New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-12
THE LONDON STAGE.
MR. CARL ROSAS ENGLISH OPERA
FRENCH PLAYS-MRS LANGTRY.

i
has succeeded in popularizing operas given IN the
language which LondoneIs and Englshmec who are
not Loudoners can understand. For some years lie
has attracted support on large scale to operas IN
English produced on large scale. lie has sue
ceeded in filing Her Maesys Theatre, which Mr.
MapIeson with Italian opera has pretty steadily OF
late succeeded IN emptying. 1t Is, l suppose, the
least part of Mr. Carl ROsas merits that he has
carried on his enterprise prOsperously lie has
done real service to music. don't pretend 10
offer an opinion on such matters. but find one OF the
leading authorities IN music Temarklng 'naJ tho
return of Mr. Carl Rosas company TO L"ndoh -
welcomed by all who have the interests OF trne
musical progress al heart. There are points, now
ever on which the least musical person may nave
an opinion. When one reads and hears that Inc
most conspicuous feature of these performances Is
the uniform excellence of their ensemble one can
understand that Mr. Carl Rosa is doing Tor the
lyrical stage in England what the purely dramatic
stage stands urgently in need of. Such work rs
that wherever done deserves recognition and ready
praise and deserves also the hearty support which
il gets from the public. The fact that it does get
substantial and remunerative support makes one
think better of the English public, and of the con-
dition of art education in this country.
The season opened with Lohengrn" an opera
which has at last been accepted in England as
work not only of the future but of the present. vi
the crowded audience, no small part should say,
would have understood it quite as well IN ITS
original tongue az in Nr. Jackson's translation.
But then the same thing may he said OF almost any
operate audience or of any concert-r0om where
scientific music is to be heard. The IeutOnlc
element is always an important one. 1t is an i'm
portant aid alone it assuredly could not support
musical enterprises of anything like the magnitude
oh up
was occupied by the Prince of Wales and the
Princess Louise The LOhensrin If the evening,
Herr Anton Schott is himself German, and his
English is German English in accent. 1t is more to
the purpose that he can sing the music and sing
better than when he first made himself a consider
able reputation IN England. With the exception OF
Herr Schott and Mr. Ludwig. The singers were Eng
lsh unless some Of them were American. Miss
GAYLORD has perhaps not quite voice enough for
Elsa part with which Madame Christine Nilsson
is associated in London, but sings said the critical
person by whose side sat- with feeling and intelll-
genee No part of the opera was badly gil en-; in
those details where finish and care are TOO often
lacking m Italian opera the excellence here was
marked. The choruses are well trained, both music
ally and to some degree even IN stage-busincSs;
for which choruscs most commonly seem to consider
themselves TOO good. The mounting of the opera is
the same as when given at the same house in
Italian. Mr.. Carl Rosa, whose health Is not vet
firm. Yields his baton as conductor TO Mr.. Alberto
Randegger, whose capacity and skill even the
Wagnerites commend. admitting that the work OF
their great master Is in his hands brilliantly anu
alphabetically interpreted. In the "Flying
Dutchmanr which followed on Monday, the place
of honor is conceded to Madame Valera alike for
her conception and her singing OF Hertd, and next to
her MIR. Ludwig as the DatcbmdR. Mariana
and the " Bohemian Girl " with Miss Burns in tho
leading roles have since been given and Bales
Painter of Antwerp" is to he heard for the first
time in England tomorrow night
Every year with the return OF tho French plays
returns the question Of the censorship. The Lord
Chamberlain's Office which has authority IN such
matters once thought to escape trouble by announc
inc that its decision on any particular play
which cbangeth not II the examiner OF plays had
once damned play, damned it was to remain to all
eternity. But q serious breach was made last year
in this defence when La Dame aux Calnellas.'
which had heretofore been stcrnly prohibited, was
suddenly licensed. 1t was whispered about at the
time that prncely intervention lad removed the
interdict. This year struggle has been made for
NJ. Sardou's Dlvorcons" in which Nine. Chaurnont
wishes to appcar. 1t has been successful. The
niece is one of the most hazardous ever on the
stage even of the alais Royal but the examiner OF
plays has found a way of soothing his official CON
science NJ SardOu himself was set to work, and
became aware his astOnlshment that very little
expurgation was all that English prulery required
The piece remains quite unaltered structurally
Some of the too lively dialogue. particularly i'll the
third act. has been excscd, ana "DivorcOns" is
henceforth moral and visiLle play. d" La Prncesse
Georges" in which Mile. Sarah Bcrnhardt is eager
tn he seem has not thus far been allowed. The
fanIt with NJ Dnmass plot is deemed RADICAL the
niece cannot be played unless the incidents of the
first act are altered. and If they are altered tie
motive of the play is gone. Possibly Prince may
he found to come TO the rescue in this also. But
whether he does or not, how inexpresSbe is the
absurdity of this hairspltting and fencing among
dramatic moraities.
With two exceptions the press criticisms have
seen on Mrs. Langtry to the effect that she has
shown very unusual ability for a beginner, that
her performances had many points of positive
excellence and that she gives promise of taking
high position hereafter. The two exceptions are
Punch and the well-kEown theatrical organ The
Era AS to the former, said perhaps enough the
other day, but may quote remark have heard
more than once, that Mr.. Burnand has used his
paper to advertise his own play, The Colonel
and to depreciate whatever seemed to come in com
pettion With it, The secret of his persistent AMI
mostly toward Mrs Langtry remains unexplained.
AS for The Era it is a paper which sui sists the
patronage of the theatrical profession; and its at
tacks on Mrs Langtry express nothing but the
jealousy with which the profession regards her ap
pearance on the stage Her offence consists, so far
as can be made out. in not having been born the
stage or net having made her way there by an APP
premiership music hail, or in the provinces, or
because she did not begin at the bottom, or grad
uate from a rcfreshment bar. hardly know what
Mr.. Ledger or his editor would deem proper educa-
ton for the stage OF an allowable means Of APP
preaching it, Whatever the conditions may be. the
fercest attack on Mrs. Langtry is the attack of
trades nnion organ.