The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-30

IN
The French Emperor, with an ambition to rival
tbe Augustus of ancient Rome is amusing himself
with building freak, that viii cost the good people
of France no tritng sum-Dimu, edfedt; and ne
seems to take vast pride in the work, if he were
doing his subjects some mighty good and all for the
benefit OF the working classes, for whom he is con-
structing wholesome, airy lodging houses, to be
placed under police surveillance. Well, this Is
novel mode of bribery; but perhaps IT may
have its effect, although rumor says that
the gentry of the bQIsiieue, the barriereS, and
the islands Of the Seine, are far from pleased
ut these demonstrations of imperial philanthropy,
because they prefer their filthy, ragged, poverty
stricken independence TO the condition proposed,
which would make them the slaves and victims of
the police and through them OF the Imperial govern
ment. The only other object OF interest Is that new
magnetic phenomenon, yclept the " table-rappng, )"
which seems to be fairly turning the heads of many
on this as well the French side of the Channel.
Great are the wonders Overwhelmingly the results
staed-but, for our own part, having tried several
experiments in perfectly orthodox fashion without
any favorable results, we must withhold our adhesion
TO the cause until we have further and Occur ir eV
dence Of its truth. One other object-of no interest,"
lis the continuance of arrests and hberatlons OF
imagined political offenders-unhappyv ctiuis Oh te
Fouche-like system OF espionage whlcn now pc.
vades that country even TO greater sAten. .nai ~
the time of Napoleon the conqueror OF Marengo ana
Austerlitz The re-establishment Of capita punish
ment for political Offences too, Will without douot,
greatly tend 10 make the husband OF Eugene some
what unpopular; and it furnishes strong proof more
over that he has confidence in the good will OF
the people that he has taken on himself to rule.
II has been the subject of unfavorabe remark here,
that possessing, as you do at this moment most OF
the very best Of our English actors combined with
such eminent artists as Eddy, Burton, and others,
headed by the great tragedian Forrest your New
York managers can only make your stage pale re-
fex OF ours. No sooner has Macbeth been exhumed
to afford a subject for spectacular melodrama a.
the Princess's, but q perceive by the files of the
HsRALD) the manager of the Broadway theatre be-
comes suddenly alive to the fact that this tragedy
pose peculiar claim to public favor. Surely
there must be more vitality in your senses than your
managers seem to accuse you Of Must you see with
our eyes-hear with our ears? Can you not feel an
emotion that has not been "oCtroye' by q London
audience? Are you dependent on us for opinions as
we are on you for cotton ? We cannot believe it.
We maintain that the fault lies with your managers,
who do not encourage the literary department OF
their entertainment This is evident by the prize Of
f200 given by Mr. Forrest for the best tragedy
very liberal sum for America but amount that
would not command three-act drama from first
class dramatist in England. Mr.. Kean gave $500 to
Douglas Jerrod for St. Cupid, and five hundred
guineas to Bourcicault for 'Love in Maze" Web
ster gave $50 guneas to Bourcicault for Old Heads
and Young Hearts" and the same author received
five hundred for " The Willow Copse.' Bulwer re-
seved Il 600 for eheeu ,a Mar x. 600 9s
Cap and Kean gave 200 guineas to Bourcisaut for
81 The Corsican Brothers." 1t is by such due appre-
citation of the literary portion Of the stage that good
pieces are obtained. 1t may be hoped that the
International copyright treaty will, if passed en-
tice some of our dramatists to take the field in
New York, and also put the American dramatic
- iuterateurs on their metal-but managers must DO
liberal
On Saturday night, "Rigoletto, IN opera by Verdi,
new to this country, though for sometime known
to the continental public, was produced at the
Royal Itataan Opera House 4 It is in in three
rons, in the sixteenth century. The libretto is
taken from Victor Hugos play Of {" LIE Ro Fameuse,"
which was only played for one night at the Theatre
\ - ht,.
