Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-09-23
OPERA coM1oun.
Magnificent Sets OF New Scenes and
other improvements I'm Broom's
Opera House for the Coming ssaso

This is progressive age, and Mem
phis in order to preserve her position in
the front rank OF big cities must keep
step with the music Of the times, and not
allow herself to be laggard in any kind
of Improvement. Mixed communities re-
quire mixed amusements, and upon this
good idea Manager Broom has gone to
work like an industrious man and elab-
orately decorated and comfortably pre-
pared his Opera House on Jefferson
street, between Main and Second, for the
coming season at no uncomfortable ex-
pense. He has wisely hit upon the no.
ton that the working masses want en-
joyment as well as the upper tendon of
society, but they want it of Iivelier ma
ture and at lower rates, and therefore he
proposes to enliven them with the comic
Ethiopian opera and the French ballet,
rather than attempt TO weary them with
the old-style Italian opera, which Josh
Billings says is fast "playing out"
Manager Broom can do this thing at mod
crate prices and make fair living, which
is all the best of US can do in these hard
times. In order that his patrons pass
ing near Jefferson street may at q
glance see his Opera House, he
has placed over the outside door
large prismatic star that will cast splen-
did reflection of variegated colors from
athousand jets of light-a thing of beauty
in itself. Everything inside looks as
bright as q new pin. The walls are tinted
delicate peach bloom color, the ceiling
pure white, and the benches light
mahogany color-very unique indeed.
The front OF the upper tier is handsomely
elaborated and finished with neat brack-
ets and globes for the gas-burners, while
the private boxes are beautifully tessel-
ated and well arranged. The whole house
is comfortably fitted up, and when illu-
minated at night will present quite
pretty appearance. But the great
grandeur of the place is its new and ee-
gantly finished scenery, which has no
equal for excellence of design or rich
ness of coloring in any minor theater in
the West, North or South. Every bit of
it is credit to the designer and painter,
Sam Gulick, who as scenic artist ranks
equal with the best we have yet seen. The
procenium is harmonious combina.
ton of drapery and diamond gold work,
having in the center a handsome embel-
lishment bearing the Latin inscription,
Spectaculo pro Popusos (Scenes for the
People,. The completest scene on the
stage, and it is a thing of beauty, is the "Set
Garden "-something novel in this re-
gion-with crystal fountain in the cen.
ter, diamond arbor adorned with vines
on the left, sprightly foliage and flowers
on the right, with beds Of Southern roses
and tulips interspersed in effective
groups, having full sets Of wings, with
profiles cut out in vases of flowers, and
| filled in with vines and delicate foliage.
1t is gem indeed. An admirable scene
is what Sam calls Plain Chamber"
with rosewood doors and bases and cor
nices ON q lavender ground ornamented
with wreaths of flowers; and so is the
French Drawing Room" panneled in
imitation of French green paper, with
marble maniel in the center, surmounted
with pretty picture In gold frame.
The Modern Prospective Street" is very
good but the Modern Kitchen is the
sweetest gem OF the kind we ever saw
every lover of the fine arts will praise it.
The "Open Landscape" Win blue hills
in the distance and winding stream
with flowers on its banks in the
foreground, is lovely. Indeed no ex-
pense seems to have been spared
in procuring the very best mate
rial and making the scenery rich and
rare. The Drop Curtain is a chef
dOurre, being broad sheet Of green
silk velvet drapery, embossed with silver,
bullion fringe, tesselated marble pave
ment, with tormento to match, handsome
variegated marble plaster, with gold |
base and cap, blue panel and silver orna-
ment, having on each side scarlet silk |
velvet drspery, lined with ermine and
adorned with bullion fringe and tassels.
The whole is lovely and unique, and |
shows Manager Broom to be man OF
enterprise and taste in the show line,"
as Artemus Ward used to say. This is
the "opening night" of the Opera
House, and we calculate hundreds will be
there to gee ihe neg scenery and listen
to the "yelvet music = of the new stars
A LARGE stock of dry good. boots,
shoes, hats and clothing al j. II. I,oewan,
slime 4 Bros, 2Sl Maip e.. IL eod.23
10 you want clothes cleaned, dyed or
repaired, call on Cavanaugh, l5T
LOOK HERE.-At Headquarters Oyster
Depot, No. 27S Second street, ]. D. Ed.
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