Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-30
THE CONSERVATORY.

The C0nservatoire of Paris, which was
created during the great revolution of 1895,
nearly ninety years ago, has witnessed all
the subsequent vicissitHdes and changes of
government-the Empire, the restoration
of the Bourbons, the reign of Louis
Philippe, the First Commonwealth, Louis
| Napoleon, the Second Commonwealth
and has throughout regularly received the
| State subvention, which of late has risen
to fl0 600 per annum. This subsidy owes
its origin chiefly to the national love of the
| theaters, which also receive a subvention of
public money, and the stage is the para
mount object at which the greatest amount
of tuition is aimed, the production of lyric
as we'll as dramatic artists. The chief aim
there is to establish and propagate sys-
tenn of musical education on such basis as
| to make every student who goes through
the curriculum-if only he have common
sense and q strong liking for musician ac-
compiished musician to give him knowl-
edge of everything required In his studies,
and to send him out able to take a
place in any orchestra, to appear
on any stsge, or to be a first
rate oratorio singer, aud so to acquire
that practice which can only be obtsined
by association with other artists, thus paw
ing the way for proper musical career.
Among its illustrious students, dead and
| living, Berlioz, Halevy, Adolphe Adam,
Reber, Gounod, Massenet, Masse, Bizet,
| Ambrose Thomas and Leo Delibes have
| achieved European reputation as compos-
| ers, not to mention host of instrumental
lists of the highest order. The most salient
point is the absolutely gratuitous nature Of
the instruction given. 1t is free school
with at present no less than $50 students
and 300 supernumeraries. These last are
pupils, or rather listeners, who. by the
power of the director of any apecfic class,
are admitted Only for the space of enc aca-
demical year. They are chosen from among
the candidates seeking admission who show
| the most promise. No accommodation for
| boarding is provided under the roof of the
| Conservatoire there are, however, twelve
pensions of the value of from f4S to so
per annum, which are annually awarded to
the best students of singing intended fer
the stage Frequent and severe examina-
tions, and public competitions, are features
in the course of education at Paris.
| After each half year the committee
report on the progress, or want of
| progress, as the case may b., o;
every student. Besides this, at the
examinations held in June, those WHO are
to take part in the annual competitions
are chosen, and also those whose studies
are to be discontinued from want of ability.
The eliminating point in the Students Life
IS the Concours. which takes place in July.
The subjects of competition are decided
beforehand by an examining committee
elected by the Director Students of the
same sex and the same branch compete
with each other; those Ct both sexts meet
onlyin the competitionin lyric and dramatc
defamation, but there are distinct re-
wards for male aud female students.
Every pupil who after study ing three years
has not been admitted to the Copeours is
dismissed from the Conservatoire, as are
also those who after competing three times
have not won prize or acceSsh Stu
dents of competition compete for the Prix
de Rome .. the Institute. This entities
the winner to study in Italy, or elsewhere,
for four years at the expense of the French
Government. At the public trials the
managers OF the thsaters in the metropolis
and the provinces bid for and select ttose
among both sexes who have obtained the
principal prizes, but none are allowed to ac-
cept engagements without the express per-
mission of the Director. -ISir julius Bene-
! dict.