New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-22
AMUsEMENTS.


are again being heard this season, notwt standing
the great war and its havoc. During the past week
an excellent concert wst given by the only srti,t
who, SO far as We know, undertakes the speculation
Of giving concerts Oh liberal scale az regards the
orchestra. We mean Mr.. Theodore Thomas To
the attractions Of the entertainment were added The
new decorations Of Irving Hall, which has been
painted within in sumptuous manner thus presenting
the harmories OF color to those Of sound. Dir.
Thomas has lately assumed the difficult post Of con-
ductor. and already displays much Of the ease and
certainty Of veteran in that employment.
The old Waacks Theaer is now alive with Ger
man opera. 1t striking calculation Of the cosmo-
poliian character Of New-York over that oven Of
Paris or London. TO find dramatic entertainments
given steadily in Engsh, Italian, French and Ger.
mn. What other city in tho world can say as
much OF it's ny-sdedness in the tongnesi The
everbeaufu and glorious Der FTeschurz' was
performed on Friday night. Tie best impersonation
was by Madame Johsnnsen. The execution Of
her grand scena gave ample satisfaction to the Ger
man audience present--as much German almost as il
assembled in Vienna, Berlin, or Dresden.
| The opera Of der Freschutz," il often produced
one way or another but not being given here the
Italian stage-rhough there Is an Italian as well as
| English and French verson--it is not much known
to the hobitut, of the Italian opera. Amateurs who
have not heard il would do well to listen 10 on
the modest little scale in which it is now presented at
Wallacks Theaier. At tho time Of its composition,
some forty years sgo, it produced revolution in Ger
man operutic music; instutng certainly a new
scbool, wlicn may be defined by the term romantic,
aud % far as Germany was concerned, evolving the
popular sprt in lis cLor3,es Of huDtsmen, aud some
other music, and Iresenng sceuas on larger scale
successfully Il an had hitherto been attempted. We
look in vain in German musical literature for the equal
of the sccna of gatha above cited in passion ove
ness, and dramatic elect and if The equal Of il has
been written since for the German opera. we have
not encountered it. Had the sylabicaton aud other
musical requirements Of the text been better the
music i'll some other pieces, would have been more
vocal better conveyiu g the idea Of continuity, which
is US essential to music ora,ory. Blu. the ideas in
tho orchesratioD, precisely representing the sen-
ment in the poetry or scene, exhibit the finest per-
oepton and genius imaginable.
The plot Of the piece IL not heroic or historical
In, simply hyIer.rouanrc. Tie tradition Of the
Wild Hnntsman Of the Hartz- Mountains to whom
CAspsr had sold bis soul for 20 many unering bull
lets, and the diajIerie stolen bodily from Mac
superna,ur allan Of d" Der Freischutz" which nigh,
be made terrible, s n .iily and Imaginable az that Of
the acted Macbeth" and more than this could no, be
said, for that reaches the depths Of foocry. TIE
&c man audience could not stand the devish mons
ters In pas'sboard and the paper skeletons Ii, up by
red frees they roared with laughter. and tho super
natural music which was a revelation to the world
when tho divine genius Of Weber evolved it, none
having been conceived Of previously--wa- drowned
in explosive guiiawa We suggest that when Weber
Is hiteuI,c on the stage, he be approached rever.
euty. Dramatically be is the grestes, genius for the
oiera that Germany has yet produced. No such
oyerturss TO this dav ss hs; no such tremendous
originality as BIS Wild Huntsmsns work, as bis
drinkipgsong-no such divine intensity as bis hea.
ven-breathns prayers
We would respectfully further sugges, in detail.
therefore, that all the Wolfr Glen scene be rendered
dreamy, spiritual and terrible, by simple mecbani-
cal means. lie, there DO Layers Of gauze hung acroa
tie stage let all the crude ohecrvries be in the
bsck ground. and seen 40 II in vision. Let ntangi-
bty, and DOT brutal erossness color the scene. And
then the audience will not laugh. The owl will
shrek; the skeleton bunt.men will rush past in the
whrlwind; the rocks will be ref, the genius Of the
scene will be achieved.
-" Der Freschurz" was given in London several
years after it Was originally produced. 1t was in
the bands Of Brnbsm, the finest tenor voice though
no, finger in Europe; and Miss Patton the mos, re-
markabe soprano voice yet heard on tie English
Stage. Ii made such an impression tLat about the
year 1867, Weber WIS invited to England 10 write
another opers-Oberon. On the first night be pr-
vaely made visit TO Drury Lane Theatre lie WAS
discovered in the boxes; and the whole house rose
as a man and cheered him, and the orchestra was
required to play the overture to Der Freischuiz.'
Weber remained about eighteen months in England
studying the language, nld setting the feeble words
of a fo. bic lot "Oberon" 10 music. Ii produced
and bad 10, tie success the music meritcd for az
fairy mutic it is perfect. The overture is d much
greater style Of composition than MendelssOhn's
e" Midsummer Nights Dream" and laid the founda-
ton for that style Of music JUS, Der FrescLuiz
did for tho dark and terrible.
But the non-success of the opera of " Oboron", did
not affect Weber for he was beyond praise or cell
SIRE being nearly exhausted with pulmonary con-
sumption. lie died immediately after, in London,
and received the honor Of great public funeral, no.
blity and comInonalty Icing alike among his mourn
ers.
We think it would be gratifying to musical anna
teuIs if all Webers operas were properly produced.
There are Oberon', " Precosa", and Eurysn-
the yet IN eard.
Tie Academy Of Music will open tonight under
the direction Of Mr. Nixon, who has already shown
taste and liboralty in his management Of the Gre
morne Garden. The novelty of the night will be- Miss
Charlotte Patti in La Sonnambula. OF tho ability
OF Mlsr Patti to sing all the difficult music there