National Republican., 1883-07-06
A Gay Time in Opcratic and theatrical
Affairs.
Something About Covent Garden and
the Singing Stars.
A New viOlinist, Vladimir Paschmann, and His Fiery
Style Of Playing.
Toolc in "ArtfuI Cards "--Thc Remarkable
Success OF " Fedora"
Special Letter.


as any other theater. One reason of this is
that besides having magnificent list of great
artists tho opera is literally patronized by
royalty. Since the opening of Covent Gar
den tho queen has kept tho royal box, for
which she pays a e1,0o0 year This is but
small sop to Cerbeus, when one realizes
the enormous expense of keeping up the
theater proper, and the salaries paid the
artists. Happily the Messrs. Gye have
splendid subscription list, and outside of that
the Floral Hall, Albert Hall, and private con-
oerts yield substantially the real support of
the opera. Were it not for these, strange as
it sounds, Covent Garden alone woul never
cover expenses.
Americans pay Patti near $1,000 night to
hear her, with sometimes very poor en-
semble. She gets 200 guineas a night at
Covent Garden. One pays n shiilings (S5.25)
for the best seats in the house, and, besides
Patti, one hears splendid support of other
stars n superb orchestra, fine chorus, with
the pleasure of sitting in the most sympa-
thetic and lovely opera house in the world,
making one of bouquet which is world ia
nous; for the interior of this theatcr on an
opera night can only be compared 10 a 81
gantc mass Of blooming flowers, AL ladies
are deCoiicite, or in dinner dress all gentlemen
in swallow tails, and no hats or bonnets are
to be seen in tho house. You will allow that
an auditorium under these conditions must
present bright and attractive appearances.
Besides Patti, we have Lucca, Sembrich,
Albani, Duraud, Fursch- Aladi, Repello,
Schalchi, and Trebelli, not to mention among
the male voices some great names, and better
still, some excellent artists. As nearly all of
these stars-say certainly Lucca, Albani, Du-
rand, and Sembrich-rcCeive nightly nearly
the same terms as Patti, one may form some
pf " Tn pOinp
at Covent Garden. Happily the power be-
hind the throne" is an all sufficient one.
With that, and the help of the concerts before
mentioned, royal Italian opera bids fair to
have an eternal lease of life in London.
Are you interested in knowing that Pauline
Lucca is singing much as of old2 Yeas
have scarcely told upon the velvet of her
voice. Her sweet face has its strange child
| like beauty, while her dramatic power isstill
the greatest that has been seen allied to such
talent in many a long day. She has rust
captivated London as Carmen, and must
say that after Galli-hIarie (the creatrice of
the role at the opera comique in Paris) she is
| the only perfect artist that | have seen. She
is such a superb actress that any one who has
ever heard her can imagine how her lovely
voice would sound singing Bizet's weird mu-
| sic. Her death scene in the last act beggars
| description AS an actress alone she would
create furore, for her gosturing and dra-
matte fire surpass that of many great TRACE
| diennes.
Her old roles are so we'll known in America
that we have only to say that she interprets
them as she always did, in order to realize
how great singer she still is In person
Lucca is little stouter, but she still seems
slight on the stage. Her little brown head
was always shapely and handsome. OF course
| it remains the same while her face, as | said
before, wears most sweet and youthful ex-
preston. All me! Nature is sometimes in
deed kind.
Nine. Trebelli is still a fine artist, but her
voice has gone of wonderfully. In person
she is also much changed. She does so much
work that it is not surprising. Oratorios,
public and private concerts without end,
opera and rehearsals soon commence to make
a hole in the voice, and after twenty years
service, it is not strange that it should tell
upon one.
| Another curious thing is this, any artist
with the French method of singing can al
most count her years of glory, whereas any
one singing with the pure Italian school,
| (the old one, like Grisi, Rubini, Garcia, and
Lablache) may sing on through the space of
their natural life, and there will still remain
| sweetness and nature. The French method
of singing means tricks, vocal speaking, and
ruin in few years, with anything but grace
and sweetness in later years. Frenchmen
and Frenchwomen may do their best, but it
is very rare that their voices take kindly
to any other school than that of their own
country 1t is pity.
| Leaving the opera, we may speak of tho
| theaters. Fedora" the English version, is
such success that seats must be booked
weeks in advance, and the lady star, Mrs Ber-
nard- Beere, with Mrs. Bancroft, score greatly.
| There is much curiosity now to see Sarah
Bernhardt, who arrives for the last week in
July, to play in French at the Gaiety. Mrs.
Bernard. Beere has surprised every one with
her fine acting, but suppose it will be re-
served for the French woman to upset London
by her wonderful impersonation Of " Fe-
dora"
"Stage Dora" the burlesque in which
Toole is the center figure, keeps his own
theater in state of liveliest prosperity.
"Artful Cards." also figures on the bill, and
must says that it is funny enough. but the
least amusing scene is in the second act, where
at an evening party at the house of sup
posed Russian princess they are surprised by
the police. They are having quiet little
game when these intruders come in. In less
time than it takes to write it, the gaming
table changes into grand piano, side table
| into brass drum, while other objects into
the room undergo similar transformation.
| Servants come in with cornets, flutes, bass
viols, and so on, which are thrust into the
| hands of the bewildered guests. Instead of
party of gamblers, the police make raid
upon choral union, and find an amateur
musical party in full swing at the house of a
| princess.
Imagine the cleverness of the ruse, the
laughter of the public, and the screams of fun
which greet Toole wandering alone at mid
night in the streets with an enormous violon-
| cello He has made good his escape, but his
| cumbersome companion is white elephant
! on his hands, and all through a good bit of
act third. "Artful Cards" is really droll
enough to amuse any public, and with Toolo
the handspring of the piece, an enormously
| funny performance is the result. The season
| keeps on three more weeks.
! Vladimir de Pachmann is the name of a new
Russian pianist He has immense talent, Is
a droll little man, with a fine little head, and
| seems to have taken London by storm. He
| is called the great interpreter of Chopin.
| find that he is lacking in evenness of style
and manner of playing He has great deal
of feu sacrs, but il alarms rather than en-
chants one. He is absolutely tempestuous,
and seems TO have a very erratic disposition.
! | met him at great sOiree given by the
! Moscheles Felix, son of the world renowned
| pianist, himself one of the famous portTaitists
of the day, and one of the hospitable few
! who render London season delightful.
DE Pachmann always plays for Moscheles'
| invited guests, and in spite of concert form,
! think that he has been heard at his best in
! this house, lie never had u master, is ;i3
! years of age, aud for the last four years he has
| been prominently before the public. He has
| had such success here that naturally he wants
! to go TO america at once. lie plays can
| table with absolute perfection, executes verse,
! chromatics, and apeggi with such swiftness