of Bornstein, to whom political plotting was second nature, who in the columns of his paper had undertaken to rule the rising emancipation movement, should at the instigation of political animosity in unfriendly quarters have the sincerity of his motives questioned. But his contention that his was not a money-making scheme, but a pur suit in the interest of art and culture at least, the sequel of events does not disprove. Bornstein leased the former Varieties Theatre, which he now called the St. Louis Opernhaus, for a period of ten years. He at once had an extensive theatrical library containing the best classics and contemporary plays forwarded to him from Vienna and Leipzig. He had a goodly supply of necessary stage scenery painted by a capable Austrian stage painter, Ferdinand Kurz. From a stranded Italian opera company he acquired a copiously stocked wardrobe more pretentious than that of most of the smaller court theatres in Germany. His ensemble was recruited from the best talent available in the country in so far as it was not permanently engaged in New York. In addition to Bornstein himself and his talented wife, the ensemble included such first- rate talent as Alexander Pfeiffer, actor of heroic and character parts; Karoline Lindemann, character and mother parts, and Julius Ascher, comedian and character actor. 17 The first two, "Anseiger dcs Westens, August 28, 1858. 17 The other members of the ensemble were Adolphi, by-parts ; Wilhelm Berben, villain and comic parts; Ehnler, by-parts, servants; Fortner, leading comedian (part of first season) ; Anton Follger, jeune premier; Julius Gross- mann, leading gentleman, bonvivants, comic parts ; Emil Hochster, gallants, German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 29 who had appeared in New York, the Almanack dcr deutschen Buhnen in Amerika lauded as the best talent on the New York stage at the time of their appearance there. 18 Pfeiffer had enjoyed extensive reputation and high rank as an actor in Germany. Expression of liberal political views had led to a difference with the manager of the theatre at Mannheim, Baden, which determined him to emigrate to this country. Mme. Lindemann (nee Miiller) had received her tutelage under Char lotte Birch-Pfeiffer in Zurich and had afterward scored a triumph in Darmstadt. Ascher had appeared successfully in Berlin. The members of the ensemble were all engaged for a period of eighteen months. It was Bornstein s; plan to play summer and winter without interruption. In announcing his plans he wrote : "Ein Theater, zu dem jedes Mai bei Beginn des Winters ein Dutzend Schauspieler und Schauspielerinnen zusam- mengetrommelt werden, die sich nicht kennen and verstehen, die dann iiber Hals und Kopf in ein Noth-Repertoire hin- eingestiirzt werden, um, wenn sie anfangen sich zusammen- zuspielen und ein Ensemble zu bilden, wieder entlassen zu werden, sobald der Friihling und die ersten Schwalben kommen, ein solches one-horse-concern haben wir in Europa nie gefiihrt und mochten es auch. hier nicht. Dieses Exploitiren einer Winter-Saison, ohne alle Riicksicht auf hohere Kunstzwecke, konnte uns nicht befriedigen. Konnen wir hier nicht ein stabiles und gutes deutsches Theater her- stellen, womit wir jetzt den Versuch beginnen, so bleibt uns nichts iibrig, als die deutsche Buhne hier, wenn auch mit Bedauern, ihrem Schicksale zu iiberlassen und unser Theater in anderer Weise, gleich den iibrigen amerikanischen Thea- tern auf das Moglichst-Beste zu ververthen." 19 naive parts ; Kinklin, by-parts ; Arthur Kampmann, gallants ; Louis Menschke, servants, by-parts; Friedrich Ropenack, character and villain parts, fathers; Schwan, fathers and character parts; G. W. Stierlin, comedian; Wilson, Walter, Schiiler, by-parts; Mile. Bornstein, jeune premiere, by-parts; Mme. Alwine Dremmel, jeune premiere, by-parts; Mile. Halenz, jeune premiere, by-parts; Mme. Rohardine Otto, leading lady; Mme. Louise Riedel, comic old women; Mme. Pfeiffer, mothers and comic old women. The complete personnel of the theatre, including property master and assistants, numbered about forty. 18 Heinrich Schmidt, Almanack der deutschen Buhnen in Amerika (New York: G. B. Teubner, 1860), I, 14 ff. 18 Anzeiger des Westens, September 4, 1859. 30 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage The St. Louis Opernhaus was formally opened September 15, 1859. In order to afford time for the new theatrical com pany to assemble and hold necessary rehearsals the German the atrical season proper was prefaced by a series of twenty opera performances by Signora Parodi s Italian Opera Company. The company, which included as principals the prima donnas Teresa Parodi and Karline Alaino, the tenor Giovanni Sbiglia, the bari tone F. Gnone and the basso N. Barili, was pronounced by critics to have been superior to that of Strakosch and others which had previously visited St. Louis. It presented La Traviata four times, Polinto three times, // Trovatore, Lucia di Lammermoore, Nor ma, Ernani and Lucrecia Borgia each twice, and La Favorita, Rigo- lette and // Babiere di Siviglia each once. 20 The theatrical season opened October i with a performance of Goethe s Egmont. Performances were given daily. The sea son promised well. The repertory presented showed that the director was working toward the artistic and cultural goal he had set before him. The hundredth anniversary of Schiller s birth was commemorated in the Opernhaus by a series of Schiller s plays. His Ranker, Kabalc und Liebe, Fiesco, Maria Stuart, Wallensteins Tod and Wilhelm Tell were presented on November 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and n respectively. The series was prefaced November 5 by a performance of Laube s Karlsschiilcr. Except ing a Sunday performance of Hersch s Anna Lisa, three classic 20 Signora Parodi s Company returned to the St. Louis Opernhaus Decem ber 27 for a series of performances, at which the following operas were given : Norma, La Traviata, and Don Giovanni, each twice ; // Trovatore, Lucia di Lammermoore, Lucrecia Borgia and Polinto, once. Later in the season the French opera company from New Orleans with Mme. Dalmont- Messmacre as prima donna, Demoiselle D Arcy as soubrette, M. Philippe as tenor, gave a number of performances which alternated with the German theatrical performances. In April, 1861, Madame Colson s Italian Opera Company gave a series of performances in the Opernhaus. The company included the prima donnas Pauline Colson and Miss Kellog, the tenor Brig- noli, the baritone Ferri and the basso Susini. Later the pantomime and ballet company Siegrist Zamfretta with a large corps de ballet and excellent dan- seuses, and finally Anna Bishop with her concert company, appeared on the stage of the Opernhaus to lend the season variety. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 31 plays Faust, Jungfrau von Orleans and Morcto s Donna Dianna (German by West) attracted the largest audiences during the initial months of the season. These plays formed part of a series of eighteen performances in which Antonie Grahn, formerly of the Hoftheater in Darmstadt, later of the Stadt Theater in New York, appeared in starring parts, such as Gretchen, Ophelia, Julia, Johanna, Maria Stuart and Donna Dianna. She received un stinted praise for her work, in which she received first-rate sup port from Pfeiffer in roles such as Faust and Hamlet, Mme. Lindemann as Martha, Follger as Romeo, and Bornstein as Perin in Donna Dianna. Beginning with February the company had the support of Heinrich Kronfeld, of the Hoftheater in Darm stadt, in a number of performances. He excelled in comedy. He proved to be a drawing attraction, as Mme. Grahn had been. But the unhappy political and attending economic conditions of the time militated against the realization of Bernstein s plans. As the performances grew in dramaturgical excellence and gained in the estimation of the critics, the attendance decreased. Con strained by the necessity of attracting a full house, Bornstein was forced to strive after that which was designed for effect. In March and April, 1860, he staged fourteen performances of Der Zauberschlcier, romantisch-komisches Feenspiel mit Gesang und Tans, an adaptation from Scribe by F. X. Told. In September and October of the same year he staged twenty- four perform ances of Raimund s Barometermacher auf der Zaubcrinscl, and in November nine performances of a local Seller zspicl by Told called Liebeleien in Cincinnati, Neckercien in St. Louis und Fop- pereien in Carondelet. But such performances were not staged at the sacrifice of quality. With reference to the performances of the Zauberschleier, a contributor to the Anzeiger wrote: "Hat sich unser Opernhaus-Theater in Bezug auf Darstellung bis jetzt schon den ersten Platz in Amerika erobert, so tritt es mit den letzten Auffiihrungen des Zauberschleiers auch in jeder anderen Beziehung in die Reihe der grossen Theater ein, und St. Louis darf stolz auf ein Institut sein, das auf die Beurtheilung des 32 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage hiesigen deutschen Elements auf das Vortheilhafteste zuriick- wirken muss." 21 And commenting upon the Liebeleien performances, a critic wrote: "Wir diirfen es dreist aussprechen, dass die Direktion mit der Nothwendigkeit, eine Reihe voller Hauser zu schaffen, aufs Neue in einer Weise entledigt, die wieder einmal den von uns schon ausgesprochenen Satz bestatigt, dass die St. Louiser deutsche Biihne die erste in den Vereinigten Staaten ist." Because of poor attendance Bornstein concluded to close the Opernhaus temporarily January 20, 1861, and in the interim to take his company to Cincinnati, where conditions were not yet affected by the impending political crisis. The company played with success in Pike s Opera House in Cincinnati, where it had the hearty support of the German press, and then, ere returning to St. Louis, played with appreciative reception for several even ings in Louisville. 23 The company resumed daily performances in the St. Louis Opernhaus March 31. Sundays had brought the German theatre its largest audi ences. When the Know-nothing party, the political enemy of the free-soil" Germans, came into power, they at once unearthed and arbitrarily enforced an antiquated law which prohibited the theatre to open on Sundays. On the 8th of April the new police commissioners were installed. On Sunday, April 14, at six o clock in the evening, Bornstein was notified not to open his theatre. He declined to heed the police order. Fifteen minutes later the new chief of police with forty policemen came and took posses sion of the building. Threatened violence upon the police by the assembled Germans was forestalled by a speech from Bornstein, who advised them to quietly go home. Inability to give the cus tomary "Sacred Concerts," as the Sunday performances had in the past been termed, dictated that a German theatre could not 31 Anzeiger dcs West ens, March 20, 1860. M Anzcigcr des West ens, November n, 1860. 1 "Herrn Bornstein gebiihrt allerdings fur die von ihm organisirte Schauspielertruppe, die er Anfangs der 6oger Jahre ebenfalls nach Cincinnati brachte, und zu deren eifrigsten Unterstiitzern auch wir gehorten, grosse An- erkenming. Wir gestehen es ein, es war das das beste deutsche Theater was Cincinnati je gehabt hat." Der deutsche Pionier (Cincinnati, 1882), XIV, 20, German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 33 meet with financial success. For the German element of the city lived for the most part in the extreme northern and southern parts of the city and therefore had no time to attend perform ances after business hours on week days. Bornstein consequently closed his theatre permanently April 20. Had the police interference not put an abrupt end to St. Louis Opernhaus, the political crisis, which within the next fort night became acute, would have done so. After the closing of the theatre Bornstein used all his energies and did much to con solidate the German sentiment of St. Louis in favor of the Union. He was prominent in organizing the German troops for the de fense of the United States arsenal in St. Louis. He took part under General Lyon in the seizure of Camp Jackson May 10, 1861. He was elected Colonel of the Second Regiment of Mis- Ill. 1861-1891. A. 1861-1867. A New Era Begins. The Directorship of Wil- helm Koser. After the St. Louis Opernhaus had closed its doors Alex ander Pfeiffer attempted with a remnant of Bornstein s en semble to institute a German stage in Apollo Garten. At the souri Volunteers, and as such saw active service. 24 initial performance, July 9, Bohn s Drama, Der Tower von London, was staged. The following day Benedix s Schauspiel, Die Stiefmuttcr, and Putlitz s Lustspicl, Badckurcn, were per formed, and July n, Topfer s Lustspicl, Frcien nach Vorschrift. This third performance marked the end of the experiment. At a time when the columns of the German press were full of calls 24 After several months of active military service, spent for the most part in Jefferson City, Bornstein was appointed counsel to Bremen by President Lincoln. He went abroad, to return in 1864, at the invitation of his friend, Hon. Francis P. Blair, to take part in Lincoln s second campaign. After the election he returned to his consular post, which he held till deprived of it in 1864 in consequence of the rotation in office which followed Lincoln s death. From 1869-1871 he was codirector with Carl Bukovics, of the Joseph- stadt Theater in Vienna. During his last years he corresponded for the Cin cinnati Volksblattcr, the Westliche Post and the Illinois-Staats-Zeitung. He died in Vienna, September 10, 1890. 