The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-21

~ uAssuA nouusoOAo VOcteCio W Any IutuI0 pro"
ects Of aggrandizement which a restless ambi-
HON Nike that efNapoleon may entertain. This
would seem to be the true policy Of the Con-
sinental governments. By awaiting little the
course Of events until the popular discomfort
If Naples and Rome finds vent In the expulsion
If their rulers, they will be enabled to ratify
by Congress new condition Of things In
Italy, which, probably, Is as much opposed to
Louis Napoleon's views as 1t Is conservative Of
their own interests. Will they have the good
sense and the sagacity to pursue this course!
Time alone can decide.
the italian Opcra-Its Progress In New
York.
The most common charge, and, In some re-
spects, the one for which there Is the best
foundation, that is brought against us by our
European censors, is that we are too practical,
too unitarian, too greedy for money, too
anxious to make our eternal fortunes, and
therefore, that we have no artistic culture
worth mentioning. This was to be expected a.
q matter of course in new country. When
people are engaged in making railways, dig
ging canals, building cities, telling primeval
forests, exploring mighty rivers or traversing
great prairies, they cannot stop to paint pic
lures, or ohisel statues, or carve canoes, or
compose ballads, or sing scales, or become
learned in the mysteries Of the Solfeggi. But
now that we are getting rich, now that our me-
tropolis ranks with the great cities of the world
we may safely turn for moment towards the
cultivation of the amenities and reinements of
life, and, by encouraging all that is good and
noble In the fine arts, show to the world that
we are, or will be, something more than a ma
ton of traders without iberality, and poll
ticians without principle.
Indeed, the time has come when American
artists claim attention and win admiration
abroad. We have painters whom European
connoisseurs delight to honor, in the persons
Of Church, Rossiter, Durand and others; in the
annals of sculpture the names of Palmer, Pew.
ers, Barbee, Crawford Greenough and Miss
Hosmer will take high rank. 1t is in the art
of music, however, that we have reached the
highest point of perfection. The Italian Opera,
in this country, may be considered as a regu-
larly established institution, and one that will
be hereafter recruited from the ranks of our
own singers. The taste for the Opera here is
more general than in any other country except
Italy, its home. In Austria, Russia, England,
France, Portugal and Spain, the Opera is the
amusement of the aristocracy only. The COM
monalty prefer the theatres, which are cheaper
and more to their taste. In Italy, on the con.
trary, everybody goes to the OPERA which &C.
commodities all sorts of people at all sorts of
prices. Even the lazsaroni knows the Opera
repertoire as thoroughly as the English coster-
monger is acquainted with the history of the
prize ring The opera house is found even in
the very smallest towns, and 1t Is the exchange
wherein all classes of the community meet to
listen to the music, to pay and receive visits and
talk over the topics Of the day. In London
the Opera is lounging place for the Lady
Augustus and Honorable Fitz-F oodles, who go
because it is the correct thing to do 80. In
Paris it is pretty nearly the same thing, and
in Vienna more so. In New York, the Opera
is patronized by all classes. The Wall street
6nancier sits side by side with the well-to-do
mechanic, and serving girl not unfrequently
jostles Miss Flora McFlimsey In the crush at
. Patti MATINEE. As in Italy, the Opera with us
is democratic institution, and one in which
all classes take an abiding interest. Even the
parsons do bit of Verdi occasionally.
The effect Of all this has been to foster and
stimulate native talent to a surprising extent.
Although we have no great musical schools
like the London Academy or the Paris conser-
vatoire, yet Europe sends us the best masters,
and they succeed in turning out pupils who
will one day hold their swn with the recog-
nized queens Of song abroad. It is now only
about thirteen years since we had regular
opera house in New York, and since that
time the city has produced no less than
five prime donne, namely, Adelaide Phillips,
Elise Hensler, Cora de Wilhorst, Adelins Patti
and Louisa Kellogg. With the exception Of
Miss Kellogg, all of these artists have passed
through the strictest ordeal Of criticism, and
have triumphed. Miss Kellogg has sung at q
public rehearsal, and made q most favorable
impression. And we believe that these five
artists will compare favorably with the same
number selected from the elite pupils of any
school in Europe. They all won success on
their merits; for prime dome have no more
honor than prophets in their own country.
The dtb,aante in New York has, however,
several advantages over and above the artist
who comes before London or Paris audience.
There the favor of. the aristocracy and the
journals must be courted. There the artist, no
matter how clever che may be, must wait
months and months before she can get hear.
ing, and then receive only cool recognition.
Here the aspirant has no such obstacles. She
gets her hearing without difficulty, the audi
ence is just but generous, and the journals
almost invariably fair, and generally favorable.
The artist here has no need to dance attend
ance upon the critic, as in London or Paris.