The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-21
The Theater in Damascus.
IBlaekwood's Magazine.l

Among other novelties which have
been INTRODUCED into Damascus since the
arrival there of Midhat Pasna as Gov
of Syria, is an Arab thea
ter upon semi-civilized principles. l
went there one night with His higaness,
and was surprised at the modern aspect
of the house. There was ticket seller
at guichet, and house neatly arranged
with seats, which were well occupied by
an exclusively male audience. In the
fir mt row were the seats reserved for the
Governor-Generaps party; while the or
chestra-consisting of man who paved
an instrument like guitar, another who
played one like zthern, another who
played native clarionet, another who
,ng, and another who drummed-were
placed in recess to the right of the
stage.
The curtain was inscribed with an
Arabic motto, and rose and fell with ir-
regular jerks; the scenes did not change;
and the actors sang, or rather chanled,
their parts. The play was the original
story, which Verdi has adapted, and the
plot of which he has considerably altered,
of "Aida." The leading actor, who per-
formed the part of the "General," was a
man of considerable dramatic power,
clad in a coat of mail with most fan
tastic helmet, which at the opening scene
partly concealed his face, and whose
lower extremties were clothed in thick,
white hose. He stalked about the stage
INCREASINGLY in his stocking soles, swaying
his body in measured and not ungrace-
full manner, so as to keep time with the
cadence of his voice, which was express
sive of his varied emotions, and by no
means unmusical
The Egyptian Kings daughter, who
was in love with him, and the Abyssin-
ian Kings daughter, whom he makes
prisoner in war, and with whom he falls
in love, thus nearly breaking the other
ones heart, wJre both boys dressed as
girls, who acted their parts with great
feeling and cleverness, considering their
youth. Indeed, it was difficult to tell
that they were not girls. They were pic
turesquely attired in Oriental costumes,
the one as slave, the other as Kings
daughter, but the other female attendants
wore semi-Europeanized dresses which
were by no means becoming. The "King
of Egypt" was splendidly arrayed mon
arch, after the style of the conventional
"Sardanapalus;" and he did the Eastern
potentate to perfection. Indeed, the
whole performance was far more skillfully
executed than might have been ex-
pected, though of acting in the strict
sense Of the word there was none; it was
recitation, now plaintive, now impas-
stoned, and, in the case of one character,
jocose; but the perpetual motion Of t e
players, who move rhythmically about
the stage all the time, grows somewhat
monotonous to the foreigner accustomed
to more lively action. The audience,
however, seemed thoroughly to enter
into the spirit of the piece, and appre-
ciated the jokes keenly. During the
entr'actes the Arab band played the wild
discordant music with which all Eastern
travellers are familiar, and which is to
be heard any day in the cafes and gar
dens of the city. The ballet was Of the
tamest description, and consisted of the
most wearisome repetition of little steps.
1t was in every respect strictly proper,
and was danced by the youths who rep
resented the Princess ladies'. The whole
affair was an experiment, which seems
likely to succeed, and on the whole, was
a pleasing, if slightly dull, performance.