, 1875-02-14
ADJUSTMENTS.
0pera--aIfs Past and F11-
t1re--- Lohengrin.
7urner-Hau Music---Balatka in
Reply to Mathews.
Musical Matters in Chicago and
Elsewhere.
How Shakosch and italian Opera
Came to Collapse.
Revival of Scene-Painting in
the City of Chicago.
Miss Charlotte Cushman's Expla1a-
tion Of the New York Affair.
The Theatres in General.
HoW Snakosch and italian Opera
Came to Collapse.
Revival Of Scene-Painting in
the City of Chicago.
Miss Charlotte Cushman's Expla1a-
tioa of Tue New York Affair.
MUSIC

MUSIC.
THE OPERA.
1rn fact a1D ITS FUTURE" LoHESdhfS.
The opera OF ''Lohengrin," lately performed It
his city, ia, whaterer its peculiar merits OF de-
icencies, the most fertile in suggestions OF any
sork Of art presented to the public for years
70 uany srdent lovers of music and drama, II
eema tho first ripple Of = high tide
As q form Of Art, opera has
AlwAIs OCCUPIED DEBAIABLE GROUND.
Born in palace out Of the leisure OF amateurs
md modelled upon the traditions Of the Greek
c1.cr7,a it hal sivayB retained certain traces of
its origin. In ito earliest years it was fHgldly
cl..s,ea1-ss the classic Was then understood, =
unreal and stilted in the highest degree. To
t,is hear xitnzsz the librettos and titles OF the
fist operas. "Daphae," '' JASON" "Eurydice, :"
Pomona" In Italy, it's birthplace, and in
r,znce. vne1e it's Artificial character and brill
liant spectacular displays suited ~en tbs pre-
wiling tore Of high society, it was always the
a.ausen1enr OF the privileged few, the en-
:ortainmont Of Court; it neither sought
rpr obtained tie favor of the masses. 1t
WAS always representing aons serapa1c Aneste
addressing some sublima.cd 0restes or Pyludes.
Not composer whose blood would not have run
cold at the ideA Of heroine called NGrie, hero
aooosted as Jacques, or fesh-and blood hs7a
beloved by 8 Eiulio or Cdrlo-though nine
.erihs Of his audience might answer to those
names. It must be remembered that tho first
of these early operas we're wholly without arias,
md consisted Of little more than continuous re-
cit.tiye, TO which the music was = sort Of ACCOM-
psniment, and was wholly subordinate. Tho
ppeta, ike the stage Of the Same period, was
hampered by code OF arbitrary and absurd con
sentiona1ihes. in which -
sATrnE WAS COMPLETELY LOST s1dH7 OF.
Oper&rbouf1e was uaturl reaction from this
state Of thinga; and, however enjoyable as
:sushter-provoking absurdites the "Bel'e
Helena ~. CT Bsrbe Bleue may be, the finer
part Of their wit ID wholly unappreciable without
some acquaintance with the solemn insipidities
snd boma1stic tragedies which they 30 admirably
bnr!esque.
Opera, introduced into England. became as it
nad been in France, the amusement Of high
,ociety- It was the fashion to attend ths opera
10 it was to drink tea aud chocolate out Of ane
-hina in the Ranelagh Gardens But. in the
form in which itfrst appeared. French exotic,
1T Was alien to English taste and aymrathles.
E1quisites isped it's praises, and young noble
men We'd in attentions to the reigning pfima-
lopn& but the great bulk Of even a11stocratic
society found It an lnt9iefaole pore. ana gtoaneo
Az to the populaca, their disgust WAS outspoken
aud profound. 1t is Amusing to note that the
largest opera-house Was buried down ''urder
the strongest suspiciona OF incendiarsm." Each
operatlc season was nnanc!al lalule' out eacn
nca Reason iouna some noole patron reaog 70
the exclusive Clique Of hlgh sc society elpnemas
such eoaet, NuiEo .ts iuol t1e :t mute lne mole
the general pubic Eepodiatea It, ~ Was inc
pelceptaon o1 Ine sTue Fsaee u &nalts WHICH Bug
gested to The poet Gay nls
It made ins..neonsiy a1gS what Ht managers call ".
tsenenaoas ntt. cte-'eo fent lo1 lhe long
Eent-ap "eaHness. scofn. ana 4anehteF OF the
Enghsh a1olanees eno Tue aoe' ooce SCI IN us
direction BY ths lower stratum OF the public.
Win Il Loos1ng over tne heegars opera a.
this distant Gay, II le easy TO see taat 11s I'M
mcnse success "as aue 70 tne 1act tnas u met
So exactiy tle tenper OF Iae moment, fa1hef
than to Its inherent merits. Lay gauged very
accurately the pubHc Weanness OF suited trag-
edy hne-hpuu sentiment. ana anected elegancles;
and he laid On hls coiors WITH po!d hand In
stead OF Elided salons and preteptlous courtiers,
It presented low resort OF the London thieves.
The audience aaluted with rapturots delight q
Polly. No Ar7Elda Or Rodellnda in gauZe and
diamonds but = red-cleeked lass in tie simple
and becoming costume Of girl of the working
class OF that Gay. After their long surfeit Of
Vol,.t,l..ia<, FIduids, Rtndldos, and F1oriddntes
THE PUBLIC FAIRLY REyELEp
in dramatis-person@ bearing the cogoomens OF
Black Afou Bob Bo0tv Betty Dom. and .je.7a77v
1toitcaer As for the hero, Captain Nacheakh, he
did fur more than any Buiwariap hero to
idealize the Knights OF the Road; and
uhea the Gashng highwayman sang, ia a rol-
lckin1 voice. How happy could / ba with
either we're t'other dear chArmer awa7!" or
~ Pretty Polly, say" to the tune Of lover the
hills aud lar away" ladies' OF quality rayed
about him, aud Duchesses declared him irresist-
b!e. Another feature Of thus opcrz, which was
highly reiished, was the introduction in the
principal ar,as OF popular tunes. such as "The
last time I came DER the moor; "a Britons,
strike home;" Chevy Chace," aud Screen
Sleeves. Iac1en0a's spirited solo, "Hark! I
hear the Bound OF coaches: The hour Of attack
approaches. 'Has set to the march IN "Rlnaldo,"
~1th drums and trumpets But the great charm
of sae Piecs lay, after al. IN
POLLY PEAcHuA; ..
4no. II Say intenced to sho" that 4 thorough
hngnsa ea1i, with "s17n heart and without al
3ss.auons OF cnltute' was more fascinating to
LaEi.snnen m .oat nns 10y aoIe'gn GODDESS Or pr11na
uouuA u tueAa 2iA Ae Ce@tAlul! BucceeQed- 4h6