Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-04-23
AEUSEEHN'rs.


= seS sJu, which event occurred with To
, lgst nights performance Of the Caroli1l
SchiBgs Berusri comic opera compa
ny, has cleared the stage for the appear
ance Of our amateurs, Of which the pa
irons OF the drama last week enjoyed
taste q ell the Memphis Organisations
The fret Of these. being the grand dor BIZ
opers AZ the Memphis club hall oil
Wednesday evening, a complimentary
benefit ana testimonial to Mr.. Borne.
mann, the talented bass singer, giveI
" The German Casino, who we're aided
by the leading amateurs and profession,
ale Of the city, wes an immeCse success
IJu=t such an one SIS the rare social and
professional sttainments Of the bene-
ficisTy meTitsJ. On this occasion
"Scents," from MoZsrt's Don GiOgdRTsi,
was presented very creditably-indeed,
far above mediOcTe-under the direction
OF Ar. Emile Levy. Mrs. Tomlinson
! (in two characters), Mr. Fred Borne
mann, Mr.. A. Refs, and Mr. J. Leg
/ Ter persOnsted the chafacters in the
opers, which, OF course, were fault
| lass 20 far as could have baen -
pected OF amsteur per',rrne,s. Die
N2rdgrund6r9..CoH, G,Fu1aT 0ners, rn.
Ger .pe mGsie2i direction OF Professor
Schu'Ee, and alike bTeditshIa 70 sli par.
ticipa,ing, waa Ten~ er-y. On the same &C.
casion - ths Y srmsn Casino singing
( 7isE. On the same "wednesday even
ing, the g. Budgets dramatic assocjR-
ton eLteItained a large audience OF
their friends st tLeir hall on Tnird
street, between jackson and 0verton, N
| the very excellent Presentation OF the
| domestic DRAMA entitled The Isnlg ter s
| t0.seT, and the popular farce, Paddy
Mics. The membership Of this s~soela a.
ton embraces some vEtv rfsper amstsur
dramatic ltstHf., ana we are glad to note
the 'rteiest the young gentlemen and
ladies' manifest in its development
! Their entertainments will beJOme
| among the pleasant attractions of cur
home smfselaents. On Thursday night
Colonel Joseph Barbiere delivered a
lecture st the Theater on the subject,
Balance Of P0Uer, which was
listened to by an audience of in
telilgent people, who expressed
themselves as having enjoyed 8 rare
intellectual feast, We hope Colonel
BsIbiere viii repeat this one, or give ms
another lecture on some other subject,
such as his known tsIeat. observation
and research assCre US the public will
enjoy, On Friday night Cochran hail
was occupied by Superintendent Pickett,
OF the Memphis city schools, With .xer.
cises chosen fer The occasion, and a lee
ture by Etste Superintendent Leon
Ts5usdaie, on the subjec', Fsve Historical
IeRnesSe0Hs. Colonel Trousdsle,s
name snnounced as the lecturer wss ss-
sursnce that the subject chosen would
be ably discussed, The SOdality dram
attic association also gave an entertain
ment Friday evening, at their hall.
which vas crowded to oyeyfiowipg
Caste was the bill, and as we have said
II was very cleveEly performed, the
members OF the association exhibiting a |
degree OF Improvement that could onlv
nave heeL attained by careful study and
excellent management. The SodaIity
ufanlsllcs promise to hold place anons
the first Of our amateur organ.
lzstionr, which we are ssad to note are
sSskening such a lively interest In
Memphis. There are g few I'm every
community disposed to discountenanee q |
amateur performances, because their |
eXsctIng natures fail 70 see In Them the !
eXceilences demanded OF professionals, |
There are ethers who would frown them
down peoahse Of the Puritanicai idea
mat they are demoralizing, sinful, and
unworthy the coRnterance Of christian
communItles. We beg leave to differ
With Doth these elements, and hope our
! young people will devote leisure hours to
the cultivation of music and the dyams,
rather than consume them in profitIess
r,astimes. We excerpt from an article
on the subject in the New York Arco-
dian, Ofrecent date, the following, show
ing the high place amateurs hold in the
best circles Of New York and London.
the two leading cities OF the world:
Amateur acting belongs IS distinctive
" to art as poetry, music or painting. 1t
Is one OF the best evidences and out |
groWths Of the highest social culture
and refinement. 1t is an artistic accom-
pHshment which includes many other
Of dress, person, man
ners, eiOcution and department. TIE
more elegant and elevated is the society
1t any city, the more popular
will be amateur theatricals. When
Dublin was in fact, as it is now but in
name, the capital Of Ireland, with a So
3iety famous throughout the world for
ts mode and esprit, smateur theatricals
10urished. The palace Of every promi-
lent nobieman had its private theater
attached, and many Of them may still
le visited by the curious tourist. When
Paris was dsZzled by The brilliancy OF
he imperial regime, the court and the
,ourtiers were devoted to private thest.
icals. In London there are hundreds
Z distinguished amateurs; and every
English country house has its little (
isge and miniature scenery ready for
be regular amateur performances twice
II three times every year. New York {
9 not to be surpassed by any metropolis
II present, in this complex and delight
al form Ofsocial amusement. There is
10 amateur club in Europe which can
ompare with the Amaranth, or with j
uch other repre- sentative clubs as the |
durrsy Hill, the Wallack and the Lau- {
el. The very cream Of society belongs {
o such amate ur clubs and ore aniZaIions,
nd the very test people are happy to |
ttend and applaud their performsnces.
'ome Of these clubs boldly produce orig. {
nal plays; others reproduce the finest I
presentations at our leading theateIs; '
theirs prefer the good old pieces which
our gr2ndmothers and will
eligbt our grandchildren-but all Of
hem do sound and pleasant work; they
o IL well; they improve dramatic taste
nd are improved by it, and they deserve g
mpie credit and criticism. Nothing I
ould be more stupid than the notion /
hst amateur performances interfere G
nth those Of professionals, or, to put it |
q plain business paTlAnce, keep people t
way from the theaters.' Does the 8
tudy OF music keep people away from 8
be musicians? Does the study OF paint g
lg keep people away from the studios (
nd Fafnffgga lIarfEaO D,aa -, H. | 4
netIy keep people away from the works I
the great poets? On the contrary, !
obody loves, admires, supports and imi-
ates professional in any art so strong 3
z and so persistently as an amateur Of
le same art. It is matter Of history L
nat, st whaIever period amateur acting {
ouriEhed most at the same period pro- c
,ssional artists were most cOurted b
nd popular. 1t was so in Dublin L
uring the days OF Garrick and Sid C
OBS. II wGs so in Paris under the em- e
ire, when theaters multiplied like L
iushIOoms. It is so in England, where L
ctors and actresses receive 8 social Q
which would astonish their |,
JnfreTes in America. 1t is 30 in New !
ork, where dramatic art has never be- b
re attained such artistic development t
nd general popularity. Every now b
I'D then lady or gentleman graduates d
ON the amsteur stage and takes pro- I
ssionaI hOnOrs at a thester, but we do o
Ot place any stress upon these scci- g
entsi recruits in this country. In Eng (,
nd there is a certain class of what may G
2 termed professional amateurs, who Il
lpplied the stage with 1Oole, Irving Il
ld many other shining lights. Doubt n
Sc that Institution will be established
ere in time, but the professionals and
nstsurs are now quite distinct, assist
g and encouraging each other, but sell
lm mingling their forces" q
The Attractions this Week. 81
he JULIA MATHEWS OPERA BoUFFE. -