The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-29

was Ill from vert1go and the enects OF meul-
cine which she had taken. She also accused
some of the journalists of seeking to ruin her
artistic reputation, because she would not accord
the degree of intimacy which they desired
Later, the charge against them was changed
to that Of black-mail for moneys sake. She
quilted Paris, and sang very successfully in St
Petersburg The present engagement In Paris,
so strangely interrupted, is her first appearance
there since the disabling episode. The natural
inference to be drawn from the apparently
biased accounts sent to this country is that the
prima donna meditated tour next serson, but
diligent inquiry shows that she has made no
preparations for such thing. Henry French,
the dramatic publisher and speculator, has just
returned from Paris. He left that city before
the mild riots in the Opera Comique, but he met
Miss Van Zandt, who was then getting ready for
the season, and he is sure that she had no inten-
ton of coming to America within year or two.
She was then exceedingly nervous over antici-
pations Of what has really happened. Mr..
French knows nothing of the actual merits of
the controversy.
Theo writes from Baltimore and Aimee from
Philadelphia that the idea of the Paris critics,
as body, being ever combined to crush an
artist is preposterous Aimee adds the decla-
ration that by means of private correspondence
with her Paris friends she is sure that Van
Zandt was not intoxicated on the November &C.
casion.
N. l.. Thieblin, for many years leading
journalist in Paris, but now New York resi-
dent, was asked if he had any facts or opir rs
on the subject. II do not think that Mile. Van
Zandt was drunk" be said 1.-THE Partisan critics
would be apt to charge an English or American
woman with drunkenness the stage if no
other cause appeared for strange conduct, and
their experience has been that they would not
be far out of the way in the long run. In indi-
vidual instances they might be in error, and
even if they found they were wrong they would
not confess it frankly-that is entirely in ac-
cordance with the French mind. AS to Van
Zandt's trouble the fact is I have heard from
reliable source, that she is apt to have
fainting fits for hours at time if she
laces her corset too tightly. In
her part in the Barber of Seville, in which the
harsh criticisms made, she appears in short
dress, as kind of soubrettee. Naturally, she
wants to appear slender, and for that purpose
she laces tightly. AS a fact too she is person
ally unpopular, because she is capricious and
disagreeable'
Are the Partisan critics so venal9'
"You must remember that it is since Iquitted
Paris that the city has been flooded with the
thousand and one cheap and dirty newspapers
that now circulate there. AS to such we'll
known critics as Albert Wolf and Jules Clarete,
of the Paris Figaro, are, or as Theophile Gautier
of the Temps, and Sainte Beuve, of the Journal
des Debats were, no one would charge them with
being mercenary. The smaller critics are pow
erful in one way. That is, in pushing into
tice some one they have discovered, or pretend
they have discovered. They go to the old
Athen@um, the Renaissance, or some
other small theater, where the price of admission
is low, and some really good talent is sometimes
seen. 1t is good deal like Lillian Russells
coming from Tony Pastors variety theater. If
the critics find new actress or singer with chic,
and smart to learn, then they will praise her,
especially if she makes friends with them. The
actresses of Paris, as rule. havn't any money,
and they can't buy the critics, even if they were
in this way, by the little critics into the big crit
cs notice. Judic and Theo were brought out in
this way. Of course. there are individual in
stances of critics telling their opinions but do
not believe that they organize to put down de-
serving artist"