34 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage for volunteers to do military service in the cause of the Union, an attempt to set up a stage could not prove other than futile. A number of actors formerly belonging to Bernstein s ensemble were now engaged in active military service under his com mand. A new era for German theatricals began with the spring of 1862. May 1 8 the theatre in Apollo Garten was formally reopened under the directorship of Alexander Pfeiffer, June I the one in Reudi s Volksgarten under the directorship of R. Rosinski and A. Follger. Both theatres usually played three times weekly, tho the latter advertised irregularly. During June and July occasional performances were also given in Flora Garten under the management of Rosinski. In these Mme. Louise Thielemann, who had been active on the St. Louis stage in the early part of its history, took part. The personnel of the performances during the season was a varying one. In the en semble of the theatre in Apollo Garten appear the names of Theodor Boll, Julius Grossmann, Konemann, Lange (of Cincin nati), Mme. Caroline Lindmann, Mme. Ludovika and Mile. Mai- wine Pfeiffer, and in occasional starring parts, Ascher, G. W. Stierlin, Spitznas, Werber and Follger, and Mmes. Koser, Otto and Werber, among them members of the ensemble in Rudei s Volksgarten. In the latter ensemble appear the names of Wil- helm Bottner, Follger, Werber, Mme. and Mile. Bottner, and Mmes. Otto, Pritzkow, Ungar and Werber. August 10 the directorship of the performances in Ruedi s Volksgarten passed into the hands of Bottner. In a number of performances under his short lived directorship, which terminated August 24, the combined talent of the two stages took part. Aside from one performance each of Laube s KarlsschiUcr and Montrosc in Apollo Garten nothing of literary value was staged during this season. Kotzebue, Friedrich, Nestroy, Birch-Pfeiffer, Corner and Benedix, the most popular dramatists represented on the stage during the period antedating the establishment of the St. Louis Opernhaus, and popular on the latter stage, continued to German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 35 be preferred during the season with 8, 10, 3, 4, 7 and 10 perform ances respectively. Raupach was represented twice. The rela tive percentage of Schauspiel, Volksstiick, etc., Lustspicl and Posse presented under the Pieiffer and the Rosinski-Follger-Bott- ner managements were respectively 21+, 5 , 47+, 27 , and 3 , n , 26+, and 61 per cent. The summer season in Apollo Garten was concluded Octo ber 3. October 5 Pfeiffer staged Kriiger s Madchcn vom Dorfc in the former St. Louis Opernhaus, now again called the Varie ties Theatre. October 21 he opened a winter season in Concert Hall with a performance of Deinhartstein s Hans Sachs. De tails of Pfeiffer s activity during this season are meagre in the extant records. Reference to his stage in later years, however, ranked the performances under his direction with those of Bornstein. The end of this season marked the termination of his connection with the St. Louis stage. Beginning with this same winter the destiny of the Ger man stage for the next five years lay chiefly in the hands of Wilhelm Koser. October i Koser opened a theatre on Market Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, "deni Courthouse gegeniiber im Museum," which he termed the Deutsches Stadt- theatre. He conducted a theatre in this same building for four consecutive winter seasons, but each season the theatre under went a change of name. With the second season (October 6, 1863 May i, 1864), the name was changed to the St. Louis Stadttheater, with the third season (October 8, 1864 May 21, 1865), to tne National Theater, which, with the fourth season (September 6, 1865 May 14, 1866), was again changed to the Deutsches Stadttheater, also called during this season the Metro politan Theater. During the last winter under his directorship Koser performed on Sundays (September 23, 1866 April 28, 1867) m ^e Varieties Theatre and occasionally in the Olympic Theatre, and on week-days (February 9 April 22) in the "Walhalla" Vaudeville Theater on Fourth Street, between Mar- 36 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage ket and Walnut Streets. The former winter home of Koser s theatre had been destroyed by fire in the spring of 1866. During the intervening summers, with the exception of the summer of 1865, Koser regularly conducted a summer theatre. During the summer of 1863 he played first in Ruedi s Volks- garten and later (August 6 October 3) in Apollo Garten. In the latter he again played the following summer (June 14 October 3, 1864). During the summer of 1866 he played in the Stadttheater Garden on Elm Street, between Third and Fourth. The gap in Koser s activity as director presented by the sum mer of 1865 was filled by Hannes Lewens who conducted the stage in Apollo Garten from May 21 till September 24 with daily performances principally of Lustspicl and Posse by an en semble recruited largely from the ranks of the company directed by Koser during the preceding winter. During the course of the summer Alexander Pfeiffer played under Lewen s director ship in four, and Louis Pelosi and his wife in eight star engage ments. Koser played daily in both his winter and summer theatre, with the exception of the first two winter seasons, during which he played three or four times weekly. The personnel of his stage during these years changed almost completely from sea son to season. 25 With the aid of talent such as Otto von Hoym K In the following list of those recorded as playing under Koser s di rectorship the figures 2, 3, 4, 6 and 2-3, 3-4, etc., indicate respectively the summer seasons 1862, 1863, etc., and the winter seasons 1862-63, etc., during which the actor in question played in his ensemble. An asterisk indicates that the actor appeared during the season not as a regular member of the ensem ble, but in Gastspiele. Ahlfeld 5-6, Julius Ascher *4, *5-6, Rudolph Beckier *4, Berman 5-6, Theodor Boll *3~4, T. Conny *4~5, Conrady 5-6, Anton Follger *3, *4, *4-5, Caesar Franck *6, Friedrich Gebhard 4-5, Anton Graff 5-6, 6, Heinrich Graff 6, Groehner 6-7, J. Grossman 3, 3-4, R. Griinewald 4-5, Albert Giihlen 5-6, 6-7, Georg Hagen 6, M. Hahn *3-4, E. Harting 5-6, Rudolph Helmer 6, Emil Hoch- ster 4, 4-5, Otto von Hoym *6-7, Gustav Htibsch 6, Richard Jahn 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, Ludwig Knorr *4, Julius Koch 4-5, 6-7, Kress 5-6, Georg Kriiger 3, 3-4, Wil- helm Kunst 4-5, 6, Emil Lasswitz *5-6, *6, Hugo Lennert 4-5, Bruno Lensch- ner 6, Hannes Lewens 4, 4-5, 5-6, 6, 6-7, Adolph Lieberati 6, 6-7, J. K. Mc- Afferty (Professor in Racine College, in one performance of Halm s Sohn dcr Wildnis, February 12, 1866), Louis Menschke 4, 4-5. Conrad Miiller 6, Wilhelm Mumsen 6, Friedrich Neidmann 4-5, 5-6, 6, 6-7, Emil von der Osten *6-7, Gustav Ostermann *4, Carl Otto 3-4, 6-7, Pelzer 3, Alexander Pfeiffer *5-6, Karl Rensberg 4, G. Rogge 5-6, R. Rosinsky 3, 3-4, Erwin Rossbach 6, German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 37 and Emil von der Osten, Mmes. Bekker-Grahn and Mile. Clausen, Koser was, however, able to conduct a stage of literary as well as dramaturgical importance. Press comment on the performance under Koser s directorship is occasional and general in nature. The relative merit of his stage is attested by rem iniscent comment in the editorial columns of the press of the next decade, where his performances and his audiences are classed with those of Bornstein and Pfeiffer. Of the 945 performances recorded as given under Koser s direction, the Traucr spiel represented 5 per cent., Schauspiel, 19+ per cent., Volksstuck, etc., 15+ per cent., Lustspiel, 25 per cent., Posse, 25 per cent., Sing spiel, etc., 6 per cent., Oper, 5 per cent. The repertory included many plays of literary importance. These were (figures indicate number of times performed) : Goethe s Faust 4; Schiller s Braut von Messina 5, Don Carlos i, Fiesco i, Jungfrau von Orleans 5, Kabale und Licbe 2, Maria Stuart 3, R duber 9, Wallensteins Lager 2, Wallensteins Tod i, Wilhelm Tell 4; Lessing s Nathan der Weise i; Grillparzer s Medea 2; Gutzkow s Konigsleutnant i, Uriel Acosta 6; Hebbel s Gcnoveva 3 ; Kleist s Kdtchen von Heilbronn 3 ; Laube s Graf Essex 3, Karlsschuler 5 ; Raimund s Alpenkbnig 3, Bauer ah Milliondr 5, Verschwender 5 ; Shakespeare s Besdhmte Wider- spenstige i, Hamlet 4, Kaufmann von Venedig 3, Othello i. Otto Rudolph 4, 5-6, Leonhard Scherer *s, 5-6, J. H. Schmitz 4-5, H. Schmitz 3-4, 5-6, 6, Carl Schone 3, C. Schunck *6, Friedrich Schurthe 3-4, Friedrich Schwan *3-4, Alexander Julius Varena 4-5, Carl Werber 3-4, 4, Christian Wolf 5-6, Ignatz Wolf *3~4, *4, 4-5, 5-6, *6, *6-7, Alphons von Zerboni 6. Mmes. Ahlfeld 5-6, Antoine Bekker-Grahn *4~5, *6, Elise Bottner *4, *4-5, Mile. Johanna Claussen *4-5, *5-6, *6, *6-7, Mme. Danzi-Hausmann 3-4, Miles. Pauline Dursy 5-6, 6, Sophia Dzinba *6, Ottilie Genee *5-6, Maria Graff 6, Mme. Mathilda Graff 6, Miles. Grempler 5-6, Emma Grosse 4-5, Mme. Anna Griinewald 4-5, Miles. Louise Haase *5-6, *6-7, Hedwig Hesse *5-6, Hofsteden 4-5, 6-7, Kaiser 5-6, Mme. Albertine Koser 2-3, 6, Mile. Johanna Lehmann 5-6, 6-7, Mme. Caroline Lindemann 3, 3-4, 4, 4-5, 5-6, Miles. Ida Marchand *6, Ottilie Miiller 6, Emma Neumann 6, Mmes. L. von der Osten *6-7, Minna Ostermann-Bottner *4, Rohardine Otto 4, 5-6, 6-7, Hendricks-Peltzer 3, 3-4, Schmitz 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6, Maria von Schramm *3-4, Miles. Augusta Sonnen- schein 4, 4-5, 6-7, Anna Wedemeyer 4, Caroline Werner 4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, Rosa von Zerboni 6. 38 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage Richard III i, Romeo und Juliet i, Winter mar chen 5. Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer was the most popular dramatist for the period, Benedix ranked second. Their plays were performed 64 and 35 times, respectively. Kotzebue was represented 12 times, Rau- pach but once. Weihrauch s Volksstiick, Die Maschinenbauer was the most popular individual play; it was staged 14 times. 26 In several instances Koser s stage suffered competition. Be ginning with September 6, 1863, an attempt was made to stage German drama in Bechtner s Varieties on Fifth Street, between Morgan Street and Franklin Avenue, called for this season the Deutsches Stadttheater. Emil Hochster was stage director. The attempt was short lived. None of the plays presented possessed literary merit. After the eighth performance on November 15 all notice of the theatre disappears from the columns of the press. From May 20 till November 6, 1864, R. Rosinski conducted a German theatre, at first in the Deutscher Volksgarten at 136 North Fifth Street and after cold weather set in, in the Deutsche Volkshalle with which the Garten was connected. His theatre was typically a Volkstheater which essayed nothing more pre tentious than an entertaining Lustspiel or Posse. It announced at its opening daily performances, but advertised irregularly. The limited personnel consisted of Messrs. E. Goldschmidt, C. Miller, R. Rosinski, Mme. D. Haase and Miles. Louise Schmuckert and Marie Freebertheyer, whose efforts were supplemented by occa sional help from Koser s ensemble. One or more of several Volksgarten the former Ruedi s Volksgarten, Washington Garten at Third and Elm Streets, and Franklin Garten at Tenth Street and Franklin Avenue usually staged Possen and kindred pieces during the summers of 1864, 65, 66 and 67, admission to which was free or ten cents, for which usually "2 Bier-tickets" were given to the visitor. But such stages rarely advertised. "The season of 1863-64 included a half dozen performances by Holman s National Opern-Truppe, which sang Bellini s Nachtwandlerin and Balse s Zigeunermddchen each twice, and Rossini s Aschcnbrodel and Donizetti s Tochter des Regiments each once. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 39 While Koser was playing in the Stadttheater Garten, Anton Follger from May 3 till August 17, 1866, conducted a theatre with daily performances in Apollo Garten. His ensemble was limited. The incomplete list of those recorded as belonging to it included the names of Follger, Graf, Monch, Friedrich Schwan, Mme. Amalia Pritzkow and Miles. M. Hoehm, Pfeiffer and Emma Neumann. Follger relied largely for assistance upon outside talent. Ludwig Knorr, stage director of the Stadtthe ater in New York, Julius Koch, Fmil Lasswitz, Ropenack, Zer- boni, Mmes. Bekker-Grahn, Louise Haase, Ropenack, Zerboni, and Mile. Johanna Clausen played under his direction in the course of the season. The great number of stars appearing on this stage during the season raised the standard of its reper tory above that of the average summer theatre. Goethe s Faust, Schiller s Maria Stuart, Laube s Graf Essex and Gutzkow s Zopf und Schwerdt were each performed once, Gutzkow s Ko- nigsleutnant twice. The different types of play were repre sented as follows: Trauerspiel 4 %, Schauspiel 13 %, Volksstiick, etc., 21 %, Lustspiel 24 %, Posse 23 + %, Sing- spiel t etc. (including two performances of Auber s Stumme von Portici), 16%. From January 20 till February 22, 1867, the Olympic Theatre was the scene of eleven German performances under the stage direction of Hannes Lewens. The short lived season was inaugurated by a number of actors who were for the time being without regular engagements, some of whom later joined Koser s ensemble. B. 1867-1870. An Uneventful Period of Decline. During the summer and the first half of the ensuing winter season following the suspension of Koser s activity on the St. Louis stage, Emil Lasswitz directed daily performances in the Apollo Garten Theater (May n October 7, 1867; November 21, 1867 May 20 < 1868). On the six Sundays intervening be tween the summer and winter seasons Lasswitz staged plays with his ensemble in the Varieties Theatre. The Apollo Garten Theater had in the meantime been rebuilt. A reviewer of the 4O German Drama on the St. Louis Stage opening performance (Goethe s Clavigo) takes occasion to com ment upon the improvement wrought by the renovation, saying: "Wir haben nach langer, bitterer Entbehrung ein wenn auch nicht iibermassig grosses, so cloch eine hinreichende Zahl Zu- schauer bequem fassendes, prachtig eingerichtetes, zierliches deutsches Theater nnd konnen uns des Instituts mit vollstem Rechte freuen." 27 Lasswiz resigned the directorship of the theatre at the end of January with the intention of returning to Germany, whereupon Kurth, who had been associated with him as business manager, took charge and played daily till May 20. the end of the season. The season was made notable by the large number of "Gastspiele," some of which proved sufficiently attractive to warrant performances by the Apollo ensemble occa sionally in one of the larger theatres of the city. In such star ring parts appeared C. Harting, Joseph Keppler, Theodor L Ar- ronge, Mines. Hedwig L Arronge and Louise Haase, Miles. Hedwig Hesse and Dora Rolff, and the Hungarian dwarfs Jean Piccolo, Jean Petit and Kis Jozsi. The latter three appeared almost daily before crowded houses for over a month (March 16 April 19). Some reviewers proclaimed them to be great artists. The review in the Anzeiger des Wcstens for April 19, 1868, undoubtedly comes nearer the truth when it says: "Im "Qbrigen sind und bleiben sie wohl grosse Kunstmerkwurdigkei- ten das Pradikat Kiinstler aber in dem Sinne, in welchem es die Asthetik den Jiingern der Biihne zuspricht, kann ihnen nicht zuerkannt werden." With the opening of the summer season, May 23, Kurth again continued to stage daily performances in the same theatre. Alphons von Zerboni acted as stage manager under his director ship. July 13 Kurth withdrew from the theatre. His repertory had been designed chiefly with the view to entertain, but hard times kept down the attendance. "Er hatte das Seinige redlich und mit dem besten Willen gethan, hatte Opfer auf Opfer ge- bracht, aber ohne dass damit ein Erfolg erziehlt wurde, der ihm 27 Anzeiger des Westens, November 22, 1867. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 41 die Weiterfiihrung des Theaters hatte wiinschenswerth erschei- nen lassen. Die Ausgaben iiberstiegen stets die Einnahmen und Herr Kurth, der mit der Absicht, als reeler Geschaftsmann reel zu handeln, seiner Zeit mit Herrn Lasswitz die Direktion des Apollo Theaters iibernommen hatte, sah sich nach unun- terbrochenen pekuniaren Verlusten schliesslich gezwungen, sich von der Leitung des Unternehmens zuriickzuziehen. Zu viele leere Hauser in den Wochentagen Sonntags ist das Theater re-- gelmassig gut besucht gewesen sind auch in der jiingsten Win ter und in der ersten Halfte der laufenden Sommersaison der Nagel zum Sarge fur das Unternehmen gewesen und es gehort in der That Muth dazu, nach so vielen Entmuthigenden die Sache in die Hand zu nehmen. . . . Der Eintrittspreis ist (namentlich im Sommertheater) so ausserordentlich nieclrig ge- stellt, dass man sehr Vielen, die sich hinter die schechten Zei- ten verstecken, nachweisen konnte, eine wie viel grossere Summe ihrerseits allabendlich der Unterstiitzung der edlen Kunst des Bierbrauens zugewendet wird."