The New York herald., 1874-12-26
CHRISTMAS ADJUSTMENTS.

THE messiah" At STElNWAY HALL.-handelo
master work was given hast night at Ste!nway
Hall by the oratorio Society or New YORK, CON-
bined with the Brooklyn Handel and Haydn So
ciety. The chorus numbered about three hundred
voices. and there was an orchestra OF memoers OF
TIE hail was crowded 10 Its utmost limits. Dr..
Leopold Damrosch conducted on the occasion and
the soloi.ts were Miss Aobie wninnery, soprano
MISS Anna DrasdiL contralrO; Mr.. George Simp-
son, tenor, and Mr.. "A. Z. Stoddard. bass. Mr.. ).
i. Warren played the organ accompaniment. The
performance as iar as the chorus was concerned.
was admirable, and rejected much credit on the
eminent conductor. who mas supplied want so
long Keenly felt this clty-the organization OF an
efficient oratoro society. 1t u.s. indeed, rehef TO
step out OF the atmosphere OF giiIering superficial
toy music which forms the principal feature OF the
concert hall or the metropolis this season. and
lisen once more to the sturdy, healthfnl, invigo.
rating measures OF the greatest OF all musicians.
FOR no matter how orchestration. based upon the
thoughts OF bygone Titans, may be developed
and enlarged In the IDEAS OF the modern schools
and with modern Improvements in Instruments
rhe choruses OF uandel stand alone ana unap.
proacnAble. They are not susceptible OF improve
Ing 70 when the chorus have been subjected by
the distinguished director bore good fruits
Of Expression ous and ana nerent
pArasng were partly there, and wiIhal beartiness
OF spirit tnat testified unmstakabty the interest
winch each individual singer lett IN the work.
The sopranos and tenors are specially deserving
praise, and we might advise an accession OF
stran,e TO say, the weaKes. part IN the Chorus
the contratos-iormed the brightest feature
among the soosts. Miss Drasdil made success
last night SUCH as has not been achieved III ora
torio IN TINS city Tor years and can only rnd
counterpart In the late queen OF foratorio-Parepa.
Rosa. only sucn peerless soprano could be placed
beside "A voice
richness OF expression OF Miss Drasdil. she sang
the arla HE was despised" as II has never before
occasion was unsatlsactory evlncinI an unfor-
tunate tendency toward singing out Of tune and
with an ipdisiInct method or phrasing. The tenor
acquitted himself admirably, and word OF COM
mendatlon must be gwen TO the bass. The success
OF Mr. Damroscn's body OF singers last night should
encourage him To iurther efforts to bring them up
TO the highest STANDARD OF excellence required Of
representative oratorio society In New York. He
has good MATERIAL ana II Is TO be hoped tnat it
Will be developed accordingly.
B0oTH's THEATRE.-Ai,er heightened absence
from the stage Matilda Heron, the once famous
Camille, made her appearance in the role OF Lady
Macbeth. large and Intelligent audience as
sembled to witness performance which had
been looked forward to with considerable interest
and curiosity in dramatic circles. There were
those who predicted Tor the lady something more
than failure, and some who hoped that the power
and genius which had given to our stage an un-
rlvalied Camille had not altogether n.ckered out.
It was natural. therefore. that every line spoken
by Lady Macbeth was listened to with the closest
attention and weighed by the audience as care
luly as by the professional critics There can be
no doubt what the verdict was-it was recorded
too plainly In the faces OF the assistants. In
many important points Marllda heron'S cOncep-
ton OF the character OF Lady Macbeth uttered
from most OF the interpretations, but the devla-
lions can scarcely be regarded as improvements.
Instead OF the vigorous and merry Lady Macoetn
wnicn we looked for, we were presented with
tame and unlnterestlhg persUn There was
neither the masculine lorce OF Cushman nor the
sleek. catllke vlllany with when Clara Morris
seeks to invest the heroine OF this magnlncent
tragedy. 10 their place we mad womany pic
ture well nigh col0rless II there were NO corus-
cations or genus, there were, however. no abcr.
rauons, and Inc tone OF the character was well
preserved throughout. MI. VandenhOr played
the part OF Macbeth with his usual effectiveness.
which he displays power ana spontanelty
which more pretentiOus rivals lack There Is u
vlrllity IN Mr. Warde's impersOnatlons which acts
with magnetic force on au audience, and which ~
more er1ectve than the most careful stage man.
nerisms, because II appeals to the heart Mac
On Monday Little Em'ly'' Will be produced with
MI. Rowe In hts original character OF Micawber-
the man waiting Tor something to turn up.
wALLAcX's rHEArnE.-The popularity OF Mr..
Boucicaul,'s latest play, 'sThe Shaughraun," con:
tinues unaoated, or rather it tends to increase.
The more the public see OF 1t the more they want
to see, and last night the house was literally be-
sieged. 1t was not question OF having standing
loom only" but big placard stared intending
visitors IN the lace announcing That mo more
money would be TAKEN" 1t IS not often that man
ayers are driven TO the desperate strait Of turn
Ing money away. but this was the coalition OF
Wallacx's last night ana az the matinee.
1HE FIFTH AvENuE.-"ANew Way to Pay Old
Debts" with Mr.. Davenport as Sir Giles Over
reach has proved fairly attractive At this house.
Taere was q large audience present last night
the largest which has been gathered In this ad-
miraOle theatre since the management offended
tue pubic Dy producing "YoricE," u play oi 50
much merit tnaG 1t ought to nave retrieved the
fortunes OF the house. Monsieur Alphonse" was
gwen At the matinee, but did not attract an over
moving audience.
THE LycEUN THEATRE.-The opera oou6e felt
the influence OF the Christmas times, and last
night this delightful little theatre was crowded by
those VINO admire the tighter lorms OF dramatic
amusement. The Grand Duchess Of Miss Soldene
Is one OF her jolliest lmpersonations and ner
efforts to please met with hearty applause.
PARK THEATRE.-Colonel Sellers having passed
his hundredth performance has quietly settled
down for second term OF the same kind. Yester.
day ne neld iofth In his characteristic manner to
his admirers s in the afternoon and evening.
NIBLo's.-Tne "Jack and Jilln pantomlme, with
It's side-splitring practical jokes and Its language
without words, attracted large audiences to this
house yesterday.
GRAND OPERA HoUsE.-There was a good at
tendance at the matinee and evening perform
ance OF the Black Crook yesterday. Times are SO
hard nowadays In New YORK that this famous
spectacle does not excite the same enthusiasm rs
II useu TO IN more prosperous times. Gotham Is
on the stool OF repentance and has not courage
enough TO enjoy performance with TOO strong q
spice of sin.
GLoBE THEATRE.-"Unmaskec. or the Lone
House on the HOOK" was the chief attraction at
this house yesterday. IL was combined with .
strong variety performance selected with ad-
mira0le judgment to meet the pubic taste.
WOODS McsEUM.-Boucicault's "Arrah ma
Pogue' and "The Carpenter OF Rouen" ministered
TO the amusement OF the hardy sons o. toil who
most affect this home OF the earnest drama. A
double bill oil unusual attraction had the eject OF
filing the house at the matinee and evening per.
foTmances.