Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: Turkey

"The Divine Odalisque, Omene! Original Turkish dancer. Bijou Theatre, week August 27." A small ticket (or perhaps just part of an advertising card on heavier paper stock) for a performance by Omene the Divine Odalisque, an "original Turkish dancer," who appeared at an otherwise unidentified Bijou Theatre during the week of August 27 in an unknown year (see below, however, for a newspaper article that may reveal the location of the theater and the year Omene was there). The Odalisque When I first purchased this ticket a few years ago, I looked up the definition of " odalisque ," which Wikipedia describes as "a concubine in a Turkish harem." A writer discussing Omene in 1891, however, chose to provide a more oblique explanation of odalisque for newspaper readers: "You don't know what an odalisque is? Well, I might have expected it, but it is very embarrassing, nevertheless. It places me in a most awkward predicament. My duty, however, shall be done. I will tell you as mildly and gracefully as I can. An odalisque is a Turkish harem beauty, who wears very unconventional clothes and beatific smiles--with more of the latter than the former." (Alan Dale, " Askin and the Odalisque ," Evening World [New York], June 23, 1891, p. 3.) The Belly Dancer Although the meaning of odalisque was easy to track down, it was only recently that I was able to uncover much information regarding Omene herself. Rebekah Burgess Abramovich, who authored an article that appeared on a Metropolitan Museum of Art blog, summarizes the dancer's career this way: "Now entirely forgotten in the history of dance and entertainment, Omene achieved an incredible level of celebrity in the national press of the 1890s as an early practitioner of belly dancing on the American stage. She was best known, however, for inciting scandal." ( Forgotten Scandal: Omene, the Suicide Club, and Celebrity Culture in 19th-Century America , posted May 4, 2016.) Omene's belly dancing became so popular that she was featured on cigarette cards (see the 13 cards that Abramovich discusses in her article ) and sheet music covers (see the one for Omene Turkish Waltzes , which was "Dedicated to the Divine Turkish Odalisque"). Who Was She? Newspapers described Omene's scandalous dances and told about her romantic encounters and turbulent life, which supposedly ended in 1899 when she died from cancer (see, for instance, " Her Dance Is Ended: Omene, the Divine Odalisque, Breathes Her Last ," Spokane Daily Chronicle , April 27, 1899, p. 6). Abramovich's article points out, however, that Omene's claim that she was born in Turkey and other details about her life (and maybe even her death) were probably embellishments designed to promote her stage performances. It's not even clear what her real name was! But back to the ticket. After some more searching, I did locate a newspaper article (see below) that seems to match the details on the ticket. It announces an appearance by Omene on August 27, 1894 (same month and day on the ticket) at the Bijou Theatre (same venue name) in Reading, Pennsylvania (a city located in the same south-central area of the state where I purchased the ticket). Most of the article is an unattributed "eyewitness" account of Omene's dance. "Omene" at the Bijou Theatre The season at the Bijou Theatre will be opened on Monday afternoon, Aug. 27, with one of the greatest and costliest attractions that has ever appeared at this popular resort--"Omene" the wonderful dancer. An eye witness has described her performance as follows: "Beautiful, graceful, dazzling, fascinating, with the perfect form of a Venus, and all the tempting symmetry and velvety softness of the oriental beauty. Omene, the Circassian belle, has taken high rank as a danseuse and has scored the hit of her life in N.Y. She is described as 'the divine adalisque,' whose handsome face, matchless charms, and winning grace have made slaves of thousands. "Omene is a native of Stamboul [Istanbul]. She is the only Turkish danseuse now before the public. She executes the sensational dances of her native land with abandon and grace. It is the dance of the Turkish harem that Omene excels. This she accurately reproduces, even down to the costumes and scenery. She appears in a gorgeous costume that fairly dazzles the spectator, and brings to mind the highly colored pictures of the radiant east. "The scene reveals her with veiled face and jaunty fez, wrapped up in a long robe of gold, red, and black. She is attended by Eunochs, who suddenly take one garment after the other from her, even removing her sandals, leaving her entirely free for the dance. Omene enraptures every spectator on the stage [with] seductive dances of the harem and the wild voluptuous dances of her native land. Her whole appearance is an illustration of grace." (From the " Amusements " column, Reading Eagle [Reading, Pa.], Aug. 26, 1894, p. 2.)

See the full version (above), top half , and bottom half . -------- Carriers' Annual Address to the Patrons of the Harrisburg Daily Patriot, Wednesday, January 1, 1879 Headline of newspaper in illustration: "A Happy New Year." -------- Carriers' Address A year has closed a circle again That ne'er can be broken by power of men; so list to a song of its woe and its cheer, A song of the sad, glad, dead old year, 'Tis the carriers' song, the carriers true Who've served you the news the whole year through. Oh, we are the carriers, ready and swift! We whistle right merrily all the way. As, bringing the latest news from the world, We hurry along in the morning gray. Oh, what cared we for the springtime fair, The budding trees and its opening flowers! Oh, what cared we for its sunshine sweet, Or its smirching mud and its drenching showers! The Turk had been crushed by the Czar's bold hosts, And peace would now reign in lands over the sea; In Congress, to keep peace all Europe would meet; --And we carried the news of these great things to be. Then William the good king of Prussia was shot-- We must carry the news--all Prussia was stirred. Then Mercedes died, the sweet Spanish queen, And from Spain the voice of sorrow was heard. Soon all in the cool, the sweet-scented shade Of the fresh summer morning we hurried along, Ere yet the fierce heat of the day had shone out, While caroled each bird his blithest, best song. But no time to enjoy these, for up from the South The voice of the fever-struck, praying, had come For help from the North in their day of distress, And we carried the prayer into each northern home. And then in the hazy, beautiful morn, All tinted with shades of the gold autumn days, We saw o'er the trees decked in numberless hues, The round, rising sun in its first glory blaze. But we cared not, we cared not for beauty of earth, For out on the pitiless, treacherous deep A shipload of lives had gone down in the night, And we bore the sad news that caused many to weep. Oh, cold, oh cold was the winter's wild blast, And blinding and thick was the hard-blowing snow! What cared we, what cared we for winter so drear! Let the snow drift deep and the cold winds blow! We carried the news of another ship lost-- The news of the day Congress opened its doors-- Of Beaconsfield's speech--the campaign in the East-- The heralds of "wars and rumors of wars." And now on our rounds the whole round year We've tirelessly traveled. To some have been sad The tidings we've brought, but as well have we brought The news that has made full many hearts glad. If the news that we faithfully lay at your doors Make sad hearts or glad hearts, we can never say; And we never would know. We travel our rounds And whistle right merrily all the way.