- About the same time that Kurth retired Zerboni became ill. He died after several weeks and his wife out of despair over the loss of her husband soon thereafter committed suicide. Follow ing Kurth s retirement Kriiger and Schiller, the lessees of the theatre, engaged Hannes Lewens as stage manager and under his guidance brought the season to a conclusion October 12, 1868. Since the retirement of Lassowitz the theatre had artistically ranked low and possessed no literary merit. Attendance had been poor. Kriiger and Schiller resumed the directorship of the theatre with the opening of the winter season October 22. They engaged Lewens and Julius Koch as stage managers. The initial weeks during this winter in no respects offered an improvement. The elite no longer patronized the theatre. January 18 Kriiger and Schiller turned the theatre over to Louise Haase. She made elaborate plans for improvement. She had the hearty co-opera tion of the press. Commenting upon the change of management the Anzeiger for January 17, 1869, says: "Die direktionslose, Anzeiger des Westens, July 14, 1868. 42 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage die schreckliche Zeit erreicht heute ihr Ende und von Morgen an hat das Apollo Theater eine artistische Leitung, deren Nicht- vorhandensein sich in jiingster Zeit nur allzusehr fiihlbar gemacht hatte. Ueber clem hiesigen deutschen Theater waltet seit Jahres- frist und la nger ein eigener Unstern und vielleicht geht ihm in der neuen Direktion ein gliicklicher Stern auf. Ernes ist sicher: Fran L. Haase ist der Aufgabe, der sich die Dame nunmehr unterzieht, gewachsen und das waren ihre unmittel- baren Vorgiinger nicht. Die Herren Kriiger und Schiller batten, kein Gutmeinender wird das in Abrede stellen, einen in mehr denn einer Hinsicht ausserst schwierigen Standpunkt, keiner von Beiden ist mit dem Biihnenwesen auch nur entfernt vertraut und was die Folge die- ser Thatsache war, davon weiss das Theaterpublikum einer die Kasse der Unternehmer anderseits ein Liedchen zu singen. Doch dariiber, wie iiber so manches andere, der Vergangenheit Angehorende, mag der Zwischenvorhang fallen und in den Vor- dergrund einzig und allein die neue Direktion mit ihrer theoreti- schen wie praktischen Befahigungen zttr Leitung des Theaters treten. Ihr wird das Publikum mit allem Vertrauen auf die In- augurirung einer neuen Biihnen-Era entgegenkommen ; ihr wird zuvorderst der Beweis geliefert werden, dass der Werth des Geleisteten den Massstab fiir die Theilnahme des Publikums ab- giebt und dass ein deutsches Theater in St. Louis bestehen kann, wenn das Verstehen auf Seite der Biihnenleitung nicht mangelt. Schon hort man von, durch Frau Haase beschlossenen Re for- men und von der Energie, deren die Dame ein gut Theil besitzen soil, lasst sich erwarten. dass neben dem Reformiren auch das Substituiren und Completiren in zweckentsprechender Weise ge- handhabt werden wird." With the aid of outside talent Mme. Haase was able to raise the standard of the theatre. Frau von Borndorf, one of the starring performers, drew full houses and at her concluding performance was presented with a silver service by a number of her admirers. For a time St. Louis again enjoyed first-class per formances. In spite of increased price of admission, attendance increased. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 43 This winter season closed April 16. After several post- seasonal performances Mme. Haase formally opened the sum mer season in Apollo Garten, May 16. By the middle of July the public had again grown indifferent to her efforts. She was constrained to discontinue her directorship July 19. Mme. Au- guste Hofl reopened the theatre July 27, under her own manage ment. Mme. Hofl made a serious attempt to bring new life into the stage. She introduced occasional opera and operette which attracted not only Germans, but also Americans, and received favorable recognition from the English as well as German press. But the fact that the expense entailed by a stage of such propor tions was out of proportion to the proceeds it netted, dissuaded Mme. Hofl from continuing the experiment. The last several weeks of the season concluding September 26 were devoted to Lustspiel and Posse. The following winter (October 3, 1869 May 18, 1870) Kriiger and Schiller again assumed charge of the Apollo Garten stage. Beginning with January, prior to which the company usually played without regular director, Kurth again directed the stage for Kriiger and Schiller. He was succeeded with the beginning of the summer season by Lewens and Lasswitz. The success of the winter season was made possible by the assistance of artists such as Otto von Hoym, J. Humbser, Joseph Keppler, and Mmes. Elise von Hoym and Sophie Frida Vellguth (from the Stadttheater in Milwaukee). The public during the years represented by the period 1867- 70 was apathetic with reference to the theatre. This apathy to gether with the frequent changes of directorship caused the theatre to suffer in attendance and from the standpoint of dra maturgical attainment. It required an unusual star or the pres ence of the unique as represented in the three dwarfs to attract a full house. If the literary merit of the repertory seemingly did not suffer, the fact must be ascribed to the frequency of the Gastspiele. Of the 1018 plays performed the Trauer spiel rep resented in terms of percentage 3 , Schauspiel n , Volksstuck, etc., 14+, Lustspiel 22-f-, Posse 31+, Singspiel 8-)-, per and Operette n+. The serious dramas appearing on the stage dur- 44 German Drama on the St. Loins Stage ing these years were the following (figures indicate number of times performed) : Goethe s Clavigo 2, Egmont i, Faust i; Schiller s Braut von Messina i, Don Carlos i, Jung f ran von Or leans i, Kabalc und Liebe i, Maria Stuart 2, Z)z> Rduber 3, PFa/- lenstcins Lager 2, Wilhclm Tell 2, Turandot 2 ; Shakespeare s Hamlet 5, Macbeth i, Othello 3, Romeo und Juliet i, w Sow- mermdrchen T, Do* IViderspenstigen Z dhmung 3; Freytag s Journalistcn i ; Gutzkow s Kdnigslcutnant 2 ; Hebbel s Genoveva 2 ; Kleist s Katchen von Hcilbronn 2 ; Laube s -to .y<? Zungen 4, GVtf/ Essex 2; Raimund s Alpenkonig i, Bauer als Milliondr i, Verschwcnder 4. C. 1870-1880. Opera on the Apollo Stage 1870-1875. The Pelosi Directorship 1871-1880. The summer season of 1870 (May 21 October 16) Kriiger and Schiller introduced opera and operette along with drama on the Apollo stage under the direction of Carl Schramm as musical conductor. During the course of the summer Donizetti s Regi- mentstochter was sung once, Offenbach s Verlobung bet der La- terne, and Suppe s Flotte Bursche and Scheme Galathee each twice, Offenbach s Orpheus in der Unterwelt five times, his Schone Helcnc fifteen times, and Der Blaubart eighteen times. During the next five years the Apollo Garten Theater was devoted to a large extent to opera and operette. Julius Herr mann, who during the summer of 1870 had appeared in starring parts in the Apollo Garten Theater, was director of that theatre during the winter of 1870-71. Herrmann made it his aim to present almost exclusively opera and Lustspicl. The perform ances he staged were not perfect, but pleased, as is apparent from the word of warning contained in the criticism printed in the Anzeiger dcs Westens for October 23, 1870, which, after com menting on the excellencies of the performance in question, says : "Nichts ist so verderblich und muss verderblich fiirs Theater sein, als Berichte, denen auf der Stirn geschrieben steht, dass sie eben nichts weiter sind, als geschaftsmassige Puffs. Wenn ein German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 45 Blatt z. B. schreibt, class die Auffiihrung von Fra Diavolo am Freitag die beste war, die jemals hier gcsehen, und gehort wor- den sei, so mag das, als Geschaftsempfehlung, vielleicht zu ent- schuldigen sein, dem Publikum gegeniiber ist es aber nicht zu rechtfertigen. Dass die Chore tadellos waren, wie es in jenem Blatte zu lesen, heisst der Wahrheit so stark ins Gesicht schla- gen, dass Musikverstandige, die der Auffuhrung beiwohnten, ein Recht haben, iiber solches Lobhudeln ungehalten zu werden." Herrmann instituted a number of "Galavorstellungen." At the first of these Hugo Miiller s Genrebild Adelaide followed by selections from grand opera was given. It succeeded in creating interest anew for the stage in many who had grown apathetic toward it. "Der ersten der im Laufe der Saison zu veranstalten- den Gala-Versammlungen wohnte kein sehr zahlreiches, dagegen ein um so gewahlteres Publikum bei, so dass alte ergraute The- aterhabitues sich in die Zeiten der Alexander Pfeifferschen Di- rektion, oder in die Wintersaison des National Theaters unter Direktor Koser zuriickversetzt glauben konnten, in jene Zeiten, da dem deutschen Theater noch reges Interesse von Seiten der Elite des hiesigen Deutschtumes geschenkt ward und das Audi torium die besten deutschen Familien der Stadt in sich zu schlies- sen pflegte. Der Anblick des Zuschauerraums am gestrigen Abend Hess das Bedauern iiber die in gewissen Kreisen dem The ater gegeniiber herrschende Lautheit doppelt rege werden, und damit zugleich den Wunsch nach Besserwerden." 29 But the enthusiasm these Galavorstellungen aroused was but spasmodic. Less than two weeks later, December 31, the reviewer in the same paper complains bitterly over the poor attendance at the really first class performances : Lucretia Borgia wird im Apollo Theater besser aufgefiihrt, als sie z. B. von der Parodi Truppe, spater unter Strakosch s Management oder von der Ghioni-Susini Gesellschaft gegeben wurde. Es hat, danach zu schliessen. also auch auf diesem Gebiete der alte Satz. nach welchem der Prophet in seinem Vaterlande nichts gilt seine Berechtigung. Weil Direktor Herrmann sich hier niedergelas- sen, well er das Theater ubcrnommen hat, well Fr. Schiiler-Jiiger und Frl. Dziuba St. Louis zu ihrem Wohnort erkoren haben, well Anzeiger des Westens, December 21, 1870. 46 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage Beetz, Humbler, Graff, etc., fur die ganze Saison engagirt sind, weil man also noch Zeit hat, sic im Laufe des Winters zu horen, deshalb lasst man die Vorstellungen einer der ansprechendsten, melodienreichsten Opern eines Tonmeisters unbesucht ! Solcher- gestalt ist die Logik, die dem iibeln Stande der Dinge zu Grunde liegt. Es ist freilich eine sehr unlogische Logik. Was aber wird die Folge schliesslich sein? Dass wir einbiissen werden, was wir jetzt besitzen und was keine zwjite Stadt im ganzen Lande aufzuweisen hat : eine permanente deutsche Oper. Und erst, wenn es zu spat sein, wenn der Schatz unseren Handen entglit- ten sein wird, erst dann wird das Bedauern kommen, dann erst wird man die schonen Tage zuriickwiinschen, die Tage, die uns solche musikalische Freuden gebracht hatten." January 26 the reviewer again speaks in similar terms, concluding: "Es bleibt beim Alten, beim Schlimmen." The winter season concluded June 2, 1871. During this time Herrmann had usually played daily. Beginning June 4 he commenced a summer season. But as early as June 25 he found himself constrained to cease performing, because of the apathy of the public toward his efforts. Ferdinand Ahlfeld then took charge as director with performances several times weekly, at times daily, concluding the season September 29, which was fol lowed by a number of post-seasonal performances ending October 27. His repertory, made up chiefly of Lustspiel and Posse, in cluded occasional opera performances. During the ensuing winter the drama prevailed on the Apollo stage under the directorship of Louis Pelosi. Pelosi s advent marks a decided rise in the artistic and literary niveau of German theatricals in St. Louis. The very successful season which he conducted during this winter will be discussed below in connection with his subsequent activities on the St. Louis stage. Beginning with June 17, 1872, opera again made its appear ance on the Apollo stage, now called the Apollo Opernhaus. Nathan Waldstine, a local business man, assumed charge of the theatre. He engaged Julius Herrman as stage director, with a company which included as principals: E. Beetz and Theodor Habelmann, tenors, Emil Telle, baritone, Adolp Frano.sch, Julius Herrmann, W. Koerner and Otto Schiiler, bassos. Miles. Sophia German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 47 Dziuba, Anna Jager, Bertha Roemer, prirnadonnas, and Albertine Hofstetter, second primadonna. Carl Hclmar, of the California Stadttheater in San Francisco, and Mile. Josie Hofl assisted in a number of performances. Opera and operette were sung under Waldstine s management three times weekly, and at times daily, throughout the summer season, concluding October 25, and the winter season beginning November i. From an artistic stand point the performances, though not perfect, received the approval of press and public, including the English-speaking public. The principals in these performances were usually praised, but the ensemble work and chorus ofttimes gave ground for criticism. Though attendance was good, it was not sufficient to make the venture a financial success, a fact easily understood in the light of the present day, when deficits must constantly be covered by generous lovers of art or by subsidy. Waldstine therefore re tired from the venture, whereupon Theodor Habelmann at once re-engaged the greater part of the ensemble, added to it, and without interruption resumed playing. He formally reopened the theatre under his direction February 1 1 . He too staged exclu sively opera and operette till the termination of the season May 30. Habelmann resumed performances in the Opernhaus June i with the change that besides opera an occasional Lust spiel was staged. By the end of the summer season (September 28) the German public had grown apathetic toward the opera perform ances, not without reason, for the same operas had been sung time and again. The opera ensemble therefore left St. Louis for Louisville, where it met with no better financial success than in St. Louis. By February i it there incurred a deficit of $1200, which the Liederkranz of that city guaranteed. Kriiger and Schiller, the lessees of the theatre, thereupon "der Noth gehorchend, nicht dem eigenen Triebe," again assumed charge. They devoted the stage to drama with a company under the directorschip of Hannes Lewens. The winter season and the first part of the summer season following (October 5, 1873 July 19, 1874) rarely offered anything better than oft repeated Lust- spiel and Posse, which failed to prove attractive to the public. 48 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage The apathy of the public naturally in turn reacted upon the stage. "Der mittlere Biirgerstand, die deutschen Handwerker und Arbei- ter sind es, die seit Jahren der hiesigen deutschen Biihne ziemlich kiimmerliches Dasein fristen helfen und Diejenigen, die da stets von schlechten Leistungen sprechen, von nicht mitanzusehenden Vorstellungen, etc., sind mil, nein sind vornehmlich daran Schuld, dass es eben so and nicht besser. Die Misere vor der Biihne die leeren Banke erzeugt Misere auf der Biihne. Nur des Sonn- tags pflegen die Vorstellungen (sowohl im Apollo- wie im Olym pic-Theater) besucht zu sein und im letzten findet sich eine An- zahl deutscher Familien regelmassig ein aber gerade das ist eben nur ein Beweis mehr fur die Richtigkeit des oben Gesagten. Die mit jedem Jahre zunehmende Zahl der geselligen Vereine bil- det gleich falls einen Hemmschuh fur das Prosperiren der The ater. So kommt eins zum Andern und das Facit dieses Rechnen- exempels kann sich jeder machen." 