The New York herald., 1868-04-05
THE PARIS FASHIONS.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF The HERALD.

Fashionable Lenten Music-The Luccn Bon.
quet and n Toilet from Its Fringes-A Com.
plimcnt from Rossini- Beauty, Gems aud
Jewels Mt the Opera-How the Aristocrucy
Dressed.
PARIS, March 20, 1865
Fashionable Lenten concerts are positively an In
fiction. Tney arc showering down on Paris as thick
as hastones. All the walls, all the hygienic pillars
down the Boulcvards, all the demOlitons, fences and
even the chimney tops, are stuck with the polygot
harmony OF foreign artists, who alas come to Paris
with the sweet delusion that the civilized popu-
laton OF this wonderful capital are the best
judges Of music In the world, and that to
give a concert at the Sale Erard or the
Sale Herr rs the same desideratum as the possession
OF the treasures viewed by Aladdns lamp. II ar-
lists of merit would but stop at home, where they
have friends who appreciate and encourage, families
to support engagements to I'LL, and their native land
TO honor, we should witness less disappointment
and despair when the truth dawns them here that
they have made fasco. This never does happen
with crash or eclat; fasco of this noisy descrip-
tion is almost beneficial to an artists pocket as
success; a grand nasco draws full houses. Cora
PEARLS asco In Belle Helene" drew; lola Montes Us
a dancer likewise. The nasco that awaits foolhardy
musician is OF quiet, unassuming passive Kind
that deadens his faculties and dsheartens him ut
tery, because all his efforts, his struggles, his men,
tai and physical exertions rs ignored as himself
May artists wives read me and tell their ariistical
husbands that unless the Parisians seek them they
must not seek the Parisans. The following Is
truthful sketch OF attempts at fashionable concert
Firstly, there is the humiliation OF begging for pro-
lection and patronage at ak the Minisries there is
high price to pay for the hire of hall, posting,
lighting attendance, &C; there is almost q fight to
sustain With piano dealers, who never will believe
that their instruments are above below the official
pitch; then an intelligent man f he is so, to expose
himself to IT. has to be looked down on by his rivals
In the same line, sneered at for not being pupil of
the Conservatoire and bullied by the small fry
Then he has to 60 his visiting rounds In kid gloves
patent leather boots and twir his mustaches to look
Italian, and talk Of Patti a. II he and she had
had the same wet nurse; II his name ends with a
Saxon syllable he must curtail 1t for q vocal
mint; he must exhaust his eoquence on his sue
cess at some imaginary court where an imaginary
prince presented him with an imaginary diamond
pin, and when he has exhausted everything but his
tickets he must play or sing or do whatever
he has q talent for before audience Of peo-
pie who have been persuaded TO come gratis
headed on the front rows by one or two pupils who
fancy they are acting the generous for the "love Of
art" not because they admire or esteem the concert
giver personally, "who Is only our American music
master"
say nothing OF the fellow artists who volunteer
gratis; they all pupils of some great MASTER Of
course. Three lessons Of Lablache constituted n
pass formerly. The programme includes VIOLIN
who can't scrape bow length without his own
accompanies and who is strong on "The Carnival OF
venice;' thorough bass, who growls down in the
depths of symphony and no accompaniment what.
ever; soprano lady, who comes on with bouquet
and inevitably attacks "Robert, toi que Janer with
and 1yJcs N Roher, UNA NJ,
much more In want Of IL than any one; and fat con-
tralt0 lady, who has been told she looks like Aboni