, 1874-10-14

1llCEA!, huu pcyoHu LhalF AutAOrltJ.
kNUsEEEnIs.
THE OPERA.
There was a tiu,o when " "tfartIln" was q
young damAoI Of moro than ordinary att,act,ous--
handsome, bright, sparkling. and piluaut.
Esory ono vaB III rapturos NTH " Martha" 11or
prnlscs were s.u,g aud whistied In every raror
and on ovosy corner, woro blown by tho brass
bands and ground by tho handorgans. There
was not damsel in tho whole operatic world lixe
" Martha" as Richmond Fair, >" Martha " at tl,o
spinning E-Sheol. Martin singing to Lionora
soHo and Martini " with her hunting-apoar.
lsus nhny yeala have flown since thai
tina when "Alartla" /" wan Young mud
pfii.Ix Msi,T;oa So n,sad Is gettinE gray. be1 md
aso wenr6 all tho pretty trimmings and 1Iowers
OIL Youth ald tr!eH to ba arch md co1uettish aud
n.iVn, the cnort is Bon1ewhut pa,ufu], fur eho
wears a tiroa and old look underneath tho rouge
ana po"acr, ant hcr capcring IL not a. nio.blo
as as hur WON'T and pooplo da not rogard hor
Will that zest and admiration they usoa to lavo
Tor her In her hnicsou dayp. 1t IL about ti:ao
anat M1rtna lllaoo Up littlo PARTY Of Llon.l
go to that bourne w,sra 80 nIauy OF thn Amnas
and Lco'ofas have gone, many Of whom wcro
more qaoonly beauties in thor day than She 1aa
EVER bonn. ~ ~N'
II We nl,pt hnve "Marthn," hovever o,co II,
a season should bs sufficient, aud ths il syi,I.nt-
" tho idea tho public llns, al Win a},o vi bv thu
very light h9tlsc last evening up1n tho occasion
o. 'ts repsl,t,o: Tho potornance Of 1t sas
smalluesa Of tho house. TAoro il li;tls in
- Martha t. inHpirs itsts and II. in nliit;on
to this, thoro is still ess In tho audience, We eau
a.a,y expect l aa,a yery juant pertorance The
Haudt's Martha at best in but a vocal por-
formanco although slo makes la'ld-
ahlo i,iI attempt to give It solno dramatic
nat 'ntefcst} ts .,.+ aud H., Nr: cuatlos Lo,'eto
when iichings md Cu,uppoll and A1rs. scsnin
tiled out tho 4uartette. Tho ii,.e voice Of t1peo
days Ill lta beauty and power has not bcou Aeacd
thu scaHo1.
11hs kell' IS tahcs sho rolo Of Masyuer;se NJ
enjoyable performance nlay bo anticipated. pllo
Test oI tie tast IL tho Bamo RI 1t Was last week.
TIE ACADEMY.
Times have changed, and the peoples tnetea
have changed with thom. Years ago the pc.-
fornlanco Of such drama playe1 III such = msu-
nor as " Tho Mnn OAirIio at tho Academy os
Music would have melted an audience il tears.
and fnrulshed tho thoms for tue breakfast
table for months to come. It's hero
! would haso stink deep into the hearts,
and nomorias Of all who Haw the rilay and it
would crowd tho playhouse for nights and
AIpuLSs 3At ~ In HOk III l0Hs 4. Bnlnil auul~
enco. d cold audience, an oxqusito poem on the
stage, mud IN ARTIST Of UNUSUAL hlxiIl apd fecn.
tn illustrate it, 1t does not sil;1lfy wiat ha,
wrought this change; whether /; is tho explos-
tho Fates wasted), or the ul0.rous csosion OF
arpiasdod adultery. still at wo:s, Ia OF no conse-
quence. There III tho tost. Tuo public does not
want the 1ian O'Arlio" tr dranas liko 1t.
