The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-22

If the trouble-is with the present management
then it should be changed; if with the system
then let it be abolished without delay. But
some action should be taken at once.
The French Theatrc-A Revelation In
Opera and tho Drama.
1t was promised that the new French theatre
would be finished about the first week in April,
and now we are in the third week and it is not
yet completed. However, the construction Of
theatres, like all other human affairs, is liable
to uncertainty and disappointment. At all
events, the new theatre will be ready by the
fall, and then we may look for revolution, to
a certain extent, in our metropolitan enjoy
ments. We will be relieved from the night
mare of dull and heavy old operas. We will
have some place of amusement to 60 to where
the attraction will be found in the performance
rather than in the audience, where people
will gladly visit, not for fashions sake nor at
the bidding of CUSTOM but for the real pleasure
to be obtained there In short, we are to have
at the new French theatre a series of those
light and delightful operas which render the
Opera Comique in Paris always charming, and
the Academic de Musique always enjoyable.
The French composers, such as Auber and
Gounod, and others whom we might mention,
are infinitely more fertile than the Italians,
and even those of the former school who
have attempted the gravest compositions
are willing at times to devote their
talents to the lighter and more sparkling
class of operas which harmonize so well with
the French mind and character Thus. while
we have to wait for three or four years until
the work of an Italian composer is completed,
and must content ourselves with this one opera
from that master probably for ten years before
he puts forth another, the supply Of light
French opera is always abundant for the popu-
lar want. In this respect the French opera
writers have a decided advantage over the
Italians, and are more suitable 10 the present
taste.
Our people want variety, and they want
amusement. When one tragedy drags its slow
course through a season in one of our
metropolitan theatres, there are q dozen or
more other houses playing light pieces with
twice the profit No one who has visited the
| Academy of Music of late could have failed
| to observe that the audience did not 60 there
| to hear the music, but simply to meet each
other and talk together in little coteries. What
passed on the stage was little needed; there
| fore Indifferent music and WORKOUT artists did
just as well as the best. People had boxes
which they must occupy and season tickets
which they must use, and hence they went 10
the opera, not for the love of art, but in sub
mission to prevailing custom. Country foll1s
went there to see the fashionables Of the city.
| In the Opera Comique. of Paris, how differ
ent. There every one is intent upon the per-
formance There can be no installing the OBJ
ject Of the audience. They come seeking for
pleasure and they get it,
| In former times, when dramatic writers were
scarce, the public had to be content with few
plays, which were presented again and again
until all interest in them was exhausted but
there is no necessity in this age of fertile brains
and vivid Imagination, when so many literary
men are dramatists and so many musicians are
composers, for being compelled to sit out old
WORKOUT plays and hackneyed operas. We ex-
| pect to see this corrected when the French the
atre is opened. With brilliant new operas and
i
management, we trust there will be no cause 70
complain Of the stupidity or the demoraliza-
ton which have for some time past character
lied so many Of our places Of amusement Il
| is true that the French theatre is not az well
| located as il might be. II should be further mp
town and nearer to Broadway; but then this
disadvantage will be counterbalspccd by the
elegance and comfort Of Its construction, for
IL will be arranged on the plan of the
Opera Comique-divided off principally
into private boxes where social inter
course of the most delightful kind can be made
to harmonizc with the pleasure Of the perform
ances. This may be only the beginning Of an
entire revolution in the plan of our theatres,
and we hope II will prove so, for II Is revolu-
ton very much needed.
| There is an advantage allied TO the charac-
ter of performances to be introduced at tho
new theatre which we have not alluded to- and
that is, that the operas and dramas played
there will be in q language which IL Is most
desirable to cultivate, because Il Is essential 10
the everyday life Of this community. Italian
| Is of little value; French is almost indspcnsa-
| BILE. We all wish that our children should be-
come French scholars, and there Is no better
way Of acquiring proficiency in the language
than by following a good drama through In
that tongue. One good French theatre, where
the interest felt In the performance stimulates
the ambition TO acquire a knowledge OF the
language employed, will make more prohcients
than dozen teachers. For these reasons.
therefore tho Ercnoh theatr cannOt he nut in