The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-12


The curtain Is about being lifted which is to
present to us the fall season at the theatres,
whether It be brilliant or dull. We have no
reason to suppose that the season will not be
an unusually brisk one. Neither politics nor
the fever of the Presidential campaign is likely
to damage its success very much, because
there is such variety presented to the public
that 1t cannot resist the charm. The ill
fated Academy has now chance Of redemp-
ton which its stockholders should not neglect.
Season after season 1t has groaned beneath the
weight Of Bohemians, real and counterfeit,
who chung to 1t as the old man of the noun
tain did around poor Sinbads neck. Now
that the real Bohemian is out West, giving
Italian and German opera among the Sioux
and Cheyennes and the counterfeit portion OF
the confraternity are busy in their investiga-
tons of oyster stews and small beer, the
stockholders should pluck up courage and give
Mapleson assistance and encouragement in his
essay upon the New York public. We know not
whether the London inpresorSO has the pluck,
energy and talent to carry him safe through
the stormy season that Italian opera gene
rally encounters in this city but we do know
that if he gives us opera in proper form, with
good artists and plenty of them, well trained
chorus and orchestra, appropriate mise en-
scene, unmutilated operas, and above all with
due regard to the convenience and free in
clinations of the public, he will have as much
cause to thank us as had Dickens,
who went away with quarter OF
million of dollars in his pocket.
What may be done in the way of Italian
opera depends also gread deal upon Mr..
Mapleson's judgment in the selection of the
company which he is bringing over here. We
have heard something of the artists he has
engaged, and a few Of them at least have a
favorable record. He has Titiens, the first
lyric artist in Europe. He has been unsuc
cessful in securing Mile. Nilsson, the Swedish
warbler, and we are informed that he is bring
ing back Miss Kellogg, with her American
popularity endorsed by European fame.
Surely no one can complain of dearth Of
opera of all shades and grades during the
coming season. With Mapleson at the Acade-
my, dispensing Italian bonbons Grau at the
beautiful Theatre Francais, giving opera 6oufe
of the most refined and distingue description;
Bateman at Pixies Opera House, giving French
opera on broader scale, as far as the question
able character of the dialogue and action is
concerned; the Richings English opera troupe
and perhaps some itinerant German company
at the Stadt, the returned pilgrims from the
watering place shrines will have abundant OPP
portunities to display the latest fashions and
practise the Grecian bend before their admi-
rers. The steamer st. Laurent, which leaves
Brest to-day, bears, II not Grau, at least his
fortunes; for to her care he has consigned
those rare specimens of Partisan manufacture
which will MARBLE in his reconstructed cage
this winter. Next month he will make the
public acquainted with another of Offenbach's
irrepressible children, ''Genevieve de Bra
bant," who will make herself as popular as
her audaciously funny and refined predeces-
sors, LA Grande Duchesse," ''La Belle He
lene" and s'Barbe Bleue."
A word regarding the last Of these operas.
The destinations of the ''White Fawn" are
tempting to our unsophistcated country friends
''Barbe Bleue," although it might as well be
rendered in Choctaw to many of them, has
peculiar charm in the dubiousness, not to say
laxity of its morals and piquant double enteaa-
DIRE, which country curiosity cannot resist.
There is nothing so fascinating to the moral and
religious minds of country folks as that which
touches the verge of immortality without going
deep enough to shock the conscience. The
ripple on the surface of the ''Barbe Bleue" is
as attractive as the gorgeously colored artif-
cial fly is to the foolish fish who does not see
the hook
At the other regular houses Of the drama
the promises Of the managers are inviting.
Niblo's under the management of Messrs. Jar
rett and Palmer, will soon lose the sparkling
Irma and the jolly Aujac, and exhibit Bouci-
cault's drama "After Dark, which some peo-
pie say has been stolen partly from Brougham
and DAILY And here we must say that in the
absence of international copyright and with
no bond to restrain them but that Of honor and
generosity, our managers have proved them
selves far more liberal and just towards foreign
authors and dramatists than London managers
have towards our playwrights. Barney Will
liams, Lester wallack and Harry Palmer have
repeatedly Unidentified foreign dramatists for
using their compositions, but we have yet to
hear of London manager who has made any
compensation to an American dramatst.
At the Broadway Mrs. Lander is bringing back
"reminiscences of Ristori; "Humpty Dumpty'
still pursues his merry career at the Olympic,
and wallacks will soon open with its accus-
toned series of old comedies, sandwiched
between some choice specimens Of the SEN
sational drama. Maggie Mitchell "stars' at
Woods Museum among the thousands
of curiosities. Then we are to have