Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-25
Goethe in the Role of Theatrical
Manager.

The student of literature upon journey
ing to Northern Germany, does not fail to
visit the little theatre built under Goethe 3
auspices at Weimer. When after. his
Sorrows of Wertherp had made consider
able reputation for the great poet, Charles
Augustus, the Grand Duke of Saxe-Wei-
mar, invited him to spend few weeks at
| his Court, warm friendship and attach
ment soon sprung up between them, and
Goethe transferred his effects from Frank.
fort, and made Weimer his permanent
home. He was soon created Gheimer
Legationes or Privy Councillor of Lega-
ton, and in time became a sort of fac-to-
tum for the King. In this capacity he
appears to have aimed to make the little
city of Weimer the most brilliant and IA
nous of ali Germany. His labors were
crowned to a certain extent with success.
Schiller, Herder, Knebel, Musaeus, Vie
land Seckendorf, Frau Won Stein, Corona
Schroeder and the dowager duchess Anne
liza, among other notables took up their
abode there with Goethe at their head
He rose among them, says a writer of the
time, "like a star in the heavens. Every
body worshipped him, especially the
women"
Goethe, at the request of the Duke
soon took charge of all the artistic pleasure
of the Court, and had built under his per-
sonal supervision, the little theatre alluded
to above. This place of amusement con-
tinues to this day to be favOrite place of
resort, while its actors comprise perhaps
the best talent of any theatre in Northern
or Central Germany. When we remem-
Der that Weimer has population of only
ten or twelve thousand inhabitants, while
some of the peighboring cities-Halle for
instance-numbers forty or fifty thousand
souls, it is perhaps 8 matter 81 surprise
that it can support the best theatre and
vet the influence Of those memorable days
when Goethe, Schiller and their compan
ions, lived and labored at Weimer, still
remains upon the people.
Owing to ihe fact that the Grand Duke
is unable to support the theatre the year
round, many of the actors frequently go
forth on starring tours to Halle and else
| where.
Having oVerseen the building of this
theatre, Goethe gave his personal super
intendence to the plays and actors One
Herr Gotthardi, who was a boy ut the
time, has just published at jena Pictures
of the Weimer Theatre, under Goethe"
which contains many interesting facts.
| A native of Weimer, he frequented the
| theatre from the earliest age, and made
= rethe's acquaintance from sitting on the
-, nf his box as child. He tells
nn,S1sinqIv that his mother took him to see
So 61rIasn,le, and perched him upon
line front of a box >Shlch he was astonished
to find empty during $2ch IN attractive
performance One evening, however, the
door opened, and majestic fgllrc entered
| The boy was on the point Of sprinS SlAg g
down, when hand stopped him, and u
| fuU. calm voice breathed into his ear,
"Don't move my child, there is room for
both of us.p 1t was thus that Herr Gott-
hardi became acquainted with Goethe. He
seems after that time to have been a regu-
lar visitor in Goethe's box, which was not
only great honor, but entailed some ma
terial advantages. The great poet would
ALWAYS question his little friend about hi;
progress at school, and would regale hin
with cakes and wine, of which q small
store was always kept in the box.
The London AtheneatDa, in a review o
Gotthardis volume says:
Herr GotthardTs love of the theatre wa
, such that he did not scruple to breal
through the rule against strangers beini
present at the rehearsals; and in the in
terests of his readers it was well that h
. was not restrained by any such seruple:
His picture of Goethe presiding at a re
hearsal is of itself enough to recommen,
his volumes. To Goethe, the first readin
of play was as important as the ful
dress rehearsal. He was always preser
. when play was read, prefaeed the reaC
ing by some words Of explanation, an
pointed out to the actors the meaning {
the whole piece, and the relations of th
!, various parts. He would sometimes rea
oyer whole passages of the play, or eve
deelsim them to make the meaning Glei