The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-30

only when tie press took the matter up, and
people generally became excited about the i'm
pudence of the Sardinian authorities, that Mr..
Marcy felt it worth his while to interfere. 1t
is merely second edition Of the Koszta letter,
which Marcy now repudiates
Ole BULLS MUSICAL ENTERPRISE CoNsTrFU.
TIoNA. DousTs.-Some weeks since a card
was published in the newspapers by Ole
BuN, lessee and manager of the new Opera
House, under Mr.. James Phalen, Offering
prize of a thousand dollars for the best opera
of native American composition. At time
when so many doubts have been raised as
to what constitutes q legal Identification
with the soil, this spirited offer Of the Nor
wegian violinist has naturally led to numerous
Inquiries on the part of foreign musical
aspirants, who have not as yet completed their
probation for citizenship. In order to put an
end TO these interpretations, and relieve him
self from the trouble which they occasion him,
Mr.. Bull has published the following notifca-
ton =
SR-In answer to the many inquiries which have been
made both privately and through the public Journals
one thousand dollars which offer lessee and mana
ger Of the Academy of Music permit to state tnat
am much surprised that any but construction
could be put upon my Offer
think the eligibility for competition is settled def.
nitey by the constitution of the United States which
born upon the soil Upon this broad ground base my
offer, and consider it open to every full and resident
II am in error in my position, and you can show me
in what my lies, shall take it as favor il yon
vii point it out and its remedy Iam sir yous most
Office Of the Academy of Music, Fourteenth street,
Jan. "a, 1856.
Now, conclusive as this explanation may ap.
pear to the writer's own mind, it still leaves
room for some embarrassing questions. H.
deed, it was hardly to be expected that the
great violinist could solve, with single
flourish of his pen-as in q stoccato passage
with his bow-the difficulties with which his
proposal is surrounded. In the first place we
would ask him whether he means to include in
it our native born citizens of ebony tint, and
ofsouls tuned to harmony, such as are TO be
found congregated in merry groups in George
T. Downing's oyster cellar It is true that the
right to vote Of this class is discouraged in gen.
eral practice, although it is not ignored by the
constitution Does our muniicent impresario
mean to carry this distinction into the field of
art? He would make great mistake if he
did. There is no race that we know of that
have such a fund Of rich musical genius and in
vention They are literally gushing over with
fun and melody. We will stake our life on it,
that native American niger opera, of the
true heroic style, would prove greater attrac-
tion at the Fourteenth street house than all the
Crisis, Brambillis, and Tilburinis Of the Italian
lyrical stage. Did not the black Malibran set
all the fashionable habitufs Of her Majesty's
theatre in London crazy? And is not
Aldridge, the African Roscius, playing
Hamlet, in Denmark, to crowded houses,
with all the advantages Of an accurate mise en-
scene? Reflect upon these facts, good Mr..
Bull, and amend your card. The Academy of
Music will never have such another chance.
Why, the very announcement of such classical
productions as Jim Crow in Egetto,D or
:. Sambo in Corinto," would set the town wild
with curiosity, and convert the dreary empti-
ness OF the New Opera House into perfect
wilderness of heads.
There is another class of our native born citi-
zens which is also interested in clearing up any
doubts that may exit upon these points. Sup
pose, for instance, that the distinguished must
cal geDiuses Of the Blackfeet, Ipoquois, Tusca-
rora and Cboctaw tribes, should take it into
their heads to compete for the Ole Bull prize,
ard send in operas of their peculiarly energetic
style of composition would their right to COM
pete be denied? II any race on this continent
can be said to be OF the pure, unadul terated
primeval stock, it is the indians of North ne
RIGA; and if their musical science be not pro-
found, it can at least claim the merit of being
original, which is more than can be said Of the
science of some of the more modern of the
Italian composers. Why should not an Indian
OPERA with squaw prima DONNA prove as a..
tractive as q bad reproduction of an Italian
composition, sung to an audience who under
stand but little either of its language or its
musical merits? We leave the question for our
Norwegian pundit TO decide.
Although not included in the same category
Of native born citizens, we should like TO know
II the rigid rule Of exclusion established by the
condition laid down in Ole Bulls card is
meant to extend to another race, which prides
itself on having produced more poets and bards
than all other nations put together. Are the
c0untryme Of Moore and of Carolan, who nap
pen not to have completed their term of natu-
ralizetion, to be denied the privilege of making
''tbeir sweet voices" heard? Should this prove
to be really what Ole Bull means, we can only
say that the loss will be his. Irish opera could
not fail to prove an immense attraction, more
particularly to Fourteenth street audience.
All those who love harmony aud perfect con-
cord OF sound, would go and hear Irish opera.
We think that we have now said enor oh to 1
prove to Ole Bull that his second notification
requires revision. An operate manager who
speculates upon a successful result to his la