National Republican., 1876-01-04
QUEENS or FRENCH OPERA.
TEL RleIelIs o. slFIsBleEs RlH,.
RoRTENsE scHNEIDER's PREcocITY.
DEvILTRYAND SEMI-SENTIMENTALIFY.
THE ERal1Ic AND UNIQUE THERESA.
schneider's Alluring Coquetry, and
Her Train of Admirers-Faseinati
ofTheresa, Who II ut Times Zoo Coarse
to Attract the ReGEed.

The Paris correspondent OF the st. Louis Globe
Democrat furnishes the following racy and
piquant sketches Of the two present leading dvini
ties Of the operatic stage: Fond of novelties as
Paris is, and inclined though she be to weary Of
what has once grown familiar, she sometimes
cleaves to her idols after she has worshiped them
from every side, and refuses to see in them single
flaw. Such insurance of continued worship from
this fckle people must be the result Of certain
properties in the object at whose shrine incense is
offered up. What those properties are would be
well worth knowing, though it is doubtful if their
possessor could himself determine them.
TWO LASTING FAvoRIrEs.
There are two favorites here, who have been
such for years, and who gain as much approval to-
day as ever. They are actresses, also, and ac-
tresses are apt to love applause for no better
reason than because they have received it so often.
allude.to the singers, Schneider and Theresa,
who, though entirely different in appearance,
manner and style, have a strong and peculiar hold
upon the popular prejudice, or sympathy, which
is pretty much the same thing. Both are pre-
emincntly Partisan.
They give back to this peculiar population what
it has in itself; change when it changes: laugh
when it laughs; resent what.it rescnts, and above
all, express that combined vein of sentiment and
cynicism which is dear to every Lutetian's heart
as heartlcssness. They are so representative.
these two artists-for they are truly such-that
their antecedents character and the secret Of their
facination are deserving of consideration.
HoETENsE CATHERINE SCHNEIDER
was born in BOrCelux, as were Arsonius the
Black Prince, Richard II Of England Pope Glenn
ent V, Montaigne Montesquieu, Berquin and
CGrle Vernet. She ought to have been dropped
upon the planet at the cennre of the wine trade:
for she has the spirit and the flow Of Medoc in her
blood. She has, likewise, the lcentiousncss Of An
sonius, and the skepticism of Montaigne. but not
the morals of Berquin nor the piety of Clement.
She had preCo:iOus talent for the stage. appear
ing when very young, in ''AIichael and Christina
at the Athenee, in her native city. Professor
Schaffner gave her lessons, and then she went TO
Agea, and played subordinate parts there for
three years.
She was advised to come to the capital. her
friends and admirers declaring that only here
would size find a proper field for her high eapac-
ity. She took the counsel, and, after trying in
vain to &c: admission 10 the Varieties she was
engaged
AT THE BoUFFEs PARTsIESs,
and had decided success. She appeared in la
Oleine Eau lie Violoneux,' lie The de Pal
chinelle,' ''Sose de Saint Fleur," and other
pieces, and, after season or two, made her debut
at the Varieties in lie CHEN de Garde" The
manager was very glad to secure her, as she had
then gained a firm foothold and had power to fill
his purse with naI oleon..
Tho Palais Royal wanted her, and, outbiiding
the Varieties, she went over to it. earning the
greenest Of laurels in LES Memories de Mimi
Bamboche,' la Beaute de Dable," and Dame
ct Ia Bonne. BY this time her rOllickng style.
HER DEvILTRY.
her semi-scntimentaI license had rendered her IA
NOUS. and all the managers were contending for
her. Nothing that she liked better
The Varieties once more claimed her by reason
OF the highest price. and thithcr she proceeded,
cclipsins herself in la Belle Helene She is
so liSnfully wicked as Paris mistrcss-nObody
ever thinks or her as Menelaus' wirc-:hat she
seems 10 JUSTIFY an eOnjugal dslOyalty. She rem
ders wedlock near ass ridiculous as Balysc did
when he wrote ms aahl["hle satire on what has
been tiresomcly Designate MS the divine insfi-
tuition. The theatre was crowded every nioht. for
the French enjoy the spectacle OF 4 entLn3 rTbsI,
they are not beyond anything else. Tbe lover
and the false wife are among the most loving
characters on the stage and in literature When
Ofcnbach composed Belle Helene lie had the
French bias in his eye. and turned 1t to excellent
pecunisry advantage. Not one of his operas to-
day % aDDealS to n miscellaneous