The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-20
PARIS At THE THEATRE.
Change in the Management
Of the Grand Opera.
M. FAURE AND HIS ART.
Curiosity to Know Whether He Will Be En-
gagged by the New Director.
ANECDOTES OF HIS CAREER.

PARIS, July 4. 1879
The theatres gradually thinning and closing.
the dramatic season will soon be at an end and the
Parsians will seek at the springs or at the seaside
fresh accession of strength for the winter campaign
Fhe chroncler has longer anything in the shape
novelty to present to his readers. and the ques-
lion of the management of the opera itself has been
rrevocably decided Our principal lyrical theatre
found director that it has been seeking
for many months past. M. Halanzier is about to
disappear and to give place to NJ. vancorbeii. The
new conner is not the first but nevertheless.
nothing his past justies the choice of the
Minister of the Beaux Arts He is said to be an excel
lent musician, but he has only published pieces OF
music which have stained little popularity and the
operas that he has composed have hitherto remained
upon his hands. Among number of other partitions
he has still in his portfolio work OF some pretension
entitled 'Mahomet.' of which his friends speak re-
spectfully, but which he has vainy tried to have
represented.
MANAGERS NOT BORN.
As director NJ yancorbeil has still all his expert
ence to make. One is more born manager than
apoet He has regular apprenticeship to accom-
plish. This difficult position requires long habit,
and all the ministerial DEGREES that can be framed
cannot make operate director of a man who has
no knowledge OF its duties. AS an administrator NJ.
vancorbeil is equally inexperienced. He will even
make his debut in this under rather difficult
conditions for the capital of the director of the
opera has been constituted by group of command
itaires who will all mutually exercise an influence
occult but not the less real for that in
the affairs of the establishment And yet M. Van
corbei though replacing director of admitted abil
ity and an admins TRAITOR hors h9ne. has been
received without dstrust by the public,
and with sympathy by the majority
OF the journals. This is to be explained
nv of 1iarit les of
acter--the love of change. NJ. Halanzer had
hibited in management of the opera qualities Of
the first ORDER but he had been seven years there.
That his greatest defect. NJ Vancorbeil arrives
That is the greatest of his merits 1t seems that he
is rejuvenate the music of the Huguenots, which
has need of the process. 1t will be sufficient for
him, people disposed to believe, to stamp upon
the ground to and artists to emerge
from it. And yet the director has thus far only
been occupied in engaging the old artists He retains
principal members of the grand and all those of
the small troupe. He keeps the chef d'orchestre and
all the heads of the different services but this does
not prevent him saying to every one he meets,
'Alas the opera is in amentable state. To restore
it to It's suitable rank everything must be changed
from top to bottomv
BARIToNEs REVENGE.
II replacing NJ. Halanzier there is doubt that
our rulers had All arriere pensee. Among the few
there is who for the last three years finds
himself kept away from the opera. This is M. Faure
The celebrated baritone has deadly feud with NJ
Halanzier On quitting great lyrical theatre M.
Faure that he would not return there as long
as M Halanzier roigned in that establishment as
director The origin of this quarrel would have lit
tie interest to your readers Suffice say that it
was very serious. 1t expected. therefore,
that the departure of NJ. Halanzier would
be followed Immediately by the rentee Of
Faure. His return even announced and
feted beforehand and the disappointment
was very great when it found that it not to
take place. Since he left the opera the great singer
has become accustomed to provincial tours in which
he gives and heard in the different roles Of
his repertoire which fatgues him much less and
brings him much more money than playing at the
Grand Opera He declares that this sort of ex-
him perfectly and that for the present
he does not desire any other; that, moreover. the
Opera large, that the voice became fatigued
there sooner than in any other house and that If he
ever returned there it would only be on the condi
ton that certain important notifications should be
effected in the architecture of the sale.
NJ. FAURE, MAN AND ARTIST.
And now, that there is so much question of NJ
Faure his refusals, his exgencies and his caprices
shall profit by the opportunity to describe him as
an artist and $ a man. Every one is acquan ted, at
least by reputation, with the great talent, the unr-
vailed method and the admirable voice of the illus
trious bar tone There never was u singer not
excepting Mario, who has had so many admirers
umphs had a slave beside them remind them that
they merely men, but NJ. Faure has never had
any monitor of this kind to preserve HIM from the
intoxicaton OF glory. 1t is therefore not to be
dered at that the eminent artist should occasionally
be immensely proud OF himself. and certainly am
disposed to reproach him for 1T. All. II he would
only remember little ofteper that after all he is
only human. though gifted with superb voice,
how should all gain by it! Unfortunately his
talent, Notwithstanding its perfection, or, rather
because of its perfection, is not human talent like
that OF the Ronconis and Tamburinis OF the pro
sion. One would be almost tempted to reproach HIM
with the absence of detects. With HIM, at the end
of a few moments the auditor finds himself in the
situation OF gourmet who has become tired of de-
vourng trufies. HIS singing becomes monotonous
from the mere fact of ITS being equally fine; it is
ideal. but it renders impatient. Everything is
calculated and regulated with marvellous precision,
even to the bursts of passion aud the most delicate
shadngs II vancansen had thought OF construct
ing an automaton singer he could not have made
better. In the way OF mechanism one cannot imag-
inc anything more complete.
GREAT ABILITY.
Although has been able to escape the
admiration inspired by the talent OF M. Faure.
although no has been able affirm that such an
astonishing degree of perfection has ever before
been attained, there yet many who prefer to him
other artists very inferior in method and voice, but
who. less calm and less sef-possessed before the
public, abandon themselves unreservedly to the
inspiration OF the moment. 1t was owing TO this
passion that Malibran and Frezzolini were enabled
to command so completely the sympathies and feel
ings OF their audience AT the expense their own
health, and OF their lives. But NJ Faure is not
one of those artists who fall in swoon on emerging
from a scene, broken down by the emotions through
which they themselves have passed in trying to
eectrify their audiences. He is always master of
his voice and OF his talent pilot of him
self and full of preroydace, instead of allowing his
heart to control his performance and abandoning
himself to its passionate impulses he carries him.
self from first to last IL he handling the
rudder of vessel without once losing his selt-pos-
hession leaving anything to chance. Therefore
when he is the stage he looks as If he said to
himself after every note 81 must not forget that
sing Tomorrow.
With this great care of his person Faure unites
pride. Great is his success with the pub
lie there is among his auditors who admres
him a much he admit res himself. "He admires
himself in his notes Narcissus admired himself IN
the limpid wavc," remarked Villemessant one day
when his name mentioned. The baritone never
forgave this excess of frankness ia the founder of
Figiro. 1t should in justice. however, be
stated that in the most unfortunate days OF
his youth even when he temporarily lost his voice
IN the change from boyhood to manhood, and when
he forced to gain his livelihood by playing the