The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-18

| The War of the Opera Houses.
The first brief campaign in this furious but
bloodless war ended yesterday. Field Marshal
Grau, with a more praiseworthy Difference to
public opinion, as indicated by the press, than
was shown by certain military authorities
during our late civil war, changed his plan of
operations entirely. After brilliant MATINEE,
General Fritz Carrier was stripped of all his
honors and retired with Mile. Wanda to his
native village. General Boum Beckers was
ordered to retreat with his army. Prince
Paul and Baron Grog, his papa's envoy, dis
appeared with the entire court Of the Grande
Duchesse Rose Bell, who herself was con-
strained to abdcate. But, after all, Field
Marshal Grau only contemplates skiful
flank movement, and on Thursday next, with
all his forces on war footing, he will sur
prise the public with the splendid costumes
We've de Brabant." Perhaps it would have
been more discreet for him had he left the
libretto of this new operetta untranslated; for
then but comparatively few would be aware
how far it carries the license claimed by opera
boafe. This very license, however, may
prove a recommendation to the present de-
PRAYED appetite of the public for piquancy,
even at the expense of purity. Our own i'm
preston is that the sooner Mr.. Grau shall
decide to favor us with opera comtQue in
place of opera 6oute the better it will be for
his own interests and for the credit of the
French theatre.
While Grau has changed his tactics and is
seriously preparing for altogether unexpected
conquests, Christopher Columbus Bateman is
rejoicing over the new world for op6ra 6oufe
which he thinks he has discovered on
Eighth avenue. Encouraged by the hearty
ovation offered to the Grande Duchesse Tostee,
the Incompatible Prince Paul Leduc, the ire
pressible General Boum Duchesne and the
inimitable Baron Puck Lagrifeul, he persists
in making Pixies Opera House resound with
music which is familiar to every ear, which is
thrummed on every piano and echoed by every
military band and even ground out by every
street organ.
| Keenly as republican America has appre-
ciated the whimsical, satirical picture Of court
Il
Duchesse," and popular as certain airs of the
operetta have become, there may be enough
even of good thing; and we only express
the growing public feeling when we say that
we have already had as much as we want of
the s'Grande Duchesse." 1t seems as If Mile
Tostee, bewitchingly as she still acts, feels
bound, the less she sings, the more to COM
| r. A. - -,
extravagant movements. There ia even dan
ger that she may lose one of her eyes by a
chronic wink; and if she is compelled to con-
tinue the role Of the Grande Duchesse much
longer and to out-can- canize herself it may
become necessary to import Mile. Therese,
who was the rage at Paris year or two ago,
and to let her sing while Mile. Tostee makes
the gestures and ''goes through with the
motions"
The rival opera houses have, somewhat
injudiciously, we think, challenged comparison
between their respective troops by opening
the season with the same operetta. The
public must render its own verdict. If we are
not greatly mistaken this verdict will agree
with our opinion that the reign of ''La
Grande Duchesse7 is well nigh at an end !;
that Irma, delicious little Boulette as she is,
cannot restore it successfully that as French
contemporary says, while ''Tostee plays the
part ravishingly Rose Bell sings it like an
archangel; Tostee has dazzling costumes,
Rose Bell is beauty" Leduc is incom-
parable as Prince Paul. That Aujac has
failed to be the incarnation Of Fritz Is no dis
credit to him, for he is as admirable in oper1
con,sque as he is unfit for opera boufs. Car
rers Fritz is superior to his, although
Carrier somewhat exaggerates the character.
The voice of Carrier is more powerful than
that Of Aujac, although, to some ears, less
agreeable. Duchesne created, for our imagn-
alton, the character of the impetuous Boum,
and cannot be replaced by Beckers, skilful
actor and scientific musician az the latter h.
Mademoisele Lambele is better suited for
opsro comgue than for opera boo.fe, and her
Wanda, although she is not too well got up for
1t, is more satisfactory than any we have seen.
The choruses Of Bateman's troupe are sur
passed by those Of Grau, or, at least, seem to
be fewer in number and not so pretty or so
well dressed on the larger stage at Pixies.
The orchestras at Pixies aud the French
theatre-the one under the direction of Mr.
Birgfeld aud the other under that Of Mr..
Stoepel-are both commendable.
As for the managers of the rival opera
houses very few words will suffice. Mr.. Bate
man, indeed needs none at all for he says
enough, II not too much, for himself The
other night he almost overtaxed the patience
of the audience by the speech in which he
compared himself to Columbus Some Of the
spectators wondered why he had forgotten to
supply himself with wand in order, like an