The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-07
The italian Ouera In Italy.

II neither the symbol of fashion nor exavagancs nor
eSciuaiveDess nor detansm-it is the popular
hent OF al classes II has many aspects and il IT, in
fact not mere amusement ansng many others but the
ony movement OF the social world takes place in Italy
within the walls Of the opera house.
Although the artists composers obtain their repu
taton from the fat Of an Italian public Mlanespecay
all engagements dating from that place. where the caro
register Of all artists kept-sti the opera il not after
a the great and principal attraction to an Italian au
dsnce for during the carnival winter season. unless
lately in Of political tumul the theatre IN a. full
with indifferent company with Of the highest
merit.
Society is constituted differently in Italy 10 any oher
country. The climate has generated other habits than
those Of the temperate pitfalls from which take
social rules. Education with it's expanding ideas and
fashion and Its thousand frvotes has touched the
women Of Itay they still housekeepers and mothers
such unders TODD hundred years ago They
pass their lives al home there is promenadins out
dressing each other no attending lectures pretentous
sores no malicious tea drnkngs, morning visits
ceptons-famesa numerous ar fortunes small family
ties are strong and family duties regiously kept up 70
that stranger rarely gets admttance into Italian
noufehold Until within few (snce the inrosds Of
the Ensnh) there were clubs; private ball is a
thing political meetings forbidden by the govern
emit; and scientific societies have died out Now to
supply the drawiDg-room the forum the side walk to
show OIL wit, talent and toilets; to meet friends and
ioes the Italians have the opers only and therefore IL
that opera is permanent, and permanently successful in
Italy.
But let how theatre TO serve 20 osny mr..
poees is sructed 1t has large spacious nit or psr
quet with comfortable benches and arm chairs in the
half nearest the stage, whilst the other half has tssa
lated pavement free from all obs tacles in which men can
walk up and down, spiracy confde nirta
or he vJ,.is hon
is divided into private boxes large private parors
in New York fashionable hotel The draperies
all obliged to be alike, with the exception of
two thears in the Venetian States, where that is
cd bun) but the nteiio decorations le. to the
fancy of the owners These boxes almost all vate
property, having nothing to 60 with the management
but all and each Of the obliged 20 pay tho
entrance ticket, Upton, which for Car
nval season at Milan is thirty francs, six dollars
for admission during every night, excepting Fridays and
not excepting Sundays Here, then, the lady takes her
seat in a drawing room; her friends and her,
and it in fact though she received every night at her
house. There old friends Of many years stand
ing who have never each other excepting every
evening in this way Boxes of course be taken from
propretors and the cost for each Carnival seasons
other cheaper) $685. to which it must not
be forgotten entrance subscription of So for each per-
must be added In the upper tiers several boxes
thrown into (pahi d socied they called owned
by several families furnished with newspapers and
card tables. The first night of a opera every
sits attentely and silently nbretto in hand-so they dc
the second and they do the third. If visits
paid excepting dursg the ballet (Which lasts from
hour hour and ball. and given between the hrst
and second acts Of the pera them supposng the opsr
to be successful the pub have made up their minis
they know the story, and they know the good points
every psrt the brett put away, and the regular
business Spcety commences, perfectly independently
Of what is going the stage secorda donnas poo
choruses cracked second tenors with inaudble and i'm
portant messages amentable third bassi and unnteres
ing Rotations entirely and only for the satisfaction
Of these worthless Themselves and the managers; tn
public take not to listen to them by making 60 muc
noise that not word penetrates beyond the foot lights
But at given moment-when comes the aria, III
duet, the trio the finale, which the public hav
decided on as the gems-tbere is universal silence
the promenat stop in their walk, the players get
fom the card tables the ladies cease talking, and tn
is thoroughly listened to, critically examined
variation rom the tone the text being detected and
sented The dramatic action is exacted in al its inter
sy, fer though the pubic have not been assisting at h
getting up of the story, they know the situation,
have pre- pared their minds for it.
This is the way opera is conducted in Italy. It il
in fact very pleasant evening party, in msgr i6cer
saloon, well warmed wei lighted, In which yen
your friends without the trouble Of visiting them
expense Of receiving u EN-, varied occasionally by
pieces of music by the FRI, artists and in the first sy
Now take thia very same audience, with their constt
tiona love Of music and their thorough comprehsnsi
of the language, and set them in upon very hs
ben ches very close together ostled squeezed, reduce
to silence forced to lister with the gravity and
tention to the filing up of opera of which they hnd
the ktory-whsh filling up is done always by perforne
hafor he
empty benches in Italy, you do in New York. To dr
people night after night the intellect and the heart
be appealed to- and though in the principal portions Of
opera the passions admirably deineated and each
formanee reveals beauties, still, the whole constr
| tion OF opera Is so absurd, SO devoid OF all
terest in the detail, that to listen TO it
| Igiously night after night, is too great pena
| for the enjoyment of few short momen
These being the conditions Of opera in its count
It must be clearly that it would be presumption
dream Of making it popular Amusement in any other
Now it is not from want Of the power to appreciate
the capacity to enjoy dramatic representations that
Italians .ten TO opera in the way described. Like
hearted and intelligent people, they are easily
pressed with real dramatic psrormances but they the
selves do not class the opera intellectual enoyme
capable In ITSELF without the accessories descrb
(totaly incompatible with northern habits and ideas
minsterpg, night after night to their entsrtainme
How different is it when they got troupe Of merit anon
them There was for some time a company in Tu
where the comedies Of Scribe and all the best Frer
modern authors enacted in the Italian language
unmitigated enthusiasm Madame Marchione who MI
ed the parts allotted In Paris to Mars or Volnys
almost as admirable her prototypes. Once every y
this company came to Milan and during the short sea.
every box, every seat filed Never, perhaps, '
there more attentive audience, though they we're
course mostly the same those who talked through
opera at the Scala Unused to the northern oonyentio
referve the Italian public manifested at these rspres
tations the various emotions to which the drama n
rse-a whisper, the shaking OF box door, the slight
Interruption, was resented and instantly hushed dov
whilst mon would sit with the streaming from tn
eyss-not glance, . gesture, word of the act
would be lost-and every twinkle of humor would m,
with responding and apprecistng shouts from the an
ence.
So that, after all, We again repeat taken without
ne In