The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-28
The New French Classic Play,
La File de Roland"
POLITICS AND POETRY.
New Pieces-New Theatres-Pri-
vate Theatricals.
OPERATIC SCOUTS IN PARIS.

at the Theatre Francois. Since then the play has
been printed and have mad an opportunity or
examining IL critically The result has been TO
confirm the favorable opinion which expressed
OF IL. As this has been very generally cOncurred
in by French critics, and as all agree in assigning
t high place In the classical repertoire, fuller
account OF che piece win probably be acceptable
90 tho readers OF the HERALD.
MEDIAEvAL PLAY.
The plot OF this drama, which might almost have
been called tragedy, Is based on the discovery OF
. terrible secret, which concerns the father OF tho
hero or the piece This father, vino has reared his
son In sentiments or the most chivalrous honor.
has himself unhappily stain on his career, which
swenty years OF gallant and merltorIous DEEDS
have been unable TO enace. Husband Of the sister
OF Cha rlemagne, and father-in.law or the Illus
tri0us Paladn Roland. he, forgelful OF all the ties
OF country ana family, treacnerousy betrayed
into the hands OF tho Saracens the rear guard OF
Charlemagne's army, and brought about The disas-
ter OF Roncesvaux through hatred and jealousy
OF Roland. Condemned for this treason TO be tied
TO the tall OF a fiery horse he was saved almost
nlracuously by party OF MONKS. VINO picked him
MP bruised and bleeding and conc aled him under
. borrowed name. Since then he has been expiat-
Ing mis- crime ny life or incessant remorse and
the most cruel anguish, haunted perpetually BY
the fear that his son viii be informed or his real
In what manner IL this revelation to be brought
ABOUT and what is to be the supreme expiat0n OF
the fAther's offence To the solution Of these
questions the author devotes the four acts OF
WHOM his drama is composed. In bis manner or
treaung his subject he displays an elevation OF
sentiment and his verse assumes an amplitude
or form which remind one somewhat OF Cornene.
His ptrsonages are adapted exactly 70 the re-
quircments OF the plot with perhaps one excep.
ton, and they cay oil that they have got 10 say
concisely and 10 the purpose. The basis OF tho
arama is laid In the first act in clear, precise
and intelliglhie manner; the events succeed each
other naturally and lmpart deep interest to what
follows.
ROLAND or RoSCE5vAUx.
comic AmRury rhe traitor Ganelon), 20 appease
MA remorse aud obtain forgiveness for his crime,
makes pilgrimage to the denles Of Roncesyaux.
There he passes three days and nights prey 70
anguish and exposed 10 all the horrors that can
sssaii q guilty mind. The picture which he draws
Of shc Pyrenean heights, among which the war
Of tho elements rivals IN fury the torments 81 bis
soul, Is powerfully drawn, and leaves deep and
painful impression. He fancies that he beholds
tue shade or Roland in the act OF cursng him, ana
that he hears ms voice repeating tnat there Is
neither pay nor pardon for him.
r. qGo, roland cratic martyr que i'imploro
II vox sinisire. "A loin De somiuets en- sommets.
La montague redit le MOI fatal, iamaisl
Ana tile monk, r. iocr', MS saviour and coun.
seuor. desiring TO appease the agitation Of she
Count. says 70 nim:-
L'soho repondait seul yotre voix aevreus
ktrembre oe eoland serait plus gsnsreuse
Oseut dire, iaruasl Les morris sont Plus clements
But The Coaat cannot be tranquilnzed, aud ne 70.
lons;-
sals DC ton; les togrmsnts L nlus cruel pour moi
Quand le songe gull peat me dire "a Jour. M mere
Ouand IL songe snrtout que demain, aulourd'huL
Le pods de mon iOrialt peui reiOmber sur luil
rats profound repentance and ardent psternal
affection render the situation intensely interest
lug, and when Berthe, the niece OF Charlcmagne.
rescued from an attack OF the saxons by Gerald,
ne Baysrc OF THIS sera!-5aroarors epoch says 70
Blm,
nee de chpaTsmS:a, orgnsss asgss
la belle Auie. lie Que Roland etait mon pers.
"a, unhappy Amaury looks as II a tnuDderboit
aad fallen upon him. aud spectator participates
al the more kesnlS III MS emotion from tho TACT
that no has already become interested In the
young couple ana ioresees the growsn OF 4 mutual
passion between them.
THE STYLE or rms PLAY.
Had space might make many beautiful quota
s0ns from this first act, Gerald develops some
81 the quo Srats OF his character IN hts narrative
OF the hgni. lie n not savage warrior, happy In
she slaughter OF his enemies; the spirit OF Chris
SANITY moderaIes IN MIN the srdOr OF victory ana
excites IN hinl becoming sentiments OF compassion
Tor the victims OF war
Alors ie compris bien Que Disu dul nous euvois,
Aux combats, en- permet rardeur mais non IA lois.
RagennaFt, the saxon chief, ~ man OF sombre
character, VINO regards himself az the avenger OF
the oppressed. Toe pride OF tho soldier, van
pushed but sin erect and ever ready TO take up
arms, breaks out In ali his utterances the limo
to which he gives more than necessary signln
cameo
yanquerS prenez gsrde aux enfsnts dos martyrsi
cKcltes, need soIrce,y add the widest enthusl-
asm among tne audience,
10 the second act the love OF Gerald for Berthe
develops itsen. Count Amaury, who has done
everything In hts poNer 10 oppose IL, finds himself
compelled 10 yield IN presence OF the noble and
dlgaifOd avowal OF Berthe, who desiring 10 bridge
the distance which separates the niece OF Charlie
magne from the son OF OBSCURE knight, con-
lesses her love for Gerald and decides upon we'd
ding MIN; bot nob. however, before MIS- deeds
shall have proved MIN IN the eyes OF ell worthy OF
40 Iolty destiny. sac therefore desires him 20
20 ana compat the enemies Of the empire, adding
81 ne s0ngcant mo- qu'en songeant au dev0ir
Rendez IN Koland-avant de me revor
Amaury under penaly 81 revealing bis secret 10
gOrcou to consent 10 the marriage.
cannot pass over in silence Geralds song lies
Deux Epecs." wnicn ALWAYS ELECTS enthusiastic
applause from the audience and which wish /
could give entire. need scarcely add that this
last st4uza, which makes allusion 70 the recent
bisfOrtunes 81 France produces a marked feeling
oil emOiIon:-
Iile eat captive encore ct Ia France Il pieure
Mails difs rent laisse phOnGeUr egaL
1T IN France Attendant quslaue chance meiueure,
Anne do meme amour JOyeuse 81 DuraudaL
Toe third acs transports us to the imperial
palace in Aix-a.Cnapelle. This act, IN which the
patiiotic idea ylbraIes in every line, would DO
lrreproachaDls but Tor the iact that Cnaremaane
plays merely secondary part IN it, and COMFORTS
himself more like 3 bourgeois king Of modern days
than like the great pOtentate That be was. must
not, however. lay TOO much stress on tets point,
Tor ne ELECTS from his hearers outbursis OF patrt-
etc enthusiasm wnich are but TOO necessary just
nov 20 keep up the moral courage OF the french