30 In July a part of the opera company returned to St. Louis. The majority of the performances during the remainder of the summer season beginning July 24, were thereupon devoted to opera under the directorship of Fritz La Fontaine. The reper tory offered nothing new. The German press again found it necessary to upbraid the indifferent public. Later in the year Habelmann again reorganized the opera ensemble. It had ceased performing November 15. Habelmann resumed performances in the Apollo on Christmas Day to continue without interruption till June 27. He introduced at least two new operas which had not been heard in the Apollo before Meyerbeer s Afrikanerin and Wagner s Tannhauser, the latter the first Wagnerian opera to be produced on the German stage in St. Louis ; it had, however, previously been sung by a visiting company. Habelmann s audiences were usually reported fair, but offered ground for complaint. As is evident from the following review containing utterances that are typical of a number of sim ilar editorial utterances, the theatre itself and its environs were responsible for the indifference of part of the public toward the Anzeigcr des Wesiens, November 30, 1873, German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 49 performances in the Apollo. Entrance to the theatre was ap parently through a cafe connected with the Apollo Garten. "Der dritten Auffiihrung der Afrikanerin am Mittwoch Abend, wohnte ein sehr zahlreiches Publikum bei, und in diesem Umstande erblicken wir, gegeniiber der bisher nur zu deutlich bekundeten Apathie der hoheren Gesellschaft eine Wendung zum Bessern. Wenn unsere feine Welt es iibers Herz bringen konntcn, iiber den lobenswerthen Bestrebungen der Direktion und den Anstren- gungen der Mitwirkenden den vielleicht nicht allzu clegantcn Kin- gang zum Theater zu vergessen und vergeben; wenn die Ilcrr- schaften mehr darauf denken wollten, dass sie Meycrbeersche Musik zu horen bekommen, und zwar eine seiner grossartigsten Schopfungen, und sich weniger daran stossen wollten, dass der Dress Circle nicht mit rotem Sammet ausgeschlagen ist (was es iibrigens in Ben de Bar s und im Olympic auch nicht) wenn sie das Opfer brachten, diese Ausserlichkeiten zu iibersehcn, dann wiirde die Dierektion ihrerseits in den Stand gesetzt werden, dem Publikum mit der Zeit noch Besseres zu bieten und nicht fortwahrender Sorge fiir Aufrechterhaltung eines Kunstinstituts zu kampfen haben, das ein zahlreiches Deutschtum wie das hie- sige so kraftig unterstiitzen sollte (und konnte), dass die regel- massigsten Einnahmen tnindestens , nicht aber, wie bislang, Mister Deficit leider eine Hauptrolle zu spielen bekommt." 31 An at tempt had been made to engage the support of the dissenting ele ment of the German public by occasionally staging performances in one of the large theatres on Sundays, but without the desired result. Commenting upon a performance held in De Bar s Opera House a review in the Anzeiger for March 21, 1875, sa ^ : "Man hatte glauben sollen, dass Diejenigen, die als Entschuldigung oder Rechtfertigung ihres Nichtbesuchens der Oper jahraus jahr- ein die Mangel des Lokals vorschiitzen, die gestern gebotene Ge- legenheit, die Oper im besten Theatergebaude der Stadt horen zu konnen, beniitzt haben und sich in grosser Zahl eingestellt ha ben wiirden fehl geschossen! Von den Herrschaften war keine Spur zu erblicken. . . . Am Sonntag wird die Aristokratie Anzeiger des Westens, June 4, 1875. 50 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage so wie so nicht erwartet. Sonntags fiillt sich das Haus durch Gewerbtreibendc, der sogenannte Kleine Geschaftsmann/ del Handwerker und Arbeiter bereitet sich und den Seinen da die beste Erholung, indem er in die Oper geht und dicsc Besucher- klasse zeigt durch ihr regelmassiges Wiederkommen, dass sie Sinn und Geschmack fiir diese Art Unterhaltung besitzt. . . ." Of the 944 plays recorded for the Apollo stage from the summer of 1870 till June 27, 1875, excluding the winter season of 1870-71, during which Pelosi had charge of the Apollo Theater, 431 were operas or operettes and 37 Singspielc, together about 50% of the total. The Trailer spiel, Schauspicl, Volksstiick, Lustspiel, and Posse, represented respectively i , S-f-, 17 , 1 1+, and 14 per cent, of the total. The Pelosi Directorship 18/1-1880. During the years in which the Apollo Theater was to a large extent being devoted to opera and operetta, St. Louis at the same time enjoyed a creditable German theatre under the di rectorship of Louis Pelosi. As already pointed out Pelosi had charge of the Apollo Theater during the winter season of 1870-71, during which he played three times weekly. He came to St. Louis heralded with a flattering reputation. An editorial announcing his coming said : "Das Apollo Theater hat der Phasen so viele erlebt, die hiesigen deutschen Biihnen- verhaltnisse haben im Laufe der Jahre alle Stadien des Wohl- ergehens und Nichtwohlergehens durchgemacht, dass der Hoff- nungsanker, der jetzt ausgeworfen wird, von Seiten aller Freun- den der Biihne und des deutschen Publikums im Allgemeinen mit doppelter Freude begriisst werden sollte, da sich im Pelosischen Ehepaare die tiichtige Direktionskraft mit trcfflicher Leistungs- fahigkeit auf den Brettern vereint und somit dern Hierherkom- men des Paares zwiefacher Werth fiir die hiesigen Theaterver- haltnisse beizumessen ist." 32 Editorial comment at the end of the season indicates that Pelosi lived up to the reputation which heralded his coming. "Wenn je eine Direktion zu Anerkennung Anzeigcr des Westens, October 26, 1871. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 51 und Lob berechtigt war, so ist es die gegenwartige des Apollo Theaters. Herr und Fran Pelosi haben dem alten Schlendrian friiherer Jahre ein Ende gemacht und in das Chaos der hiesigen deutschen Biihne Ordnung gebracht. 33 Pelosi raised the standard of the theatre over that which it had been for a number of years. His repertory during the first season included two per formances of Schiller s Rauber, one of Schiller s Wilhelm Tell, one of Shakespeare s Hamlet, one of Grillparzer s Medea, and among other serious dramas two performances each of Brachvo- gel s Narciss and Halm s Griseldis. The reviews of the per formances for this season are not detailed, but are universally favorable, as illustrated in the following comment upon a mid- season performance, "Die gute Einstudierung der Vorstellungen ist eine der Hauptaufgaben, die sich die Direktion gestellt hat; nach dieser Richtung hin ist ihr Eifer besonders tatig, und das Resultat sind eben gerundete Auffiihrungen." 34 Attendance at his performances was not only consistently good, but included many of the "old guard" who took interest in the theatre only when it from the standpoint of merit warranted recognition. A review of a performance contained in the Anzeiger des Westens for April 7, 1872, is typical of a number of editorial utterances sub stantiating this fact: "Die Freunde der deutschen Biihne hatten sich am Freitag Abend recht zahlreich im Apollo Theater einge- funden, um einer (dritten oder gar vierten) Wiederholung des Benedixschen Lustspiels Die zartlichcn Verwandtcn beizuwohnen. Es war eine seit lange entbehrte Genugthuung fur altere hiesige Theater freunde, im Zuschauerraume nicht wenige von jenen deut schen Familien zu erblicken, die zu den Zeiten Bornstein s, Pfeif- fer s und Koser s den Kern des Theaterpublikums zu bilden und selten bei einer Vorstellung zu fehlen pflegten; jene Familien, auf die in friiheren Jahren die Direktion so zu sagen zahlen konnte. Leider ist es jetzt Ausnahme, was damals wir sprechen von den Jahren 1859 bis 1866 Regel war. Unter einer Direktion wie die Pelosische wurden sich allerdings die hiesigen Theaterver- haltnisse nach und nach wieder ins rechte Geleise bringen lassen. 88 Anzeiger des Westens, April 25, 1872. "Anzeiger des Westens, January 14, 1872. 52 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage . . . Mag die Sommersaison nun bringen was sie will die Wintersaison brachte sicher und gewiss gar manches Gute und Schone und vor Allem gerundete, wohlvorbereitete Auffiihrun- gen." Pelosi for the next eight consecutive winters, with the excep tion of the season 1876-77, contemporaneous with and for several years following the seasons in which the Apollo was largely de voted to opera, continued to give St. Louis a creditable German stage. During these seasons he performed weekly on Sundays. During the first four and the last of these seasons 35 he staged his plays in the Olympic Theatre, during the season of 1877-78 in Ben De Bar s Opera House. Beginning October 3, 1875, while staging Sunday performances in the Olympic, he also performed several times weekly in the Apollo Theater, but discontinued on January 17. The season in the Apollo concluding June 4, begin ning March 3 was continued by a company under the director ship of Mme. Solia, to be transferred beginning April 16 to the directorship of Silberberg and Schulz. The Apollo ensemble con tinued to perform several times weekly, and in addition gave Sunday performances in De Bar s Opera House. During these years Pelosi s performances continued to merit favorable comment in the columns of the press and to attract audiences which continued to be termed gewahlt. The tenor of the press comment is that of the excerpts quoted above for the season 1870-71. The winter of 1876-77 Pelosi spent in Germany. During his absence St. Louis had two theatres. From September 17, 1876, to April 15, 1877, De Bar s Opera House was the home of Sunday performances. The season opened under the manage ment of Silberberg and Company. Beginning with October 22 it continued under the management of Paul Dilg and Company. This Opera House ensemble attempted weekday performances, first in the St. Louis Stadttheater, on Morgan Street, between 35 September i, 1872, to May 4, 1873; August 31, 1873, to May 3, 1874; September 6, 1874, to April 16, 1875; September 19, 1875, to April 16, 1876; October 21, 1877, to April 21, 1878; September I, 1878, to May i, 1879; Sep tember 21, 1879, to December 21, 1879. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 53 Tenth and Eleventh, and later in the Apollo Theater. But poor attendance caused the weekday performances soon to be discon tinued. During the same winter Alexander Wurster, director of the New Chicago Theater, conducted Sunday performances in the Olympic Theatre from September 24 till May 6, with occasional Sunday and weekly performances in the Apollo. Members of Wurster s Company continued, under the man agement of Lewens, during the greater part of the ensuing sum mer to present Posse and Lustspiel on Sundays in the Apollo. Beginning with May 27 Carl Schmidt during the same summer directed a summer theatre devoted chiefly to Posse and Lustspiel in a new theatre erected in Strathmanns La Fayette Park at Sec ond Street and Carondolet Avenue. Performances on this stage were initially given three times weekly. But the public was not responsive to the new enterprise. An editorial of June 17 in commenting upon the poor attendance it received says : "Hier hat man sich die Gleichgiltigkeit, die schon gar Manches zu Grabe tragen half, auch der Sommerbuhne gegeniiber gel tend und zwar in solchem Masse, dass es nach alien Richtungen sehr zu bedauern ist. So lange im Apollo Theater gespielt wurde, das als Sommertheater nur der grossen Hitze wegen nicht alien An- forderungen entsprach so weit die Raumlichkeiten in Betracht kommen wurde das Nichthingehen mit der Lokalitat, mit dem Eingang, mit dem Mangel an Eleganz und dergleichen motivirt. Jetzt aber hat ein unternehmender Privatmann im priichtigsten Stadtteile, mitten zwischen Garten und Baumen, mittelst Stras- senbahn bequem zu erreichen, in nachster Nahe des schonsten Parks der Stadt, ein Sommertheater bauen lassen, das ein wahres Schmuckkastchen ist, in einem Garten steht, und worin gut ge spielt wird und wie sieht s nun da mit der Unterstiitzung aus ? Obgleich wochentlich nur dreimal gespielt wird ... so sind die Vorstellungen nur Sonntags angemessen besucht, wahrend an den Wochentagen der Zuschauerraum nur sehr selten gefiillt ist. Und doch sind die Vorstellungen fleissig einstudirt, sorglich vor- bereitet die Gesellschaft ist aus recht tiichtigen Kraften zusam- mengesetzt die Regie ruht in fahigen Handen und man darf sich 54 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage versichert halten, den Abend auf das Angenehmste zu verbrin- gen, wenn man das Lafayettepark Theater besucht." 36 During the latter part of the season the La Fayette Park Theater varied its program by alternating English plays with Ger man performances. An attempt was made during the following summer to again stage German plays in this theatre, but the at tempt met with no success ; after the middle of July the press gives no further notice of such performances. During the summer of 1879 St. Louis had no summer theatre. During the summer of 1880 an attempt was made to again establish a German stage in the La Fayette Park theatre, now called the Thalia Sommergar- ten Theater. But after several performances the attempt was given up. While Pelosi after a year s absence resumed Sunday per formances during the winter of 1877-78, this time in De Bar s Opera House, Wurster again as during the winter previously gave Sunday performances in the Olympic (September 16 to April 7). The following winter Pelosi had the field to himself. During the season 1879-80, while he was again playing in the Olympic, his performances suffered competition by a stage instituted by Wil- helm Rieckhoff. Rieckhoff gave performances three times weekly from August 31 till February 27 in the Apollo Theater, which had been remodelled during the course of the preceding summer. At the end of February due to poor attendance he discontinued the weekday performances and played Sundays only from Feb ruary 29 till April 30, 1880, in Pope s Theatre at Ninth and Ohio Streets. These Sunday performances proved more attractive. The character of Rieckhoff s audience compared favorably with that of Pelosi. In fact Pelosi this season discontinued perform ances with the end of December and the allegiance which the public had shown his enterprise was transferred to that of Rieck hoff. A review toward the close of the season summarizes the activitiy of the latter as follows : "Die Rieckhoffsche Gesell- schaft hatte tins wenige vereinzelte Ausnahmen abgerechnet recht gute Vorstellungen geboten und hatte die Lust an deutschen 1 Anzeigcr des Wesicns, June 17, 1877. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 55 Kreisen geweckt, in denen seit lange eine formliche Apathie ge- gen die deutsche Biihne geherrscht hatte; die Besetzung der Rollen war in den meisten Fallen eine gute gewesen, die Auffiih- rungen waren sorgfaltig vorbereitet, die Ausstattung war was die Toiletten der Damen anlangt vorziiglich, mit einem Worte : die Gesellschaft verdient ungeschmalerte Anerkennung fur das Geleistete." 