ter 1t has been also dramatzed and represented here
under the title of The Kings Fool" l will give
you RESUME Of the plot The Duke of Aantova,
personated by Signor Mario is grandes of the Don
Gilda, the daughter OF Rgoletto, his buffoon the
Countess of Ceprano, the wife of one Of his court,
and Magdalen, the sitter of noted bravo: Glda
(Mdlle Bosio) has been carefully watched and guard
ed by her father and only permitted to go alone to
church, where the libertne Duke has seen her, and
at once became smitten with her charms, and gains
her affections, unknown to her father Rgoletto
<Signor Roncon), in his character of court buoon,
has, it appears, made himself enemies amongst the
courtiers and, to punish him, they form plan to
carry of his daughter. The plan succeeds, and
the fair Gilda is taken -, from her fathers nt1e
Here she is discovered by her father who after some
difficulty is enabled to rescue her. Rgoletta and his
daughter escape into the country and being greatly
afraid of her continued love for the Duke he engages
Sparafucie, the bravo, to rid him of the difficulty
Now, Sparafncle is assisted in his murderous trade
BY his sister Magdaen, (Md'Ile DidiceD captivat-
ing woman, who aures the Duke into her mothers
house. Magdaen, however. has a tender heart, and
being petit peu prise with the person and pretty
compliments Of the young Duke, persuades her de-
lectable brother to spare his life. During the inter-
view between the Duke and Magdalen, Rigolette is
concealed with his daughter in order to expose to her
the character of her lover and to cure her. if posi-
BILE, of her unhappy attachment. He then appoints
. time during the dead Of the night when he will
return to have himself the qualification of disposng
6nf thQ hOdv Of he 1nk nv q
river Before his arrival at the bravos house, his
daughter Gda, who, at his desire, has dressed her
self in mans attire the more readily to escape pur
suit, returns to the place in which the Duke is con-
cealed with some indistnct view it would appear
of gaining interview with the object of her affec-
ti0ns, who has created too deep an impression
upon her heart to be discarded at the will OF her
father, and with hope OF saving Linn from the
hands of the bravo Sparafucile, meanwhile, has so
far yielded TO his sisters wishes TO promise that
he will murder the first passenger who may chance
to take refuge in his house during the storm which
IL then raging, in lieu OF his intended victim. Glda
at this moment arrives, and is soon despatched by
the dagger Of the bravo who deposits her body in q
sack and hands it over to Rgoetto at the appointed
Rigoletto that he has caused the death Of his own
daughter, and the operate tragedy ends with the
maddened despair of the wretched father, heaPing
curses upon the head of the libertine Duke. The
music is not remarkable with this exception, that
for Verdi it is without the usual preponderating noso
Of wind instruments. Ronconis acting of the father
reminded us of the elder Kean in his prime. He,
with Mario and Mdlee. Bosio and Didiee,
appeared after each act, to receive the loud
applause of fashionable and crowded audience.
We are promised new piece, in three acts, at the
Lyceum, on Thursday next. 1t is called 1" The
Lawyers" The principal parts will be enacted by
Mr.. Charles Mathews, Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Mathews
and the pretty and intellectual Miss Agnes Robertson
farce is accepted at this theatre from the pen
Of Mr.: w R. Maxwell, under the quaint title OF
" An Odd Pair" There but two parts in it. to
be played by Mr.. Charles Mathews and Miss Robert
son. Miss Emily Wyndham (the toasted Of the
Mr.. Wigan for his forthcoming campaign at the
Olympic. The Merry Wives Of Windsor is
nounced for tomorrow evening at the Adelphi. 1t
must be as burlesgue take it, as Madame Celeste
and Mr. Benjamin Webster entered for Mrs.
Page and Falstaff. Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Kean still
continue to do great business at the Processes and
they are hard at work, and sparing no expense on
the forthcoming production OF Byron's " Sardana
palus." The Surrey opened for the summer opera
season last evening. Miss Romer is the directress