Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-01-30
An ARAB THEaTER IN!DAMAsCUS.
An Introduction of the Drama by Mid
hat PaSha.
Blackwood's Magazine,

Among other novelties which have
been introduced into Dam sscus since
the arrival there of Midhat Pasha as
Governor General of Syria, is an Arab
theater upon semi-civilized principles.
| went there one night with his High
ness, and was surprised Mt the modern
aspect of the house. There was ticket
seller at a guichet, and house neatly
arranged with seats. which were well
occupied by an exclusively male au-
dience.
In the front row were the seats re-
served for the acknowledgements party,
while the orchestra - consisting of u
man who played an instrument like a
guitar smother who played one like u
zithera, another who played native
clarionet, another who sang, and anoth-
er who drummed-were placed in re-
cess to the right of the stage. The cur
tain was inscribed with All Arabic mot
to, and rose aud fell with irregular jerks;
the scenes did not change, and the act
ors sang, or rather chanted, 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 Il
man Of considerable power, clad in a
coat of mail, with most fantastic he'll
met, which, at the opening scenes, partly
concealed his face, and whose lower ex-
tremities were clothed i'll thick white
hose. He stalked about the stage un.
ceasingly in his stocking soles, swaying
his body in measured and not I'M
graceful manner, so as TO keep time
with the cadence of his voice, which
was expressive of his varied emotions,
and by no means unmusical.
The Egyptian KINGS daughter, who
was in love with hi and the Abyssin-
ian Kings daughter, whom he makes a
prisoner in war, and with whom he falls
in love, thus nearly breaking the other
ones heart, were both boys dressed as
girls, who acted their parts with great
feeling and eleverness, considering their
youth. indeed, it was difficult to tell
that they were not girls. They were
picturesquely attlred in Oriental cos
tunes, the one as a slave, the other rs
a Kings daughter, but the other female
ttllGllNdlllS MDlC OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
dresses which were by no means becom-
ing. The King Of Egypt was splendid
ly arrayed monarch, after the conven-
tional SurdanapaluS, and he did the
Eastern potentate to perfection. In
deed, the whole performance was far
more skillfully executed than might
have been expected. though of acting
in the strict sense of the word there
was none; it was recitation, now plain
tive, now impassioned, and. in the case
Of one character, jocose; but the per-
petual motion Of the players, who move
rythmically about the stage all the time,
grows somewhat monotonous to the
foreigner accustomed tc more lively
action. The audience, however, SEEM
ed thoroughly to enter into the spirit of
the piece, and appreciated the Jokes
keenly. During the entr'actes the Arab
band played the wild discordant music
with which all Eastern travellers are IA
miliar, and which is to be heard any
day in the cafes and gardens 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 represented the
Princess ladies. The whole affair was
an experiment, which seems likely to
succeed. and, on the whole. was a pleas
ing, if slightly dull, performance.