37 The year 1880 did not mark the termination of Pelosi s con nection with the German theatre in St. Louis. The following year he again appeared on the stage and subsequently was again active as director. But his subsequent directorship falls in a period where the German theatre was handicapped by the want of an adequate home. The year 1880 therefore marks the close of the most successful part of Pelosi s career as director. As reference to the repertory for the period will show (see Ap pendix), his stage from a literary standpoint ranked far supe rior to that of his contemporaries. d. 1880-1891. A Period of Varying Fortune. Beginning with the year 1880 the English theatres were commencing to be used on Sunday evenings for English per formances. The nomadic existence which the German stage in consequence of the want of a permanent home was during the next decade therefore constrained to lead, coupled with frequent changes of management, made the fortune of the German stage during this decade a varying one. Rieckhoff again staged Sunday performances in Pope s The atre during the winters of 1 880-81 and 1881-82. The first of these two seasons was again a moderate success. The Anzeiger des We- stens for March 26, 1881, says: "Die diesjahrige Theatersaison, welche Herr Rieckhoff unter den glanzendsten Auspizien eroff- nete, hat zwar nicht alle Erwartungen erfiillt, welche Direktion und Publikum daran kniipften, aber sie hat doch den Beweis ge- liefert, dass ein gutes deutsches Theater in St. Louis nicht nur existenzfahig ist, sondern geradezu als ein Bediirfnis betrachtet Anzeiger des Westens, April 19, 1880. 56 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage werden muss." This season Rieckhoff had had the field to him self. The following season (1881-82), however, he had serious competition by performances instituted by Alexander Wurster with a strong ensemble in the Apollo Theater, which had again been rebuilt, and by a number of visiting companies who offered star attractions. The Wurster ensemble usually performed on Sundays in the Grand Opera House. The Rieckhoff ensemble excelled in the Lnstspiel and the Konversationsstuck; the Wur ster ensemble in Posse and Gesangsstuck. St. Louis had not for several seasons past adequately sup ported one good German theatre. It could not support two. Both the enterprise of Wurster and of Rieckhoff therefore termi nated Abruptly with financial loss to the directors, the former March 16, the latter April 18. Though the season from a financial standpoint had been a failure to both directors, from the standpoint of the standard of attainment reached on the two stages the public had profited by the competition between them. "Die Saison 1881-82 war eine sehr reiche und mannigfache Ab- wechslung bietende. Wie konnte auch eine Theatersaison nicht reich sein, die uns einen Haase, einen Sonntag, eine Geistinger der die minorum gentium, die als Gaste kamen, gar nicht zu ge- denken brachte ? . . . Freilich gingen die beiden Direktoren, die sich bittere Concurrenz machten, dariiber elendiglich zu Grunde und ihre hinterlassenen Truppen mussten sich nicht bios in alle Winde zerstreuen, sondern auf dem nicht sehr ungewohn- lichen Wege der Benefizvorstellung zum Theil ihr Fortkommen von hier, zum Theil ihr Hierbleiben ermoglichen. Aber vom Standpunkte der Kunst betrachtet war die Saison, wie gesagt, eine der besten, die wir noch je zu verzeichnen hatten." 38 During the summer of 1881 St. Louis had no summer the atre. Contemporaneous, however, with the initial weeks of the performances of the rival stages under the direction of Rieck hoff and Wurster, Victor Sarner from September 22 till Novem ber 13, 1 88 1, conducted a Volkstheater in the Tivoli Halle at Fourth and Elm Streets, in which he staged Lustspiel and Posse several times weekly. During the spring of 1882 he conducted 88 Anzeiger des Weslens, April 30, 1882. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 57 such a Volkstheater in the Apollo (March 5 to May 28), and in August of the same year lie made a short-lived attempt to insti tute a similar theatre in Union Park, Ninth Street and Allen Avenue, which notices such as the following were designed to make attractive: "Ferner kann man wahrend der Vorstellung in aller Gemiithlichkeit sein Glas Bier trinken, eine Cigarre dazu rauchen, Sandwich, etc., verzehren, und sich an den auf der Biihne gebotenen Gentissen ergotzen." This was the last summer in which St. Louis enjoyed a Sommertheater. On the seventeenth of September, 1882, the Apollo Theater again became the home of an operette and dramatic ensemble un der the direction of Louis Genee. The plan to pertorm four times weekly abruptly culminated October 8. Although the en semble included first-class talent, including the primadonna Ma ria Konig, it failed to gain the recognition of the public. Alwine Heynold, the soubrette of the organization, thereupon attempted to reorganize the theatre under her direction. The attempt netted less than a dozen performances (October 15 to November 26) ere it failed. Beginning with December 3, Victor and Hugo Sarner assumed charge of the Apollo. They played weekly on Sundays. After several performances they dissolved partnership. Hugo Sarner continued the season till May 20, essaying nothing more pretentious than Posse and Lustspiel which had been staged in St. Louis many times previously. After the fashion of the Yolks- theater the performances were usually followed by a "Tanzkranz- chen." During this season while the Apollo was the home of weekly Sunday performances an attempt was made in the interest of a better ensemble and a more varied repertory to constitute a the atrical circuit of the three cities St. Louis, Milwaukee and Chicago. A paragraph taken from the Anzeiger des West ens for August 3, 1882, outlines the scheme. "Das deutsche Theater in St. Louis wird im kommenden Winter unter Direktor Collmers Leitung stehen, der seit ein paar Jahren die Direktion eines der vielen Milwaukeer Theater ge- fiihrt hat. Die beiden anderen Mitglieder des Direktionstrium- virats, das die Buhnen in St. Louis, Chicago und Milwaukee nach 58 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage dem Co-operationsplan bewirtschaften wird, sind Alexander Wurster und Major Isenstein. Alexander der Grosse hat Mil waukee zum Wirkungskreise erkoren, der Major bleibt bei seinen Laren und Penaten, d. h. in Chicago. Die drei Gesellschaften bil- den faktisch cine; die Mitglieder wurden bald in St. Louis, bald in Chicago oder Milwaukee spielen, wohin immer sie einzeln oder als Ganzes (a la Meiningen) dirigirt werden. Auf diese Weise wird erstlich hier ein moglichst gutes ensemble gesorgt sein, zweitens wird das Repertoire die wiinschenswerte, um nicht zu sagen nothwendige Abwechslung bieten und drittens wird der regelmassige Besucher nicht den ganzen Winter (d. h. vom Oc tober bis zum April) sich an ein und denselben Gesichtern mude sehen mussen. Das ist auch etwas werth." Pope s Theatre was the home of the St. Louis perform ances. The season opened October 8. Performances were given weekly on Sundays. But the scheme failed to work. Disagree ment among the directors early in December led to a dissolution. The St. Louis stage gave its last performance December 3. The following winter the Apollo Theater was not used for German performances. The only German theatre St. Louis could boast of during this season consisted of a series of medi ocre performances held on Sundays, from September 23, 1883, to April 27, 1884, under the joint directorship of Pelosi and Hugo Sarner, occasionally in Pope s Theatre, but more often in one or the other Turnhalle. During the winter of 1884-85 Victor Sarner again assumed charge of the Apollo Theater, making of it a Volkstheater. Per formances were given on Sundays from November 9 to May 10. The following winter Pelosi and Hugo Sarner again conducted the Apollo stage. They gave Sunday performances from Sep tember 20 to May 2. Though nominally this season not a Volks theater, the theatre in fact did not amount to more. During the winter of 1886-87 St. Louis again had no regu larly established German theatre. In September Pelosi instituted German performances in the Apollo. His venture soon ended. October 24, Louis Menschke reopened the same theatre with a series of Sunday performances, which continued till the middle of German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 59 January, whereupon the theatre was again advertised for rent. April 3 it was again formally reopened, this time by Eduard Schmitz as a Volkstheater. Schmitz concluded the season in May after a half dozen Sunday performances. While the Apollo was undergoing diverse changes of man agement, Hugo Sarner from September till April advertised occa sional Sunday performances. But his ensemble had no regular home. It played first in one theatre, then in another. Schmitz continued to conduct Sunday performances in the Apollo during the following four winter seasons (1887-1891 ). He was destined to be the last of the many directors of the German theatre the Apollo had had. The building was once more used as a German theatre during the season 1891-92, but under the name of Sarner s Theatre. Throughout the four winter seasons, while the Apollo was the home of German drama under Schmitz s direction principally Lustspiel and Posse Hugo Sarner with more or less regularity continued to give Sunday performances first on one, then another stage, usually in the Olympic theatre. Much that he presented was good, much mediocre, but at all events his performances mark an improvement over those in the Apollo during this period. IV. 1891-1912. A REVIVAL OF INTEREST. THE GERMANIA THEATER. THE DIREC TORSHIP OF HEINEMAN AND WELB. The season 1890-91, the season which marks the termina tion of Schmitz s directorship in the Apollo Theater, for two rea sons marks the beginning of a new era in the history of the Ger man theatre in St. Louis. The season marks a decided increase in interest in the German theatre, which two years later was to culminate in the establishment of the Germania Theatre, the first attempt to establish a permanent German theatre in St. Louis to net tangible results since the closure of the St. Louis Opernhaus in 1862. And it marks the introduction of the modern German realistic drama on the St. Louis stage. March 30, 1890, Hugo Sarner announced in the columns of 60 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage the Anzeiger des Westens his intention to stage performances in St. Louis twice weekly during the coming winter with an en larged and improved ensemble. May 5 Hermann Riotte in the same paper outlined elaborate plans for a German theatrical sea son under his management. Friends of the theatre realized from past experience that three German theatres including Schmitz s stage in the Apollo would be more than the German theatre going public could support. They therefore persuaded Sarner and Riotte to join forces. Under their joint directorship Sarner and Riotte, October 19, 1890, opened the season with two simul taneous performances, one an opera performance Czaar und Zimmermann in the Grand Opera House, designed to attract the English-speaking as well as German-speaking public, the other a performance of Schonthan s Salonstiick Das Letzte Wort in the Olympic Theatre. The two directors disagreed over the feasibility of continuing German opera in St. Louis and there fore amicably severed partnership October 22. Sarner agreed to withdraw from the field for the rest of the season. Riotte con tinued to produce both opera and drama till December 8. The opera company had included good individual soloists, but the chorus had been poor. The rest of the season, concluding April 5, was devoted to the drama. Performances were usually given four times weekly throughout the season, first in one, then in another theatre, on weekdays usually in the small auditorium of the Exposition Building at Thirteenth and Olive Streets, on Sun days usually in the Olympic Theatre. Attendance was fair. A new reason this season for the first time gained prominence in the columns of the press in argument for the maintenance of the Ger man theatre, namely, the preservation of the German language to the youth of German parentage. "Hier gilt es zu zeigen, dass uns die Muttersprache lieb und werth, dass sie unser hochstes Gut ist ; hier konnen wir beweisen, dass wir Sinn und Verstand- nis haben fur die deutsche Kunst . . . ; hier haben wir auch ein Mittel, bei unsern Kindern, besonders bei denen, die in den Flegel beziehungsweise Backfisch jahren stehen und so gern eng- lisch plappern, die Liebe zur Sprache ihrer Eltern zu wecken." 39 89 Anzeiger des Westens, October 19, 1890. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 61 Under the directorship of Riotte Sudermann and Ibsen were for the first time introduced on the German stage in St. Louis. Sudermann s Die Ehrc was given for the first time on Christmas Day 1890. "Der Eindruck, den das Stiick machte, war geradezu grossartig, unbeschreiblich." Die Ehrc was repeated December 27, January i and February 10. The excellencies of the play, above all the characterization the reviewer praised. But it took several years before the reviewer and the public became recon ciled to the new realistic drama. Commenting upon the fourth performance of Die Ehre the critic wrote : "Allein Die Ehrc ist vor wenigen Wochen mehrmals hinter einander hier aufgefiihrt worden, und es ist anzunehmen, dass jeder Theater freund, der sie sehen wollte, einer dieser Vorstellungen beigewohnt hat. An- dernfalls ist der Inhalt des Stiickes derartig, dass er kein reines Geniessen aufkommen lasst, und sich unter gewohnlichen Um- standen gewiss nur wenige entschliessen konnten, es zweimal an- zusehen." 40 Ibsen s Gespenster was performed for the first time January n, 1891. The critic condemned it in no uncertain terms. "Im Olympic Theater ist gestern Abend Heinrich Ibsen s Charakter- bild Die Gcspcnster iiber die Biihne gegangen. Es ist gegangen und hoffentlich kehrt es niemals wieder, das ist der fromme Wunsch, den wir dieser AufTiihrung nachscicken. Nach unserer vielleicht veralteten Ansicht gehort dieses Stiick des problemati- schen norwegischen Dichters nicht auf die Biihne. Es ist jeder Poesie bar, entbehrt jedes versohnenden und befriedigenden Mo ments, jeder ansprechenden Figur, ist unschon, abgesehen von seiner klaren, knappen, packenden Sprache, und unwahr, weil un- natiirlich. . . . Ibsen mag, wie seine Bewunderer sagen, der Dichter des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts sein, weshalb soil aber das neunzehnte Jahrhundert sich von seinen Gjengangere anliigen und anekeln lassen? Ibsen behauptet, das Leben, die Wahrheit zu schildern. Der Reginen, der Engstrands und auch der Man- ders gibt s im Leben genug, aber ein wirkliches Wesen wie Frau Alving, gibt es zum Gliick nicht. Wer ohne Voreingenommen- Anzeiger des Westens, February n, 1891. 