, 1877-02-04
4ba Musical World in London
The Carl Rosa 0pera-Troupe.
rsr,Bf Garden Concerts--Arditi as a
~tLoras-Singing in England.
n,d|oess of the Season in Chica-
goethe Musjca! College
Concert.
Whit the Apollo Club Is Doing-.-Gossip
at Home and Abroad.
THE DRAMA,


THE DRAMA.
CHICAGO.
MAGGIE M1TCuEL1's ssM1G:oS,"
Nr Rupnion's play is founded upon Goethc,
,orel of tNilhelm Meister.'' The author ha,
,,.er claimed for it that 1t was dra,natizatio1
\, thst work. He has merely acknowledged it
,u,per manner his indebtedness to the move
for The main idea OF his play, and for some Incl
lea,s and characters. His treatment OF tht
subject has been misunderstood by many. TIL
TgnryE has contended and maintains that his
general plan good, and that criticism OF the play
must be directed towards details. Nothing cal,
b. ele.re1 than that the 4u:quou OF Goethe can.
not BE- shown on the stage, either in opera OF
drama The character as originally conceived
Essmpst interesting as a psychological study.
t1oetbe:s Aigaon Was not creature Of action,
but c! thought. silent suffering, and poetic fan
ties Her longings for the lovc OF 1V.2AeYn.
Aastr found no constant expression. and the
stcn Of them represented an unknown and
ywi.bie quantity. Feeling on the stage
1Qst be expressed in action. Purely
philosophical speculation and direct analysis of
Character, except through outward manifestation
oftt7 are from the purpose Of playing It VAS i'm
possible, therefore, for the author of the pres
ent version Of sMiguon," us it was impossible
for the writer Of the opera-libretto to repro
dure the thought Of Goethe on the stage. Was
il, then, wrong for them to touch the subjectl
Ne belie7e not Il no scenerr should be nut
On the stage except that which might be called
colorahle equivalent Of nature, the ma
terial available for modern uses would be
Rofu}1y scanty. In the same manner, II no
n,nantic character could M touched, unless
Il we're surrounded With commentaries and
texts, the abndgment Of stasc ideals would be
Sill more considerable. There would be hardly
ANYTHING left Tor the dramat;st to work upon,
except the modern society types, which, from
their inanty and want Of Individuality, can be
reproduced with the least exertion.
lhe demands OF the popular taste have not
teen tsken into the account by those who mourn
f5t Geethe's Aignon. II it werc possible to
present that melancholy damscl ON the stage,
ihe would not be appreciated. The ribald
public, NC 1ea1, would sec n,orc in the eit.ation
Vi agypsy girl pursuing with tokens Of love her
wealthy master, than III tho running commenta-
= OF psychologist engaged to ex-
p1aln ne feelings OF -Aiqnon.-which
might indeed, eniiren the entertainment,
dense anazement IF country members Of the
audience on being told by 4 lecturer stationed
1t LIE wings that one phase Of the drama ex-
Mo!ts tue subjective character of iN;gnon, and
Ihe powe1 OF her ego over her non-YoF II then
M he shonld reveal the full length aud breadth Of
upon her intuitive perceptions ct right
aesn,ns daa afong; there would probably be q
4 tne bo1-cfiee. The taet Should Be- BE- recognized %
mat psychology cannot be taught On the stage
VI ans aranatist less than a Shakespeare Our |
fvHF IL
of thls description. alr. Richard Grant White,
oae q tae ablest critics living, recently remark
q aata truth aud force upon the deterioration
u taeasfe audiences III the last 100 years. To |
w osaet cause can be attributed the popular |
ss1e LOT trashy plays, AID the current disfavor
~ ~ fenous Fork. The truth is, the theatre is
~ ~ !onser 50 Important medium OF thought |
= 81 once vas: 1t has ceased in degree to per
= ton one o. the functions Of church THAT is,
u y nas lost its old social influence. Peonle do |
no1 now 60 to the play, Is they oucc did, to see
.,sa ssseody else; and, patzdoxieal as the state
t,".h 1sht may seem, the qu.jity Of the audiences
10. Soso II respect Of education and good-breeding
"a uas deteriorated in consequence. When
~ ~ antnor Yields to the popular taste only as
49, ~. s'uhalon has, he shows considerable re-
,ta. aod no inability to perceive and apprc-
'aa'c p0etic ideas At tircir highest worth.
If her f3,e nraf limitation was PLACED on the author
sssaues = 81 the case. He was writing play,not
y ~ auca 1or himself for Maggie Mitchell.
! ,ne aliatT between her nad the public WAS one
a which be lad only contingent
asesesL ho AtQnoa had to be made not only
hasser hat that tsonla please the public but one
~ ~ would please when interpreted through
~ ae atf Of Miss Mitchell What this art is must |
e ~, y il .nls time vel enough known. In oldcn
auss aiass Mitchell pleased by her kitten;sb
r. a1o hcr arch manner. But she is no longer
,ef,;es' ;es9' ana her arehness is no longer sym
hts'sn.. hat sa,,. IN is proportions. The injury
are done her can scarcely be estimated, The
c,s. cm 'ota! " OF II would be considerable, no
,;.' 4Io1' It could be put down in black and
t:nss tass. some Of her tones and gestures in
,gaon ~ n 1fcsstibly ,ecall her 4sOl,. Landry!"
~ oiuer play: and VIC cannot express pleas.
ny '1ns r.; rustic booby, and Faneaon's history
hn nhIo Mn " the way, what do the critics
~ ooled to the degradation OF !Ntgnotl
j = pa.s:e9 pp.ese9s play say to tue tranposition OF
-.rr ~ cute Eadctsc - from George Sand to the
~, snt1fy % o. Maggie Mitchell? Does it strike
~ oos IN the latter act They surely cannot claim
tio. ~ ~ sweet SIMPLICITY, the heroic self-abne-
.,yn ~ the deep feeling Of the principal charac
W .ae novel haze been preserved in the rep
;Tsiasatare ~ part Ut the dranna.
~; ~ success OF - a1fgnon'' froU one point OF
~ ~. Is ancontestable. 1t has pleased the ai-
~ ,nees- The attendance improved steadily !
~ : se ue BEGINNING OF the week till the end, and
- aaneal ~ results were so gratifying that the
~ 70 oe Kept on tho stage dnring the pres
sar;ea 80. ne TRIBUNE has already alluded
Ivy .ous detects in the play, and especially to
,,es esesss OF incidents with which it is {
~ saenned; but this ungracious task, having
,ta5 Se4 performed, need not certainly be re-
- II Is more pleasant ID notice how large |
has.. tne public sympathy with the author, ,
irh NV "a,,, abundant has been the applause with