The New York herald., 1868-06-08

The Whimsical absurdities, the hearty fun
and the flashes OF playful satire which Often
bach has associated with bis sparkling music,
have all contributed to the popularity Of the
Opera Boa.6e in New York. ''La Grande
Duchesse' and ''La Belle Helene" enjoyed this
popularity in unstinted measure, but so sud-
denly as to make the change almost as ludi-
crous as 1t is apparently mysterious and unac-
countable. Opera BouGe has been made the
object OF anathemas from number Of Bohe-
mian journals in this city on occasion of the
representation Of ''Orphee aux Enters" at the
French theatre. This is all the more extraor-
dinary, inasmuch as at previous representa-
lions in New York Orphee had entirely es-
capped such an outpouring Of wrathful criti-
cism.
For two years past Italian opera has been in
a state Of intermittent volcanic eruption, as
remarkable in its way as that which has lately
caused so great a physical commotion in diff
ferent parts of the earth. At length these ex-
plosive disturbances have reached also the
Opera Boubs. At the Academy Of Music
they have subsidized sufficiently TO make it safe
for banjo and bones to venture this evening
within the vast enclosure hitherto sacred to the
nine muses. and the one hundred and ninety nine
and half stockholders of the Academy, which
seems 10 have been converted into hall for
negro ninstrelsy. But the suppressed volcanic
fires have again burst forth this time, how
ever, at the French theatre and not the Acad-
emy. The entire Bohemian press has felt
the shock, and from each separate vent has
belched out molten lava, flames and sui
phurous smoke. The very same journals
which recently paid assiduous court to the
''Grande Duchesse" and went into raptures
over the ''Belle Helene" and whispered not
word against the abandon of the cancan or the
double entendres with which certain actors
freely embroidered the text of the librettOs of
both the operas of Offenbach, which were not
long ago so successfully brought out at the
French theatre, are now suddenly smitten
with fit of prudery. Rolling their eyes with
holy horror our B0hemians declaim against
the triviality and the immortality of another
opera, neither more trivial nor more immoral
than its predecessors, and cOnfessedly superior
to either as musical composition. This
opera is by the same composer and has been
brought out at the same theatre, although,
indeed, by another manager.
Bateman, with the bewitching TOstee, rode
tri'nnphantly on a storm and whirlwind Of ap-
plause until abruptly driven away somewhere
into infinite space in consequence of q collision
with the omnipotent repres entative Of the
stockholders of the French theatre There
surely must be fatality that clings to stock
holders in this city, whether they number one
hundred aud ninety mine and . half, as at the
Academy, or delegate their authority to
single representative. ~ at the French theatre.
Beware of stockholders" should he the
warning TO all managers.
The irrepcssibic Grau, who first brought
Ristori, the unrivailed irdgGdieane to this
country, even if he we're to fail in neutralzing
the influence Of the Mephstopheliap Baternan,
and in converting into eulogistc ''pufs the
blasts Of abuse which the Bohemians, with dis
tended cheeks, like 80 many sons of Eous,
have been blowing upon "Orphee aux Enters,
will not and need not be ntimidated. II can
not he denied that Nile Lambelc, as even the
the Bohemian critics are constrained to admit,
has cultivated and clear, if not powerful,
mczzo soprano voice of considerable compass,
that her manner is free, fresh and attractive,
and her appearance decidedly prcposscssing,
That she is herself and not Mile. TostGc is not
her fault, and should not provoke the indigna-
A.. n.I...
sonates Pluto, is perhaps the best actor in the
company MIR. Deere (Orphce) hasa fair tenor
voice and plays the violin well. Mr. Edgard
Gupiterl is ndescribably droll, particularly in
The rifle of The fly. IT there are fewer popular
airs in ihis opera than in ''La Grande
Duchesse" or 'Ha Belle Helene, it can boast of
two or three equal to the best 10 those later
works OF Offenbacb. The crowded houses
which have already appreciated and enjoyed
"Orphce" ut the French theatre seem to have
been gratiGed at being favored with third
opera from the abundant repertory of Oicnbach
And, az we have said, Mr.. Grau is not likely
TO he inundated, even if ''Orphcc' should
miss OF the success won by its rivals, for he il
capable OF being stimulated to do just what
we advised Mr.. Baicman to do. to induce Mile
Schneider herself. who created the part Of the
Grande Duchesse, and NJ. Dupuis, who Gre
atcd the part of Fritz. together with the other
celebrities in the famous original cast Of 'T.a
Grande Duchesse' at the Varieties in Paris, in
The fall season Of 1866. 10 come to New York and
to give ns an opportunity OF hearing all Of Often
bach's operas. With the hope that Mr. Bate
man might aspire TO achieve this result we
bore patiently with Nile. Tostce's lack Of voice
and the frequent disappointmcnts to which she
subjected the public, applauding heartily her
vivacious acting, IA well M that of the per-
senators OF General Boum, Prince Paul. Baron