The Portland daily press., 1880-12-03
MusIo AND THE DRAMA.
MONTE cRIsro.

Dy company especially engaged IOr tnat pur-
| pose, appeared at New Portland Theatre in
Fechter's version of Dumass romance of Monte
| Cristo, to an audience small in numbers, and
before whom 1t was difficult to get up much
dramatic fire. 1t is however but Just to say
that this was the first appearance of the COM
| pany together, and therefore the performance
| partook more Of the character of dress re-
hearsal than finished repI esentation. Natur-
ally each actor was getting acquainted with
the others business, and in making his own
points. AS general thing the piece ran very
smoothly, and there were but few lapses of
memory Tonight the spectator would hardly
believe the play had been produced, with its
present cast, bat once before, and in weeks
time it will run as easily as do the plays at the
great theatres.
Whoever has read this superb creation of
Dumas can with difficulty, comprehend how
| it has been "boiled down" as an acting drama,
or the liberties taken with the story. In the
drama Albert is the illegitimate son of Dantes
and Mercedes, instead Of Fernando and Mer-
cedes. Noirtier is the brother of Villefort in
stead of his father, and the killing Of Dan
elers by Dantes, in the duel, ends the play
With the limits at our command, at this hour
of writing, it would be impossible to point out
all the differences between the story and the
drama. 1t is enough here to say the first act
opens with the garden of La Reserve, gives the
interview between Villefort and Dantes and
the arrest of the latter. The second presents
the dungeon in the Chateau d'!f, the eAbhe's
death, and closes with Dantes' escape. The
third opens with the cabaret of Caderousse,
gives the attempt on the life of the disguised
Noirtier by La Cdrconte melted by Viilefort,
and closes with Villeforte's DEATH The fourth
act presents the ball room at the Count Nor
cerf's, the quarrel with Albert and the chal-
lenge The last act gives the duel scene with
Alberts apology. and DANGERS the victim of
retributi7P justice.
Mr.. Studley' Monte Cristo, even under all the
disadvantageous circumstances of last night is
an admirable piece of acting. 1t is not great
In the sense that Fechter's was great, neither
would it be fair to compare the two actors in
the part. But it was we'll conceived, we'll
carried out Characterization. In the scene with
Villefort, as the mate of the Pharaoh. he was
natural, unaffected, frank, manly and sailor
like. In the interview with Caderousse and
Carconte the repressed passion was evident,
gising intensity to his representation; an in
tensity only broken, as was proper, by the
momentary exclamation of horror as he
learned OF his fathers dreadful fate and the
loss OF Mercedes. In the fourth act where he
declares he will kill Albert, the wild
force OF his passion. as he remembered all the
wrongs that had been heaped upon him had
full scope and the curtain was rung up again
in obedience to the long-continued applause
OF the members of the cast Mr.. Stevens was
an excellent NOirtier, and Mr.. Seton good
Caderousse. Miss Carroll was hardly our idea
OF Mercedes but she was acceptable, and Miss
Hill was rather plump and pleasant for La Car
conte.
The new scenery by La Mosse, representing
the dungeons of the Chateau DIFF, the view Of
Marseilles, the Salon at the Count Morcerf' 2.
was all very we'll done. and the music by the
orchestra excellent. The piece will be repeated
tonight.
The London Examiner says Of Remenyi the
great Hungarian violinist, who will appear at
Rossini Hall tonight, that he was born at
Miskolc in Hungary, In 1887. His master was
Joseph Bohns, at the Vienna Conservative
the instructor Of Joachim. II 4S, as revo-
lutionist, he fled from Hungary. secured the
friendship Of Liszt in Paris, and in 1854, was
made violinist to Victoria. In 1860 he was
made violinist to the Emperor of Austria. OF
this artist it is said that he is phenomenal and
can be measured by the standard of no other
man, and yet he has place with such great
artists as Wieniauski, Wilhemj and Joachim.
All his work bears the mark of his own strong
character, and in everything that he does
whether we consider the intellectual concep-
tion Of the piece or the technical execution of
1t, the differences which separate him from
other violinists are differences not so much in
the degree of merit as in the kind. In mere
technical facility he yields to no one. In the
power of expressing certain order of emotions
We do not believe he has rival. In fire, bril-
liancy and daring, he reminds us of the ac-
counts chat have been written of Paganini.
RossINI CLUB.
The Rossini club gave the first Of their series
of recitals yesterday. The following was the
programme:
Piano Duet-Marcb from Leonore symphony. Raft
Vocal Glartette.Presage OF spring.. Hollander
Piano Solo-Carnvai music :. .. .Schumann
Vocal SoloDormi pure ............., Scuderi
Piano Duet-Intermezzo and fugue. !. .Rheinberger
Vocal Solo-Love's delight ........Abt
Piano Soio-La Pomponnette. ............. .Durand
vocal ousrtsttsNSaedish wedding song, k0ssn
Mile Sarah Bernhardt will model bust of
Mr.. Longfellow during her engagement in
Boston, the poet having promised to give her
sittings. When finished the bust will be sent
to the Paris Salon.
sig9or salviai viii begin his engagement in
New York at Booths Theatre in "Othello,"
on Monday evening, Dec. 13. Mr.. Lawrence
Barrett will also begin an engagement under
the same management at the Park Theatre one
week later.
1t is announced that when Daniel Rochat''
is removed from the stage of the Union Square
Thestre "The Bankers Daughter" will be re-
vived for a brief time, and this will be follow
ed by the first production of Messrs. d'Ennery
and Bresil's new drama-"Diana."
The Drummer Boy was given for the last
time last night, to frstrate audience. Not
withstanding its success we understand that it
will not be again produced in Portland by the
Post.
Miss Alice Carle received basket of flowers
last night and Mr. Bibber a heautifnl honuet