62 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage heit der gestrigen Auffiihrung beigewohnt hat, wircl uns Recht geben, und trotz der vortrefflichen Darstellung war wohl ein jeder froh, als das Stiick zu Ende war." 41 The naturalistic French drama elicited the same type of criti cism. Of Daudet s Die beiden Compagnons the reviewer in the Anzeiger for January 19 wrote: "Das Stiick gehort zu jener be- kannten franzosischen Ehebruchsdramen, mit denen wir uns nicht recht befreunden konnen." Benedix continued to prove more ac ceptable to the audience and to the critic. With reference to Das bemooste Plaupt the latter on February 9, in the Anzeiger wrote : "Das Publikum . . . nahm alles, was zur Vermehrung der Ruhrung beitragen konnte, dankbar und willig an. Jedenfalls ein erfreulicher Beweis dafiir, dass wir im Westen hier Gott sei Dank noch nicht blassirt sind." The winter of 1891-92 again found the theatre under the directorship of Hugo Sarner. Sarner performed weekly in Sar- ner s Theatre, formerly the Apollo, now used for the last season for German theatricals, and occasionally in the Olympic Theatre, the Grand Opera House and the Exposition Building. His reper tory from a literary standpoint marked a retrogression from that of the winter previous. Aside from a performance of Othello, in which Maurice Morrison appeared in the role of a star, the repertory offered nothing beyond oft repeated V olksstilckc , Lust- spiel, and Posse. The Ger mania Theater. Experience had demonstrated that a reputable German the atre could only be possible if it had its own home and was not compelled to journey from Sunday to Sunday from one theatre to another, as had in recent years been the case. For the Eng lish theatres had begun during the past decade to utilize their re spective stages for English drama on Sunday evenings, making it impossible to find a suitable stage for German drama. To the end of establishing a permanent German theatre meetings had been held. July 14, 1891, fourteen prominent Germans finally formed an organization which incorporated as the "German Dra- 41 Anzeiger dcs IVcstens, January 12, 1891. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 63 matic Association." These fourteen stockholders were: S. H. Leathe, William J. Lenip, Chas. G. Stifel, Chas. F. Orthwein, A. Griesediech, Geo. D. Capen, John C. Nulsen, J. H. Conrades, G. Cramer, Ad. Bockeler, A. Moll, H. Duncker, Geo. J. Fritz and William Schreiber. They bought an old Presbyterian Church at Fourteenth Street and Lucas Place, which they had remodelled and termed the Germania Theater. The building equalled in ele gance the former Opernhaus of Bernstein s day. Under the most favorable auspices the theatre was opened on the fourth of September with a large ensemble, under the di rection of Carl Waldemar and Ed. C. Buechel. Its list of sub scribers for the season included the most prominent Germans of the city. Shakespeare s Wintermdrchen was staged at the initial performance. The interest manifested by the public in the new theatre is attested by the controversy which was waged by con tributors to the columns of the press concerning the propriety of the selection of a play in keeping with the occasion. Waldemar therefore felt himself obliged to justify his choice in a communi cation published in the Anseiger for August 21, 1892, in which he says in part: "Ich bin selbst sehr lange mit dern Gedanken umgegangen, das deutsche Theater mit einem Stiicke deutschen Ursprungs zu eroffnen. Hierfiir konnen naturgemass nur Goethe, Schiller oder Lessing in Betracht kommen. Gute Lustspiele haben aber diese unsere Dichter-Heroen, mit Ausnahme viellcicht (?) von Les- sing s Minna von Barnhelm, welches Stuck fur eine Festvorstel- lung indess viel zu einf ach, nicht ; und das neue Biihnenhaus mit einem Drama zu eroffnen, dazu konnte ich mich erst recht nicht entschliessen. Ausserdem kommen bei einer Eroffnungs-Vorstel- lung noch so viele andere Factoren in Betracht, von denen der Laie absolut nichts weiss, nichts wissen kann, mit denen wir in- dessen hochst bedeutsarn zu rechnen haben, dass schon aus sol- chen Griinden unsere Wahl nur zu berechtigt erscheinen muss. Es handelt sich bei der Eroffnung des neuen Theaters zur Haupt- sache auch darum, das gesammte Biihnenpersonal dem Publi- kum im gimstigsten Lichte, d. h. in guten Rollen vorzuftihren. Das ist der Fall im Wintermdrchen. . . . Hier sind ca. 15 64 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage gute Rollen, in denen meine Mitglieder ihre Leistungsfahigkeit bethatigen konnen. Ferner kann ich die grossartigsten Decora- tions-Effekte hier zu Geltung bringen; grosse Massen-Scenen, blendende Costume, wie eine herrliche, zum Winter mar chen ei- gens componirte Musik tragcn weiter das Ihrige zum Gelingen des Ganzen in schonster Weise bei, kurzum, es muss uni jeden Preis mit der Erst-Auffiihrung in jeder Beziehung ein voller Erfolg er- zielt werden und deshalb eben wiihlte ich fiir diese Shakespeare s Wintermdrchen." He then cites Schlegel s estimate of the play and concludes by finding a precedent for his selection in that the new "Wiener Hofburg Theater" was opened under the direction of Dr. August Forster with the same Shakespearian drama. Performances during this season were give four or five times weekly, concluding May 28. In addition to the performances given in St. Louis, the ensemble played fifteen times in Chicago, nine times in Belleville, eight times in Omaha, six times in Kan sas City, and twice in St. Joseph and in Peoria. From a financial standpoint the season ended with a deficit, due largely to a loss of $3000 incurred on the visit of the company to Chicago, where the poor location of the theatre and bad weather combined to keep down the patronage. From a literary standpoint the stage during this season ranked high. Of 121 plays performed during the season 30 pos sessed recognized literary quality. The repertory included two performances each of Goethe s Faust and Shakespeare s Winter mdrchen, and one performance each of Goethe s Egmont, Schil ler s Braut von Messina, Don Carlos, Fiesco, Jungfrau von Or leans, Kabale und Liebe, Maria Stuart, Piccolomini, R dubcr, and Wallenstein s Lager, Lessing s Minna von Barnhehn and Emilie Galotti, Shakespeare s Othello, Romeo und Julie, und Der Wider- spentigen Zdhmung, Gutzkow s Uriel Acosta, Kleist s Kdthchen von Hcilbronn, Laube s Graf Essex, Raimund s Verschwcnder, and Wildenbruch s Quitsoivs. Of the realistic drama Ibsen s Stiitzcn der Gesellschaft and Wildenbruch s Haubenlerche were each presented once, Sudermann s Die Ehre and Die Heimat each twice. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 65 The realistic drama failed, still, to gain the approval of the critic. Judging from the limited number of repetitions such plays received, they were not yet in favor with the public. Alexander Wurster was engaged to direct the theatre for the next three years. With practically a new ensemble he opened the first season September 17, 1893. ^ concluded April 22. The second lasted from September 23 till April 21. He opened the third season September 29, and again, as during the two years previous, he played thrice weekly. He exerted every effort to make the theatre a success. But the time chosen to establish a German theatre in St. Louis, as the sequel of events showed, was inopportune. The first season in the Germania had ended with a deficit. During the first four weeks under Wur- ster s management the income had amounted to no more than one-half the expense of the enterprise. By the middle of the third season under his management Wurster was constrained to give up the directorship. He ascribed the non-success of the theatre primarily to the growing indifference on a large part of the German public toward German performances. In a curtain speech made on the evening of January 19, in which he an nounced his withdrawal from the stage, he said in part : "Es ist hart und bitter fiir meine selbstlosen und edlen Be- strebungen, am Ende meines arbeitsvollen Lebens angelangt, ein- sehen und beklagen zu mussen, dass das Interesse am deutschen Theater immer mehr erkaltet und der Geschmack unserer heran- wachsenden Jugend sich lieber den amerikanischen Schaustellun- gen zuwendet. "Viele der treuesten Anhanger meines Unternehmens hat seit meinem Hiersein der Tod ereilt, andere sind durch irgend welche Beeinflussungen fortgeblieben, wieder andere haben sich vielleicht durch irgend ein unbesonnenes Wort meinerseits belei- digt gefiihlt, andere mussen in ihre Vereinsversammlungen, Clubs und Logen und wieder andere sind zu alt und zu bequem geworden oder spielen Skat und trinken Bier dazu, und neue Freunde und Conner hat das Unternehmen leider nur wenige ge- funden. 66 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage ". . . Ich scheide mit dem Bewusstsein, Alles versacht und getan zu haben, was in meinen Verhaltnissen nur moglich war, um ein Unternehmen am Leben zu haltcn, welches mit Treue und Liebe geleitet und welches ich jetzt mit tiefem Schmerze und Wehmuth in andere Hande iibergeben lassen muss." 42 The fact that St. Louis today still maintains interest in Ger man drama sufficient to support a permanent company would in dicate that much of the financial non-success of the Germania Theatre during these years was due to the financial panic which swept the country in 1893. In order to insure a continuation of the theatrical season a number of friends of the German drama immediately at a meet ing presided over by Dr. Emil Preetorius, organized the Germania Theater Verein. Membership in the association merely implied that the member pledged himself to subscribe to a certain number of performances for the rest of the season. The Verein rented the Germania Theater and engaged the ensemble which had been playing under Wurster, for three months. Oscar Teuscher, a member of the company, was engaged as stage manager. Under this arrangement the season was successfully brought to a con clusion April 24, 1896, whereupon the Theater Verein, having fulfilled its purpose, ceased to be. At the close of the season a new Germania Theater Verein was at once organized, with the purpose of again insuring a Ger man theatre in the Germania for the coming season. May 22, 1896, St. Louis was visited by a devastating tornado which left in its wake damage to property and real estate amounting to more than $10,000,000. The section of the city where those dwelt upon whom the German theatre depended for its patronage was the section most affected by the storm. The owners of the Ger mania Theater, which had not proved a paying financial invest ment, therefore saw no bright prospects for a successful Ger man theatrical season for the ensuing winter. Inasmuch as the 42 Anzeigcr dcs Westens, January 20, 1896. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 67 Theater Verein had made no definite request for the building by the end of June, the owners at that time rented it to a theatrical manager who purposed to use it for English performances. The Germania Theater Verein in a meetting June 29 therefore de cided, inasmuch as it could find no theatre available for German performances, not to institute a German stage under its auspices during the coming season, but to keep its organization intact with a view to again becoming active in the future. During the season of 1896-97 St. Louis was not, however, to be without a German theatre. Richard Stolte, beginning with October II staged plays weekly on Sundays in one of several auditoriums, usually in the New Century Theatre at Ninth and Olive Streets or in the Olympic. But the season was in no sense a success. It marked a decided retrogression. The repertory contained little other than time-worn Volksstiick, Lustspicl and Posse. Ibsen s Nora oder ein Puppenheim was presented once, but not without changing the muchly criticized conclusion of the play, whereby the director won the approval of the press critic, who wrote: "Bei der Leichtigkeit, mit welcher die jungen Leute heutzu- tage, wenn sie kaum die Kinderschuhen entwachsen sind, in die Ehe hinein und sehr haufig auch wieder hinauszuspringen pfle- gen, darf man sich wohl gestehen, dass ernste Betrachtungen tiber den Gegenstand wohl angebracht sind und Ibsen s erschut- terndes Seelengemalde manches gute bewirken kann, ohne dass man alien Ansichten und Folgerungen des Verfassers beizupflich- ten braucht. Direktor Stolte hat, wohl aus Mitleid fiir sein Publikum, den Schluss eigenmachtig abgeandert und Hess durch Vermittlung der Kinder eine Versohnung der Ehegatten anbah- nen. Die star r en Ibsenverehrer werden dariiber wohl die Hande iiber den Kopf zusammenschlagen und iiber Inconsequenz zetern. Wir aber sind der Ansicht, dass Inconsequenz eine sehr mensch- liche Eigenschaf t ist und sogar bei Frauen hier und da vorkommt. Deshalb nehmen wir es Nora nicht libel, wenn sie sich durch den Anblick ihrer Kinder zur Umkehr bewegen lasst, und stehen in 68 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage diesem Falle auf Seiten des menschenfreundlichen Direktors ge- gen den starrkopfigen Dichter." 13 Part of the epilog composed by the journalist E. D. Kargau, for many years a staunch supporter of the German stage in St. Louis, which was spoken by Director Stolte at the concluding performance of the season, March 21, will serve to summarize the season s activities. "Die deutsche Kunst besass nach langer Bitte Ein eignes Heim, das leider sie verier. Nun zieht umher sie nach Nomadensitte, Ein obdachloses Kind, von Thor zu Thor. Der Thespiskarren war stets auf der Reise In ruhelosem Zug bald hier, bald dort. Und kommt zu friih er jetzt aus dem Geleise, So ist s nicht unsre Schuld, glaubt mir s aufs Wort. "Dazu der schwere Druck der schlechten Zeiten, War s doch ein boses Jahr fiir s ganze Land Bei der politischen Parteien Streiten Hat ja die Kunst stets einen schweren Stand. Wo Handel und Gewerbe liegt darnieder Wird selbst ein iipp ger Boden unfruchtbar. Vom Reif getroffen bliiht sobald nicht wieder, Was einst des Gartens schonste Zierde war. "Zum Hemmschuh ward der Kunst bescheidnem HofTen Noch Anderes im letzt verfloss nen Jahr Sie wird sogar vom Wirbelsturm betroffen, Wenn zwar auch nicht direkt, doch mittelbar. Gar mancher, der in friihern Zeiten gerne, So oft gespielt ward, ins Theater kam, Blieb ihm in diesem Winter ganzlich feme, Weil der Tornado ihm sein Alles nahm. Anzciger des West ens, October 18. 1806. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 69 "Und wic sich so die Hindernisse tiirmten Blieb, selbstverstandlich, der Frfolg auch aus; Wenn abends gar noch Schnee und Regen stiirmten, Da spielten oft wir vor halbleerem Haus. Ihr werdet drum es fiir begreiflich halten, Dass die Saison so friih schon kommt zum Schluss Wir weichen gleichsam hoheren Gewalten, Denn zu gehorchen zwingt das harte Muss ." 