The New York herald., 1879-08-27
ENCHANTMENT AT NIBLO'S.

STIRRING PREPARATIONS FOR THE OPENING ON
THURSDAY NIGHr-A LONG REHEARSAL.
An unusual stir was noticed in Crosby street yes
terday in tho rear of Niblo's Garden. People were
coming and going in uncommonly large numbers for
such quiet thoroughfare. In the stage entrances to
the theatre several foreign looking gentlemen
talking and gesticulating with great animation. A
HERALD reporter inserted his head in the doorway
and inquired what all the commotion was about but
as nobody seemed to have time polite
ness enough to answer he pushed in and
presently found himself standing on wide
platform in n gloomy atmosphere. with mex
tricabe confusion of boards. ropes and scafolding
overhead and either hand huge pieces Of scenery
reaching from floor to roof while scattered around
was q variety Of what appeared rubbish to the un-
initiated eye. confusion of sounds came from
different parts of the interior-sounds of hammers
and saws from some place near the ceiling. sounds
Of music from a remote of the stage. and
auditorium. Looking the footlights ladies in
stage dress might be sitting in the parquet
others In short muslin skirts pink tights were
perched contentedly the edge of one Of the pri-
In tc exterior corridors bevies of young
girls executing various figures of the ballet In
the orchestra stalls score or more ladies in street
costume seated evidently waiting to be engaged
as participators in the great performance. Men
about town anu pOlltlclans were scattereu
here and there and the ubiq Tooker was every
where-now in the region of the gods calculating
the effects of the lime lights from that quarter and
again down amid the bowels OF the stage pryng into
the mysteres of the stage achnery. Mechanical
rehearsal was going on displaying at first sight
gloomy graveyard, which. in q twinkling, was
changed into howery village. crowded with laugh
ing and gayly attired maidens That's what we call
in French shef doover" remarked the Commo-
dore. and IL certainly looked q startling trans
formation. Other mechanical effects followed.
and then came the dramatic rehearsal;
Hempe the king. musical rehearsal succeeded,
with solos. duets aud quartets repeated q hundred
times. Then full band rehearsal; a scenic re-
hearsal to how the scenery fitted and looked, and
an exhibition of various kinds of lights and coored
fires. The speciality act came next, in which ap-
peared. according to the highfautin words of tho
prospective programme "the peerless Molva whose
youth beauty, grace and skill captured all Paris"
but there IL no mention to whether Molva Is of
the male or female gender.
LIGHT FANTASTIC.
The stage was then given up to the premiere
daDseuses OF the leading coryphees, and oil tho
lobbies were occupied by the corps de ballet. Here
were girls OF all shades of complexion, from the
most delicate of American blondes to the darkest of
Italian brunettes Some in full stage costume,
others wore careless peticoat and pair OF slippers
and seemed to have come to the theatre In hurry.
Imre Xii alfy superintended the dramatic, musical
and general rchearsas. while his brother. Bolossy.
attended to the ballet performances. "All tho
cognae arts OF the stage are embraced in this piece.
There Is little OF everything-enough of entrees
to crafty AMI tiilate the American palate" were
the words of Commodore Tooker, aud then with
eye to capture the sympathies of the
and philanthropic people of this great metropolis,
In humane point Of view Is the employment 1t
gives to 80 many people who would otherwise be
idle and eating the bread of poverty. We have 800
people engaged. and that means many rescued
from idleness and impccuniosity."
The rehearsal began In the morning at ten O'Clock
and lasted until ten O'Clock ut night