New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-27

wtsGve walnut Ire NAB hfo Hr01"'u '" 'e'e"''S
toshs Of siepna marble. The lobby wahs are iasie-
sally panneed, and also frescoed 10 rsp'cs.nt varous
sel.a:e arbes They are farther decorated by Ionic
seumn, a, the head Of the s,airhsls, aud lighted by
slspdeversof powell and appropriate desisns
THE AUDITORIUM.
III, ,bis part of the Philadelphia Academy o; Mis.c
which in respect TO its sdsptaOn TO the purposes Of
slight, sound and comfort claims special notice liz
FORM or horizontal section as indicated by the box
ffonts 10 that of a segment apparently Of about one
third Of circle continued by the tangents and e.
tending as the distance wdens between them 70 tner
contact with the prosceEium. The depth OF this area
from s front wall 10 the proscenium Inc, is WI ee'
and the transverse measure Of that line the same
The proecenum s Is feet deep, thus making the depth
a the auditorium including the stage boxes lO5 iee''
The parouet oor from ts level behind the orchestra,
rses, with what railroad engineers call heavier gra-
dent than is usual in heaers. This secures to the
rows Of seats as they retreat from the stage an eleva
bon which prevents any obstruction Of the view. The
level Of the parquet,crcle is somewhat higher, and
instead OF an inclined floor is series Of platforms
such ss box-tiers usually have. The dress-circe
sctuslly the second tier has the same bounds the
srst. The third tier has its front re.reatiDg three
feet within the vertical line Of the next below and the
the auditorium, determined by lines touching the box
fronts from the highest down to the parquet, is
ampbtheatrical, eDlergirg it ascends, and hence
more graceful, airy and at the time imposing in
lie display Of the audience From the parquct floor to
the ceiling the hight lie seventy feet
In the decorative features Of this part Of the house
substanal elegance seems TO have been more studied
than superficial gorgcousness The sweep (orrdSe,
ne sailor would tenn ~ Of the tiers OF boxes Is eA-
ceedipgly graceful Each tier is suoaised by series
of IL uted iron columns placed not on the front he
but about feet within that Of the lower tier IDey
are fniehed with capital, Corinthan III expression,
although not in detail in advance Of them extend
modIHons while between them sprng olptcai arches,
from the topmost course Of which rises the dome.
The prosceuium Is Aapked by Elk massive columns,
about IS feet high. Between two Of these, standing
obHouely on each de the the tiers OF prOscenlum-
boxes; and over their entablature following the me
of the columns, are Acknowledgements figures, bending
beneath the GROWING entablaure and pedimens from
which springs the wide eipse spanning the stage IN
front Of the curtain. The two other columns on each
eide Of the proscenum stand against the edges OF the
curtain and sustain the archr0ve behind which 1t de-
ponds.
Such is briefly the size and the form OF the audi
forum. 1t contain. ], eco permanent seats IN the
parquet and in the parQuetchce and drsss'cucle,
and about $50 in each Of the upper tiers making 5000
in all; beside places for about 400 movable seats.
The stationary seats are sofas Of black walnu up.
hostered with springs and cured hair covered with
push and divided by arms FOR each person. except in
the upper tier the construction of which s less costly
The space allotted each sitter is % by SO inches,
being as think full three inches each way more than
is allotted to the choicest parts of our NewYork Acad-
envy of Music but yet not wide enough by two inches
Had the other proportions however, OF the Phladcl-
pha seats been liberal as tic space allotted to them,
reasonable fault could not be found. But most unfor-
tunately the depth of each seat from the front to the
inside line of the back is only IL inchesa depth, as
fair experiment proves entirely insufficient for COM
fort during one two three hours sitting. The leg
Of the sitter lacks support under the knee, and bolt
uprpbt portion is also noccssoted by the hight OF the
seat which is % inches from the floor, full two inches
too much. Now, if the Directors wish to do justice
ne well to the public to their repute for know
ledge of ordinary comfcruxury out of the question:
they will reform these seats altogether They are
cad nconguty in house preelninen in the vanages
Of its construction.
AZ regards facility Of vision, from every pace IN the
house, the highest and the lowest, those immediately
rext the proscenum walls and those mostremote against
the front wall the stage fairly in view, from the foot
port of either adjacent range of wings must be los.-but
not the ordinary Of action. 10 this respect the
radical shape of the auditorium the inclination OF the
tiers Of boxes and the pitch of their floors, areindet-
ntely superior to any example of theatrical archtec'
fure with which am familiar, either in this country or
in Europe II lie difficult to conceive of more perfect
flfllment Of the acquisitions of sight. Those Of sound
appear TO have been not less thoroughly accomplished
tested its acoustic properties at time when only
few persons were present, by occupying different places
in the highest and lowest ters. From the remotest
points conversation was audible, held in moderate
whisper with person standing behind the curtain line
This must be due in great part to the form of the house
but also TO the fact that the walls of the auditorium are
lined with wood boards tongued and grocved and care
fully 6tted with an interstce through the whole e1-
tent of about an inch between the lining and the solid
wall. wide well, dug under the parqust also makes
lite floor a great drmn.head. The dome may aid the
effect being constructed entirely of ribs ofroR to VIII oh
ssut wire gauge being attached, serves to receive and
hold the plaster regularly through its whole extent
Another help is probably the lobby-dcors which are
fiush with the inner wall and without prominent mold
iugs to break the surface. While the sound 10
thus perfectly conveyed there is no echo to confuse it,
ofar az my experiments were test.
The aspect Of the auditorium with reference to ar
tistc effect is proper medium between severe sim
phcity and excessive enumeration. The fronts of
The bo1-tiers enriched by various devices carved
in full relief Those of the dress-crcle consist of bold
festoons Of fruit and flowers, holding groups of musical
instruments, altensted by eountersank panels with
courses Of moldings above and below. The prevail.
irs color ia a yhte with pink in the panels, and