The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-20
AM SIHENTS

Figaro" were mistakes OF management. Neither
of them can he chilled popular opera in this
country. nor IRE they sonorous and SNOWY
enough TO make IL decisive display OF resources.
1t did not help matters 90 discover that Miss
Minnie Hauck was unequal 10 the role OF IiD-
le'td and transposcd some OF the more exact
ing numbers.
But in spite OF all this. Mr. Maplesons season
has opened with promise Of good work. md
with hearty response from the musical public.
Little Miss Hauck was welcomed generously.
Mars the difference between generosity and
the homage won by great novelies) She is "a
most deserving artist. No better record OF hard.
ambitious. and patient work has ever been
made by an American girl and in this country.
at least. her career is untarnished by the lauda-
tions OF over-zealous friends and multiloduent
managers.
As expected. the opening Of the opera season
impaired a grateful shock TO the whole fra
terniiy Of amusement makers. When the lamps
are lit on the Academy balcony. and Four
teenth street wakes up to the rattle of wheels
md flash OF panels. stir is felt as far up rs the
Finh Avenue Theatre. and ripple or two
reaches even the outlying standard.
l do notpretend to know why this is SO. !
only feel 1t again as have felt 1t on former
sons.
Theatrically there has been nothing new Mr.
Albaugh failed to play Louis H. well at the
| Broadway. All the honors Of the performance
were carried OH by Mr. Joseph Wheelock. who.
/ at odd intervals rises 60 sudden histrionic
heights As II to astonish people.
Modjeska's Juliet at the Fifth Avenue a
brilliant one part performance. strikngly
original in its conception. and remarkably in
cisive and polished in its execution
Its one demerit with the public was that il
made them think. and they prefer to feel.
Modieskas method is an intellectual one purely
so far as one can Judge from results. She
comprehends rather than apprehends = charac-
ter. The text conveys ideas to her. 1t is her
task to reconvert them into emotions.
This is quite another process than the sympa-
thetic one employed by some Of our best
actresses. whose fancies seize upon and appro-
| pirate the character. without any ratiocinative
| endeavor whatever.
II Mr.. Lewes's definition Of art-namely. that
it is the discipline OF impulse TO the law OF
beauty--be correct one Modieska gives us a
higher art than any woman who has played
Juliet here for year,.
II. on the other hand Mr.. Gouds description
Of the true histrionc process be n correct one.
Modleska falls lar shor, Of ideal perfection-for
he saws that the true artist looks into one oil
| Shakespeare's great creations as II passing
into a real presence; is filed and aimosphered
by it, spirit listens 10 its language A. to liy-
ing voice; is brought into intimate relations
with the springs Of lis being>and conceiyes IL
in unity By the power Of brooding and recre-
alive Imagination.
don't ink Modleska quite comes up to this
standard
Think also that her Romeo dragged her down.
Mr.. Clements seemed TO have all the qualities o.
a milestone except its grit Aud even when
Tiiief NO uuOu his eek vpilr crit Dgf euiris
insisted that the operation was reversed. and
that In reality he was hanging upon hers.
The ease with which Mime. Modieska passed
last night TO the role OF GUbete in Frou
Frou" betokened her intelligent control Of her
powers. How many actresses have We who can
play Juliet and From From equally well.
"Frou Frou mas always been a popular play
! here. 1t was originally presented in 1870 b.
Miss Agnes Ethel. and At one of its reviyals it
ran for one hundred nights.
| Nothing in the modern repertoire offers So
sharp a contrast TO the elemental passion. the
pristine iervor. the cosinic vitality of Romeo
and Juliet" rs this sharp. ingen Gus. and vivid
picture Of modern conventional life.
To know exactly how broad is the chasm be-
tween old and new stage art. you hive tut 10
! see Shakespeare's tragedy on one night and
Meilhac and Halevy's comedy OF the next
The name Frou Frou' sugg SIS the char
acter OF the piece and could not have been man
ufactured or applied out of Paris. II takes you
| into per'umed atmosphere where there are
rnsting silks and an artificial life obtains. Il
aims its subtle moral at the friyoliy and fool
| ishnr-S Of modern society girls. II leaves
| mingled iragranc" ~ seniluentailiv ana Iutuu-
in your mind. but it il ting'd with n" bitter
| ness of truth for ypu feel thal mellow fhe
! heartessn ness the blindness. ana the misery Of
| GHtete are real, AMI that society IS responsible
| Modieska's is not the lamben, harne thnt
| Agnes Ethel threw upon this conventional
! comedy. We pilied her HMg'' II was one oil
those weak. amiabe. and albuminou- rharac-
| tsrs that drift smiling. into misery. There WIS
| n peach hurd destiny IN her ia-'. In' dove
earth a, shot wood pigeon. she Yves never
| brilliant. She won her way upward ard down
war'Ilike Snownak. IN y stiGn5 %'hd' anu
Tho GN5ete Of Moilrsea Is the true child Of
| The salon. Win a ,wnnlon p,,ryrtrsly ~ hrr
! mud actions. This is tic woman VINO knows
! What i h. 10 be admired and cunnot re.inquish
All % ns have some experience OF that mag
| niicrnt lmpcriousnr-s OF m" Sex winch Is tic
result OF our once delightful scrvllty TO beauty,
W. porceiye with amnzonent that the girl
| whose impulses were oDryed ike laws does
| not instantly abandon her habits and preroga-
| tlVcs when she thoughtessy assumes the duties
| Of life
1t is the purpose Of some of the best OF the
! modern French comedies to show how scrupu-
| lousy The girl OF the salon Is KEEP, In igno-
| rance Of the forces OF external nature, md how
luftfNlNntouSlS Hllf ~ 'A IN'ltl 10 .ilk tIsfil
| 10 them the moment she 'tiAndons the salon OF
! her mother for that of her husband.
Nine ModJeska. with tnr impartiaiity Of all
| clever women. does not spare her own sex In
| this impersonation. As beautiful Hs tho Ne
| hp0litnn Psychein the hoylAy of her gnorancr
| she is as wrctched as the Niobe OF Ovid in her
| shame ana disaster.
From Frou Is distinguished. like a great
| many other French comedies. for It's morality.
| II means well ard when II is played well that is
| ali you can ask Of any comedy.
AS Stamwt2 is announced TO open her sea-
| son hero with MessdAnd. and Ward holds LAZY
| Macbeth over ny like sword Of Vengeance,
don't think IL becomes US to talk OF the morality
| Of Frou Frou."
BY the way. did it ever occur to you that there
| was a curious resemblance IN the art Of Mod.
| ieska to that Of Di Mursaa. The white voiced
| phenomenon, whose tones defy the viclssitudes
Of life MS they defy the restrictions OF the gamut
sings tonight. Ii you hive not hoard her go;
aud tell me il her Rrias do not remln You OF
| the exquisite but saplrss trHc1ry of skeleton
| leaves those beautiful nlaments whose driicacy
| alone recalls 10 our minds the imperlshable
part OF the gorgeous tapestry Of snmnler.
4 NYA CRIAKLk.