Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-08-07
FRANCE.
THE MOVEMENTS OF WEALTHY PARIS
IAas IN THE SUMMER SEASON.
The Theatsrs- New Plays and Books-Am
nesty ana the Fete Of July l4th
The Manifestations.
PARIS, July II, 1880.

| OF very not summer TO come after the
| extremely cold winter, aside from some
warm, pleasant days in March and three
followed, Paris has been almost constantly
canopied with dark threatening clouds.
These clouds seemed for long time to be
! at war with each other since they refused
to embrace and melt to tears the proper
destiny of clouds-and then arrived echoes
of discomfort from all parts of the country,
bewailing the scarcity of rain and the
loss of the crops. The reconciliation of the
clouds was at last effected and in proper
ton to the obstinacy of their estrangement
has their meeting become tender and fruit
full. 1t rains, not at day nor contln-
uaily, yet the clouds are there to constantly
threaten another effusion. Therefore, no
hot days. no summer bonnets, and few
summer dresses. After all
FASHION
Is a sort of witch and prophet, for when
she ordered that black hats and dark
feathers should be worn, instead of white
hats and white feathers, as had been the
custom these past years, she certainly had
presentiment of the cloud difficulty. The
dresses to be seen worn by the numerous
agents of Lady Fashion are of very thin
wooden material, but dark in color the gen.
darmes blue is, perhaps, the most popular,
blue which comes very near being green
and which is cold in tone. The gay foulards
which came so suddenly upon the scenes
toilets, with the exception of those of
black and dark ground. The styles are,
to say the least, of great economy TO those
where economy is an object; for, as in
California, the spring suits, the summer
suits and autumn suits become as one The
cool summer is subject of rejoicing to the
fashionable Parisians, not on account of
the toilet but for the reason that they are
not in consequence compelled to go to the
country. Immediately after the Grand
Prix all fashionable Paris depart for their
country seats to remain until the month of
August, which they spend at the sea side,
at the end of which time they again return
to the country until the end of the hunting
season in November There is some thing
PECULIARLY ATTRACTIVE
About Paris to even foreigners, and when
the French are known to be homesick far
Paris than France A Partisan can not
live away from Paris; how many after
making little fortunes have returned to the
| village of their fathers, where they were
rich but were incapable of remaining
They ali prefer to be poor and live in Paris
than be rich and live in the provinces yes,
poor; so poor that they do nothing but
work, work, without being able to taste
of those pleasures which both life and city
afford. In so much greater proportion,
then, does the gay capital offer attractions
to the rich, and when they must leave
their theaters, operas and balls to eeiko the
rest required, they do so with poor
grace. Were it not the fashion to
60 to the country during the summer
| how few Parisians would ever leave Paris,
| for in reality it is seldom very warm, and
although their fayorite theaters may be
closed, there remains the cafes concerts,
| where all that is eninently Parisienne is
| to be seen and heard. By common consent
this year few persons have left Paris,
great many wishing to remain over for the
| fete of the l4th of July, and the majority
giving as excuse the rain and GOODNESS of
the weather Everybody is therefore in
good humor, and Paris is still gay Paris at
this moment of the year. Those who par
ticularly rejoice at this state of things are
the young authors, whose theatrical pieces
when once accepted are generally repre-
sented during the warm months when
Paris is deserted and little interest is taken
in literature. The same as with debut
of an actor, actress or singer; when Rachel
was first permitted to appear at the
Theatre Francois it was during the month
of July, when Paris was deserted and the
benches of the theater almost empty, and
had it not been for the presence of dis
tinguished literary gentleman, who imme-
diately recognized in her that great power
which many felt later, she would have re-
quired a much longer time to become
known to the public
MR.. MAUREL
For some time past has been anxious to
perform the role of Mephistopheles in
"Faust," believing he could give to the
character new and original interpreta-
ton. Mr.. Maurel is known for peculiar
ity of which no precedent exists in the
world. He started with bass voice
which mounted into baritone and after
ward became tenor voice, just the con-
trary of that which usually takes place.
His voice has since become baritone, and
although he at present needs the grave
notes for the role of Mephstopheles, Mr..
Gounod graciously changed them for him,
but the effect is IN some places lameDtable,
as the original idea of the author is lost.
For instance, in the church scene, where
he speaks of "eternal agony in an eternal
night" and the orchestra becomes SIMS
terly sombre, he starts up with brilliant
note which Eliminates the night and is in
contradiction with the verses. The inter
probation of this role differs in the
manner of Faure-who perhaps has never
had an equal--in that ne was more elegant,
more bon dia5le, whereas Faure was more
ieering and vigorous. Perhaps Maurel's
Interpretation better suits Goethe's idea,
whose creation of Satan is modern in color
ing and differs from that of either Milton
or Luther-a wolf in lambs clothing. viii
lain in gentlemans dress. The costume
worn by Mr.. Maurel differs from
the conventional one of Mephisto-
pheles, and instead of red his dress
was black. with red interior,
and at the last scene of the last act he un-
folded his mantle, when the whole inter-
rior, covered with sort of phosphorus,
gave him the appearance OF being envel-
oped in flames. This effect was very fine
and much applauded as an original idea of
the artist Mr.. Maurel is one of the finest
actors ever seen upon the stage of an
opera, and he spares no pains in thoroughly
studying his characters. 1t is said that he
went ali the way to America and followed
Edwin Booth around for one year so as to
learn how to play Hamlet" The fact is
that he interprets this role in remarkable
manner. Another important parsonage
who has profited by the cold and the rain
and received the applause of the elegant
and the learned, is
PAUL DELAIR,
Whose tragedy "Garin" has just been
performed for the first time at the Theatre
Francois. 1t is to the credit of this the
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