The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-24
LITTER FROM PARIS.

Special Correspondence Of the Crescent
PARIS, May 9Th, 1868.
Where is the pure, lofty soul of Mendelssohn ?
His "arctet" once charmed its thousands and
the tones under his fine sentiment and direction
would sink to a whisper or swell into volume Of
Joy or pain one might only compare 20 the oceans
tide. All the Charm of bis Popular Songs 4"
(Which no soul so coarse, no creature 80 low
ever heard, but was lifted up by their sweetness
and purity,) has died in this ungifted age, and the
spell of his Walpurgs Night" is to-day forgotten
in such vulgar carcatures as the Duchess de Get.
olstein, ;" "Geneyeve de Brabant," "Barbe Bleu,"
" La Belle Helene" etc. Now and then we find
a flower h3ating in the current OF vulgar popu.
lsrity among the grass and ranking weeds which
spring from viiiated tastes and vulgar natures.
But this Is rare in truth we may only find il in
the classical soul of Madame CarvalhO, or the
charming throat of Mile Nilsson. The latter pos
sesses none of the Italian fire, of that frenzy
which is 10 Us the result of violent passions thrown
into the cadences ofmusic, but she belongs to the
German school, where the soul. and not the
senses. is the throne Of music. We say German be-
cause there is no appelative distinction made be.
tween the mortimer of different races and the
children of Italy yet there is a world between
the German and the Swede; and while La Nilsson
fails IN rendering MOzart's music, she sings the
Swedish ballads charmingy-as no one else, per-
haps Her voice scars marvelOusly, and is always
true ana sweet, ana WIN tnlS great power she
paints the pictures of scenery and hearthstone
wonderfully. The snow-clad hills rise up before
us-the licheDs hang from the matched roof; or
it is the wild, solemn scenery of the distance
which stretches ont before the easement window
where some maiden may be spinning, with her
black, laced bodice, and her dreamy heart full Of
the silent joy Of its pighted troth. These effects
ave produced by wall here. quick, wild cry
there; little high note suddenly given, like ray
of sunshine quickly breaking the shadows on the
n All these and sin
them everywhere. She, the slender, fair OpheLid
made her sdieux TO the Partisan public last Tues
cay. for an absence of three months. She Ger.
talnly understands the character of ODhelid. We
see her chsste and virginia., trusting yet reserved,
doubling yet loving, while the passions of her
young life lie all unawakened, although her heart
breaks and reason forsakes her. We trace the
pain of fear and doubt in her plaintive notes, we
are startled at the shrill cry of her soul in the
mad scene, and she recalls poor wounded bird,
futtering and dying, as she hides herself among
the rushes, repeating the love vow of Hamlet /:
"Dpne de Ia lumiere,
Du eel ct De Ia terre" etc.
On Tuesday last, the stage was covered by a
rain Of flowers. Bouquets fell by hundreds-of
roses, of iilscs, white and lilac moss roses etc.
several being so mOnstrous five or six feet IN
height that they were presented to her by SER
wants who bore them with difficulty. Then there
were crowns Of gold and crowns of laurel
sheafs of wheat and wild flowers; bat there was
one bouquet, " the lOreliest IN the otOle lcOrld,"
rs MeDdelssohn said TO Goethe, when he chose
Mozarts mnuet from " Don Giovanni" to play
for the great poet. 1t was a miniature world Of
pansies-nOthing else but il must have brought
is own sweet Joy to the heart Of the young ar
tiste. gifted and beloved as she is.
The Gymnsse gave yesterday n new comedy, in
four acts, by Louis Leroy and Rignier. Our CO.
labOrer Ulbacb speaks pleasantly of its merits.
" The title Of this new comedy is not good but il
has the merit Of clearly indicating the subject.
The question is 20 find in the white path of honor
Of duty, and Ct sacrifice, the footprints effsced
by the vhirlwind Of passion aud of caprice
There is hope offered to prodigal husbands, and
70 all women who imprudently seek TO aveuge
their abandonment. IL is q draWbridge thrown
adr0itly between the coast Of vagabOnd pleasures
and that famous island which BOileau, (who knew
nothing about it, believed to be steep and without
banks, but where having once left, one may always
know how 20 return. Nothing was wanting in
the success Of the piece. Wit without eccen-
tricty, sv eetness without inspdity, and morality
without pretension."
We are gradually merging into the quiet mo.
nOtony Of summer. The Conservatoire gave its
last concert on Thursday, for the benefit of all
young girls whose talents open to them the doors
of the Conservative, either for musical or dra-
matte educstiOns, but whose means do not permit
8 certain preliminary instruction before becoming
scholars of that institution. The Little theater
was blaze of light and jewels. The orchestra
gave the symphony in minor OF Beethoven,
End subsequently fragments OF "Septuor" by
the same composer, for al the cord instruments,
two harmony horns. two bsssons and two clario.
nettes. Marie Bat a. that CREATURE siyles, "a she
is csled-an science, whose very method Is en-
cOTSd-sapg an air from "Semiramids"; while
Ritter. the FIRST pianist Of the day in France,
charmed his audience by GsVotte Of Bache and
the march and finale OF the Concert Stuck Of
Weber. bis touch is Ike butterflies flying about
in garden Of spring fowers-so soft so light!
And be plays with a soul Which would indicate
German origin at heart. The evening closed WI
the % Premier Theven Blanc" by Octave Feuille',
plsyeS ~ Boissant and Madeleine Brohan, IS