Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-07
THEAYER-GOrvG IN PARIS.
French Plays and Operas as an Aucri-
can Sees Them Abroad.


French Plays md Operas as an Arucrf-
can Secs Them Abroad.
Paris Letter 20 New York Sun.
On my very first night in Paris I went to the
Opera Comque The play was the Countess Of
Hoffman Onenbach's posthumous opera The
composer died while experimenting its prodnc-
ton on the stage OF this theater. They were
singing this opera in the theater in Vienna when
| the fire occurred which destroyed so many lives.
The Opera ComiqRe stands on two side streets
near one of the main boaleyar,is OF Paris. few
bright lights iifulnine the main entrance. Rain
was falling as drove to the theater. soldier
In full uniform stood ut The door OF the vestbuie
at a support arms, As he spoke to TO one. aud
no one spoke to him. was at a loss TO account
for his presence. | found soldiers az the doors
of all the Partisan thesters. Inquiry as to why
they were there always brought cut the same
answer .. Ii is CUSTOMARY
On entering the vestibu'e OF the Opera Gem
ique. saw knot Of persons gathered around
hole Ia the wall on my right. They wtre pur-
chasing entrance tickets. | bought ticket en-
ttiing me 10 seat in the parquet for about
S1.25. AS l neither spoke nor understood
French, plaRked down Napoleon and said,
Il wish set in the parguet, if you please"
| Whether the agent understood me or not, he
! threw out ticket along with the change and
drfted on with the crowd. / soon found myself
surrounded by female ushers, plainly and neatly
dressed. All spoke to me in French. replied:
| II beg your pardon. I'm an American. and [
don't speak French. Please show me nav seat"
In all my wanderings IN Paris | found that
people could understand English spoken slowly
| and distinctly much better than badly pro-
nounced French. | chose seat near the center
OF the house, aud the usher noted its number i'm
little book. Warned by my experience in Lon
don, / gave her a franc. She said: Thanks"
in French, and departed without giving me
playful. quickly discovered that there were
no programs. French theaters do without
them An evening newspaper prints on it's first
page the cast at each theater. and the news
paper Is at times sold at the door by speculative
ncwsboys. Occasionally it is hawked in the par
quet
The musicians struggled in as though they
were part of the audience and began to tune
their instruments as soon as they We're in their
seats. Gold and crimson colors predominate in
the decorations, and the theater presents a light
and airy appearance. Ats O'Clock somebody be-
hind the curtain began to pound the floor. Ii
sounded as though joist was used. 1t was the
signal for the beginning of the performance. The
musicians stopped their m0notOnous tuning,
and the nIurmur of conversation ceased. Men
| in the parquet nov for the first time removed
| their hats. The musical director poised himself
| in his seat. A second pounding was heard.
| His baton was raised, and eight score or more
| of musicians glided into the overture. 1t was
a magnificent orchestra, far superior to any
1
| London. The proportion of brass and stringed
! instruments seemed perfect. Every note
was struck with military precision. 1t
was human orchestriOn, worked by machinery.
| AT times the auditorium was flooded with wild
melody. and anon the instruments became as
| soft and plaintive as breezes On southern savan-
mas. The curtain was drawn up. and scores of
danseuses trooped over the stage. When the
curtain fell on the first act the men in the par
| quet covered their heads and eddied out of the
nntr lnac ff,ro f. -offt,
visitors left the theater I'm search of refresh
! ments. They were met at the door by the news
boys who hoarsely bawled the price of the latest
evening newspapers. All the restaurants In the
| vicinity were quickly filled. Ladies left the
| theater with gentlemen, and as freely patron
! lied the saloons. On plush sofas and cane-bo
toned chairs in the mellow gaslight they slipped
| coffee and champagne, or drank the foamng
beer Of Strasburg The play ended at the usual
| hour in Paris-a few minutes after eleven.
/ wound up nv visits to Paris by attending
the Grand Opera House on Sunday evening
Only three or four performances a week are
| given here. All the theaters, however, are open
| on Sunday evenings. Verdis Ai1d was sung at
! the Grand Opera House. | secured front seat
| in the first balcony for about 81. Everybody in
the boxes and balconies was in full dress, but
| there was sprinkling Of gentlemen in the Or
| chestra seats in frock coats The ladies were
bonnetless and hatless. They wore the richest
evening dresses. Canes, umbrellas and over
| coats were left in the cloak rooms. Aida was
| rnagniticentiy mounted. The scene Of the opera
| is laid in Egypt. The scenery, dresses, and even
the melody seemed Egyptian. Great pasteboard
| idols stood upon the stage. and were so blended
with the paintings of temples. sphinXes and py-
raEnds as to make it impossible to distinguish be-
tween them even with the aid of an opera glass
A mounted dragon in full uniform sat at the
entrance to the Place de rOpera and score of
more of infantry paraded the corridors in blood
| red pantaloons aud blue coats A private car
riaseway conveys the President of the French
| Republic TO a private entrance TO the box desig-
mated for the Emperor Napoleon. This car
rageway was made by order Of Louis Napoleon
to lessen the MISREPRESENTATION. Is,lall not
attempt to describe the edifce. 1t is m0nu-
| ment of the reign of the OrOdite Napoleon. Be-
tween the acts the audience passed up regal
marble staircaSeS and promenaded a foyer
! lighted and decorated so magniticently that il
seemed like dream from the Arabian Nights.
The floors are eXquisitcly waxed, and the walls
maTnificently Tescoed. From the windows
you catch glowing view of the green boule-
wards or arteries of Paris. which radiate
from the Opera House like creases from
the handle of an open Illuminated fan The
| most magnificent Of these boulevards is the
Boulevard de rOpera, lighted by electric
lights. 1t is living stream of lights and
| shadows flowing through marble canon. An
exquisite refreshment room. filled with sofas
and Handicapped tables and daintily decorated.
| is attached to the foyer. Walters in full dress
supply the demand for ices and wines with rap
idity and silence. As in other theaters 1 found
elegantly dressed ladies at the Grand Opera
House without escorts. Arm -in-arm they as
cended and descended the marble stairways.
! and wandered through the brilliantly lighted
! corridors. l scanned the audience closely and
fancied that / could occasionally distinguish
representatives of the Faubourg St. German,
the knickerbOcker aristOcracy of Paris. by their
quiet dress and elegance of manner; but was
taken aback when told that gentleman whom
had taken for at least MOntmOrenci was
simple French courier. There may be someth .ng
| In arstocracy. but at the Grand Opera House
stranger cannot by dress, appearance and man.
Gers distinguish either prince from mechanic
| or duchess from milliner.
Wounded Mans Peculiar Sensation.
From the Virginia City New Enterprise.
James Rowe, the man who was blown up at
! the Forman shaft and lost both of his arms and
his eyesight, is still blown up nightly in imagi-
| nation. He yesterday told DR.. Weber that he
felt that he was getting o good deal better