The Portland daily press., 1875-06-08
Art. Music and the Drama.

ArCs MUSIC anu tuG DIdluds
Mime. Di Murska and Herr Formes are an
pounced to sing in The Creation in San Fran
cisco.
Beethevens great string quartette in q sharp
minor has lately been arranged for orchestra,
and performed in this shape at Nice.
Herr johann Strauss, eldest son Of the
famed dance composer, has met with signal
success at the Renaissance in Paris, with his
three-act opera bouffe, La Refine indigo" 1t
was originally produced in Vienna some four
or five years since, and Herr Strauss subse-
auently was fortunate with three other comic
operas, of which Cagliostro was the last. 1t
was M: Offenbach who advised Herr Strauss
to compose operas, being struck with the vein
of melody shown in his dance compositions.
Indigo, in Vienna, had the supplementary
title of the Forty Thieves, but the story had
no reference 10 All Bahia. The lbsetto does
not hid the Composer much; it has some re:
semblancs to the Italiana in Algeri of Ros-
sini The music, however, quite delighted the
Parsians who encsred several Numbers.
George Inness and son, and John A. Monks
are at the Kearsarge House, North Conway,
slketching in the vicinity.
The Duchess Colonna (Marcello) SO we'll
known for her works in painting and seulp-
ture, is engaged on large picture, and has
lust sent to the Salon three magnificent busts
"a Christ expressive Of dignity and suffering,
bearing the character of the Spanish school;
Roman woman, with all the naughty cruelty
of daughter of the C9sarsJ and a thir
bust called Phoebe, Partisan type full of
artistic grace, with the delicate modelling of a
Clodion.
Fortuny, the late artist, was a superbly
handsome man, of atheletie build, with
noble locking head, crowned with a mass of
dark carls. He had large black eyes ana
peculiarly spirited and intelligent expression of
aountenance. He left afortune of 100000.
Sayini has worn Ont several Desdemonas
while playing Othello. The lady who acted
the part last with him was obliged to have an
operation performed on her throat from severe
choking. He has also drained the market of
lagos. In the principal Jealous scene he makes
complete mop rag of Iago; he sweeps the floor
with him, stamps on him, and otherwise makes
1t disagreeable for the ancient.
A correspondent, writing from Rome, thus
describes the altar designed for the New York
Cathedral: SIT is Italian Gothic, and will be
dazzling collection of the most precious mar
bles. There are small triple columns OF por-
phyry aud verd-entique; other little columns
of exquisite malachte; white marble screens
diapered in .precious porphyry, verd antique
oriental alabaster, malachite, gullo antico,
lapis lazuI, etc. Six little white statues Of the
apostles-Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter
and Paul-stand between beautiful columns of
gttering malachite. The tabernacle is en-
crusted with precious marbles. The bas-reliefs
on the altar front are in white marble; the
agony in the Garden, the Bearing of the
Cross on either side, and the Last Supper in
the centre. 1t is a superb work. Its only
fault is the quantity of detail. 1t has no effect
as a whole, and am afraid its wonderful, ex-
quisite workmanship will be lost in large
cathedral. When seen close at hand it must,
however, be admired. tits fine enough to put
under glass; rich in COLOR precious in material,
and most delicate in execution
A painting by Rubens has bees discovered in
Csssel, France. In the Church of Notre Dame at
that place number of paintings that ornament
ed the buildnghad become so disfgured by time
ami dust that the COUNSEL de Fabrique were
impelled to have them restored. The work
was confided to an artist of merit. resident at
Cassel. One of the subjects was ''The Appear
ance of the Holy Virgin to St. Francois d
Assise,'' painted upon wood. To the surprise
of the artist when he removed the layer that
had the original color he found ' that the
painting was an original by Rubens. The size
of the work is about sixty inches by forty.
Charles Warren Stoddard describes the Ufizi
Palace, Florence, and says of the Trbuna, sit
is hung with dull crimson satin, and adorned
with mother of pearl. The sumptuous shrine
as.erected at cost of 100000, and yet is no
larger than a lady's boudoir. AS you open the
door you come face to face with the "Venus de
Medici" The Venus has on her right hand
that famous group, the "Wrestlers," tied up in
double bow Knot of monstrous muscles; on
left the '"Knifegrinder'' crouches with the 1.-the
grace of panther. The ''Satyr," with his
tinkling ymbals, is here dlso, and the 'Apolli-
no." who seems satisfied with himself and all
the world. Those statues, the imperishable
relics of anage that has almost passed out of
mind, stand ia circle In front of the pictures
that Rne the walls of the Trbuna. 1t is pity
that Titan, Vantyke, Michael Angelo, Rapha-
ell, Correggo apd the other masters should be
forced to take a back seat in the Tribuna, for
even color such as theirs seems cold after the
f1eshly marbles have seized and pierced ones
soul, as they are sure to do the moment the
Tribuna is entered. The art treasures of the
world seem to suffer somewhat in COMPARISON
with the supteme excellence Of the works that
are trRronged ia this little pantheon, and the
fame of the crewhing glories of creative genius
seemsto radiate from this shrine as light from
the solar oentDe."
Rufus Choate used to confess that whenever
he went to Che italian OPERA of which he was
ignorantIy fond, he always took his daughter, a
most brilliant and accomplished amateur, with
him to guide his enthusiasm, lest he should
dilate with the wrong emotion"
When Richard Wagner, the great composer,
was young man, he spent two years in the
composition of, stupendeus tragedy, killing
forty-twe of the Characters in the course of the
piece, and reducing the personnel so seriously
that lsome of the dead had to come back as
ghosts In order to finish the drama. |
Edward King describes a picture in the Paris |
Salon as follows: "Rizpah protecting the bod |
les of her sons who were crucified by Gideon. |
ties against the birds of prey, painted by |
Georges Becker, is gloomy and terrific pic
ture full of intense vigor and startling in dra-
matte force. High on a rocky hill, suspended |
from cross tie hang the seven dead bodies, |
those of Rizpah's two sons und the five sons of
Merah, the daughter of Saul great eagle /
comes Tapping his wings angrily in Rizpahs |
face, but she, with huge staff, keeps him at
bay. Over the bodies of the young men their
spears, their shields and their armor are sus-
pended. The whole produces an effect as ter
rible and enchanting as one of Brownings |
weird poems, like "The Heretc's Tragedy"
One feels inclined to revolt against the sensa-
ton produced by regarding such works of art. |
The same feeling comes over the spectator who
stands before the gigantic canvas on which |
Dore has limned forth the horrors of the |
seventh circle of the Inferno"