The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-03-24
ITALIAN THEATRES.

novel and interesting. He says:
1t is assuredly an eminently desirable
experience to witness an Italian opera in
its home, and for this purpose no better
selection could, perhaps, be made, than
Verdi's "Il Trovatore." Giuseppe Verdi
or Joseph Verdi, as it wonld be rendered
in English, is the great operate MAJESTIC
of Italy, and you may be sure an Italian
audience can find no sincerer delight
than in one of his productions.
Now, in the first place, the Italian
theatres do not advertise by Autographs
and multi colored posters, as we do in
America. Walls, blazing with pictured
posters and great lettered bills, are un-
known here. Neither, fnd, as rule,
does any piece, except, perhaps, it be
new one, have any continuous run. The
programme is changed nightly, and the
new bill for each evening is announced
by modest posters hung about the city
every morning.
At the box Office, yOu are sold ticket
of admission, simply. That is the first
step. Then, if, of course, you desire, a
seat, you are sold another ticket, entitl-
ing you TO such in whatever location you
choose and pay for. Invariably there are
two separate charges and two separate
transactions; one covering your admis-
sion, which is naturally the first and es-
sential; and the second referring to your
seat. | may add that these tickets are
usually cut with scissors out of book,
and are numbered like series of cou-
pons, so that you may judge of therapid-
ity with which a real rush is accommo-
dated.
The performance usually commences
at 8 o'clock, although some houses begin
at half past eight, but they are not filled
until the former hour, as rule. When
you are once inside and safely seated,
you find that your seat check is in du-
plicate, and that the usher, tearing 1t in
two has kept one-half for himself and
restored you the other. Just how it can
be check upon any one, fail to see,
but it another of the peculiarities of the
country Next you find that you must,
if you willha one, pay 10 centeslml,
two cents) for programme, which,
after all, usually giv,s nothing but the
name of the piece and its author, the
theatre officials and the prices of tickets.
Generally, no cast of characters, nor
synopsis of the play appear upon it in
fact. haye not seen such one at ALL
"Il TrOvatore" was presented at the
lLCdNlO lbO bNcb III AhOhiS.
TO my mind, the stage performance, both
dramatically and unsteady, was very
mediocre, but fundamentally 10y an or
chestra of nearly 60 pieces) it was SUI
perb. In fact, lean to the opinion that,
save for few airs and duets, the orches-
tratson of the opera is far better than
the stage score Such few concerted
pieces and choruses as occur, in most in
stances, are not the best that Verdi has
composed But the opera, in its action,
is confined t. several individuals, any
way, and does not call for many en-
sembles, or concerted work, feature,
which some may agree with me, detracts
from its dramatic strength. however fine
it may be from musical standpoint.
However, am not rash enough to at
tempt any criticism of Verdi's works,
but am merely giving the opinion de-
rived from the effect of the opera upon
me. As rendered at this theatre, the
choruses were very light and ineffective.
The costuming was fairly good, but, as
| have said, the orchestra deserved the
greater share of the credit. But a
citiquc of this unknown company will
not concern American readers.
First of all, the prompter is always to
be seen in his little box on the stage. He
,iS indispensable, not only in the opera
but in legitimate drama, and Oftentimes
his enthusiastic nanGuyres are not the
least of the entertainment. So here the
first illusion of realism is dispelled. We
see plainly the actors directed by man
in full view, as though they were so
many marionettes managed by strings.
Next, the actor never once loses sight
of the fact that he is working for APP
plause, and invariably stops to acknowl-
edge it by profound obeisances, no mat
ter where he may be in his lines or ac-
ton. Now in our country, the actor
aims to lose his identity in the character
he assumes, to totally disregar,. the
plaudits of the spectators, should he
chance to gain them, until the curtain is
dropped and he is transformed from that
character into his own proper person. 1t
was in his capacity as a man and an ac-
tor that he won the praise, therefore as
such can he acknowledge it, and not
while he is another person. The APP
plause is not directed at Hamlet but at
Booth; consequently when Hamlet is 10
more, and Booth is himself again, he
may respond to the app eciation of his
admirers. But for Hamlet to pause in
his existence, to acknowledge the APP
plause which belongs to Booth, is 40
absurdity of absurdities, beside serious
ly interrupting and marring the illusion
of the stage.
The Italian actor thinks differently.
He will cease in his impersonatiOn any
where and everywhere to come to the
footlights and bow, and he will bow on
the slightest excuse, too. The Italian
actor, if he gains applause by splendid
death scene, will comeito life and &C
knowledge it. In fact in the celebrated
prison duet in ''Il Trovatore," the tenor,
who was singing through the bars in the
prison window, met with tumultuous
applause, whereupOn he Immediately
stepped down and out of his confne-
ment, advanced to the footlights and
bowed respectfully, and forthwith re-
turned to his dungeon again, from
whence he was soon led out to death.
Now, in America, so accustomed are we
to realistic stage effects, it would be hard
to conjecture why the actor did not flee
his fate when he had broken Jail so east
ly
Some of the finest dramatic climaxes
in the opera were absolutely spoiled by
these sudden transitions from the char
acter to the greedy applause-seeking
actor, and then the resumption of the
character again.
might recount other incidents SINH
lar to this and also possibly suggest
something in the way of criticism of
some of the methods by which effects
were produced, but they would be unin-