Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20


Well acquainted with the modes and
manners of the Parisians under the Empire,
I am constrained to say without reserve
that the Paris of to-day is in everything
wholly unlike the Paris of 20 years ago. 1
can see a vast difference between the GUS
toms of the present and the habits OF life
prevalent even five years ago.
The season of 1888 and 1889 has already
supplied some sensations which, as famous
writer remarked to me the other day, are
sure to furnish interesting studies for the
future historian. Patti has appeared at the
Grand Opera after an absence of 10 years;
an absence which caused the Parisians con-
siderable modification. considering the fact
that they still cling to the illusion that all
great artists are bound to make frequent
visits to the French Capital.
1t was with the gravest apprehensions
that Nine. Patti consented to take the place
of the prima donna who was announced to
appear in Gounod's "Romeo and Juliet"
All sorts ofexcuses aud fattering announce
ments were thrown to the public in the form
of compliments to the French nation, to
French art, to the good Parisians and to
Gounod in order to prepare the people for
the ordeal of the first night. 1 have never
witnessed more cautious, more interesting
maneuver on the part of a great singer.
Fifteen years of continual triumphs in
Russia, England and America made the
French somewhat bitter and envious toward
Patti.
PATTI IN PARIS.
The journals gave no expression to this
feeling, but Nine. Patti-woman and artist
knew it and felt it, and was afraid of the
final result. The mere fact of the cele-
brated singer consenting to appear in grand
opera for the bagatelle OF $500 night is
sufficient to show the importance OF this
affair. Never was there such farce
mingled with the drama-Patti returning to
the great capital, the luxurious center of
Europe, to sing for $500 night! There was
a pressure, scramble for tickets for the
first representation of "Romeo and Juliet
that surpassed anything of the kind in
years. The best seats went for S100, while
loges sold for any price. A brilliant audi
ence assembled to applaud the diva, after
having been duly prepared in advance by
skillfully worded announcements in all the
journals to the effect that Patti would sing
for sum just sufficient to defray her actual
expenses nice bait for an artist with the
wealth and the talent of Patti to throw to
the Partisan populace!
While this farce was going on scenes Of
dramatic nature were being enacted, in
which the Empress Eugene was the princi-
pal figure. Twenty years ago, while Patti
was singing at the Theater Lyrique, Eu-
genie WAS living in the Tuileries, beauti-
full woman, the most distinguished among
famous women. The other day the ex-
Empress came to Paris with her mind made
up to look once more on the spot where the
magnificent palace once stood, in which she
held so many regal letes and in which Louis
the Great, Marie Antoinette and so many
others feasted and fattened and dreamed
away the days and the years, without
thought for the morrow or the impending
revolutions The ex-Empress is guest of
the Duchesse de Mouchy, and the two drove
to the long vacant place IN the heart of
Paris to gaze on the spot where not stone,
gorgeous pile once known as the Tuileries.
The ex-Empress was overcome and tainted
in the arms of the Duchesse. What
thoughts these things awaken for the his
torian and the student of human nature!
Patti returns after long years to renew her
triumphs at the age of A. Eugehie re-
turns, an old woman, to weep over the
scenes of glory long past and gone!
A MUNIFIcENT GIFT.
The death of the Duchess of Sutherland
in England was followed by that of the
Duchesse de Galliera in Paris the other day
Senator Stanford's giIt OF S20,000,0 900 to
the State of California is now rivaled by the
splendid donations OF the Duchesse de Gal
liera, vino, altogether, has given away a
little over hundred million francs. The
mansion OF this remarkable woman, in the
Rue de Varenne, is veriable palace of
luxury and art-the finest, most sumptuous
private residence in Paris. The Duchesse
left %, 900, 900 francs to the city OF Genoa, her
birthplace, besides two palaces in that city
one to be turned into an art museum, the |
other to be made into hospital. The Paris |
mansion is bequeathed to the Ambassador of
Austria There was some difficulty in the |
settlement of this superb property until |
to-day, when the Austrian Government |
gave the Ambassador permission to accept |
the donation. The Duchesse also left TO- |
OO0, 900 to Mile. de Munster, the daughter |
of the German Ambassador; 10, 000, 900 to |
Philippe Ferrari, her son, and II, 600, 900 to |
the Empress Victoria. In her will the |
Duchesse de Galliera has given orders that |
the garden be maintained as it is, at an an |
nual expense of $1,000 francs. The funeral |
train left Paris yesterday for Genoa, where |
solemn religious ceremonies will be held |
over all that remains of the woman who |
loved art, artists and the poor, and who |
never tired of unostentatlous deeds of
charity.
An important. reception was recently |
given by the Baron de Billing. All the |
leading disciples of Boulanger were there |
in force. Rochefort sat beside Prince R0-
land Bonaparte; the brother OF the King OF |
Naples sat beside the Prince de Valori, the |
friend of Don Carlos; the Count de Turenne,
Count de Bethune, Essad Pasha, the Turk
ish Ambassador, and Roman Fernandez, the
Mexican Minister. This array presents a
strange medley of aristocratic titles to come
together on the same evening in honor of |
republican leader. But, as 1 remarked at |
the head of this letter, Paris is undergoing
a revolution in everything.
RUSSIAN FASHIONS.
For some unaccountable reason the |
Russian colony leads in the foreign portion |
of fashionable Paris this year. Russian |
tea, literature, fashions are the rage. The |
advent of couple of Grand Dukes, with |
their usual train of titled lackeys, set the
ball in motion early in the season, so that |
now we may expect anew and curious inter- |
blending OF Russian hypocrisy and French |
fnesse until some more powerful form of |
insanity takes possession of that queer con-
glomeration known as Partisan society. One |
Of the most astonishing features about the |
revolution of artistic thought in Paris is
the triumph of Wagner's music. Not
concert takes place that does not contain
selection from some of the great composers |
works, and this appreciation is on the in |
crease.
The success of the day in literature is a |
volume of epics by the Limousine poet, the |
Able Joseph Roux, the celebrated author
,f"Pensees."
For long time Paris has not witnessed |
, theatrical uproar like that experienced at |
The Odeon the other evening at the first rep
of "Germanie Lacerteux," BY |
De Goncourt. To-day this realistic play is