See the full version , top half (above), and bottom half . -------- Carriers' Annual Address to the Patrons of the Harrisburg Daily Patriot, Wednesday, January 1, 1879 Headline of newspaper in illustration: "A Happy New Year." -------- Carriers' Address A year has closed a circle again That ne'er can be broken by power of men; so list to a song of its woe and its cheer, A song of the sad, glad, dead old year, 'Tis the carriers' song, the carriers true Who've served you the news the whole year through. Oh, we are the carriers, ready and swift! We whistle right merrily all the way. As, bringing the latest news from the world, We hurry along in the morning gray. Oh, what cared we for the springtime fair, The budding trees and its opening flowers! Oh, what cared we for its sunshine sweet, Or its smirching mud and its drenching showers! The Turk had been crushed by the Czar's bold hosts, And peace would now reign in lands over the sea; In Congress, to keep peace all Europe would meet; --And we carried the news of these great things to be. Then William the good king of Prussia was shot-- We must carry the news--all Prussia was stirred. Then Mercedes died, the sweet Spanish queen, And from Spain the voice of sorrow was heard. Soon all in the cool, the sweet-scented shade Of the fresh summer morning we hurried along, Ere yet the fierce heat of the day had shone out, While caroled each bird his blithest, best song. But no time to enjoy these, for up from the South The voice of the fever-struck, praying, had come For help from the North in their day of distress, And we carried the prayer into each northern home. And then in the hazy, beautiful morn, All tinted with shades of the gold autumn days, We saw o'er the trees decked in numberless hues, The round, rising sun in its first glory blaze. But we cared not, we cared not for beauty of earth, For out on the pitiless, treacherous deep A shipload of lives had gone down in the night, And we bore the sad news that caused many to weep. Oh, cold, oh cold was the winter's wild blast, And blinding and thick was the hard-blowing snow! What cared we, what cared we for winter so drear! Let the snow drift deep and the cold winds blow! We carried the news of another ship lost-- The news of the day Congress opened its doors-- Of Beaconsfield's speech--the campaign in the East-- The heralds of "wars and rumors of wars." And now on our rounds the whole round year We've tirelessly traveled. To some have been sad The tidings we've brought, but as well have we brought The news that has made full many hearts glad. If the news that we faithfully lay at your doors Make sad hearts or glad hearts, we can never say; And we never would know. We travel our rounds And whistle right merrily all the way.

See the full version , top half , and bottom half (above). -------- Carriers' Annual Address to the Patrons of the Harrisburg Daily Patriot, Wednesday, January 1, 1879 Headline of newspaper in illustration: "A Happy New Year." -------- Carriers' Address A year has closed a circle again That ne'er can be broken by power of men; so list to a song of its woe and its cheer, A song of the sad, glad, dead old year, 'Tis the carriers' song, the carriers true Who've served you the news the whole year through. Oh, we are the carriers, ready and swift! We whistle right merrily all the way. As, bringing the latest news from the world, We hurry along in the morning gray. Oh, what cared we for the springtime fair, The budding trees and its opening flowers! Oh, what cared we for its sunshine sweet, Or its smirching mud and its drenching showers! The Turk had been crushed by the Czar's bold hosts, And peace would now reign in lands over the sea; In Congress, to keep peace all Europe would meet; --And we carried the news of these great things to be. Then William the good king of Prussia was shot-- We must carry the news--all Prussia was stirred. Then Mercedes died, the sweet Spanish queen, And from Spain the voice of sorrow was heard. Soon all in the cool, the sweet-scented shade Of the fresh summer morning we hurried along, Ere yet the fierce heat of the day had shone out, While caroled each bird his blithest, best song. But no time to enjoy these, for up from the South The voice of the fever-struck, praying, had come For help from the North in their day of distress, And we carried the prayer into each northern home. And then in the hazy, beautiful morn, All tinted with shades of the gold autumn days, We saw o'er the trees decked in numberless hues, The round, rising sun in its first glory blaze. But we cared not, we cared not for beauty of earth, For out on the pitiless, treacherous deep A shipload of lives had gone down in the night, And we bore the sad news that caused many to weep. Oh, cold, oh cold was the winter's wild blast, And blinding and thick was the hard-blowing snow! What cared we, what cared we for winter so drear! Let the snow drift deep and the cold winds blow! We carried the news of another ship lost-- The news of the day Congress opened its doors-- Of Beaconsfield's speech--the campaign in the East-- The heralds of "wars and rumors of wars." And now on our rounds the whole round year We've tirelessly traveled. To some have been sad The tidings we've brought, but as well have we brought The news that has made full many hearts glad. If the news that we faithfully lay at your doors Make sad hearts or glad hearts, we can never say; And we never would know. We travel our rounds And whistle right merrily all the way.