, 1877-01-28

Special Correspondence Of Tbs Tribune.
PARIS, Jan. 13.-The Director Of the Nation
al Academy Of Music Of Paris awoke one morn
ing with the ambition Of restoring to the balls
OF the opera their ancient a1istocratic splendor,
regardless of the fact that many Of his prede-
cessors have had the same idea. But NJ Halan-
zier, who is peculiarly happyin in his own resources,
is chagFined to find that success has failed to
crown his efforts In rcViying strictly select
regime that once made for these balls brilliant
history, when the masqucraders consisted OF
the first pcrsonages OF the realm. The
first ball Of the season takes place
this evening under the musical direction
Of Strauss, and promises more than ordinary
and attractive music, although cxclusivcncss
will not be one OF the features OF the OCCASION.
Partisan life in one Of its most characteristic
phases will here be seen, equally resplendent,
aud, II accounts are true, quite as circun4spcct
as in the .courtly masqueradcs Of old, which
Catherine de Medici first introduced, and which
soon became prevalent fashion among the
princes and mobiles in Europe. These enter
ta1nmcnts we're sometimes tfnged with bur
lesqne solemnity, aud ono which Sir Dudley
Carleton thus describes will serve as q COMPARE
sou between the past and the present:
At night we had tho Queens maske at the ban
quoting house, or rather the pageant. There was
great engine at the lower end Of :he room, which
had motion, and In 1t were the images Of sea
horses and other terrible fishes which were ridden
by the Moors The indccorum was that there was
all fish and no water. at the further end was
great shell IN form Of shallop, wherein some four
seats, on which sat the Quecn and her ladies.
fn nc ms ss,aa aat & w. ato
tno;r Gsos I aa Sa on3e5 h1c, ~ ,;a
,yas disgnse suilicient for tiey were hard to he
known: but it became them nothing, and you can
nor imagine more ugly sight than ret of Lean
faced Jtoof3
Masqueradcs subsequently became the most
brilliant and imaginative entertainments of our
ancestors, and assumed high character: but
they hare declined to d glittrripg chaos. and
only aim to surprise by oddlty Of Character or
tic spjendor Of The dresses. Cleopatra in her
magnificent attire. and the fatal flowers on her
arm, will probably dance tonight with satyr
or clown; Dante, VINO is to be pcrsouitied by
prominent citizen in u,asque copied from the
By Giottc, will drown his stern melancholy
il the exciting dance, and we shall see Summer
and Winter and Night and Morning Joining
in the same quadri1lcs. Amidst Flora's gor-
Eeous train ofllaudmaids, & The Lily' promises
to loom up loyelicr than all. This emble1natic
toilette which is to be worn BY fayoritc actress,
has the brcadhts of the white satin skirt arranged
to represent corola, aud the sleeves and corsage
composed of leaves naturally falling around the
flower, 1t is studded with dew-drops formed of
diamonds.
An unusually brilliant array of musical tai
ent assembled as the Church st. Roch last Sat
1rday on account of the
MARRIAGE or NILE. couMEr7Ayr.
daughter OF the wel-known musical critic,
Faure, Vi1laret, Boso1tip. and Madame Carya1-
no, Of the Grand Opera, assisted With the s,cred
ml1sic and nroluccf a rra,,tl csTcrt. 1:omnnd
tie celebrated COMPOSER: was ano,,r the th, rnn,,
pauY. This church is one Of thc most richlv
endowed ia France, and, although posscssne
no ar,],jtcctura1 braurv it = iptcrost;nr
on account Of it's interior adornmcnf
consisting of valrahic scn,ntura anJ
paintinus' The surrouniiuos ad1cG solemnitr
to the nrcscnt occosion ond an ~ 14bor l,a. ~
ceranca of hr;,l to;}et1e erar o'r xo,ind
IN r. sinnn1 an art;s4ic ha,,t, o'E @
nt tcn1.h t;e1'1ni -. 1osd ,d ahan'a3 aa
e1ahoration IN trinm;nr .n9 !, ara hauoN,
et;J;a,e r,r.r11r ~ :. an m ~ ~ - 49,