The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-11-11
OUR FRENCH LETTER.
I specssl correspondence of the HERALD
PARIs, October II. 1888.

tres. the municipal councii IS sssluu
ously endeavoiing to provide chesI
and heelthy music. in the form o.
popular opera for the masses. a
word fret on the cafes. which are
something between q theatre and
music hall. The entrance is either
gratuitous or the fee nominal. Bu'
every spectator is pound to order g
drink, and charging high prices for
trashy beverages fills the till. Some
Of the cafes are positive palaces, have
excellent artistes With speciality. and
who are paid well. Nearly q ] tha
popular singers in Paris. from Mad
anne Judic up to NJ. Lasalle, bave
graduated at a cafe concert. The
first person to whom the youthful
COM poser Of a ballad, a Iaynette, or d
comic opera, will submit mis- PROD %
ti0n to 10 the director of cafe con-
cert. The proprietors OF tbesa cafes
take q shrewd view Of the civilization
OF the period. People, they conclude,
after their work do not want to study
they require big drinks. q cheerful
pot house, well ventilated to carry of
tobacco smoke comfortably heated,
and laughter provoking programme
of amusement. Above all, no -feasts
of reason.
The municipality of Paris owns
s-veral theatres it is prepared to act
literally with any lessee who will ser
iously carry out the idea Of healthy.
serious, bat above all. cheap operate
representations. The humblest pig
eon-hole seat in the paradise regions
OF the National Opera costs three
francs. and half that sum for the
same Oily mpisn quarter in the Opera
'Comieue. The municipality wishes
to fix the lowest price for such high
places, at half a franc. The boJy
does not aim at penny. gaff institu-
tons. NJ. de Lsgrene, of the Cha
teau d'Eau theatre, has so far solved
the idea that the municipality will
likely take him up. He has revived
the severe Old and classic Italian
operas, Norma, ETC., With success,
aed that the working classes highly
relished. His latest venture, Roland
Roneevsux. has been g triumph.
Il is four act opera, words and
music oy NJ. Merme,, g I'D founded
on the ancient ballad of that nam 3.
Roland is the faVorite captain OF
Charlemagne the latter has dele
gated GanelCn to 60 to Spain and
negotiste peace with the Moors !;
instead. Ganelon betrays his emperor,
out of hatred of Roland. who has sto
len the affections OF his betrothed,
Aide.
Roland was invincible With his Gel
ebrated sword Durandal-portions of
which are in the possession OF gen.
tleman. il is claimed, near Arles-,o
long as be never accepted woman's
love. With Aide, the charm is de-
stroyed. Roland and his conpan-
ions sre slain by the Moors in the
valley CT Ronoavaux tie great Chief,
on the point of expiring, raises him
self up, gives three blasts OF his
trampe. 10 Cal! Cnariemagne TO his
aid, a dies. The valley, covered
with dead warriors, under the cold,
pale moonlight. is very effective. ard
contrasts strongly with the same val
ley seen by sunlight, filed with merry
dancing mountaineers The music is
bold. martial, attrao i've and popular.
The scenery adequate bl: no, ex.rav.
agant. The srtiets young and enthu-
siastic, and the orchestra, OF over
seventy music ans, well trained and
we'll led. The house is ever full of
paying spectators who decidedly like
good opera, in harmony with their
pockets.
Politicians are sriskly skirmishing,
10 the meeting OF the
Legislature in a few days, when Greek
shall meet Greek. Prime Minister
Ferry has formally shaken of the
dust OF bis feet against the Radicals.
1t ia good policy to have clearly
defined programme one OF tAe great
evils of French politicians is, that
they are neither fish, nor fissh, nor
good red herring. Gambetts, more
powerful and more popular than bis
imitator Jules Ferry, hesitated to
break with the Clemencesu party.
The latter. however, have France
with them ia the refusal to fritter
away the nations resources on little
foreign wars, Offering no tangible a1
vantages. The news hoys have been
prohibited from crying the Anti
Prussian" Journal on the boulevards
they certainly impa led the movement
of the citiz )ns. Az revenge. they
now cry out a comic song "P pa
Crew. Bismarck cannot object to
the ballad. In order to satisfy every.
body, the King OF Spain included, M.
Wilson, the presidents son-in law,
has ceased to be the political director
Of three little journals tina. be foun-
led be will concentrate his SPARE
on that other Petite Fran
caise, his little daughter. AS q |
member of the bulge. commission,
NJ. Wilson has demonstrated the
budget for the ensuing year will req.
resent a deficit OF 1905, 900 Francs. |
Thet is serious, in presence of the
declining industry OF the country and
he competition of Germany in the