Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-06-24
WINSTON, N. C., THURSDAY, JUNE "a, 1880.

- c4it q part OF a great platform, which
is itself an opeu stage. Tie orchestra
is placed as in a modem theatre, and
between 1t and the curtain the space is
very broad, as this is the scene of ac-
tlon for the chorus. On either side o1
the curtain is scenic representation o1
two houses with balconies. the one be-
longing to Annas, the High Priest, the
other to. plate. The appearance Of
these You can readily picture to your
self by imagining our proscenium boxes
turned back so as to face the audience
on line with the curtain. Beyond
these houses again, TO the right and left
are two openings leaping up to the
back of the stage, representing streets
OF Jerusalem, so that the general ef-
! feet is as though in a semi-circula1
building the whole length of the diam
eter which subtends the arc were con-
verted into a stage. On the curtain is
painted street, SO that when it is down
the whole background represents the
Holy City.
AS one sits there under the open sky,
the signing of the trees~ the warhling
Of the birds, the tinklng bells of dis
tant herds fall upon the ear, the morn
ing sun IS streaming in golden floods
through the streets of Jerusalem, be-
yond which the eye wanders. over the
smiling meadows and pine clad bills 70
the. far off mountains with their snowy
peaka kissing the sky. Nature herself
thus lends her aid to- the artists plan,
furnishing a noble background to the
picture. and she seems to whisper to us
wooingly on this lonely morning, at
tuning our souls to harmony with the
touching story that is to pass before US,
and awaking in our hearts all the ten
derress of religious sentiment.
Each scene in the drama consists of
three parts. tableau, choral song and
dramatic acting and the whole num-
Der of persons engaged IN these differ
ent roles is tive or six hundred.
The chorus of Guardian angels epeas-
ant angels" as they have happily been
called,) consists of eight men and
twelve women, with leader, and, fill
ing the part Of the Greek classical cho-
rus, forms the poetical exponents of
the drama. The corypheus chauts in
monotone or recitative the choral
songs are IN harmony.
All, both men and women, wear
long loose robes of red or blue over
these white muslin tunics reaching to
the knee, while attached to the shoul-
ders and flowing open in front are man
ties of various colors. The leaders
dress alone is differcnt-a white robe
richly corded and embroidered with
gold.
a word OF explanation as to the
handling of the choral songs. It will
not be attempted to render them in
their fullness, because time would not
serve, and they would then occupy too
great a space in the sketch which is
to be given of the drama as a whole.
At times, Therefore, the chorus will be
quite passed over, at others only its
leading thought Will be suggested.
The action of the play covers all the
incidents of week from Palm Sunday
to Easter, with an epilogue which rep
resents the Ascension.
Each scene Is preceded by one or
more tahleaux-the subjects taken from
the Old Testament, supposed types of
the events which then follow in dramat
lc action the chorus in each instance
explaining the signifo ,nce of the pic
ture. G.
RaIeioh 0bcaruer