The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-08


coast as regards the ocean, is much warmer
than a western one. The first is minor
consideration, but the fisheries and timber
may be very valuable, the timber particularly
so to coast so bare as that of the Pacific"
General Halleck telegraphs from San Fran
cisco that the value of the country is greater
than has been supposed, and that the rejec-
tion Of the treaty would cause great dissatis
faction on the Pacific coast, and especially in
California.
If these representations are correct, we
trust the treaty will be ratified. There are
really no valid objections to our owning that
country, except the first cost OF buying it;
and if the people ON the Pacific coast think the
bargain is good one, and want the country,
we see no good ground for refusing to buy it.
Growth of Musical Taste in America.
WE think that it is the Rev. Sidney Smith,
who divides a nations progress into the days
when the citizens strove only for sustenance,
the days when they labored to accumulate
money, and finally, the time when they learned
how to spend it. Writing, as he did, in the
early part of the century, he explained the
absence of fine arts in the United States by
asserting that they belonged to the third
period, and that America had not yet COM
pleted the money making epoch i'll her his
tory. If his deductions are true, then we
must infer that we have at last got
fairly started in luxurious enjoyment of natu-
raj life. Every year it is noticeable that the
taste of our people for the fine arts is becOm-
ing more and more cultivated, and, what is
still more promising, it is. daily becoming
! more general. In looking back over the his
tory of the opera during the last few years,
we see no ground for that regret which is felt
when the drama is contemplated.
The old theatre-goers may have cause for
regret that the days when Macready was in
his prime, when Mrs. Charles Keen was Ellen
| Tree, and Junius Brutus Booth, Sr., had not
yet lost his genius and his health by dissipa-
ton, are gone by. 1t may be anything but
complimentary to compare the actors of the
| present with Forrest as a young man, or Barry
| Sullivan, or Kemble before they wore them
selves out. But in contemplating the opera
| in America we see only cause for congratula-
tion. When these dramatic stars were at
their zenith, we had nothing worthy of the
| name of opera in the United States. Now
there is scarcely city of any Importance
which does not possess building especially
dedicated to that fine art, and we hope yet to
see the day when not only permanent house
but permanent troupe may be stationed in
| all our metropoi
Although it requires no great stretch o
! memory to look back over all the companies
| which have been in our midst, yet it is plea
sant.to run over the names of the prime sdonne
| who have in the few short years since the
| Academy has been opened here, visited us.
The announcement of the arrival of another
| troupe, and the commencement of the season,
recalls vividly those who have previously filed
/ the walls of the Academy. Madame Gazzaniga
and Madame Coulson were once the theme of
| universal admiration. The name of Patti
Strackosh recalls the unrivalled Adelaide
Patti, now reigning as autocratic queen in
Paris, and holding her musical court in all the
capitals of Europe. Then the nightingale
in a barrel" the lamented Amodio, whose
unhappy death cast gloom over our musical
world. AS bu6oS we remember Rocco and
Ronconi. AS a tenor of the past we think of
Brignoli, who, however, is with us still.
Coming down to later days, we all remember
the troupe which was with us in the winter of
1852, all of whom have now separated, and
the voices of many have ceased to be attractive.
Karl Formes, as "Plunkett," was our ideal;
Frederici, now Madame Himmer, and Madame
Johannsen, and Habelman, and Himmer and
all their able support, making by far the best
German troupe that has ever visited our city.
But we cannot dwell upon their names. But
few years ago the advent of a company was
an event; we now naturally expect at least
two every season, and feel surprised and
sighted if they do not appear. We believe at
the present time there are four companies in
the United States-one German, in the South
ern States; two Italian, one under Maretzek,
in New York, and one with Parepa, in our
city; while the Richings Opera Troupe, when
we last heard of them were drawing crowded
, houses in Richmond. That the musical taste
of the country is sufficient to support four
! expensive organizations, is the best proof that
our hopes OF seeing permanent opera are
: not chimerical. There are few more pleasant
topics of conversation than to look back, after
r a lapse of some twenty years, and recall and
: compare the merits of the various troupes
4 which have visited our city. Those who have
= seen all the prime dOnne of the past will be
enabled TO compare them with those now
n claiming our admiration, and form that critical
|, judgment for which Philadelphia is renowned.