The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-10
Art. Music and the Drama,

Art, Music and the Drama.
"Aida" takes well in Paris. The first three
nights, conducted by the composer himself, it
brought in $lO,75O.
Mr.. Alma Tadema, the painter, it is expected
will shortly return to London, bringing with
him many important resalts of his heightened |
stay 10 Rome
Mr.. Holman Hunt is indnstriously pursuing |
his work In Palestine. With Jerusalem as his |
headquarters he makes painting expeditions |
to various points OF interest in the surrounding |
country. His health is excellent.
Nym Crinkle's unfortunate Twins were |
fathered by Lester Walack (says Brunswick !
of the Boston Saturday Gazettel at a cost of |
some $4,000. And you'd better not come |
around Mr. Wailack with an American play |
again.
Joseph Jefferson, the actor, is making a |
name for himself as a painter. He works |
steadily and rapidly. Some of his pictures are |
to be exhibited at the Academy, and others |
have been sought by counoisseurs at good
prices.
Cardinal Antonelli has appsised Archbishop
Wood, of Philadelphia, of the shipment for
the Centennial Exposition of some works of
art wrought in the only establishment that
remains TO the Holy Father" They consist of
two Madonnas in mosaic-one of Raphael, the
other of Sassoferrato; also, two vases of flow
ers, likewise in mosaic, prepared in the work
shop of the Vatican establishment. Ia addi-
ton to these there will be St. Agnes, virgin
and martyr, In tapestry, which the artist, Sig
nor Gentilli, has been able 10 execute in the
Vatican, owing to the generous patronage of
His Holiness.
An interesting object has just been added to
the collection of Egyptian antiquities in the
Boulak Museum, by Marietta Bey, who has
lately returned from Upper Egypt. 1t is a
figure, in basat, of the goddess Ta-Ap-oer Che
great Ap)-Graece Thoueris. 1t stands erect,
with the monstrous head and body of hippo
potamus aud the paws of lioncss, which rest
on each tide upon the Tha, or key of life which
is explained as the symbol of the victory of
good over evil. 1t is a veritable work of pa
thence, and as a Chef d0uvre takes its place by
the side Of those three unique figures of Osiris,
Isis and Hathor, which-sculptored in the same
material and dating from the thirtieth dynasty
ARE among the most remarkable objects in
the Boulak Museum. Every one is now run
ming to this curious antique, Just as the arri
val of the first hippopotamus attracted all Lon
don to the Geological Gardens. The statue is
thirty-eight inches in height, and may be pro-
nounced perfect ad unguem. The surface of
the whole has received all tie polish of which
it is capable. The tongue protrudes slightly
from the mouth, which is armed with rows of
formidable teeth deliberately designed. A fig
ure such as this probably served as an amulet,
oh ayilo oil hon ofpl
influences. There are other objects in the mu
scum which are considered to have been thus
employed, to brighten away scorpions, snakes
aud other "Typhonian animals" Indeed"
said Marietta Bey, II think a snake might
very reasonably be scared away by one look at
at this goddess Thoueris which most certainly is
Ia RECONCILIATION de la laideau." This Thouers
Is supposed TO be the wife or conc ibine of Tet
or Typhon.
Belocca, for whom Strakosch promised so
much, has caused not so much as a ripple of a
sensation in New York, and her opera season
has come to an untimely end One ire pressi
BILE critic ayers that the trouble with her is,
'She is too pretty. It's positive fact There
is scarcely a critic living, unless he resolutely
shuts his eyes, who can form a proper idea of
that weman's voice. Ones theory of harmony
gets completely sunshot with the smile of the
singer. aud tangled in the long eyeashes that
sweep her cheeks. So it ia that the scribe goes
away with the fire of the Brindis still burning
10 his memory. and raves about eoutralto
voice" Not so the cold-blooded and hard
hearted Tribune. Hear it: 1.-THE outrageous
puffery with which Belocca was announced de-
ceived no one; it rather inspired the public
with q mild sort Of resentment to be com
mand ed 10 accept this pleasing young woman
at the beginning of her career as the rival of
Patti the equal of Ttiens and Nilsson. She
has been received with little more than civil
apathy The world of New York would not go
to hear her even on the first right, and we be
lieve it will steadily refuse to tolerate any
longer those exasperating attempts to produce
operas without a company. If it is impossible
to conduct season here with some respect for
art and some Difference to the cultivation of
public which knows little more than O,h-
kosh and Murderer's Gulch, let us have the
house closed" Right here it may be men
toned that Mr.. Napoleon will come to New
York with her majesty's (London) Italian
opera company. provided the stockholders Of
the Academy of Music will give him lease of
the academy for five seasons of italian OPERA
commencing next Autumn The stockholders,
however, want to restrict the lease to one year.
Offenbach, the composer of mich light and
sparkling music is physically the reverse Of his
music. He is frail and morose, and it is diff.
cult to imagine how he ever conceived the
boisterous music of 'La Belle Helene" and of
La Grande Duchesse." He has always had
on me, as man, funeral effect; perhaps that
Is owing to the first impression received. He
has country place at Etretat, on the coast of
Normandy, and some friends with whom I. was
spending few days there, proposed one even
ing, that should call on the illustrious father
of the opera bouffe. 1 was introduced to him
but he struck me at once as imam Of few
words" and soon left the room. The moaning
of a violoncela in the next room, undergoing the
painful operation of being tuned, which always
seems to make stringed instruments growl in a
very unmuscal manner, reminded me that
OHepbach (whose name is not Offenbach-I
forget his real name now, but Offenbach is the
name OF the place he came from) was consid-
cred wonderful performer on the Cello Soon
all conversation ceased, and in the midst of
more than religious silence. intensified by the
accompaniment zen bourbon of the waves
washing the rocks below the open window,
through which the last rays of the setting sun,
Illuminating spots here and there, contrasted
violently with the gray twilight the first lugu.
brious chords of Chopin's "Marche funebre"
struck my ears. They came from piano in
an adjoining room. Soon the rich notes of the
violoncello mingled with the piano, and, when
the theme that forms the principal motive of
the piece broke loose from the moan of the al
ternate major and minor chords which form
the introduction, l never heard any instrument
convey to my mind more perfect interpreta-
ton of Chopin's immortal phrase than the
violoncello of the buffo composer. La nature
dtnae les dntitheses, which may be transplantsd,
"extremes meet" After the last chords had
died out Offenbach came into the room where
we sat, smiling and making the joints of his
fingers crack He always took great pride in
his hands, and had habit of turning the cuffs
of his shirt sleeves over those of his coat.
When he first came to Paris he tried TO earn a
livelihood by giving music and violoncello les
sons, chance. more than natural tendency,
pushing him into the opera bouffe style. He
has become SO identified with it that it is i'm
FL