14 Stolte the following season again attempted a German stage in St. Louis, this time in the former Broadway Theatre, a small theatre on South Broadway, between Market and Walnut Streets. The season opened September 23. An attempt was made to play daily. The enterprise met with little response on the part of the public, therefore abruptly came to a conclusion October 25. After several benefit performances following Stolte s with drawal from the theatre, the building became the home of Eng lish vaudeville. The next two seasons the Germania Theatre was again the home of German drama. The first of these seasons the theatre was under the able stage direction of Georg Heinemann, who gave performances twice weekly from October 2, 1898, till April 1 6, 1899. From an artistic standpoint the season was a success. But financially it ended with a deficit. Though the German DVa- matic Association, the owners of the theatre, made deductions from the amount of rental the contract with Heinemann called for, the latter claimed to have personally lost $800 in the venture, aside from receiving no salary. He therefore refused to resume charge of the Germania Theater the following season. The season in the Germania during the winter of 1899-1900 was made possible by a guarantee fund subscribed to by generous individuals. With the help of this fund Mme. Anna Frandsch- Diel (of Cleveland) agreed to assume charge of the Germania. She opened the season October I and performed two and three times weekly till April I. The season was only a moderate suc- 44 Anzeiger dcs Westens, March 22, 1807. yo German Drama on the St, Louis Stage cess. The ensemble for the season was limited. Mme. Frandsch could not therefore stage serious drama nor carry out her avowed intention to introduce modern plays. Aside from one perform ance each of Schiller s Maria Stuart, Fulda s Die Sklavin and Die wilde Jagd, and Wilbrandt s Die Tochter des Herrn Fabricius, her stage offered nothing of literary importance. The Germania Theater for the following two years was again the home of an English stage. While Mme. Frandsch was staging German drama in the Germania, Heinemann regularly conducted performances with a separate ensemble in the Olympic Theatre on Sundays from October 8 till April 22. The season was from the standpoint of attainment a success. The Westliche Post for April 23, 1900, summarizes it in the following eulogistic terms: "Summa cum laude! Mit diesem.in der gestrigen Schluss- auffuhrung der Heinemannschen Theatergesellschaft im Olym pic so oft gebrauchten Ausdrucke mochten wir die letzte Saisori charakterisiren d. h. nur so weit die Leistungen auf der Biihne in Betracht kommen. Wohl hat die Direktion in der Auswahl der aufzufiihrenden Stiicke gelegentlich einen Missgriff gemacht, doch lasst sich daraus kaum ein Vorwurf fur sie schmieden. . . . Die aufzufiihrenden Stiicke waren durchweg gut einstudirt,- hiibsch inszenirt und gingen flott iiber die Bretter. Das Ensemble war stets tadellos und die Hauptkrafte derselben lieferten tins Lei stungen, die weit iiber das Durchschnittsmass hinausgingen und den Theaterbesuchern noch lange eine angenehme Erinnerung bil- den werden. Leider kann dem deutschen Publikum nicht das- selbe gute Zeugniss ausgestellt werden. Es waren fast Sonntag fur Sonntag die alten Gesichter zu sehen, und manche Vorstel- lung, besonders in den letzten Wochen, war sehr diirftig be- sucht. Unter diesen Umstanden ist es, was Direktion und Kiinstler betrifft, doppelt anerkennenswert, dass die Saison, wel- che in finanzieller Beziehung kein glanzender Erfolg war, iiber- haupt durchgefiihrt wurde." The following season (October 7, 1900, till April 21, 1901 ) Heinemann staged Sunday performances in the Olympic, this German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 71 time under joint direction with Ferdinand Welb, who had for years been director of the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. Before the opening of the season the Theater Verein was again brought to life. Its members paid but a small monthly due, for which they received the privilege of reduction in price of admission to the theatre on condition that they buy a certain number of tickets per month. This Theater Verein continues to exist today. It has since its organization been an important factor in the support of the German theatre in St. Louis. Its purpose is not only to help the German theatre, but also to provide for its members social gatherings of one sort or another from time to time, in cluding the summer months, when these social features have fre quently assumed the nature of picnics and boat excursions. During the season of 1901-1902 and 1902-1903 Heinemann and Welb played twice weekly in the Germania Theater, and as during the season 1900-1901, once weekly in Belleville. The end of the season 1902-1903 marked the termination of the Germania Theater. The building had not been a financial success as a Ger man theatre; its owners therefore disposed of it. It has since that time been the home of an English stage. Under the name of the Gayety Theatre it is at the present time the home of Eng lish vaudeville. The German drama therefore had to seek a new home. Be ginning with the season 1903-1904 the Odeon, an auditorium seating two thousand, centrally located at Grand and Finney Avenues, became the home of German drama. With the excep tion of the season 1904-1905, when Heinemann and Welb utilized the Olympic Theatre on Sunday evenings for their stage, the Odeon continued to be the regular home of the German drama till the opening in 1913 of the present Victoria Theater. The joint directorship of Heineman and Welb of the Ger man stage in St. Louis continued till Heinemann s death, Febru ary 2, 1908. Welb, who had been stage manager while Heine mann assumed charge of the business phases of the directorship, then continued as sole director till his death, October 2, 1910. Mine. Welb assumed charge of the theatre after her husband s de- J2 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage mise and under her directorship brought the season of 1910-1911 to a conclusion. Since 1911 Hans Loebel, the present director of the Victoria Theater, has been in charge of the German stage in St. Louis. The history of the German stage under the directorship of Heinemann and Welb after the termination of the Germania Theater and during the seasons of 1910-11 and 1911-12 was one of even tenor. Performances were given regularly on Sunday evenings from October till April or May. Attendance was fair. The season of 1905-1906 ended with a small deficit. But usually the theatre was a financial success without the aid of subsidy or guarantee. In several instances it became necessary to forestall an impending deficit by exhortation to better attendance in the col umns of the press and in speeches before the curtain in the the atre. In such instances the public responded promptly. Through out these years an unusually cordial relation existed between the directorship and the members of the ensemble and the public, as reflected in press comment from time to time. The press always granted liberal space to a review of the plays which, as far as the dramatic presentation was concerned, \vere almost universally complimentary, though it took several years after the introduc tion of the realistic drama before the reviewer began to comment upon them in a conciliatory tone. V. 1911-1914. THE PRESENT DIRECTORSHIP. THE VICTORIA THEATER. When the Germania Theater was permanently closed to the German drama in 1903, those most interested in the continuance of the German stage at once began to formulate plans for the building of a new theatre. The plans slowly materialized. In the course of time the Deutscher Theaterbau-Gesellschaft was or ganized. In order to interest as many Germans as possible in the theatre it was planned not to allow a few men to build and own the new theatre and therefore to control its destiny, but to issue stock at ten dollars per share to as many individuals as possible. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 73 Initially the capital stock of the Theaterbau-Gesellschaft was fixed at $75,000. On the first of April, 1907, one-half of this total was called in. Immediately a building site was purchased on which to erect the proposed theatre. But it soon became mani fest that a larger capital stock would be needed in order to insure a theatre of any consequence. The venture then dragged until the spring of 1912, when the directorate of the building associa tion again brought the project before the public. The association voted to increase its capital stock and commenced building operations at once. The building, located on the north side of Delmar Boulevard, west of Grand Avenue, was completed at a cost of about $150,000, owned by between 500 and 600 stockholders. At the time the building was opened the Board of Directors was made up of the following men of promi nence: Leo Rassieur, President; Edward Westen, Vice-Presi- dent; J. A. Valentin Schmidt, Secretary; Henry Heil, Treas urer; Edward L. Preetorius, John R. Payten, Hans Loebel, Frank W. Feuerbacher, Jacob D. Goldman, Hans Hackel, Frank Tombridge, Fred Widman and Henry Walk. The new theatre the Victoria Theatre was formally opened March i, 1913, under the artistic directorship of Hans Loebel, who had opened the season October 6, 1912, in the Odeon, where, as pointed out above, he had also directed the German stage in 1911-1912. At this opening performance Goethe s Faust was given. Mile. Kate Herbst, leading lady of the Papst Theater in Milwaukee, and C. G. Ackermann, of the Deutsches Theater in New York, appeared in the roles of Gretchen and Mephistopheles, respectively, assisted in the other parts by mem bers of the local stock company. The Victoria Theater under Loebel s direction has been an artistic success. The season 1912-1913, concluding April 24, ended with a small deficit. The season 1913-1914 (October 5 till May 10) ended with a deficit of approximately $12,000. These deficits were readily made up by subscription among the more enthusiastic supporters of the German stage. As the defi cits indicate, the German theatre does not receive support from 74 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage the German element at large in St. Louis in the measure it de serves. But the relative smallness of the deficits, compared with those of New Work, Milwaukee, and other places, speaks well for the extent of interest in the German drama that still does exist in the city. At present German performances continue to be given in the Victoria Theatre once weekly on Sunday evenings throughout the season from October till May. In addition to these performances a half dozen mid-week performances have for several seasons past been given in other auditoriums under the auspices of the "Kunstbienen," an organization of German women interested in the furtherance of German art and culture. These mid-week performances have been devoted principally to the modern realistic drama. 45 45 For the repertory of the German stage under Hans Loebel s director ship, see Appendix. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 75 APPENDIX. STATISTICAL SURVEY OF THE SEVERAL STAGES. For comparative purposes the statistical survey of the sev eral stages for the various periods in the history of the German drama on the St. Louis stage is arranged in tabulated form. Un der Table A I, A II, etc., are recorded the relative number of authenticated performances for different types of plays and the percentage of plays of a given type performed on a particular stage compared to the total number of plays performed on that stage. In order to indicate the relative literary value of the sev eral stages the plays of the authors who receive recognition in the annals of German literary history are tabulated separately in Table B I, B II, etc. I. 1842-1859. THE BEGINNINGS. In the instance of the Volkstheater a number of stages during the period in the history of the German drama on the St. Louis stage ending with the establishment of the St. Louis Opernhaus at times announced performances without giving the title of plays to be staged. Moreover, as protests in the news paper columns indicate, in some instances titles of plays were changed ad libitum, making it impossible, inasmuch as the casts of characters were not printed, to identify such plays. In sev eral instances extant records present slight gaps (cf. Preface} and therefore do not permit reconstruction of the repertory of the contemporary theatres with completeness. Statistical in formation contained in the tables for this period is therefore based upon repertories which are representative, but cannot rep resent scientific accuracy. TABLE A I. Abbreviations: LT all Liebhabertheater antedating the Philodramatische Gesellschaft (-Ph). TH Turnhalle 1857- 1859. B Benrodt-Botzow. W Hermann- Wolff. Kl Kliin- der, including performances by his company after he resigned 7 6 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage management. R Ruedi s Volksgarten, including performances November 21, 1860, to March 31, 1861. St St. Louis Stadt- theater. Fl Flora Garten. Ap Apollo Garten. VT all Volkstheater performances, except R, St, Fl, Ap. Av average percentage for all plays recorded for the period of the begin nings. In this and subsequent tables figures in left-hand col umns indicate number of performances, those in right-hand col umn percentages. Trauerspiel Schauspiel, Drama . . . Volksstuck, Charakter- gemalde, etc. . . . Lustspiel Posse, Schwank, etc.. Singspiel, Vaude ville, etc Operette Total 170: Trauerspiel Schauspiel, Drama . . Volksstuck, Charakter gemalde, etc Lustspiel 137 Posse, Schwank, etc. Singspiel, Vaude ville, etc Operette Total LT Ph TH B W Kl. 23:14 i :oi i :oi 3 :O4 2:03 I :oi 43:25+ 4:07 + 7:12 17:23 22:28 19:21 9:05+ 4:07+ 4:07 8:11 10:13 12:13 + 59 :35 27:50 22 :37 21:28 15:19 17:18+ 24:14+ 15:28 18:30 23 :24 19 :24+ 36:39+ 1 1 :o7 2 :o4 8:13+ 3:04 9:11 + 6:07- i :oi i :oi o: o o: o 2:03 i :oi [70: 54: 60: 75: 79: 92: R St Fl Ap VT Total Av. 2:01 o: o 4:02+ 2:02+ i :oi 40 :o3 56:16 13:13 27 : 14 15:16+ 27:10+ 250 :02 53:i5 4:04 19:10 J 3 :*4 26:10 162:10+ ^37 :38+ 34 :34 76:38+ 14:15+ 90:34+ 430:28 86:24+ 37 :37 68:34+ 44:47 + 102:42+ 554:04- 22 :o6+ 6:06 5 *^3 5:05 + 15:06 92:06 i :oi 7 :07 o: o o: o 3:01 + 16:01 557: 101 : 199: 93: 264: 1544: TABLE B I. (Abbreviations as in Table A I. Figures indicate number of times performed.) GOETHE: Clavigo LTi, Faust Bi, Sti, Fli. SCHILLER: Kabale und Liebe LT4, TH2, Bi, Ri, Fli, Maria Stuart LTi, Die Rauber LT5, Wi, KLa, R2, VTi, Wallensteins Lager Wi, Wallensteins Tod LT3, Wilhelm Tell LT4, B2, Wi, Kli, R$. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 77 LESSING: Minna von Barnhelm * i. SHAKESPEARE: Hamlet LTi, Ri, Der Kaufmann von Vencdig LT5, Wi, Macbeth LT5, Othello LT3, Romeo und Julie Ri, Der Widerspenstigen Zah- mung** LTi, Ph2, TH2, Bi, R4, St2, Fl4, VT2. GRILLPARZER: Die Ahnfrau LT2, Kl2. GUTZKOW : Das Urbild der Tartiiffe THi, Uriel Acosta Bi, Wi, Fb, Api, VTi, Zopf und Schwert Api. KOERNER: Die Braut VTi, Hedwig, die Banditenbraut LT2, 63, St3, Fl2, VT3, Das Katchen von Heilbron LTi, Bi, R2, Sti, Fli, Kriegers Heimkehr R3, Der Nachtwachter LTi, THi, Bi, Ri, VTi, Toni LTi, Ri, Zriny LT2, Wi. LAUBE: Graf Essex Api, Die Karlsschiiler Api, VT2, Prinz Friedrich Api. RAIMUND: Der Alpenkonig und der Menschenfeind W"3, Kli, R3, Der Bauer als Millionar Ap2, Der Verschvvender Ph3, W2, Kli, Sti, Fh, A P 2. II. 1859-1861. THE ST. LOUIS OPERNHAUS. Extant records for the performances from April 21 to Oc tober 19, 1860, are incomplete (cf. Preface). The reconstructed repertory for the Opernhaus is, however, practically complete, for fifteen of the theatrical performances for the period between April 21 and October 19 are accounted for, and it was during this period that the performances of the Colson and the New Orleans opera companies, of the Siegrist-Zamfretta corps de ballet and of the concert company of Anna Bishop alternated with the German theatrical performances. *Lessing s Minna von Barnhelm was performed on February 18, 1857, at a "klassischer Buhnen-Abend," arranged by Bornstein to celebrate the organ ization of the "Detttsches Institut fur Wissenschaft, Kunst und Gewerbe." The program, carried out by an ensemble made up of the best talent on Wolff s stage and former members of the Philodramatische Gesellschaft, was made up of the Overture to Weber s Freischiitz, a prologue composed and spoken by Bornstein, Beethoven s Overture to Egmtmt, a scene from Egmont, the Overture to Mozart s Zauberflote, a scene from Kabale und Liebe, We ber s Overture to Oberon, and Minna von Barnhelm. **Usually given in Holbein s version, Die bezahmte Widerspenstige. 