The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-18

sures to bring Nicaragua to her senses.
OPENING OF THE FASHIONABLE AND OPERArIc
SEAsos.--The present week inaugurates the fall
and winter season at the Academy of Music, and
commences new period in the fashionable world.
In the circles of the beau monde nothing is talked
of except the Opera. The Academy manager,
the indefatigable Ullman, plays out his strongest
card in the person Of Mile Piccolomini, who
represents any amount of princes, popes, cardi-
nails and other dignitaries, civil and ecclesiastic
On The other hand, we find Strakosch the mer
curial and improbable director of the Burton's
theatre troupe, producing apet of the New York
public in the person OF Mime. de Nilhorst, around
whose public career there is thrown halo of
romance which is irresistibly attractive. The
operations at Burton's partake more of the char
acter of sl1irmish than of regular campaign !;
but there il just sufficient Of excitement about
the contest to pique the curiosity Of public
which is given to sudden and extraordinary
freaks in artistic matters The Piccolomini ex-
citement has become 30 intense that the orthr-
pists and pbilologists have commenced o fierce
contest over the question as to the pronunciation
of her name, while chronological and antiquarian
philosophers discuss without proper gravity her
nationality and pedigree. The Fifth avenue
bellies 40 are much excited upon the subject Of the
opera war that they have even neglected for The
n,nrne,t ~ oii,ici,o each others clothes. The
statement has @ manifest air Of improbability,
but the authority upon which il is made sAenas
indubtable.
Not only in the opera alone, but in other public
a,pusements there are signs Of activity too
palpable 10 be overlooked. In addition to
the opera houses there will be during this
week no less than seven theatres open in this
city, with a legion of other exhibitions of all
sorts. from the Dusseldorf Gallery down to the
wonderful show of child with more than the
usual allowance of head, arms and legs. The
weather although we have passed through half
the autumn, il balmy As midsummer, and our
great Misunderstanding Broadway-isa an ave-
nue Of palaces decorated with parterrcs Of flow
ere, natural and artificial. If ever the Goddess
Of Crinoinc held high carnival it il at this mo-
ment In the great metropolis Of commerce.
politics. finance, fashion, folly irippery and fri
volity. What contrast from last year at this
time Then Fashion sat grooming in ssckcloth
and ashes; Mrs. Coupon was called upon 10 a.
crifce her carriage, sell of her horses discharge
her servants, melt up her plate. cut down her
butchers bills, avoid Stcwart's, and pursue the
most difficult Of studies-cconomy The young
demoi-eles Coupon were plunged In grief by
the announcement that there were TO be no balls
in socety-only "sociables," without supper.
Master Coupon took to drink when his allowance
was reduced one half and the p,rs Coupon dis
continued his weekly banquets to the men in the
banks. The painters smoked dreary pipes in
lonely studios, to which no orders came; the
Manager In Distress WAS acted in the cou-
iisSs Of every theatre in the city; and the act
ors we're all preparing TO play the r5ie Of the
starved apothccary in Romeo and Juliet,
Well, II seems that we have got over all these
things. They say "in society" that the winter,
both here and in Washington, IL to be very gay
Certainly everybody Is having q finc frolic Of IL
Just about now. II Is tho harvest time Of tho
Broadway merchants, the hotel keepers, mili-
ners, jewellers and purveyors Of all kinds Of lux
uries. The opera managers are in FOR their share
Of tho spoils; and, having all the materials for
jWrore Of colossal proportions, IL would be too
bad IL they did not get IL up. The fashionable
and artistic world will therefore be good enough
10 consider itself excited MP TO the bounds OF
propricty as matter Of course and 10 prepare
for grand campaign