The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-08-05
REAL RAIN AN OPERA.

have found out that there is nothing
the Germans like so much ss an opera.
They like it, not in a mild and moderate
way, but with their whole hearts. This is
a legitimate result ofhabit and education.
Our nation will like the opera, too, by and
by, no doubt. One in fifty OF those who
attend our operas like II already, perhaps,
bat think that good many Of the other
forty-nine 90 In order to learn TO like it
and the rest in order TO speak knowingly
a bout IL. The latter usually hum the airs
while they are being sung, so that their
neighbors may perceive that they have
been to operas before. Tho funerals of
these do not occur often enough.
In Germany they always bear one thing
stsn opera which has never yet been
beard in America, perhsps-l mean the
closing strain Of fine duet. We always
smash into il with au earthquake of ap,
plause. The result Ia that we rob our
selves OF the sweetest part of the treat;
we get the wbiskey, but we don't get the
sugar in the bottom of the glass.
am told that In German concert or
opera they hardly encore a song; that
though they may be dying to hear it
again, their good breeding usually pre-
serves them from requiring the repetition.
Kings may encore; that his quite an
other matter; 1t delights everybody to see
that the king is pleased; aud as to tho
actor encored, his pride and qualification
are simply boundess
The king Of Bavaria is poet, and has
a poets eceentricities- the Advantage
over other poets OF being able to crafty
them, no matter what form they may
take. He 10 fond of the Opera, but not
fond Of sitting in the presence of an audi.
ence; therefore, It has sometimes occur
red, in Munich, that when au opera has
been concluded and the players weIo
gstting off their paint and Gnery, com.
mand bas come to get their paint aud
fnery on again, Presently the king
would arrive, solitary, aud alone, and the
players would begin at the beginning and
do the entire opera over again, with only
that one person in the vast solemn thea
TIRE for sadience. Once be took an odd
freak into bis head. High up aud out Of
sight, over the prodigous stage Of the
court theatre 10 maze Of interlacing
water pipes, so pierced that in case OF
FIRE innumerable little thread like streams
of water can be cansed to descend; and
In case of need, this discharge can be
augmented TO pouring food. American
managers might make note OF that
The king was sole audience. The opera
proceeded; il was piece with storm in
II; the mimic thunder began TO mutter,
the wind begsn to wall and sough, and
the mimic rain 10 patter. The kings in
tersst rose higher aud higher; It deve-
oped into enthusiasm. He cried out:
I'll good, very good indeed7 Bat
will have real rain. Turn on the waterl
The manager pleaded for areyeTsaI Of
the command; said II would ruin the coz.
tunes, but the king cried
No matter, no matter. will have real
ralnl Turn on the wAlerl
So tho real rain was turned on and be-
gan to descend In gossamer lances TO The
mimic flower beds and gravel walks Of
The stage. The richly dressed actresses
and he,ors tripped about pretending not
to mind Il. The king was delighted
bic enthusiasm grew higher. lie cried
out:
Bravo, brsVol More thunder! more
lightning! turn on more rain!
The thunder boomed, The lightning
glsred, the storm wilde ragged, the DEL
age poured down The mimic royalty
90 the sisge, With their soaked satius
e..nking 10 their bodies, stopped sFJaad
ankle deep 10 water, wsrblng tAeIr