The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-28

be useful ?
Theatrical Enterprise I'm the United
States.
The statistics of theatrical enterprises would
form a curious chapter in the history Of specu-
lation. More money has been unproftably
expended in catering for the public amusement
than in almost any other sort OF operation.
The prizes, though brilliant, are comparatively
rare in the lottery Of theatrical ventures. To
the uninitiated they are apparently as fugitive
and difficult of attainment as the successful
chances of the gaming table; but nevertheless,
like those chances, they are to be secured by
a certain degree OF tact and skill. The his
tory of the great European theatres presents q
long list of lamentable failures, broken only
here and there by an epoch of successful man
agement. Not to 60 further back than our
own days, we have seen Macready and
Bum falling through in Drury Lane, whilst
Chelsea publican has since centrived to reap a
golden harvest out of the same establishment
Mr.. Smith is not theatrical pedant like Ma
cready, nor writer Of bad ballads like Bum,
but he seems to combine those qualities which
are essential to success in his position. In
that pleasure loving city, Paris, we observe
the same curious result Neither there any
more than in London, does mere professional
talent or experience insure success in
the administration of q theatre Those
who have read the memoirs of DR.. Veron will
remember how that clever charlatan converted
into profitable speculation the operate fail
ures of score of his predecessors. The fact is
that skilful manager must be a thorough
man of the world, which artists in nine cases
out of ten are not He must possess not only
rare powers of combination, but an accurate
knowledge of human nature. A theatre is a
miniature despotism the economical and social
well being Of which depends entirely upon the
statesmanlike qualities and judgment of its
ruler.
The annals of theatrical enterprise in this
country, Notwithstanding the wider field that ex-
istsfor speculation, offer but few exceptions to
these conditions Of success. If we were to
trace the circumstances of each case, we would
find that where failure has ensued it is attribut-
able less to the indisposition of the public to
patronize than to the incapacity of the manager
to conduct. The instances are rare indeed in
which we find men in this position rise to the
level Of its requirements. They in mo. in-
stances know but little of art, and spend their
efforts in blind experiments upon the public
taste.
The first theatrical speculator who reduced
the business to something like science in
this country, and who attempted results on q
magnificent SCALE was that eccentric and uni
versal genius, who is just now occupying the
world with his escapades, the Chevalier Wi
kof. Every one is acquainted with the tact,
the skill, and the talent for creating excite
msnts which that accomplished and modest
individual possesses in SO eminent degree.
Through all his subsequent career, remarkable
as it has been, those qualities have never been
more happily displayed than in his manage
ment Of Fanny Ellsler's theatrical tour
through the United States With heart
more fresh than that which he had to offer
Miss Gamble, he thought Fanny . divinity,
and he succeeded in making all the world
agree with him in opinion. He knew his public
so well, that we verify believe if he had chosen
to install her as the Goddess Of Reason, he
would have attracted as many votaries to her
shrine as worshipped the beautiful effigy ele-
waited in the Champ de Mars in the
frenzy of French republican enthusiasm. No
cicerone of histrionic or Terpschorean talent
that has since followed him has ever succeeded
in so ehectually controlling the wires Of public
feeling in these matters as Wikoff. He knew
at once how to appeal to the aristocratic
prejudices Of the upper ten" and the levelling
tendencies Of the less wealthier classes By his
shrewdness and adroitness he made splendid
fortune for Ellsler, and attracted host of imita
tors in his wake. Barnum copied him in his
speculation with Jenny Lind, but it was at best
but coarse and vulgar parody. Ellsler, though
mere dancer, has, through Mikof's gentle
manly and skilful management, left behind
her the impression of high artistical ex-
celence, while Jenny Lind's fame will go
down to posterity associated with the mer-
maid, the woolley horse, Joyce Heth, and
the other equally elegant and interest
ing eoiiectanea Of the American Museum.
In pecuniary point Of view, the Swedish
nightingale made profitable affair of it; but
if che has the feelings of an artist, the money
that she gained during her visit here will
hardly compensate her for the humiliation and
modification she must experience on finding
herself figuring in Barnums book, amongst
the members Of 1.-The happy family
Various have been the speculations tried
with European artists since that period, and
Improbable in most instances have been the
results. But the greatest failure, both in an
artistic and moneyed sense, has been that ex-
pertinent which was SO proudly heralded, and
which excited such extravagant hopes-the
engagement of Mario and Grisi Great names
in Europe--well known names here-ther
advent was supposed to carry with it the cer-