Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-04
NEW YORK'S THEATRES.
The New opera HOuse-WaIIack,s
Change of Base - The Casino
JeffersOn's Bob Acres - - The
"Esthetes'' PIlIOried I'm spa.
tience',-ErnestO ROssI.

New YORK, September 2s-The theatrical
season has begun and bids fair to be varied
and brilliant one. Some of the theatres, like
the Union Square, are having preliminary
seasons" their regular stock companies not
appearing tlll somewhat later Timid theatre
goeTs who fear the casualties of fire and
panics may take heart from the fact that
managers have very generally improved the
exits of their houses, and have complied with
the law requiring plan Of the building.
with its various exits and entrances, to be
printed upon the programme. That the
building boom" which is upon us now has
extended to theatrical capital is evinced by
the very conclusive evidence of three great
places of amusement being now in course Of
construction. refer to the new Opera House,
Wallack's new theatre and the Casino.
The site Of the Opera House is the square
bounded by 38tb and 39th streets
and by Zth avenue and Broad
way. Work was begun some months ago, and
all but two of the small houses located on the
land were torn down, when the occupants of
the said two houses showed that their leases
had not expired and refused to vacate the
premises. A large sum Of money was offered
them, but to no effect. So the erection of the
great opera house is in temporary and most
aggravating abeyance Exactly what the
structure will be like no one seems to know;
but it is asserted that the undertaking will be
on very large scale (Which the surface of
ground to be covered amply verihes). and that
in gorgeousness and completeness it will re-
semble the Grand Operasof Paris. This is to be
taken cum grGno sails, yet the names of the
subscribers to the stock, which include the AS
tors, the Vanderbilts, Mr.. Bennett. Mr.. Cyrus
Field aud dozen other millionaireS. warrant
the belief that New York is to have very
magnificent home for Italian opera.
Mr.. Wallack's new theatre, on Broadway
and Thirtieth street. is being rapidly built,
and will be completed perhaps by Christmas
At present the walls give one the impression
of a small and by no means roomy building
but nothing is more deceptive than theatre
in course OF construction, and doubtless when
this one is finished all will be agreeabIy sur
prised. Wallack's old theatre, on Broadway
and Thirteenth street, was so well known to
and patroniZed by the elite of our theatre
goers that to give it up seems like parting
with an old friend indeed. The audiences at
Wallack's, with the single exception of those
at the opera, were the best dressed in the
city. The gentlemen almost invariably wore
evening dress, and the ladies. though not ven
turing the elegant costumes of the opera, were
always charmingly attired. The theatre has
been leased by Mr.. Nenendorff and the name
changed to the "Germania" German comedy
thus establishes herself in fashionable and de-
sirable quarters. The grandeur and pathos of
German tragedy find an excellent, and some
times noteworthy representation on the
boards of the ''Thalia," whilom the Old Bow
cry, where, heaven knows, the time honored
traditions of the legitimate drama were al
ways accorded their meritsd applause.
The Casino" Is to be in degree for New
York what the other Casino is for Newport
or course we shall miss the beautiful lawns of
the Newport Casino and the tennis tourna-
ments and all that. But we are to have
a biJou theatre, a ballroom, con-
cert hall, a cafe and an open air garden-and
what more need be desired? The cafe will oc-
cupy the first floor. The second floor will COM
prise theatre capable of seating 400 persons,
so constructed as to be easily converted into a
ball room by flooring over the seats IAN open
balcony. thirty feet wide. will encircle the out
side of the building the second story. and
from this a fine view of the theatre can be had
through arched Windows. During the winter
months this balcony will be inclosed with STAIN
ed glass. carpeted and taStefully arranged with
exotic plants and flowers, forming pleasant
promenade for use during the winter enter
tainments. The main feature of the structure
is to be the summer garden, which will be on
the roof Of the building, sixty feet above the
street level and covering the entire area of
twenty thousand square feet. This elevated
garden is likely to be laid out in winding walks,
with flowers, vines and rare exotics and mag
ulficent fountain is to occupy the centre. Two
large elevators will convey patrons from the
cafe to the garden" There is a strong proba-
biiity, we are told, that Strauss, the celebrated
Vienna maestro, will lead the first season of
concerts.
