New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-24
OFFENBACH IN AMERICA.
TUE COMPOSERS NEW ROOK.

AND HOW IT MIGHT BE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
REMARKS ON WOMEN AND DRESS, HOTELS AND
WATERS.
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNt.I
Lo\p0N, Jan. 25.-The opera boufte composer
NJ Jacques Oftenbach, who favored you with VISIT
last year. has written book about America winch
appeared TWO or three days ago in Paris. 1t is. so
faras recollcct the fifth French book outhe United
States which has been published within the last few
months. NJ Oaenbach joins the company of NJ.
Simonin NJ JGnuct, the Marquis de Talieyrand-
PfIirord and NJ. Monar There may be others
"Oncnhach en- AmGrqUc" is the rather astonishing
tide Of this latest production; 10 which Is added ~
an explanatory way. "Notcs DUN Musicicn en-
VOYAGE" levy Payisl 1t is poor book
enough. nppan; and fimsy, but entertaining
here and there. and capable of. beng shihhhc"
without zoo mach fatigue. II might not interest
auybodv but an American, but an American con-
trives to be interested in whatever is said about ms
own country. believing that something may be
learned from everybody. even from musician VINO
has devoted his energies to supplying MadrmoiSeic
Schneider with a suitable medium for the display OF
her pccu!iar IA ents NJ Otcnbachs musical abilities
are undcniablc and since he Travelled as musician
and his book j. entitled the book az muNc'dll W
might hope for at least some useful crlicle,." 10
Itatc Of musical art IN America. But VI. Oh'hh3'h
is not an homWe 81 ietr. Ills own profession Ht>
L. tr, 4 for him than the ordinary Sl@uts Whch
engage an ordinary travellers attention NlHc-'th'lS
of mis- notes on horse cars hotels, restaurants
sports, Niagara wo men, parks, ana otirt miStei-
lancOus topics There are numerous auc'"''"
more or less amusing, but the plumbers are more
amusing than ali the rest.
NJ. Ofcnbach certainly ought to have something
useful to say on thcaters, to which he dcyoteS 10
pages He tells Us that the buildings are admirable"
All ON the same model" and exactly eight boxes III
each A manager has the right to go into bank
ruptcv three or four times the oftener the better
Il tn wi,
six or seven times. lie is wonderfully clever, was
told and viii bring out a magnificent company next
Winter But where will he get the money | asked.
HIS creditors VIII lend il, in the hope that he Hay
succeed and pay what he owes them Miss kcilog
6icl is described a. an English singer between ~
and 81 years old. with a very fine voice. She sang
III Mcyerheer's rEtoile d. NOrd. The opera had not
been properly rehcarsed, says NJ. Ohenbach; the
chorus and orchestra chased each other about and
never could go on together part OF the orchestra,
moreover, including sundry trombones and basSoons,
being mixed UP with The audience, for want OF room
i'm their proper place. This occurred in BOOTHS
Thcatcr At the IvCeum still more extraordinary
things happened. The orchestra had heon put out
Of sight: an arrangement which proved in some
RESPECTS Inconvenience II was difficult to hear, and
the musicians crowded together in PIT and Sut,TuE
from the heat. cooled themselyed Of as they conld
Tic first evening one of the yiol!ns lO"sened his
cravat ard unbuttoued his waistcoat The next,
they took of their coat. and PLAYED in shrt-scevcs.
In the course of a week the whole orchestra in
dshahiilc; then. evening the audience suddenly
perceived thin cloud of smoke rising from beneath
the stage and panic began. But it only the
musicians who had lighted their cigars In the end
they went back to their old place. But NJ. Often
bach can lie complimentary sometimes. He saw at
Wallack' a piece which he calls The Mighty Dol
lard in which the IloTcnccs played, and are
praised as two exceptionally good artists one OF
whom reminds NJ. Of,uhach of Geo.iroy, the other
of llplousne aud they ire engaged isr 400 nights
to play the same piece. The company supPoTtinr
tire FiOruuccs played extremely well together
thought NJ. ON,ahagh; the ensemble WAS per
feet. And he noticed particularly a charm
\ ing ipglim, hardly Il. Miss Baker, whom he
\ thought a very remarkable leading young LADY. not
forgetting either an excellent Young person called
Miss Cummins. Nearly half the chapter Oh thaa'orf
however, is devoted to the late Mr. Fisk ana his
Grand Opera House. Respecting Fisk we are told
tina, hc was not only of the largest theatcr
i'm Ncw-York but vicr-prrs!dent Of railroad, COM
modore of line Of steamers, and colonel of q
regiment. "IIe had bolducss and energy, and great
originality III his methods of conducting
business He required every person who applied
foe q situation his railroad TO enlist an
his regiment which thus became ore OF the
finest i'm Ncw-YorL At times he amused himself by
calling out his REGIMENT and paFadng il before som"
pretty wO?an. On such Oc 'aSl0nS no Trans ran on
the railroad. and I'll tie stations on The Inc were
closed" II Is litlc 20 be tod after TN mat ish
never went out except III am open car tal'e
drawn bv eight horses. The last thratcg NJ Ofcli-
bach visited WIS the Fin Avenue where they were
flayirr ri .uc.' 4 dr. ma the situations OF which
had been stolen from All QuqrsS, Its author beng,
"of course Nh. Bou"ic1gii.' - sum mp, dramatic
az, IN lie United atos J. neglected a"t l!s ,ondl-
ton dcpioIabie. IA order 60 have good artists;
well organized companies, and play writer's s";ll'd
institutions are necessary, I0nG-CO1t'nu"d tcNo-
ton. and traditions slowly accumulated. Whereas
at New York thcre IS neither permanent opera, nor.
Oqera-coniqae, even thcajcT Tor oPcIttJ' &i1"
Of IiViuc two wears here exists stag for elthc.
classic Cr modern authors with any certainty Of ast
ing long enough 10 become school. Inc tI'FteT IL
America lives from day u day. The Wai.a@ d, ana
companies are all srOlcrs. Most OF the artists are
birds Of passa.e borrowed from she Old World, hO
come tUT q single season ANA then depart
In these pauidl circumstances do YOU care TO know
what You ought to do? Wen, you must suisiGlzc
the theatcrs secure the,r managers agaius; loss,
tablishng two houses for music and one for liter
ary works" You must have S :hOol, for which yoU
must engage European artist as teachers. And y0u
must not expect immediate results but b. content to
wait ten oreycn twenty years at the end Of whchyoG
may reasonably expect ba no longer dependent OF
Europe: nay. may hope to see tn" fhcat rs OF the
Old World competing fof American artists. II docs
not seem 20 have occurred 10 our obigiug adviser
that on" OF American artists have already p'rh
heard of in Europe lie would have MS 90 the SAM, same
for other arts as for music: though he has heard
that have good painters: AMONG me 'EoSi l"-
narkablc names mentioned by NJ. OHenbach beng
those Of Stunt, tarilsI, and Misnlc.
Coming from these high gcneraliticS 10 particular
individuals the author Of the Grand Duchess favors
us with sketch Of Mr.. Thomas, whom some A'ncn-
cans have heretofore thought on accomplished con-
dnctor. He has formed. II. OGenbach admits. an
excellent orchestra but otherwise is not cmgl to
La tlif