New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-04-26
THE THEATER

that capital are udcious and interesting, and translate
some Of them for The Tribune
THE THEATER.
The stranger who tarries only short time in
the French capital and wishes to bring away with
him an idea of the various Thesters spends every
morning from IL to - weary hour For at
this time pass the wagons bearing motley mass
of rainbo W hued placArds announcing too various
and attractive an entertainment for the evening.
Here sontag there Rachel; here first night at
the Opera COuaigue, there the last piece of
George Sand. There are not two bundles of hay
only-there are at least q dozen; where shall one
begin to bite? Chance usually decides, In the
shape Of q friend or dinner, or free ticket; or
you are determined by the within Of the moment
by the situation of the Thester, by the weather,
and similar reasons. Arrange it as you will, how
ever, you cannot escape the reflection, the next
morning, that you might have done great deal
better.
In matters Of art, we are often told, there should
be no comparisons, but whateve- is good and
beautiful should be justified and enjoyed in its
own way. This is easily shid but it is not alto
gether practicable. Generally, We do not COM
pare because we will, but because we must
Then only comparison ceases, when the present
is 20 glowipgly full that fancy can no longer pat
an ideal figure against the real. The surest way
to Justify completely the present moment is to
have seen, heard and lived little, to be very
young-but, it must be confessed it is hard to pre-
serve all these requirements during long life
1t is not by fault that in earlier youth, heard in
Paris, Rossini's Operas, Beethoven Symphonies
Malibrsn, and Chopin, and Ballot, and Nourrit
and that often during this present visit many
loved shadows passed before me- tempering my
oy in what is, by the remembrance OF what was
When left Paris the Grand Opera was at the
hight of success The HugueRots had been just
Represented for the first time and with q complete
ness which never since and nowhere else has been
equaled. Beside the wonderful chorus the orches
tra-the mise en- sclne-features which the Acade
ME Roy ale Tor rather Nationale will ever know
in what degree to retain-it was here that + alcon
Damoresu, Levasseur and NOurrit sang together
Mount, especially, whose frightful fate was one
OF the most trsgical episodes Of contemporary Art
history, was as eminent q singer us actor, an
artist who united the most glowing inspiration
with the most penetrant perception, aad who en-
,irelv justified the technical French expression
of "creating a part MasaniellO, Count Dry
Melchtha Robert, Eleazer, Rsoul, he first repre-
sented and in q manner never since attained 0y
any other artst-For his force lay not In the
sketching of single features of character, In
which he may have been surpassed but In the
complete harmony and truth Of the whole
effect. At the present moment his place ID
occupied by Roger, who is a thoroughly ed
1.bil 1fr1 hu uuh
seems scarcely sufficient for the great boards OF
the Academy. Roger was formerly well known
at the Opera Comique, and achieved great tri-
umphs there; and it is the universal opinion IN
Paris that he made great mistake in leaving
tbeater that was so entirely suited to his talent.
have heard him in The HugueHOts, aud must
confess that spite Of some fine things, the will
and the faculty did not seem to be quite
balanced. In tenderness, grace and pathos
Roger is really remarkable; but in moments o
| energy and passion, the unnatural ssraining OF
he organ to which he then has recourse IS pain
| ful. The public everywhere spPlaudS SUCH stFus-
giles, but think they are rather successes ior the
the Arena than for the Temple of the Muses.
Lerasseur is still effective, although tine has
! not passed over him, wi,houtits traces DamoTeaH
! Cinti is not yet entirely distanced All those
Processes who in Aubers and Meyeroeers
| operas are 60 coolly ensmored and sing such CO
! ouet,ish bravurss, were designed for her her
wonderful technical skill and the charm and
sweetness Of her voce, m Gde those h5rs oeuvre
credible A Madame LaJOrde, whom have heard
sipg the Queen Of Navarro in tee HugusEots, has
8 very pretty voice ard striking auency-twhich
b,t har anra
asastrain Of exaggerated simplicity. You can
prsi,e but are rot much Interested. The parts
which she sings require however, extraordinary
! exe1tiops from the singer. as Poet and Composer
hsye done so little for her.
The most remarkable object Of the moment at
the Grand Opera is undoubtedly Madame VtaTdo'
! Garcia. l doubt however, if she has there found
/ her true position. This genial woman is indeed,
of a nsny.sideduesG, that is almost incredible
Dramatic sipger-romAntic singer-full Of origi'
ual musical inventon,-And she plays the Piano
40 well that was on the point Of inviting her to
/ take charge Of that department Of Instruction Ia
the Musical Academy Of the Rhine. Bat IN the
Italian opera, it seems to me, will she ind her
peculiarsphere. The Italian music apart from rs
essential character, offers the greatest scope 70
the SINGER. ExuberAnt individual natures, re-
quiIe compositions in which they can themselves
poe;ize much more than those in which they
must restrain themselves. a certain musicsl hu-
nor. which Mad. ViardOt occasionally betrays IN
the concert room, has play in the rePertory o.
the Grand Opera, and she rarely finds there al
opportunity of developing all the variety OF heF
vocAlism Unhappiy, l have not heard her u
Der new part Of FIdes, in the PropAete composed
expressly for her, bat have wondered a. ne'
Volsntine. in the HueuenOts Yet had here tue
feeling that il was not enough for her-thas she
wi,he d to give more than the part and gave per
b.ps too much. She expresses so many feelings
vi,h such uncommon vivacity, that be they never
- !: .... S.,gar of her naming the