Mr.. jefferson has just completed a very sue
cessful fortnight of performances at the Union
SquRse, playing Bob Acres in 'The Rivals -
His portrayal OF this character, although not
so fresh aud thoroughly charming as his great
part of rip Van Winkle," is yet one OF the
very best pieces of comedy acting we have had
IN many day. The Mrs Malaprop" of Mrs
John Wood was likewise a triumph. To Judge
from the crowded houses and the hearty ap-
MA aoln h
public in a fine old play and really meritorious
acting has not died out, as some would have US
suppose.
The literary school Of the "Esthetes" is oc
cupytng temporary niche in the Temple of
Fame 1t is doubtless well known to the read
ers of the News that this movement is headed
in England by Mr.. Oscar Wilde, who recently
published volume Of aesthetic poems which
caused much comment In this country. The
general criticism passed upon the book was
that while the sentiments it contains are in the
main utterly silly, vapid and full of the worst
kind of twaddle, the workmanship eVinced In
many of the poems is surprisingly clever. But
the e sthetes will be laughed to death, as they
deserve to be. For two years or more Oscar
Wilde and his tribe of languishing, pos
turing followers have been held up to ridi-
cule in Punch" PoStIethwGite has become
a very we'll known individual Lastly come
those wonderful fellows Gilbert and Sullivan
with new opera, taking off the aesthetics, and
called Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride" This
delicious little piece of raillery, which was pro-
duced at the Standard last week, though not
promising the overwhelming success of ''Pina-
is capital, the costumes inimitable, and the
music exceedingly pretty and taking. The
hbretto is one of the very best Gilbert has
written. Perhaps some of its humor is too
subtle and deep for instantaneous enjoyment;
but it is very rich for all that Oscar Wilde, as
Dor rayed in the character Of "Bunthorne
heshly poet" is most everlastingly dealt
RXaUOArQtad rid
nomenclature OF the aesthetic school. We have
any amount Of ''love-sick maidens" who sigh
"Ah, miserieI" and pose in stained glass atti.
tudes," indulge in passionate clinging" and
yearn for faint lilies" Then there is the
"Florentine fourteenth century frenzy with
which GrOsvenor loves Patience; and the Tut
ter unselfshness" with which she recipro-
Gates his passion; there are glades dotted with
'suntiowers" and threnodies accompanied on
the bass-viol, The Duke assumes medieval
dress to win back the ladies, AID at last con-
fesses that while they are not ''supremely
perhaps" they are quite too all butt and
Jolly utter" The Dragons are upbraided
for being only commonplace" and
are exhorted to be something, IL only
early English" All this with much more of
Della Cruscan, " ''blue china" and what not
besides are the adornments of this very ridicu-
lous and successful comic opera. The satirical
pu pose of the piece is most effectively carried
out. The aesthetics are done for; they are
now decidedly limp, and they cling"
Signor Ernesto Rossi, the Italian tragedian,
is now in America, and after appearing in Bos-
ton will begin his engagement In New York,
on October 81. "Rossi," says Mr.. Chizzola, his
manager, was born at Leghorn In 1929 his
father being an old soldier OF Napoleon. He
early showed prediction for the stage,
and attracted the attention of Modena'
one of the celebrated actors of the
last generation and the tutor of
many subsequently distinguished artists In
1855 he accompanied Ristori to Paris and later
organized troupe Of his own. Unlike other
actors OF his school, he devoted his studies to
Shakespeare, but also appeared in Goldoni's,
Corneille's and Schillers plays. He mastered
King Lear, Coriolanus and Richard I'LL He
has visited South America, Spain, England,
Russia, in fact all the principal cities of Eu-
rope, and everywhere has received extraordi-
nary ovations as the result of his marvellous
dramatic power" Rossi is more slightly built
than Salvini, yet he possesses a splendid
physique and voice singularly sweet and
flexible. His repertoire during his American
season will be as follows: king Lear" in
Juliet, " Merchant of Venice, :" Richard III"
Hamlet, :" "Othello," Macbeth, ," Louis Xi''
and Edmund Kean." HORACE
MISSOURI JUsTICE.-Gov Crittenden,
of Missouri, is pursuing the Glendale
train robbers remorselessly, and the
promise is that the vocation of the high
wayman in that State will become some
what hazardous. Through the Govern
or's push and determination most of the
Glendale robbers have been arrested and
jailed, and on Wednesday 'BIl' Bryan,