The New York herald., 1869-03-17
FRANCE.

L .L TnnINSGs
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Dramatic News of the French Capital.
PARIS. March l, 1850.
The nrst grand rehearsal OF Faustn at the French
opera has at length taken place, presided over BY
Gounod the composer who sat at side table placed
TO the left OF the stage with the whole score before
him and red chalk In hand for ptess cuttings should
such curtailng operation be deemed necessary.
Wonders are rumored abroad Of the beauties OF this
opera, which will here be reviewed when the changes
are decided now on debate. Meanwhile can be-
forehand announce that three grand scenic effects
will meet with universal approval. The first Is Mar
garet's Chamber the second the Cathedral scene
and the third the Palace. In the drst, 30 remark
able for the famous dueeand spinning wheel tableau,
great Improvement has been made. The whole
decoration disappears suddenly under the stage
noor to show the interior OF the cathedral behind
win Margaret atprayers, while the forbtdding figure
OF Mephistopheles glides behind the altar.
The palace, notwithstanding the attempted festive
glare, Is the uncanniest spot to look a. kind OF
hellish hue Is spread around make the walls look
Illuminated. Numbers OF sumptu0usly attlred cour-
nsanes are grouped on the marble staircase, and
this Walptty0isnacht scene partakes OF satanic en-
chantment or the vision OF an opium eater IN the
East. Faust looks on at the ballet girls, headed by
Mile. Fioere, when this harem scene is suspended
by terror ct the apparition Of Margarets troubled
spirit Attne second rehearsal, last Tuesday, Gounod
was more critical than at the first. He dsappr0ved
OF Mle Nilsson substituting some brilliant top notes
1or what was written, and insisted on the chorus Of
men do sing and not IKE Tyroeans Win iusty lungs
The last Of "Hamlet" Ii to be performed before
the Emperor and court as soon e the cessation q
render gala performance enjoyable.
The newest operetts Is Riccl's 'Folie B Romen Of
have noe as yet heard. It has met with SO much
success nevertheless. that the playhouse In which 1t
came out was too small ior the audience ana tle Fan
cradle OF Feur de The, famous for the yicisst udes
1t has had to endure.
That much debated and arduous question, the
rights OF the poor on an theatrical performances,
which rights constituted tax paid by all Paris
custom Of making harrassed lessee pay 500 francs
charity when his profits were often but 100 has at
length been annlhilated The poor are now to have
their share out OF the enjoyment OF the pleasure
seeker according 70 Q certain percentage wnen ex-
penses are pald-s. e., out OF the profits
been avoided, how much distress warded
OH II French administrators and begging
manarsrs iiT The os vrat anarrel between antW
nerans and musicians OF the future still continues
to dsturb the harmony OF every other popular Sun
day concert at the Cirque Napoleon. N. Pasde-
loup's management, however, OF the Theatre Ly-
rlque, is successful, "rne Preston Brewer'' there
meetin0 with great success. He has now another
singular attraction, a quartrain by four direrenr
connlrymen In their different idioms. We suppose
TINS IS another innovation Of the future. as every
thing ut the Lyr1que Is not OF the present.
Mile. lima de Murska Ii the star that rivals with
Mlle Nilsson for most refulgent magnitude in the
ufu but her acting is graceful and ier style
and type so Hungarian that altogether one for.
less. when listening TO her vocal feats. Her
performance on Saturday last at the Italian
Opera. In I'm Balo In Maschera,' as the Page, was
Thought as wonderful as that OF either Patti any
other prlna donna. Her great forte is the shake
tri on the highest notes; also her peculiar way Of
holding long vibrating Tone When she accom-
pllshcs this, with her head-which is covered with q
profuson OF 1air har--slightly held on one side,
there Is an invincible charm about Mile. de MursKa
which no singer more richly gifted with beauty can
0utrlvAl.
The other queen OF the Sale ventadour Is Mile.
Krauss. She has just returned from the North OF
France, where the enthusiasm she has created at
Lille viii long be remembered. The orchestra and
choruse3 OF the capital OF Flanders did her the hon
age OF serenade after her performance, with Tam
berlick, OF '.P0uto.n This celebrated tenor STILL
fayors the public with his famous " lhigh Cl but It
spectators who lose all thor enjoyment OF this
unique note when they view tho superhuman effort
with which 1t Is launched FORTH rupture Of some
fibre in the larynx or brain ever seems imminent.
Mime. Norman Nemda 10 also mlsusing the favor with
winch her first performances last season as VIOLIN
ist were received Her play was truly wonderful as
long ~ she strictly adhered to the repertoire for
nr now s eas o. on
an instrument SO dttncut to conquer she has failed.
and her attempt at vleuxtemps' Fantaisie Caprice
feeling, and these not ordinary end0wments It
Is pity she should have forced her talent by strain
ing higher.
The Grand Duchess, Nine. ThIerret and Mlle Van
Geh are premeditatng most overpow erng per-
formance vt the B0ufes, while Mile. Blanche
dAnIigsz, successful Cnilpiric studying the
burlesQue Of "Faustn for the F0lies Dramatiques.
she can only be tancied as Margaret by those who
have seen her as Fridigonde.'
Ofenbach is at present engaged on two works
.vert-vcrt" Tor the Opera C0mique, with his right
hand, aud LA Diva" Tor Mile. Schneider, at the
Boufes, with his left hand. l rather think the last
named Is his best: his heroine Is OF the opinion
'Rienzir Is being rehearsed under difficulties.
This new piece OF Wagners Is for the Theatre
LyriQue. Victorien Sardou has decided that his new
drama In five acts and eight tableaux, for the Porte
saint Martin shall be called Patrie." This and the
whites aud the Blues" by A. Dumas at the Chate-
let, are what paygoers not scrupulous about lyric
performances are looking forward To.
The name OF Rossint and that Of Gustave Dore are
80 intimately connected that the painter has chosen
the great composer for his subject at the next exhi
bltion Of fine arts lie has hand for this occasion
a R0ssni after death and k0ssini ~ the genius OF
music in tears. Gustave Dor6 has been ADVISED to
place the latter In the foyer OF the Italian opera
during the execution OF Rossinps next mass.