The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-25
Art, Music and the Drama.

lne Dig bonanza viii be the next sensa-
ton at the Fifth Avenue Theatre. Mr.. DAILY
calls it "contemporaneous and local society
novelty" Mr. John Drew will make his first
appearance in New York in this forthcoming
"contemporaneous and local society novelty.
The twenty-third ode of the first book of
Horace, commencing "Vitas, hinnulco, mo
similis, Chloe has lately been set to music as
tenor solo by Mr. G. X Salaman. The idea
is happy one, and the execution felcitous.
The quartette, "Interger vita," is familiar to
most people; but this is the first time one Of
the odes has been arranged as a solo. The song
is dedicated to the late premier.
One of the late Senator Summers paintings, a
full-sized copy of Guidos Magdalen, has been
lege by Mr.. Jonathan French. The original is
in the Barberini Palace at Rome.
Mrs. Lucy Hooper, in visit to the painter
Meissonnier, describes his personal appearance
as follows: sit is impossible to imagine finer
head and torso than those of this renowned
painter. Above his full chest and broad shoul-
ders rises head which might tempt the PEN
Gil of Velasquez or of of Vandyek, crowned
with q mass of iron-gray hair. the lips aud
chin shaded by thick, silvery beard, and the
whole lighted by pair of brilliant and laugh
ing hazel eyes, He is, however, of very short
stature, his legs being disproportionately short.
The bright cordiality of his manner was ex-
ceedingly charming. as was also the unaffected
readiness with which he displayed his pictures
and replied to our questions concerning them"
1t has been decided that it will not be neces-
sary to amputate one of Fechter's legs. He
will not be able to act for several months.
Frank Maeder, his agent. has closed his en-
gagement with him.
An American college of music, which will
occupy magnificent building. and be conduc-
ted generally on a very grand scale, is talked
of in New York.
An odd letter has just appeared in London,
from Mr.. Holman Hunt, the great artist. 1t has
not escaped observation that in his pctuIe of
"The Shodow of Death" he has represented
the Saviour saving with his left hand. As Mr..
Hunt affects above all things to be a strict
realist, he is naturally very much nettled that
this popularity should have been pointed out,
and endeavors to justify the liberty he took in
this matter He explains that the grouping Of
the picture was such that he could not have
painted the Savionr using his right hand with
out separating the two figures by placing be-
tween them an uninterestiDg mass of wood,
which would thus have occupied the most pre-
cious part of the canvas. He adds that he ex-
peced the spectator to fancy that ''that Saviour
had stepped over the plank to approach his
mother or to see how far the sun yet had 10
sink, and recognizing that it was already late
enough TO prepare for the evenings relaxation
aud studies, that he had assumed the position
which gave the most relief physically and men
tally, before turning to put away his tools.''
"Henry "" will continue the great theatri-
cal attraction of New York for many weeks;
it being agreed by critics and populace that it
is the most splendid of Shakespearean specta-
cles ever presented in this country, and withal
an excellently acted drama Shakespeare's
play has been "cut," and the sequence of the
scenes changed, so that the story of the French
campaign is shown, stripped of ell that does
not heighten the pictorial interest" The
effect, says Mr.. Wheeler, in the World, is as if
necromancy had suddenly drawn away the
dusky curtain of the past, and the fierce light
of the present shone upon the medi@val day,
aud woke it into form, color and action, so that
the scenes of FIoissart and Holinshed are in
carnated before the modern eye.
Minnie Hauk, the young American prIma
donna who was SO great a favorite at Vienna,
has been engaged to give yearly for several
years six months season of ''star" perform
ances at Berlin.
Mark Twain intended "The Gided Age"
"for tragedy" says Brunswick" of the Bos-
ton Saturday Gazette. "After it was drama
tized, he wrote to leading tragedian to take
the part of Col. Sellers. The gentleman wrote
back that it was comedy, and that John I.
Raymond was the man he wanted. Then Mr..
Clemens sent for Mr.. Raymond, read him the
pl and said, Now, do you see any comedy in
that?' see nothing else, replied Mr.. Ray
mond. The turnip dinner, that Mr. Raymond
makes 80 deliciously funny, Mr. Clemens
meant should be pathetic"
Niccolini is Rome's favorite tenor. He reach
es high q with a full, round tone, and phrases
in the broad, free style of the old school. AS
an actor he is said to excel.
Ruskin makes several contributions to the
water-colol exhibition in London, this winter.
One is "a most elaborate and delicate study of
the glacier des Blossoms, Chamouni, piece of
marvellous draughtmanshIp, showing the ice
creeping like huge fiat reptile, down the
hillside. The foreshortening of the varying
curves, and the delicate, jewel-like color OF this
astonishing specimen of skill and patience 10y
ally employed are worthy of the most profound
respect" Itshows that John Ruskin can prac-
tce as we'll as preach. Another of his pictures
at this gallery is 'Dawn on Etna, 26th OF
April, 1874" which is described as grandly po-
etical. "The pyramidical mountain, clad in
belts of light and shadow. which are proper to
the hour, is solid, simple and severe, rich in
tender and beautiful coloring. A jet of steam,
rises straight into the air from the very apex OF
the mountain, until, at vast height, it turns
at right angle, and is dsspated into space in
trail.''
Mr.. J. S. Clarke returns to Europe next
month, aud Emily Soldene and Tooe follow in
April. Messrs. Thorne, Stewart Robson and
Montague 60 in May; so do Lester Wallack and
Boucicault. The number of the theatrical pro-
fession who have arranged to go to Europe
next summer, either for business or leasure,
is unusually large.