New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-16

carried their vices with them; and the degrada On
OF the acting drama prevailed. For local or pecun.
larry reasons inspiration Of what was right the
little eting French tbcatsis we're initiated in Lon
don, aud Icxt in thi, country. Thenceorwayd an im-
provement began. Instead Of the theaters being big
starved barns coal.hole ard drawing room repre-
scented by scenery equally dirty the verisrnudes be-
gan TO have sway. Scenes were soidy set; carpets
were put upon the stage, aud the furaturs and
tpenoor Of the dIswipgroom or palaces babituay al.
luded 10 in the text not beed 10 the sight Cor
rectLess Of costume, after the French model sl,o
aimed at, ard IN many instances With success Tns
result is that Notwithstanding the brilliant and pro-
found essays TO chow that az positive science and
cheap resoing advance and are difased and the at
fractions Of lectures discourses and other educational
things multiplied, the drama must decline the drama
has not declined, and was well paid for a.
this moment. No profession offers more speedy
avenue to fortune than that Of rstrate actor. The
supply Of actors indeed now is not at all equal to the
demand.
The small thea.ers-the Chatham street. the old
Chambers street, ard WaLacks, Laurs Keenes-
proved the value Of uch houses for the acting drama
But II vas enormously thought very large th.ater
could be bull. So several years ago, when the Metro
politan Hall was burnt down-as all public halls and
theeteIs here burn down later hey do
in France the site used to build great theater
The result was bad. Sometimes used as an opera
hou2ethe musical tide, however having set for the
Academy-eometimes for acting drains, it could
not serve two masters diverse in their re-
quirements; ard go it failed. LIST Summer Mr..
Stuart, eating about for thea.er, determined
to reconstruct the Metropolitan Theater, by reducing
it TO aproper size for tie acting DRAMA Accordingly
many workmen procte led with the work Of demolition
and erection. The result u.s. theaer contracted to
box circle as near the footlights as Waack 5, and
stage few inches narrower than Laura Keene's The
ample hight Of the boxes still remains, we'll the
greater depth or number Of seats in the center Of the
box Circle ard in al the roomy lobbes and approaches
to the theater. The alteration has resulted in much
better theater than would have been erected originally
for the great lot admits of ampltudes which never
would have been found upon rite deemed fit origin
ally for q small thester. Superior openness liveli
ness, and ventilation part Of these accidents. ad-
vartsges. The stage, though narrowed, has i'm
merse depth and proportionaby to the size Of the
bouse, an unequaed area for display. The
decorations Of the lobbies and the interior are
very elegent--dependent all our theaters are
except the Academy, upon chromatic and
rot relieved effects. The prevailing colors Of tho
house are violet and are charmiDgly fresh.
An essential novelty in this house is the drop-cur-
tain. Without being pre-Raphselites, we believe in
the virtue of pre- Raphaelte studies. The landscape
painter should study nature scientifically. He should
be bo,arst, meteorological, and q geologst. The
possible splendors of correlatve achievements in
science may be instanced in the sublime work Of Da-
guerre painerscene.pa painter whose artistic stud
les Of aerial perspective led to the cogoae graIdeurs
of bic immortal discovery. When we remember that
Ciceri and Stan6eld are scene-panters, the claim
10 q high rank in that branch may be modettly az
sumed. All allowance Of course must be made for
the big-brushing the large-handling, and the fact
that the vast landscape architectural scenes OF the
theater should be viewed like the real landscape
or building, at respectable distance and not close.
At this point we will glance at Mr.. Russell Smiths
painting, the drop.curtan Of the new theater called
The Winter Garden. What becomes Of the Winter
Garden in Summer we are not informed. i, would
have been more logical to call il the Perennial Para
dise--or All the Year Round Horticultural Hem
isphere. In making this suggestion, it would be
foreign TO amenities of the occasion to ask where
is the gardenthe flowers and vegetables growing In
the ground, ordinarily understood to mean garden
Mr.. Russell Smith has taken the old story OF the
reading Of AIisophsnes to the Greek soldiers In Sicily
az an appropriate dramatic incident for treatment. 1t
is rice theme and the locality affords rich dis
play Of architecture island sea water and sunset On
the left Of the spectator is the group OF Greek soldiers
as around temple. Antique buildings run into the
perspective along the shore, and vessels are in the
harbor, and the distance is marked by mountains.
The time is sunset.
Mr.. Russell Smith in this work more than sustains
bis reputation 1t is ncomparsbly the finest Drop
curtain ever eeen in this city, its as landscape
painting is a revelation in that department. The
phenomena of nature, the shape and color OF she
trees and foliage, are rgdly after Natures 90, too,
the shape AID drift of the clouds the retreang per-
spectye Of the mountains; the ocean mist and last,
and not least the generous warmth of the sun on the
foreground, which lights up the house WIN It's
efluence. The colorpg is a triumph 1t is more than
scene painting 1t must be viewed as more ambitious
at Mr. Russell Smith, strange to cay, is unknown 10
Nev.York, except by this painting. HIS studies
from nsture-he is landscape painter as well-in his
own country, America, and ia Europe have been
elaborate; and the ipeness Of the consummae artist
row CLOVIS in his works. The manager should be
thanked for his berality in seeking out such agenius
for the most important decoration in his theater The
feeble portions o painting the figures, and the
too crowded architecture
The opening Of ibis theater on Wedneaday evening
was signsized, Of course, with great crowd-veTy
good hunored and attentive. Lots OF notaoties were
present. The orchestra, composed Of no less than
twenty -four excellent musicians, under the direction
Of M Mollenhauer struck up pot pourIi as an IN
PRODUCTION to Dot-the play Of the evenng-oeins
characterization by Bouccault Of Mr.. DeEenss story OF
The Cricket on the Hearth. The novelist is followed
excep, that fairies are introduced in first scene and
a. q &C.