The New York herald., 1869-03-28
The Policy Of tho Fmpcror,s visit TO Croatia
FRANCE.
How the Government Encourages Art-What
Have Been the Rcsuts-Mnsicnl Gossip oi
the French Capital.

How the Government Encourages Art-What
Have Been the RcsuIts-lEnsical Gossip Of
the French Capital.
PARIS March r. 1869.
writer on the city budget Jules Narvac, calls
the attention Of the country to the cost OF the new
opera houses, ,oOo,ooof. An equal sum VIII bc
spent before the decorations are completed, to which
We must add the subyention given by the State He
has calculated that the interest OF the sum total
would bring IN yearly OF 12s, ,O0of G600
English sterling per day, enough TO give meal TO
$4,000 starving fellow creatures, and, he asks, what
has the opera done for French muscs Its great
posers have been Rosslni an Italian; Verdi, anot her
Italian; Meyerbecr, German; Fccien David, though
n Frenchman, was not pupil Of the Conservatoire
Gounod ard Auber remain the sole result Of these
millions. II leave these considerations and con-
tinue on in the same strain shall find that the
cancan is the only true ana national production OF
French dramatic art; for may as well say as to
actors that Mario is an Italian. Tamberlik q Ger
man; Nine. V. Garcia Bargho and Patti are not
French; Mde. Nilsson Is a Swede; but this IS
% hasty conclusion. There Is much French opc-
iatic talent. There are Faure Nine. Gueymard.
Nine. Carvaho, Nine. Krau55 and lesser stars.
What Is truly defective Is the Frecn Conservatoire.
This institution aad the Academic de France, with
the forty 1mmorras III arm chairs, are IN want OF q
little sirocco famed over their unsnspccting genuscs.
Inis musical gossip reminds me % nlorn your
for the fsk time ut the Italiens last sunday week.
celebrate the seventy-ninth anniversary OF Ro3sinis
birtu Every place 0ad oeen taSen ~ least ten DAY
IN advance, and notaing can exceed the splendid
aspect OF the house.
Contesse lie Pepoli (AlbonD reapreared before the
public on this OCCASION and created the enthsl
assn IN los7. On listening TO her with closed eyes
her voice Is exactly that oil full rich tenor. Her
ADaus Del, produced the greatest effect Mime.
| krauss no less admired than Aiboni whose
method Is such that she mas In these latter days been
caleb the professor OF all professsorsn 1t Il say
ing much for Nine. Krauss, therefore, when 1t is
ayerred that she was not inferior to AOoni. tn0uy uyh
her voice Is not rreproacaaDle; but this artst has
o soul-hcr singing Is called inspired, and In sacred
music TINS Is the unb0ugnt jewel. The stage
/ was arrayed as follows:--un the front plan and
| In the centre, attlred in ricn black, sat the
Two lady artists, with Niconi and Agnesi; behind
| them the orchestra, and In the back ground the
chorsters. The boxes were one glitter oi diamonds,
in due respect and most correct attitude Tue
\ 'ResuIreru and the Sdnctus are two splendid
| songs OF overwhelming Joy; but the Cum Sascto
aad o Saiaidris are IN the light Kossnian style;
| the GratdaS is chant OF gratitude, rising into
| gushing outpourina, but the KH'te Agnus Det and
| Clrsste are considered best Of ALL
so Tar as personal criticism Is concerned, Iscarccly
| think an Italian opera house the proper place for
such celebration An oratorlo or large music hall
would have been more suitable. Therefore It is that
appreciated the performance OF the last general
| rehearsal more than tho festive execution OF this
great work. IL did truly take place at the Italian
| tho few lights that ncxered about only
showed up the outlines OF the figures on the
| STAGE the boxes were empty, few trends aud
critics or Intimate associates having only been
Vteu. Cdfhe1rdl shade CUud DO alcfci, QuleG cata-
combs as church vaults, aud meanwhile the glorious
harmony peryaded every corner. Array OF iylt froul
| heaven forced III It's way IRON I0opnole In the
upper part OF the building and fell directly the
singers. They were thus strangely tinted. A mar
bic bust OF Kossni, crowned with wreath OF golden
laurel, stood Ia relief quite behind. with moth
ing but what nave described for scene, revere
stole ON the enchanted listener and when the last
piece over II was like going forth In another
world. AL present wore traces OF emotion on their
faces.
The other great sensation Of the week Is the first
performance OF Gounods "faust." with Nile. Nilsson
as Margaret, Faure as Mephlstophcles aud Coin rs
| Faust. or the splendid decorations have already
spoken, and 10 do justice TO the opera study should
| be made on eacn part after one or two
hearings. ! am OF opinion that ut the Theatre
Lyrlqde, where II was first brought out.
before Gounod revised the work and fitted it for the
opera, II produced more pleasing effect than In the
Rue le Peileter not 80 sunptuous display, not 80
| famed an array oil talent, but more OF the real
Goethe, more OF the Ideal In abstraction. Mile.
Nilsson h thought more perfect In the last two acts
than Mmc Caryalho but inferior 10 TINS artist In the
two frst. The scene OF the garden, rs interpreted
Dy Mme Carvaln0, was crescend0 oil Innocence
tnat knew no harm, suspected no evil until II nnay
burst away, leaving an impassOned SOU In Its place
IN an ecstacy Of rst love; whereas the same
by Mile Nilsson, shows girl any giri, ready to love
| u wooed and courtcd. Wnen however, tho satani iC
power Is over and she In castaway oil the fury and
SORROW oI remorse acted by the Swedish diva In.
coDpafabe. The ballet IL one or those successes one
| - heia9m prepared for totally unexpected treat
Win nle fioFett ana the plastic beauty Mile. Mont
III. Aa "A haiti A xf.t.gx.