Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-02
LETTER FROM, NEW YORK
The New Opera H0use-The Opera Sec SON
Patti and NeiIsOn-The DEGREES of FnsLi0n-
The Panorama BoOm-John Tobin-Palanea
The Faith Cure-Actors' Trials, Etc.

special correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 1852.
1t is now asserted positively that Mr.. henry
E. Abbey will be appointed manager Of the new
opera house to be completed in 'sS. Mr.. Abbey
does not deny the report, but refuses to talk on
the subject 1t would give great satisfaction
to the majority of New Workers to have the
plucky young manager take charge Of what Is
designed to be the most magnificent place Of
amusement in the country People have made
up their minds that Abbey is honest and that he
will keep his word-an opinion that ia not held
of many theatrical managers In this uncertain
woodland hence people hope to see him take
charge of the new opera house. MaplesOn sneers
at the idea, and says that the world has never
before seen the spectacle OF an opera manager
with no knowledge of music. 1t doesn't need q
nuslcal man to make opera in New York sue
cess; 1t needs clear-headed, cool and honest
man OF business, and that is exactly what Abbey
is. lie Is not very popular man personally.
HIS manneris certainly not winning, and is often
positively offensive. but he is successful,
and the world worshps success.
THE WIDOW VANDERBILT.
One of the bits of gossip going is that the
widow of Commodore Vanderbilt has captivated
Gen. Beauregard. This may be true, as Mrs. V.
is plump sprightly, and still few years short
of 90. If 1 remember correctly, she came to
New York from Mobile or New Orleans, leaving
husband behind, from whom she was sep
arated, but not divorced. Her mother accom-
panied her, and took as much interest in her
daughters fortunes as any fond mother could
and gave her many points In diplomacy, am
told. The daughter first got into the good
graces OF William II. Vanderbilt, and then she
won the Old commodore who was quite taken
with the idea of marrying Young wfe-she
was scarcely 35 then. The wedding was the
sensation of the day. When the commodore
died he left his widow round million, but so
tled up That she could only receive the interest
On 1t. Mrs Y. remained in New York for year
or two after she became widow, and then re-
turned TO the south, where she has made more
than one conquest The reasons assigned for
the lack of opposition to her marriage with the
commodore are very queer reasons. Gen.
beallregard is now in this city-the same white
hafed, courteous southern gentleman-lOoking
alter book which is soon to be published. If
ne maTries Mrs V. he can afford to give up his
LOUISIANA lottery enterprises and authorship,
TOO. There would be quite enough for both.
THE OPERA SEASON
New York is at present patting itself on the
back and murmurng Dear me, by CAD, what
remarkably attractive city must be and how
clever and appreciative and altogether delight
full to attract the worlds two greatest singers
to me at the same time" The papers talk it
over with great compacency and congratulate
America on her vast Improvement in culture
ana musical appreciation. as eyinced in the
simultaneous appearance Of Madame Christine
Nilsson and Adelina Patti. Musical enthusiasts
bankrupt themselves by buying $l5 seats and
faShionable people point to the fact that even
London and Paris are seldom honored as is New
York by such gut of riches There is a ten
dency everywhere to look upon the visits of the
great prin1d doaneas graceful tributes to our
immense advancement in art all OF which is
nonsense, as little inspection will show. Does
Patti come because we are on higher plane Of
civilization? Not much. Mapleson offered her
So, 600 night last year to come. and she con-
temptuously refused He scraped around and
made the offer 81 GEO, and she still refused
Then he borrowed lot of money and she
agreed to come at last for an amount
OF money double that ever given before. Pasta
Grisi and Malibran. all together. never received
as much in a year In Europe as Patti receives
for few months in America. Further than
this she has said in the frankest manner that
she came to make enough money to clear her
Welsh castle. Higher plane of civilization, in
deed! Money is what she came for Then
Nine. Nilsson appreciates the vast Improvement
in Americans, don't she? When her husbands
fortune went to the seven winds OF heaven she
said that she would have to sing once more in
public, so as to have comfortable fortune to
retire on. Did she rhapsodze then on the art
culture of America in 80? Well, no. not to
any large extent. She simply bartered with
NeG York managers until she had secured
the highest bid and then came with what
the London World calls manifest reluctance"
Under the circumstances therefore it strikes
me that self-gratulatiOn is somewhat previous
and open to well-deiined and palpable obec-
lions.
THE DEGREES OF FASHION
in flowers are almost as memorable as those re-
specting dress-particularly in the manner of
wearing them. A young man who should now
appear in wide trousers, instead of those which
chung to the leg, would be subject to ridicue;
so would he be frOwned on if he wore red
rose when 1t was the proper thing to wear
white one. Just now men wear large white
rOse-buds in their button-holes on evening Oc-
casions. This fashion lacks originality. The
men are wearing large white rOse-buds in Lon
don. Last season the man of fashion here got
the smallest white flower he could find The
Hover most in use at present is the rose. either
OF Il delicate pink shade or white. When a
bride does not wear the traditional orange
blossoms she adOrns herself with white roses
and hait-Opened buds. The bridesmaid carry
colored roses. mostly of a pink tint The
groom wears white rosebud when the bride
carries white roses. and the groomsmen have
flowers in their coats corresponding to the
bouquets carried by the ladies they escort
COrsage bouquets for evening parties or street
wear consist simply of pink or white roses tied
in a loose bunch. If more than one kind of
buds are used those of the same color are
grouped together. All flowers must have their
own stems, which should be long At dinners
instead of bouquets at each plate. small baskets
of flowers are placed in front of each guest
At luncheon parties there is usually bunch of
roses for each guest. which is fastened to the
cOrsage after luncheon is over and worn on the
street.
THE PANORAMA BOOM
There is quite boom in panOramas just now
In New York. The reason for it, however, is
not apparent, and the wonder is that the boom
goes on. None of the exhibitions now in full
blast draws decent patronage. The last and
most pretentiOus of these is the "National Pam
Drama of the Surrender of Yorktown" painted
BY Raoul Arms, of Paris. 1t is in a huge build
ing specially erected for the purpose in Madi-
son avenue, and covers several thousand yards
of canvas Like all modern panoramas it is set
in circle around the spectator rather than run
over two spiridles in front of him. The building
Is a circular brick structure. To get to the
platform set up for visitors one must descend
into dark alley. and grope along until a flight
of steps is reached. On climbing the steps the
visitor arrives at the platform, and finds himself
in the very middle OF the scene CORVALLIS is
delivering his sword and a long line of British