The New York herald., 1862-11-09
NEW YORK HERALD SUNDAY, NOVEMBER g. 1862.
0rau and tho Guerilla Opera.

Grau and the Guerilla Opera.
For some time past New York has been with
out opera. The public has manifested every
disposition to attend the Academy, but no
manager has had faith enough in his star and
influence enough over the stockholders to ven-
tame tiger and control whole menagerie,
failed in his attempt to manage the opera, and
was so torn to pieces between prime donne
tenors, chorus girls and stockholders, that no
one can find enough left Of him Except in the
form Of unpaid bills) to put in glass case at
Barnum's, with label outside inscribed, "Rs.
mains Of o victim of the Academy of Music.'
Since that time our fsshionables have had to be
content with Woods colored opera, and have
displayed their rich silks and Partisan head
dresses In his byou theatre accepting Fox, in
stead Of Brignoli, aud applauding Horn in
Susinis roles.
When the rebel armies fail JEFF. Davis has re-
source to guerilla raids So, when our veteran
operatic inpresso'ii acknowledge themselves in
as bad fix as the radicals after the recent
elections, Grau, the guerilla manager, steps
forward and offers us five new prime dome and
ten nights of opera. This operatic raid begins
tomorrow evening, with Madame Guerrabella
in "La .Traviata." Guerrabella has fine face and
figure, and history as full Of romance as
Greeley's penny -a-line articles In the L,depen-
dsnt but her artistic reputation is not yet esta-
blished. AS native Of New York, she will
doubtless be warmly welcomed and her debut
must decide her claim to continued favor. AZ
ter Guerrabella comes Cordier in the new Grand
opera of "Dinorah," the tame goat In which
may possibly rival the dead fox at Wallack's in
popular favor. Madame Lorini, Miss Kellogg
and Mademoiselle Carlotta Patti are promised
in due course, with Madame Morenci-said to
be a fine contralto--in the "Trovatore." Brig
noli, Macoaferri, Susini and Amodio will sus-
tain the male characters, and will beAccepta-
BILE. For the rest, we are promised an increased
orchestra, O better chorus and some new scenery.
The. promises Of managers, however. are often
like pie-crust or politicians pledges-made to
be broken--and we must not disappoint our
selves by anticipating too much. Signor Muzio
will WELD the baton with practiced hand, and
Ullman has something or other to do with the
mise en- scene. On the wSole therefore, no one
can deny that Guerilla Graus programme is a
loug one for ten nights, and that it has at least
variety, which is the spice of an operate sea-
son as we'll as OF life.
We understand that Grau has begun his raid in
real guerilla style, by forcing both the sockhold-
ers Of the Academy and the artists engaged to
come down to his terms, which are as greatly
deprecated as Secretary Chase's currency.
Under these circumstances, then, there can be
no excuse for shabby representations, or for the
usual hue and cry about the extortions OF ar
fists and shareholders. If everything has been
arranged in his own way, however, why does
not Grau come out like man and manager
aud give US regular operate campaign? Our
theatres were never more prosperous than now,
and Forrest, Matilda Heron, Booth and the
wallsclSs find no lack Of either critical or pecu-
mary appreciation. Why, then, should an
opcratio impressdrio hesitate, and doubt, and
tremble, aud, instead Of crossing the Rnbicon
like Cesar, turn tail and ruin away, as Raymond
does from his ante election statemontss Gag.
has plenty OF artists and 6rst rate opera o..
hand. and could easily construct regular
bcuspH iIULu buCu HldtclA0sS Az hAAlit uilll0oil
to mere guerilla opera is to give aid and
comfort to JEFF. Davis, by seeming
to despair of the republic. Only ten
nights Of opera insinuates a distrust Of our
resources, casts slur upon our expectations OF
victory, and makes Grau an sccomplice Of
Secretary Chase In his intrigues against the
army and fit subject for Greeley's guillotine
il be t-er ysis it in operation A regular sea.
con, on the contrary, IS an evidence Of faith in
our country and our cause which would rebuke
the aboitionists, strike terror to the hearts OF
Napoleon and Palmcrston, and make JEFF Davis
knees knock together with fear. Is Grau
patriot or is he mott
AS rebel raids are generally successful, and
as John Morgan and General Stuart usually
make nice thing Of IL, Grau's guerilla opera
may be successful also. The company Il good,
and there are plenty Of people In tho city with
new bonnets, new jewelry and new kids to exhi
bit who will certainly attend and put money In
Grau's purse. That there Is no great excite
ment about the affair results naturally from It's
transtory character. In announcing guerilla
raid for ten nights, John Morgan Stuart Grsu
attempts shrswd speculation, not an operate
season, aud must expect to DO regarded accord
ingly.