The Portland daily press., 1878-07-06
Art and Music.

The Mannheim Theatre Director is making
svast preparations for the production in the Fall
of a noted Trilogy: Schiller's. translation of
Euripides; 'Tphigenia in Aulis;" Wibrandts
Translation Of the ''Electra" of Sophocles; and
Goethe's 'Iphigenia in Tauris"
Germany is never without musical Bach.
Dr.. o. Bach of Saltzburg has just brought out
two new works with ample success. One is
called The Approach of Spring. for grand
orchestrs, the other is a.Funeral March, for
chorus and orchestra fouuded on parts of
Geshe's ballad Scott und die Bajadare''
The great excitement in Partisan musical cir
cles is the appearance of Hajos the new tenor.
He has been singing in Berlin until lately, and
had made grand success as Elea2er in Hale
vy's "Ls Juive." In Paris he made his debut
as "Manrico," and was at once engaged by
Escudier, director of the italian opera. "FIg-
aro" calls him "the man of three nations" born
in one, living in another and celebrated in three
In the 4th act of aida he made such an i'm
preston as ''Radames," that even the orchestrs
laid aside their instruments and joined vocifer-
ously Ia with the applause of the audience.
When the Paris season closes Escudier takes
HaIos on a tour into the provinces.
The Brussels Museum has been mysteri-
ously enriched with an authentic portrait by
Rubens. This in an oval frame represents the
bust of an unknown parsonage, probably an
Englishmen of about 40 years of age with light
brown hair and reddish moustache and beard
and of striking bnt by no means an amiable
couutenance. The painting is in Rabsns's
very best manner, the fesh-tiuts are of extraor-
dinary brllliaucy, traDsparence aud fneness,
and the whole work is remarkable for its bold
ness and accuracy. As compared with the
portraits of the Beaufort family says critic, it
shows loss patience and fiaish, but greater
freedom and verve. SIT ia not better, but it is
different" The doner is unknown; the direc-
tors do not even know the name of the interme-
diary, who had been sworn to secrecy, he said.
All that they do know is that they have ac-
quired an authentic and hitherto unknown
Rubens, which must have q very interesting
history, if one could only find it out.
Mr.. Whistler, according to the London World,
paints portrait in this odd style: "His en-
tire apparatus is on large scale. His paletts
is table, His brushes are more like those of
house painter than of an artist. With ex-
traordinary rapidity, without sketching any
outline, he throws, as it were, the background
on the canvas as if the figure were rather the
accident than the motive of the study. Then
beginning at the bottom OF the robe, he pro.
ceeds to paint his figure upward, as a sculptor
builds uD his model in clay, bit by bit from the
base. While literally dashing in his work
a grdnds coups de pinceau the painter Is study
in himself-of combined mental aud physical
activity. The pace is tremendous, the face and
head being painted almost as rapidly as the
fringe of the robe. AT the end of an hour
and q half there is a picture, susceptible
OF course, of being painted over aud finished
to an unlimited extent; but in its present con-
dition perfect picture enough. conveying as
precise an idea of the figure, carriage features
and character of the original as did the won-
derful portrait of MIR. Carlyle exhibited at the
Grosvenor Gallery"
A Rome correspondent says that the re-
markable tenor who has been discovered there
in the fat, ungainly person OF Friar Giovanni
(we hope he is not like Frar John in "Panta-
gruel''), draws to the churches so many musi-
cal people, Indifferent to anything and every
thing bat his singing, that great scandal is
caused to the Holy Apostolic See. The clerical
authorities try to prevent the public from
knowing where the fIiar is to sing; for when it
is known in what church he is to appear it is
always packed to suffocaton by people who
totally disregard the strictly religious part of
the service. His organ is represented as some-
thing wonderlul-perfectly sweet and clear. of
vast volume and immense range. The new
pope has been much disturbed lest he should
leave the clo'ster for the stage and recently
questioned him on this point Giovanni SOL
emnly declared it to be his intent to remain in
cloister but he may think differently when
the managers of the great opera houses of
Europe bid actively for him and his marvellous
voice. He now has a regular allowance of 200
lire ($40) month. But when he is tempted,
he is very likely to be, with 1000 lire night,
he will be a strange Italian if theological con-
siderations do not give way. There ara and
always have been so very few fine tenors 10 the
world at any one time, that secular-minded
persons will count it pity that Friar Giovanni
should waste his sweetness sn the Church.
The London Times says of Miss Emma
Thursbg's recent appearance at the concert of
| the Philharmonic Society: Miss Emma Thurs
by, the American singer, who appeared at the
| same concert, deserves word of special praise.
Her voice, high soprano, is sympathetic and
her method singularly free from the manner
| isms, such as constant tren,olo ard excessive
| portamento, too common among modern prima
| donnss. AT the same time the production of
fha voioa asnariallv tho hioh raoista IA ro-