Let tue Tow Who love art for its own sake seo
| such marvel. and then rom avo it for tho bcn-
otlt OF those who can approtsato nothing higher
| thRn folly or Rin.
| We havo given sketch Of this beautiful
| drama already iu the dramatic column OF this
| paper, Eld nhall not repeat It. Taoso who wish
to kee tho plaS---but these are too few. It Is
| not pieeo The public wants- It il century too
late. 1ts romance il y llghly pracrical age,
where quart OF milk csi 30 cnrrtad III cou-
tlensed form In the vefn-pocket. and wLere
criminals cain he-wlli}o tAey never are-con-
| ylctcd by tho vibration Ct IN e'ectrio uatru-
mont III the twInkling Of "a eye, Still. i
could write the piece which MIR. Barrott is play
| ing at tho Acsdcnly, aud tllat there il All uctor
on the stage who deliberatel? plays 1t to certain
loss for the qualification Of a few, and chauos
to 1onvo au inetfacoablo impression IN the hearts
| OF tho tgsleat lovers Of ar1.
Regarded from purely practical standpoint
as everything ought to DO lu thesa days, lnolud.
lug all tr1ics Of honor nnd scntiment-there ar1
reasons why this play should not become
| the avorago conception that Jamie Hare1el
must, 70 vulgar minds. appear little less than II
fool. Tho authors iduallzutiou IL far ahoro tho
capacity Of such poople. Tho general rutlc, IN
| the ;" Alnu DAirllo" tlan 1t ca.i produce JaMi3
| NareoeN afery six month"; or 70. Therefore i:
| il unintViiglblo. This is shameful, wo own, bu:
tr.o. III tho next place, it lnust be a keen, 4
| that tllero is nuch thlng Rs nobility
Of soul and sincerity Of purpose:
and We do not Ike to be assured
that, wo are thieves and hSpoctftes when
we do our best to to1get aud conceal tue factd.
! Again. the diana IL very mourntul. Its patlci
III unrelioved by my ray Of sunshine, except in
tlo socond net. Tnoro Is nothing, thovoIole, to
rest the nIid upon for an irslant, aud tue strain
difference betwoon this diana mud Rip Vau
Winkle," tAat in the latter the pethos underlles
tho hnnlor. anil mover broaka tho Hllrtaco, no
,nntter how thinly It may 10 .: covered. t' Inelo
not posseas. 1t would bo impossible 10 Iishton
IL without destroying lls exquisite movement
mud rupture itH synp.tlics; It would bo Ike 'n-
PRODUCING conlie song into Io1lnysoa'a In
cork. Tears Bpriug To- tile eyeb i'll tho tlrst nct,
| aud tho Bprlny swelts into tor1ant toward tho
cloao, It cunnot Justly 10 called diBmal. Heart
ronding would be lnuro appropriate cpitAet to
llr. Darrott, In playing the loading part. gnv,
| individuality to it by making up to rcacnl'} .
Robert 3lruB, to whn'n jamie Harrdelt BEAR i
sort Of likeness. # the piece, could DO ulade
popular, we should recommend him to plsy 10
oEher for a Boason or two, for the double pnr-
poso Of showing hImsutf ut his best, aud putty
iug Thu staso. uo plosorveu tho Scotch accent
throughout tic drama with fair accuracy. and
Tint is something. Whether the rugged patois
il pleasant to tho general ear il q question OF
taAte ONLY.
In its various ,hsHos. Mr.. Barrett preserves
tho ilontity Of the character admirably. lii:s
.ian,ie Il0re1cl ii indeed ono OF the 1ouut.d,
polished, aud perfect cllaractor2atiouB whcl. ws
sometimes hear of and seldom see. The tIaslo
st.sngtl, wulch stamp most Of slr. barrett =
pessonations gives why entirely in this rola to
deot n1a enyn1nt ioe!ing, and reveals synpG:..
thctc Qnajlty in him wlsle his other efforts fail
to do. Tho picture Of domestic happiness i'll ths
fist act, ind tic %rock thai follows. are worthy
Of any aceor in tue country while fow mora
realistic and pathetic SCENES tlan the snaune1a
a1,l death OF tho poet and wanderor CALL be ro-
culiod.
Tho support given by tue company IN fair. Mr..