The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-04
Art, Music and the Drama.

Bijou Heron has had her great benefit in
New York, and triumphal affair it was for
the tiny representative of the histriOnic art.
Jerome Thompson is painting two large pic
lures, composed of landscape aad figures, Gu
titled respectively 'The Land of Beulah" and
"The Bloom is on the Rye" Both pictures
will be ready for exhibition in the course OF
the coming week.
In musical literature we are soon to have
work that will be interesting in proportion to
the excellence of its doing, namely, an autobi-
ography of Richard Wagner. prepared by
dove tailed passages from that composers
many writings which contain information con-
corning himself. The compiler, Mr.. Burin'
game had hope, we are told, of reading this
essay before the French academy. He adds TO
the work preface, and Wagner's remarkable
analytic essay on Beethoven, whom he claims
as master. Mr.. Althrop, musical critic of the
Atlantic Monthly, is translating Berlioz's au'
photography and his "Grotesques de Ia
Musique" for similar issue. Both these books
are to be issued from the press of Henry Holt
81 Co.
Alice Dunniag has become mem Der of the
Fifth Avenue Theatre Company.
Mr.. j. w. Simonton writes for the San Fran
cisco Bulletin a description of tbs design
which Mr.. Larkin G.. Mead intends To offer in
competition for the the monument to Key, the
author of the 'Star Spangled Banner" which
is one of the things provided for by the great
gilt of Mr.. Lick 1t combines statue of Key
a bas relief representing the bombardment OF
Fort McHenry and a group suggestive of the
triumph of Freedom. The statue of Key is to
be eleven feet high, and the whole height Of
the monument fifty feet.
For the opening of the French opera, Nilsson
was to sing Marguerite, in "Faust." Now, in
that establishment the part of Faust belongs to
NJ. Gailhard, who sang it with Patti. Nilsson,
however, insisted on Fauret, and went to the
Minister of thR Interior about it, and had her
way. 1t made dreadful time in the theater-
for all the artists sympathized with poor Gail
hard, thus deprived of brilliant opportunity
to gain new distinction. AS result the wits
quiz Faure They say he will leave the opera
because the magnificent staircase is more
talked about than he Isl also that he will leave
on account of the gas bills, insisting that "the
gas should not be paid more than the basso."
"Heart's Delight" an adaptation of Dombey
& Son, which has been very successful at the
Globe Theatre in London, will be pro-
duced at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, upon the
termination of the successful run of women
of the Day." This piece is said to afford an
opportunity for the introduction of many novel
mechanical effects.
A full-length portrait of Mrs. JEANNE jew
ett Hotchkiss, the dramatic reader, from the
nf i,,;r "
is now on exhibition at the Bogardus Gallery,
No. 1853 Broadway. The picture is cleverly
painted and is a striking likeness.
The Hungarian Gypsey music is at present
exciting Paris A critic in tue New York Eve
ming Post denies that the Gypsies have any
music of their own, contending that what is
called so is purely Hungarian. He gives the
same characteristic to this Magyar music as
other writers have done to the TziSany. Arsene
Houssaye writes to the Tribune about the Pa
risan sojourncrs, saying: "They have the dia-
bic au corps and pandemonium in their tiddles
wild rhythms, frenzied aud plunging harmo-
nes, strange and passionate inspirations, mill
tary music amorous trils, picturesque waltzes
and quadrills to split your ears. 1t recalls those
etchings where Callot depicts the marches and
halts of GypsIes. Their clOaks are ragged, but
superbly draped. by force of civilization art
perishes, like society. 1t must be refreshed
once in while by return to barbarsm. On
nearer view the zgenners are charming" And
if Houssaye hasn't taken 'nearer view, he
can't pitch upon the Partisan who has.
Grenier, the French actor who took the Chief
part in M. Sardou's "Ragabas,' in which he ap-
peared one hundred and fifty consecutive nights
died recently at the age of forty-two. He be-
| gan life as a compoSitor