The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-16


The demand for novelties on the stage was
never before 80 great as during the present
season. The managers who comply with the
wishes Of the public in this respect are reap
ing the benefit of their enterprise and business
tact, and those who persist in rehashing up
old wo-nout plays and pushing forward poor
companies are greeted every NIGHT with beg
garry account Of empty benches The vener-
able, time honored pieces that held the stage
in war times and drew crowded houses, are
now dragging out miserable existence in those
establishments in which they are produced.
The theatre going public were then flush of
money and only anxious to spend it, without
considering the quality of the article offered
to hem. II is different now. The theatres
have increased in number; new managers
have in many cases replaced the old fossils !;
new plays have been placed on the stage in
style never Witnessed before the increased
facilities of European travel have made the
American people better acquainted with thea
trical management in the old continental thea
tres, and as a consequence have made them
more critical and exacting. The pernicious
system Of starring with worthless company is
being gradually abolished, and splendid busi-
ness rewards those managers who aim al having
q perfect ensemble of cast rather than a single
star with dozen flashlights. The magn fcent
success that has been achieved by the irre-
pressible Grau with The Risiori company
shows what enterprise can DO. Ristori plays
again here on Monday and Tuesday nights
and at matinee on Wednesday and seats
are not only already scarce, but all the best
ones are taken, and this without reduction in
prices Grau is an inprsssario who under
stands the public and knows how 10 spep1
money in order to make 1t. The samo
spirit OF enterprise secures the success
OF opera. The Grand Duchess came out
at the French theatre--s bran new opera In q
bran new dress-and che became the rage at
once. If the management will only have the
good sense to provide an extra prima donna Of
recognized ability 10 take the place Of the
present lady when she is indisposcd, the
patrons OF the theatre will be satisfied. In
fact, the Grand Duchess 10 now such q
mythical parsonage owing to the frequent
change Of prime dome, that some Of the
papers are in middle, and cal! her
all sorts Of names but the right one. The
opening Of Pixies opera house, with an Italian
opera company composed. Of genuine artists,
will tend to restore that much neglected branch
Of the lyric drama 70 it, former position.
There Il no doubt that the public do not want
to hear the same old hackneyed lyric and
dramatic pieces, with the same deteriorated
artists, over and over again. There Is one
feature In the theatres this season which is
gratifying. More attention l. paid TO The
scenery and general mounting OF piece. and
tableaux are arranged with view towards art
and splcndor. An unerring proof Of the rage
for novelties and completeness in everything
connected with the stage is the receipts Of the
different theatres. Let the Rip Van Wlnkle
managers vino % fondly cling 10 their mis-
taken ideas Of economy wake up, and they
will find that their more enterprising brethren
have got the start OF them by more than
twenty years in the estihha ton OF the public