The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-11

scenery, costumes, or incidents, had 1t not been
for the music and the bills. must do the ma
mage ment Justice and say that they deserve great
deai o. creon Tor the originality with which they
have got up this piece.
The orchestra was SO so. should Judge they
were not paid more than day wages, from the
manner IN which they performed. Unjust mention
the conductor; he Is the most amusing charac-
ter ever saw similarly situated; = sick mon
key never made more amusing gestures his gri-
maces made two little girls near me go into con.
vulsions-their mother had to send them nome
The little fellow, perched upon STOOL with his
lite stick, worked like beaver he evidently felt
the opera rested ON his shoulder bones. The ma
nagement should pay him high he earns his mo-
ney. was surprised to hear the sweet notes OF
flute, which l knew l had heard years ago.
looked at the performer, and found was not mis-
taken. All, this is a world of changes! Poor,
amiable Kyle, to have become so reduced in cir.
cumstances to make that exquisite flute of his
talk In such an orchestra and to such an audi
ence!
Now is it possible that men of standing, taste,
and respectabity will patronise, or in the slightest
humbug as this so calls4 Italian Opera is, and
must prove to- be? Brokers, BARRIERS, gamblers,
dry-goods clerks, and foreign boot blacks, attempt.
ing to give tone and direction to the respectable,
influential classes OF the community, am shock
ed ; my nervous system Is Frustrated, and shall
cut the Opera This Is my first and last visit until
this bubble burst up, and the Opera goes into the
hands OF men who have some tangible position in
the community, ana VINO are known to posse
refined musical taste, and the ability TO sustain
it.
Excuse me, my dear s,r, for trespassng upon
your patience by my lengthy epistle but you deslr-
ed me to express my opinion to you after had
paid visit to the Astor Place Opera. Ihave frank
ly gwen 1t to you my own ay, and after my own
fashion. l omitted to mention the galery-I was
not up there: 1t appeared to be tOleraby we'll filled
asked an old acquaintance religious, respecta-
BILE man, In one of the slips-what class of
people they were? He replied to me In French, ca
NGuke." / observed females, as well as males. nd
the gallery nearly one.h halt filed The remain
der of the house, should Judge, was, at the very
least, 0ne-thrd full-it certail ly one quarter
full.
These views are partly private. I would not
wish to hurt the feelings of many very
respectable friends whom l met the other
evening, and whom l had not seen since
my return from Europe; they might suspect me Of
being your correspondent, should you publish this
letter in Paris--which, for this reason, would
prefer your not doing.
Candldly--in the old opera time, years ago, we
mad our building at the corner OF Leonard and
Church streets. The fashionable musical world
used then to come to 1t, from the fashionable parts
of the city. There has been complete turn about.
Now, the Opera House is in FASH onabe quarter of
the city, and the great proportion Of Its frequenters
] should Judge, hailed from the purlieus OF where
the old Italian Opera House used to stand.
Yours tr sly, &c *****.
Mr.. JOHN SMITH, jun'r, Rue de la PAX, Paris.