The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-02
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
FOOtlight Flashes.


The present Academy OF Music in Chicago was
built in thirty-fve days.
W. ii. Lingard and Miss Alice Cunning appear at
the Olympic next month.
Mrs. Oates has benefit, farewell one at that,
tonight at the Union Square Theatre.
Mr.. Sheridan Shook Is making extensive arrange
ments for the fall season at the Union Square
Theatre.
Miss Amy sedgwick an English actress of the
highest reputation, appears at the Olympic Theatre
on September Q.
ON ait that wachtel returns here next winter
with the celebrated soprano, Madame Mallinger-
We fear ION dit" is mistaken.
Mile. Aimee has a bran new opera bou9e COM
pany, numbering ffty-four persons, and will likely
appear In the fall at the Olympic.
MILE Tietens Is said to be one OF the musical stars
engaged for the fall season in this city. She has
been a truly great artist in her time.
The Fifth Avenue Theatre will be thoroughly re.
fitted and redecorated during the summer, and will
be brighter and handsOmer than ever for the next
season.
The Pau Mall Gazette, of London, thus speaks of
Madame Luccas Selica in "LAfricaine :"-"When
Seka first steps upon the stage 1t Is hard to believe
that the almost too faithful representative of the
burning and sunburnt savage woman can be the
same charming artist whom we have 80 often ap-
plauded the artless and engaging Zerlna in EZRA
Davolo" Two more Numerically opposite parts
on the one hand who in the way Of acting
has nothing to do except to move prettlly
about the ag ana ka pr on !Sp aSd
on the other, Selika, who Is being Of another
| sphere full OF passion and moving in scenes which,
| serious from the first, become more and more dra-
matte until in the last, situation Is reached which
is simply sublime In the duet Of the fourth act Us
| full OF deep feeling as ANYTHING Meyerbeer ever
wrote, the Selika Of the night sang with such i'm
pulse that the audience could not restrain
| their applause, ill-timed as 1t undoubtedly
was. But Madame Lucca was more perfect
still in the pathetic and truly poetcal scene OF
the fifth act, which the poor Africane, but
for the voices of the departing Europeans that
break in cruelty upon her meditatiOns, would
| have entirely to herself. The scene of the upas
! tree, which may be looked upon as the parent OF
the four preceding acts Is one OF the finest and one
of the most perfectly suited for musical Illustration
in the whole range OF the lyric drama. Every one
can understand Meyerbeer's being struck with 1t,
as 1t was first pointed out to him In old English
melodrama, and thereupOn determining to base an
opera upon it, rather to construct an OPERA of
which the said scene of the fOrsaken woman dying
voluntarily beneath the upas tree should form the
| climax; but no can understand the full
beauty OF the scene who has not witnessed It's per-
fOrmance by Nine. Lucca. Her despair as she looks
at the sea, vast and ilmitable as her grief
which her treacherOus lover Is about to sail away
from her forever Is agOnizing; but her closing
scene when with the voices OF cOnSOling spirits In
her ears she lies down and dies is full of tender
ness and, though infinitely touching by means
horrible. The drama ends as happily as is possible,
inasmuch for the poor heart broken Seika life
Is impossible; and one leaves the theatre full OF
compassion for the Queen OF Madagascar and with
a strong desire to hear Nine. Lucca again at the
earliest opportunity"