The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-08

MARETZEK AND THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC
Max Maretzek's forthcoming Confessions and
Experiences win, we suspect, be quite q
curiosity in its way. II he were merely 70
stick to bare relation Of the accidents and
vicissitudes that have befallen him during his
brief but adventurous career, his book would
be as amusing, and perhaps as instructive, as
that of any Of the eccentric characters who have
lately thought proper to enter the public con-
fessional. There is always something to be
learned from the personal history Of man
who, from rothingness, has showed himself into
such general notoriety.
Bat we may safely predict that the interest
of our friend Maxs confessions will not lie in
the falness or candor Of his avowals. His ma
tive modesty of character will keep him as
much az possible in the background Of his own
narrative. He will only appear at such times
and seasons as will suffice to impress the reader
with consciousness of the mysterious but all
powerful influence which he exercises over
the actions of the characters whom he in
PRODUCES, and over the affairs Of which he
treats. OF those nicer shades and more
intimate touches which are necessary to
the perfect understanding Of the man him
self, and which we should expect to find in q
work of this sort, we will assuredly see nothing.
his first literary creation, bursting on us occa-
sionally in all the effulgence of self glucifca-
ton, but revealing but little of those vulgar
passions and motives by which common NOR
tails are moved.
Let those, therefore, who expect to see the
great conductor accurately delneated by his
own pen, prepare themselves for disappoint-
ment That will be posthumous task which
will more ftly devolve upon some of his
literary admirers Some Boswell or some Par
ton will no doubt be found to complete the his
torical justice which will be due to his memory.
But in the meanwhile we will have to content
ourselves with such elimpses at his private and
professional history as his own modesty will be
disposed to accord US in these confessions.
Various are the motives assigned for the
production at the present moment OF this sud
denly conceived but ambitious publication The
world is 30 cynical that 1t is never disposed to
place faith in mans own professions. Maret-
EEK himself affirms that he has been induced to
turn litterateur solely by that desire to advance
the interests Of art which has already led him
to make such heavy sacrifices. We can fully
sympathize with him. There are people, how
ever, who are i'll natured enough to assert that
the reason Of his abandoning the baton for the
pen lisa desire either to avenge himself on the
directors Of the Academy, or to terrify them
into the retention of his services-those gen.
tlemen having, it seems, somehow or other,
arrived at the conclusion that there are other
conduc tors to be found, as talented, as modest
and as handsome as their late good looking and
accomplished chef.
1t is stated, we know not with how much
truth, that in his forthcoming work Maretzek
will undertake to show that, without the aid of
his great suggestive and creative genius. the late
season at the Academy, instead of brilliant
success would have been complete failure
He will 60 in to prove that all the fine things
that have been said and written about the ad-
ministrative talents of Messrs. Phalen and Colt,
and the Diplomatic tact and Jnesse in theatre
cal matters OF the Chevalier Wikof, are mere
assum2tions, and that in fac. it was he (Maret-
zek) who brought, in his own proper person,
all these qualities to bear on the management
OF the Academy; it was he who suggested,
planned and carried into execution all its de-
tails; it was he who put upon the stage and
invested with all the attractions of tasteful
and gorgeous accessories, the two operas evil
liam Tell" and the "Trovatore," which carried
the town by storm, and converted doubtful into
an upprecedentedly prosperous and brilliant sea-
son; it was he who managed the press" who
threw oil upon the troubled waters Of artistic
jealousy, who Gained the boutodes of the female,
and soothed down the angry susceptibilities Of
the male artists. He was, in short-though
nobody was previously aware OF 1.-THE Mag
nus Apollo of the whole enterprise.
II this programme Of Max's literary labors
should prove to be correct we should not be
surprised to see the palm of this great operate
success disputed by q host of other COMPETE
tors. There is no reason why the first violin,
the first trumpet, or even the big drum, should
not rush into the field of literary controversy,
and contest the credit Of it. Let the directors
OF the Academy look sharp after their hard
earned DONORS. There is nothing too bold for
the indomitable Maretzek TO attempt
The STATE CENSUS The Albany papers
seem to be Of the opinion that the State will
month we may make pretty correct estimates
about the population. 1t is thought that the
total population of the State will be about four