78 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage TABLE A II. Trauerspiel 36 :i i + Schauspiel, Drama 54 :2O+ Volksstiick, Charaktergemalde, etc 36:13+ Lustspiel 37 114 Posse, Schwank, etc.* 100:37+ Singspiel, Vaudeville, etc 6 :02 + Total 269 : TABLE B II. GOETHE: Egmont i, Faust 4, Gotz i. SCHILLER: Don Karlos 2, Fiesco 2, Jungfrau von Orleans i, Kabale und Liebe 3, Maria Stuart 2, Die Rauber 2, Wallensteins Tod 4, Wilhelm Tell i. SHAKESPEARE: Hamlet 3, Kaufmann von Venedig i, Lear i, Macbeth i, Othello 2, Romeo und Julie i. GUTZKOW : Das Urbild der Tartiiffe i. LAUBE: Graf Essex i, Die Karls- schiiler i, Montrose, der schwarge Markgraf 3, Prinz Friedrich i. RAIMUND: Der Barometermacher 24, Der Verschwender 2. III. 1861-1891. A. 1861-1867. ^ New Era Begins. The Directorship of Wilhelm Koser. B. 1867-1870. An Uneventful Period of Decline. TABLE A III AB. Abbreviations: A Pfeiffer directorship May 18 to Octo ber 21, 1862; B Rosinski-Follger-Bottner directorship June i to August 24, 1862; C Koser directorship 1862-1867; D Lew- en s directorship May 21 to September 24, 1865; E Follger di rectorship May 3 to August 17, 1866; F the Apollo stage 1867-1870. *Including 24 performances of Raimund s Barometermacher, and 17 per formances of Der Zauberschleier, adapted from Scribe by Told. German Drama on the St, Louis Stage 79 A B C D E F Trauerspiel 0:0 0:0 46:05 3:02+ 4:04 27:03 Schauspiel, Drama ... 22:214- 1:03 184:19+ 29:21 15:13 107:11 Volksstiick, Charakter- gemalde, etc 5:05 4:11145:15+ 16:11 24:21145:14+ Lustspiel 49:47+ 10:26+ 236:25 47:31+ 28:24 224:22 + Posse, Schwank, etc.. 28:27 23:61 232:25 41:28 27:23+ 316:31 + Singspiel, etc 0:0 0:0 55 :oo 12:08+ 10:09 84:08+ Oper, Operette 0:0 0:0 47:05 o: o 9:08 115:11 + Total 104: 38: 945: 148: 117: 1018: C. 1870-1880. Opera on the Apollo Stage 1870-1875. The Pelosi Directorship 1871-1880. D. 1880-1801. A Period of Varying Fortune. TABLE A III CD. Abbreviations: G the Apollo stage, summer 1870 to June 22, 1875, exclusive of the winter season 1870-1871, during which Pelosi had charge of the Apollo stage; H the Pelosi director ship 1871-1880; I German performances in De Bar s Opera House 1876-1877; J performances under Wurster s director ship 1876-1878; K the Rieckhoff directorship 1879-1882; L Wurster s directorship 1881-1882; M Pelosi-Sarner director ship 1883-1884; N the Apollo under Schmitz 1887-1891; X all performances for the period 1861-1891 not included under the above headings; T total number of performances; Av average percentage for all plays recorded for the period 1861- 1891. G H I J K L Trauerspiel 10 :oi 12 :o3+ i :O2 3 104+ 5 :03 o : o Schauspiel, Drama .. 78:08+ 59:i5 + 6:12 8:11+ 15:08 7:13 Volksstiick, Charakter- gemalde, etc 150:17 69:18+ 17:33+ 20:28+ 32:17 12:22 Lustspiel 107:11+ 97:25+ 9:1820:28+ 61:32+ 21:36+ Posse, Schwank, etc.. 131:14 138:36+ 7:13+ 19:27 49:26 12:22 Singspiel, etc 37:04 I :oi 7:13+ 1:01+ 10:05+ 0:0 Oper, Operette 431 47+ 5:oi+ 4:08 0:0 18:09+ 3:05 + Total . ..944: 38i: 5i: 7i: 100: 55: 8o German Drama on the St. Louis Stage M N X T Av. Trauerspiel 3 : 10+ I :oi 9 :o2 124 103 Schauspiel, Drama 1:03+ 32:17+ 46:10 610:13 Volksstiick, Charaktergemalde, etc 3:10+ 47:26 88:18+ 777:16+ Lustspiel 8 :28 14 :o8 1 10 123 1041 :22 Posse, Schwank, etc 14:48+ 72:39+ 189:39+ 1298:27+ Singspiel, etc 0:0 2:01+ 16:03+ 235:05 Oper, Operette 0:0 15:08+ 21:04 668:14+ Total 29: 183: 479: 4753: TABLE B III. (Abbreviations as in Table A III, a, b, c, d.) GOETHE: Clavigo F2, Egmont Fi, 63, Hi, Faust 4, Ei, Fi, Ji, Iphigenie X2. SCHILLER: Die Braut von Messina 5, Fi, Hi, Don Carlos Ci, Fi, Ki, Fiesco Ci, Di, Jungfrau von Orleans 5, Fi, Hi, Ki, Mi, Kabale und Liebe C2, Fi, G2, Ji, Xi, Maria Stuart 3, Ei, F2, Hi, Ki, Mi, Die Rauber CQ, Di, F 3 , Gi, H 3 , Ki, Ni, Xi, Wallensteins Lager C2, F2, Hi, Wal- lensteins Tod Ci, Wilhelm Tell 4, F2, H4, Ni, Xi. Gozzi (SCHILLER) : Turandot F2. LESSING: Emilia Galotti Di, Na than der Weise Ci, Li, Xi. SHAKESPEARE: Hamlet 4, I ? 5, Hi, Ki, Kaufmann von Venedig 03, Gi, X3, Die Komodie von Irrungen Ni, Die lustige Weiber von Windsor Di, Macbeth Fi, Othello Ci, F3, Gi, Ji, Xi, Richard III Ci, Romeo und Julie Ci, Di, Fi, Ein Sommernachtstraum Fi, Der Wider spenstigen Zahmung Ci, F3, Hi, Li, Ki, Ein Wintermarchen 5. AN- ZENGRUBER: Der Herrgottschnitzer von Ammergau N2, Herz und Hand J2, Der Meineidbauer G6, Ki, Ni, Der Pfarrer von Kirchfeld G3, Ni. FREYTAG: Graf Waldemar Ki, Die Journa- listen Fi, Hi, Ki, Die Valentine Ci, Ki. GEIBEL: Brunhild Xi. GRILLPARZER: Medea C2, H2, Mi. GUTZKOW: Der drei- zehnte November Ci, Der Konigsleutnant C2, 2, F2, Li, K2, Richard Savage Di, Das Urbild des Tartiifre 03, Ki, Uriel Acosta C6, Gi, Ii, Ni, Zopf und Schwerdt C2, Ei, Gi, Hi, Ki. HEBBEL: Genoveva C3, F2, Gi, N2. KLEIST: Das Katchen von Heilbronn 3, F2, G3, Hi, Ki, N3. LAUBE: Bose Zungen F4. H4, Graf Essex 3, Di, Ei, F2, H2, Die Karlschiiler Ai, C5, H3, Xi, Montrose Xi, Prinz Friedrich G3. RAIMUND: Der German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 8 1 Alpenkonig 3, Fi, Der Barometermacher G?, Der Bauer ah Millionar C$, Fi, Der Verschwender 4, D2, Ei, F<4, 64, Ii, Xi. IV. 1891-1911. A REVIVAL OF INTEREST. THE GERMANIA THEATER. THE DIREC TORSHIP OF HEINEMANN AND WELB. TABLE A IV. Abbreviations : A the German stage under the director ship of Sarner and Riotte 1890-1891; B under Sarner 1891- 1892; C the Germania Theater under Waldemar and Buechel 1892-1893; D the Germania under Wurster 1893-1896; E the stage under Stolte 1896-1898; F the Germania under Mme. Frandsch 1899-1900; G the directorship of Heinemann and Welb 1898-1911. T total number of plays staged during the period 1891-1911 ; Av average percentage for all plays recorded for this period. ABC D Trauerspiel I :oi 1 103 13:11 10 104 Schauspiel, Drama 19 124 0:0 34 128+ 67 :24+ Volksstikk, Charaktergemalde, etc 9:11+ 5:14 9:07 42:15 + Lustspiel 24:30 8:22+ 40:33+ 65:23 + Posse, Schwank, etc 13 :i6+ 22 :6i + 24 :20 91 .-33 Singspiel, etc 3 -04 0:0 0:0 0:0 Operette 11:14 0:0 I :oi 3:01 + Total 80: 36: 121 : 278: E F G T Av Trauerspiel 4:06 i :oi 18:03+ 48:04 Schauspiel, Drama 6 :o8 10 :i8 129 122+ 265 :22 Volksstiick, Charaktergemalde, etc 19:27 13:23+ 104:18 201:16+ Lustspiel 16:23 ii :2o 147:25+ 3^ :25 + Posse, Schwank, etc 17 :24 20:36 164 :2g 351 :2Q Singspiel, etc 0:0 0:0 3 :oi 6 :oi Operette 9:13 i :oi 18:03+ 43:04 Total . . 71: 56: 583: 1225: 82 German Drama on the St. Louis Stage TABLE B IV. (Abbreviations as in Table A IV.) GOETHE: Egmont Ci, Faust C2, Di. SCHILLER: Die Braut von Messina Ci, Gi, Don Carlos Ci, Gi, Fiesco Ci, Gi, Jungfrau von Orleans Ci, Di, Gi, Kabale und Liebe Ai, Ci, Di, G3, Maria Stuart Ci, Di, Fi, G4, Piccolomini Ci, Die Rau- ber Ai, Ci, Di, G3, Wallensteins Lager Ci, Wallensteins Tod Di, Gi, Wilhelm Tell A4, Di, G4. LESSING : Emilie Galotti Ci, Di, Gi, Minna von Barnhelm Ci, Di, G2. SHAKESPEARE: Hamlet Di, Gi, Kaufmann von Venedig Di, Die lustigen Wei- ber von Windsor Gi, Othello Bi, Ci, Di, 4, Gi, Richard III Di, Romeo und Julie Ci, Der Widerspenstigen Zahmung Ci, D2, Gi, Ein Wintermarchen 2. ANZENGRUBER: Heimgefun- den (Weihnachtsstiick) G3, Meineidbauer Di, Gi, Der Pfarrer von Kirchfeld Ei, G2, Das vierte Gebot Gi. BJOERNSEN: Ein Fallissement G2. FREYTAG : Graf Waldemar Gi, Die Journalisteri A2. FULDA : Jugendfreunde G2, Die Sklavin Di, Fi, Der Talis man G2, Unter vier Augen Di, Das verlorene Paradies 05, G3, Die wilde Jagd Di, Fi, G2. GEIBEL: Meister Andrea Gi. GUTZKOW: Das Urbild der Tartiiffe G2, Uriel Acosta Ci, Di, G2, Zopf und Schwerdt Di. GRILLPARZER: Des Meeres und der Liebe Wellen Di. HAUPTMANN : Der Biber- pelz Gi, College Crampton Di, Die Weber Gi. HEBBEL: Maria Magdalena Gi. IBSEN: Gespenster Ai, Gi, Ein Pup- penheim Ei, Stiitzen der Gesellschaft Ci, Gi. KLEIST: Das Katchen von Heilbronn Ci, G2. LAUBE: Bose Zungen Di, Graf Essex Ci, Di, Gi, Die Karlsschiiler AJ, Di, Ei, G2. RAIMUND: Der Verschwender Ci, Ei, G3- Su- DERMANN: Die Ehre A3, C2, GS, Es lebe das Leben G2, Das Gliick im Winkel G2, Die Heimat C2, D2, G4, Johannisfeuer G4, Die Schmetterlingsschlacht Di, Gi, Sodoms Ende D2, Fi, Gi, Stein und Steinen Gi. WILBRANDT: Die Tochter des Herrn Fabricius D2, Fi. WILDE: Salome Gi. WILDENBRUCH : Die Haubenlerche Ci, G2, Der Menonit Di, Die Quitzows Ci, Die Rabensteinerin Gi, Vater und Sohn, oder Aus Deutschlands schwerer Zeit (Vaterlandisches Schauspiel) Gi. German Drama on the St. Louis Stage 83 V. 1911-1914. THE PRESENT DIRECTORSHIP. THE VICTORIA THEATER. TABLE A V.* Trauerspiel 3 103 Schauspiel, Drama 17:17 Volksstiick, Charaktergemalde, etc 16:16 Lustspiel 19:19 Posse, Schwank, etc 27 :26+ Singspiel i :oi Operette 19 :i9 Total 102: TABLE B V. GOETHE: Faust i, Iphigenie i. SCHILLER: Maria Stuart i, Wilhelm Tell i. IBSEN: Der Volksfeind i. SCHOENHERR: Glaube und Heimat i. SUDERMANN: Die Heimat i, Der gute Ruf i. *These tables do not include plays given under the auspices of the "Kunstbienen." AMERICANA GERMANICA MONOGRAPH SERIES. 1. Translations of German Poetry in American Magazines, llltl-1810. By Edward Ziegler Davis, Ph. D. 234 pp. Price .................................. $1.65 2. The Harmony Society. A Chapter in German American Culture History By John Archibald Bole, Ph. D. 179 pp. 30 Illustrations. Price ....... $1.50 3. Friedrich Schiller in America. A Contribution to the Literature of the Poet s Centenary, 1905. By Ellwood Comly Parry, Ph. D. 117 pp. Price ...... $1.25 4. The Influence of Salomon Gessner upon English Literature. By Bertha Reed. 119 pp. Price ....................................................... $1.25 5. The German Siettlement Society of Philadelphia and Its Colony, Hermann, Missouri. By William G. Bek. 193 pp. Price ......................... $1.50 6. Philipp Waldeck s Diary of the American Revolution. With Introduction and Photographic Reproductions. By M. D. Learned. 168 pp. Price. . . . $1.50 7. Schwcnkfelder Hymnology and the Sources of the First Schwenkf elder Hymn- Book Printed in America. With Photographic Reproductions. By Allen Anders Seipt, Ph. D. 112 pp. Price ............... . . .- ............... $2.00 8. The Settlement of the German Coast of Louisiana and the Creoles of Ger man Descent. By J. Hanno Deiler. With Illustrations. 136 pp. Price.. $1.25 9. Early German Music in Philadelphia. By R. R. Drummond, Ph. D. 112 pp. Price ........................................................... $1.25 10 "Uncle Tom s Cabin" in Germany. By Grace Edith MacLean Ph. D. 102 pp. Price .......................................................... $1.50 11. The Germans in Texas. A Study in Immigration. By Gilbert Giddingrs Ben- .iamin. Ph. D. 161 pp. 3 Illustrations. Price ......................... $1.50 12. The American Ethnographical Survey. Conestoga Expedition. M. D. Learned, Director. Price .......... . . ................................ $2.00 13. Swedish Settlements on the Delaware, 1638-166. ,. With 6 Maps and 150 Illus trations and Photographic Reproductions. By Amandus Johnson, Ph. D. Two volumes. 908 pp. Price ........................................ $10.00 14. National Unity in the German Novel Before ISTO. By Roy H. Perring, Ph. D 75 pp. Price ..... : ................................................. . $1.25 15. Journal of Du Roi the Elder, Lieutenant and Adjutant in the Service of the Duke of Brunswick, 1776-1778. Translated by Charlotte S. J. Epping 189 pp. Price ....................................................... $1.50 16. The Life and Works of Friedrich Armand Strubberg. By Preston A. Barba, Ph. D. 151 pp. 4 Illustrations. Price ............................... $2.00 17. Baldwin Mollhausen, the German Cooper. By Preston A. Barba, Ph. D. 188 pp. 4 Illustrations. Price ................... ......................... $2.00 18. Beliefs and Superstitions of the Pennsylvania Germans. By Edwin M Fogel Ph. D. 386 pp. Price ............................................... $3.50 19. Dickens Einfluss auf Ungern-Sternberg, Hesslein, Stolle Raabc und Ebncr- Eschenbach. By J. Theodor Geissendoerfer, Ph. D. 51 pp. Price ....... $1.00 20. Whitticr s Relation to German Life and Thought. By lola Kay Eastburn Ph. D. 161 pp. Price .............................................. . $2.00 21. Benjamin Franklin and Germany. By Beatrice Marguerite Victory Ph D 180 pp. Price .............................................. . .... ... $2.00 22. Die < Deutschamerikanische Patriotische Lyrik der Achtundvierziger und Ihre Histonsche Grundlage. By Gottlieb Betz, Ph. D. 131pp. Price. ....... $1.50 23. Heine in America. By H. B. Sachs, Ph. D. 193 pp. Price $> 00 24. Socialism { \^ e an American Literature. By William Frederic Kam man, 25. Robert Reitzcl. By Adolf E. Zucker, Ph. D 74 pp Price ; - F. Haussmann, Ph. D. Price ung s Conjectures on Original Max Stemke. 125 pp. Price 29. The Syntax of Brant s Narrenschiff. By Henry Dexter Learned Ph D . , 28. Young s Conjectures on Original Composition in England and America By Max Stemke. 125 pp. Price ................................ . .\ _ _ [ $1 50 ............ $1.50 30. The Approach of Academic to Spoken Style in German. A Study in Popular Scientific Prose from 1850 to 1914. By Charles Fischer Sladen Ph D 45 pp. Price ............................................... ! .... ... $1.25 31. The German Drama in English on the New York Stage to 1830. By Louis Charles Baker, A. M., Ph. D. 168 pp. Price ................... ..... $1.5 32. The German Drama on the St. Louis Stage. By Alfred Henry Nolle Ph D 85 pp. Price .................................................... . . ." $i. 50 AMERICANA GERMANICA MONOGRAPHS DEVOTED TO THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE Literary, Linguistic and Other Cultural Relations of Germany and America EDITOR MARION DEXTER LEARNED University of Pennsylvania CONTRIBUTING EDITORS H. C. G. BRANDT J. T. HATFIELD W. H. CARRUTH W. T. HEWETT HERMANN COLLITZ A. R. HOHLFELD STARR W. CUTTING HUGO K. SCHILLING DANIEL K. DODGE H. SCHMIDT-WARTENBERG A. B. FAUST HERMANN SCHOENFELD KUNO FRANCKE CALVIN THOMAS ADOLPH GERBER H. S. WHITE JULIUS GOEBEL HENRY WOOD PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA NEW YORK D. APPLETON & COMPANY PUBLISHING AGENTS DAY AND TO $100 ON Tl f NTHEFOURT H OVERDUE. N THE SEVENTH DAY RETURN CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT TO ^ 202 Main Library LOAN PERIOD 1 HOME USE 2 3 4 5 6 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS Renewals and Recharges may be made 4 days prior to the due date. Books may be Renewed by calling 642-3405. DUE AS STAMPED BELOW RECEIVED BY MAR 3 1989 ORfeUUvflON 06>T UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY 381615 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY YD 03807