, 1873-11-02
THE OPERA.
Some Suggestions as to the Dress Of
Attendants,
Pleasing the Eye as Well as
the Ear.

The Men Who Beat Time with
Their Boot-Hce1s.
The first Bnow-storn Of tho season has boon
robing tho earth In whito mantle, md, In itp
spotless beauty suggests other charming robes
and wrappingB TINT we hayo recently soon. It
reminds us, also that wintor is really horc, mud
that, with its advent, will also como to up, by
and by, those
F11nTlXdAIE8 FROM FonEldN LANDS,
to delight onr cara and dopleto our pu/sos.
While we shall gladly welcome then,, and |lose
Of uB who can will listen entrancod by thoir
magic notes, why, when the oar is sonding to
tho brain tho sweetest of acuords, must the oyo
be forced to Telegraph tAither the most annoy
ing OF discori's? Why is 1t necessary that
Motley should bo tho only wear" when
1talian opera is on th6 boards In Chicago? As
the interpreter Of tho oracles Of Fashion, No
must diacaim against 1t. Who that las ever
boon abroad, or oven at tho Academy in New
York, has not been delighted, not only with tho
sweet sounds, but also with tho
brilliant DISPLAY or CosTuME2
Hcre Is tho place weYo Indies wear their Aand-
so,no dresses and show thoir jewels. Here,
rich satins, raro laceB, md 1ashing gems aro in
place. What Ia the fact in Chicago? You see
silk dresses and diamonds tralled through the
Exposition building, aud a serge stroot-auit and
undreBacd kid-gloves at tho opera. 10 person
OF good taste, the result is absolutely shocking.
To one who laa soon opora proaentod md ut
tended Us it should be, It is more q pain
than a pleasure to witness 1t horo. As yet, opera
H.
no only get it in brief anatchos but all tho
mora reason, then, why wo should greos it be-
comingly. " But tho expense !" sighs Mater
famlas, aa she looks ut hor family OF daughters,
and knows that the times are hard. The exponBe
need bo
NO MORE THAN At PRESENT.
Who, among our bevy of fair girls, has not IN
evening-dress or a reception-costumo Of silk,
tarletan, or organdy? What mora is necessary
Merely that t11o hair should he coilfad becom-
ingly, d 1owor added q oaBhmore mantle for tho
shoulders, ct voiIa tout! But car
riage will be neceBaary Not absolutely,
if it cannot bo had. MADAME or nIadomoise1lo can
ptu her akirts up about her, cover them with
Waterproof, wrap 1eecy cloud about 1or pretty
head and ca1s, and take bus or Btreot-car to hor
more comfortable thus than in hor gay carriago
or calling dress, aud. When allo reaches tho
opera, will llolp to add MI atom toward the brill
isn't tout-ensomblc.
This, of course, neceRHftatos
4 CnusH-nooM,
and into these tho Indies dresslug-roonB can
easY be turned. An attendant to rcceiyo outor-
wraps and check thom will also be requisite, aud
this is what Chicago neoda. Let Atr. McVieker
look to such arrangements befura L1lcca or NilB-
son comes, aud lot tho public demand it.
Tho nearest approach to perfection, mud to the
foreign standard, ever reached in America, was
in the little
AsTon-rI.AcE orEnA-iovsE,
In Now York. before tho present Academy WIS
built. Il loyo for classical nrsio hpA not thon
pcrmeatcd tho million. rs it hnB anGu, and 1t
was only patronizod by the few who Ind culti-
vated tho taste abroad. Tho place sas ANAL,
SO arranged TINT each individual WAS personal
presence, o decided unit.-nct mere atom in q
conglomorate masu. It was fayorito suoor OF
the unetlucated, that ftYou emit 70 to the
coat" IAe snoerer would probably have pre-
ferred the minatrola, where Go could go without
any such personal ndornments. Full dresB waa
deregle for tho OPERA as much as it was for d
Every ono felt i'll good huulor, because every
ons knew ho or she WAS looking his or lor best.
THE EYE,
as vol as tho car, was gratitied. socalty
regned. During tho entr'actc, Mr. Jones called
on Mira Brown, and MI. Brown OH Mrs. Jones,
inutead Of both maHcuiucs aeizinE their hats and
rushing out to cool their throats With something
hot, leaving tho auditorium looking as il a
Of the usu1per mnn. It was not considered gen-
temanly Mt TINT time, an1 in that society, to take
alaay out, and loavo hor alono in tho theatre,
Sometimes callers remained through tho follow
ing act, and the interchange WAS oxtromely
,leasant. Tho parquet md balcony.sofas were
iioti with beautiful and }orlisiapt women In BilAB
aatinB, aorophane, md iowels, which wore con-
trasted by the black GOATS Of thcir cavaliers.
The eecond tier contained the boxes, and
re tho notabilities wore nightly to DO seen |:
80. Little (Hloso husband was then tho AUTO
crat OF Wall atreet), aud who was roputod uever
to wear tue same aross twice; Mrs. James Cor
don Bennett. thon in her prime; to say nothing
Of the representatives Of the old English nnd
Dutch families who curly settled on Manhattan
sland. The upper tios alouo waa reserved for
those who woro not on grande toune, and ovon
'--re acertain acknowledgement Of tue exactionH
II the place was required.
To old opcraa-goors tho present academy las
never seemed the aame. II has crowded ita
=. together; has permitted lress-hata
20 be worn (epera 'bonneta to be bure) !;
.ecided improvement, no doubt. for tho many
necessary ono for 30 largo and cosmopolitan d
-ity as New York.
But what re want hero is j.tste nailicu. Why
OF assume tho old Astor 0peYa-Hou standard
nd make 1t do riGenr that tho parquet and tltst
nd second circles shall only DO open to those
CONE IN FULL. DREss?
hilo, il there arc any who do not wish to &C.
Dc to this stipulation, they shall and 1t quitt
respectable to listen from the uppor tier
his could be effected II tho price aBkel wore TIT
me throughout the house, with the exception,
# the buck Eeats in tho upper circle. Roservinl
i musio who, cannot afford to pay the
eguar amount for tickets, all might bt
ratified Why should not Chicago inaugnratt
his reform before another onerll-seaaon3 w
f1tit Ia 1nr hail f1I0f fA1 ftta an{Fn