The Portland daily press., 1875-10-19
Art, Music and the Drama.

PiSSSo VI ehO tWCIey SCup Soiu.
Art, Music and the Drama.
Constant Mayer, the artist, has new picture
called "The Song of the Shirt
MIlais has taken to scene painting, and has
produced a new act drop for the Manchester
Theatre Royal.
A new female portrait painter, Fraulein He'd
wig Gyeve, has lately arisen at Dusseldorf,
some Of whose pictures are pronounced by
German coInoisseurs to be equal to the works
of Franz Halls in respect Of simplicity of de-
sign, truthfulness, and frmness of handling.
Nine. Patton, ninety-four years old, still
dances in French circus company, which
leads to the belief that her method is Patented.
M. Boudry, painter of the foyer-pictures in
the Paris Opera House, is about to represent
the history of Joan of Arc in twelve pictures
The death is announced of Mr.. G. P. Pau
Fischer, a miniature painter of some repute in
his day, and court miniature painter to George
the Fourth. Mr.. Fischer had long outlived the
mode of art which he once practised with con-
siderable success. He survived indeed, till his
ninetieth year was nearly complete, and was
fortunate in preserving many personal recol-
lections of his contemporaries
George Inness has completed several pic
tues which are regarded as among his very best
work. One is view of the White Mountains,
with Mt. Washington in June; another is an
Italian landscape; third is a storm squat un-
der an Italian sky; the fourth is a view of Etre.
tat, France, on the English Channel, with
storm in the west, the trestment of which is
very powerful.
Les Muscaelns," of M. Jules Claretie, a
drama in five acts and eight tableaux, has
been produced with complete success at the
Paris Theatre Historique. The period is that
of the Directory, and the action deals in royal
list plot Feminine interest is supplied in
Jeanne LqfreSnaae, the wife of one of the con-
spirators, who purchases with her life ker thus
bands safety, which has been compromised by
her lover. This part played by Mile. Rousseil,
obtained, says Atheneuna, a strong hold On the
audience.
A new opera, "Dimitr," has been rehearsed
at the Grand Opera, Paris. The appearance or
advent of something fresh at the OPERA says
the London Times correspondent, is an event
so startling that it is deserving of being noted.
The announcement of "Dimitri' has had the
effect of bombshell in musical circles; but
lest any credit should be attributed to the ener-
gy of the management, it may at once be said
that occasional new operas at the State Musi.
cal Academy are like new pieces at the Fran
cais-more or less obligations.
Says the London Saturday Review, "For
want of judgment, however. on the part of
those who listen TO music in drawing rooms
considerable excuse may be found in the kind
OF music which they are often condemned to
hear. Among the many rare gifts which seem
to be nowadays considered common to the
greater part of the world, that of musical ex-
celence is not omitted. The same folly which
induces misguided persons to imagine that
they can string together readable novel with
out any knowledge of character or grammar,
and act difficult part with no understanding
of stage requirements, has led them to say with
Bottom, 81 have a reasonable good ear in mu-
sic; let us have the topgs and the bones" For
the many attempts at playing by those who
have no touch, and at singing by those who
have no ear, the system of education which
teaches children a cert ain set of things without
any reference to their individual capacity for
them is in great measure responsible. But the
worst specimens Of musical incompetency
which may be heard 10 drawing rooms are due
to the want If perception and the vanity of
those who exhibit the specimens. There are
many men ard women who might sing or play
agreeaby if they would confne themselves to
things within their powers; but vaulting ambi-
tion carries them pell- into the dangers of
difficult music which can only be encountered
successfully after years of study and practice,
and makes of the struggles which, it is to be
hoped, are more painful to their bearers than
themselves, terrible warning. When one has
been present at one or two performances Of this
kind, one can understand the feelings of pro-
lessor OF music who was gifted with very ten
der conscience besides great talent, and, be-
ing asked the reason of an unusual fit of gloom
replied, Wei, am just thinking whether
ought TO 60 Oh teaching these amateurs They
come and learn, but they understand nothing;
and they mostly have voices like little cats.
Victor Hugo has done hundreds of draw
ings and has used every conceivable process,
all shades of color all kinds of paper, COM
mon ink, the coffee left in his cup at dessert,
eharred lucifer match, the feather of a goose
quill, handkerchief applied TO half-dried por-
tions Of the paper. He has the twofold faculty
OF being able to see things really very small as
though they were enormous, and also being
able to render certain details with wonderful
patience. Theophile Gautier instances draw
ing OF his in which the hours on the face of
steeple clock stood out white on black, the
black shade being produced by an lnfinity of
minute pen strokes. Augusta vacquerie has
drawing by Victor Hugo, done at one of the
windows of his room in 1S4S. 1t is twenty-pine
inches wide, and takes in the whole of Paris.
Streets, squares, the great monuments, eleya-
tions, depressons, seem to float mysteriously |
in masses of light and shadow, aud clouds
traverse the wide expanse of. sky" One of
his sketches is spoken of as worthy of the
greatest Observation-Disclosures for example,
whose skill in expressing his ideas with few
strokes of his pen was so preeminent. 81 have |
seen landscapes also of his marvellous origi- |
naity. During his exile he was in the habit |
of doing certain number every year and post
ing them to a few friends for New Year pres
ents. Since his return to France he has done |
one-a series, rather-of arabesques, fantastic |
flowers and strange insects, drawn and painted |
IN water colors on the margins of an immense |
frame OF white pire, which contains very |
large drawing"
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