The morning call., 1894-06-28
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

hesitate about occupying their present. CON-
mooloGs seats in the orchestra. The danger
comes from the growing craze for theatrical
exhibitions with the bulei-proof armOr. A
London critic thus describes the scientific"
matinee OF Herr Doves coat at the Alhambra:
Il arrived at an exciting moment, when real
soldier was handing real oficer a real rife,
and when that officer took deliberate aim, as it
appeared 10 me, al Alfred MOnl. / gave gasp
OF terror, and at first imagined that Mr.. MOul
had been tried by court-martial for something
IN connection with the show, had b en- con-
demned and was about 10 be shot. but to my
intense relief the manager-muSlcian moved out
OF the way ana the military marksman aimed
at oulletpTOof euirass. During The show
Herr jacob Will occupy his usual position in
The orchestra The shots Will therefore pass
directly over the head OF that amiable chef dor
chestra. he was among the audience at the
matinee, and several OF his brother composers
gathered around him and earnestly entreated
him 20 see the directors at once and inform
them that unless they ordered Herr Dove to
supply him with bulleI-proof skull cap be
could not consent TO sit in the direct line of
FIRE. with his back to the enemy"
Either the Paris critics are avenging them
selves by carplng severity for being forced TO
90 10 the theater when the atmosp phere Tesem-
bles a Turkish bath, as il does al present. or
else Miss Slbyl Sanderson is making mistake
In attempting the usual round of roles in the
repertory Of pTima donna at the Grand Opera.
While she has had some praise for JuietIe, in
which she has just made her debut, she has
also had much severe criticism. Some writer's
even attribute the favorable comments TO "the
prestige OF her beauty. a. BOisard said: 1.-The
fact is Miss Sanderson was never in worse
form. But II the singer did not succeed the
woman at least charmed US. Her Julette WAS
an admirable patricEn in toilettes which
savOred too much, however, of the Partisan
modiste, for the style OF another age lost its
historical favor. 1t is announced that the new
JuIiette will soon appear as Marguerite, then
as Ophelia, In fact that she will attack the whole
repertory. fl is running greatrisk and tempt
Ing trial that will not be 10 her glory. we fear.
Miss SandersOn should not forget that she is
pIedestined by her very beauty only TO special
roles and 10 music written especially for her,
of which Massenet alone appears 10 possess
the formula"
Plaueon, the great French basso. who was
the idol of New York ladies during the metro
poitan opera season. has met with grievous
contretemps. q. r. SimmS tells the story thus:
Sir Augustus Harris has been Distinguishing
himself in quite new line. Recently al Wind
sor Castle be made dress for old Faust with
penknIfe and bottle or stiekphast. But
later on, upon the same occasion. Mr.. Mephis-
topheles, who had sung before the Queen. dis
covered that all he had on TO be presented TO
her Majesty in was tweed suit. Here Ia some
extraordinary way Sir Augustus failed 10 be
equal TO the occasion. He had the knife aud
the paslepot all ready. and be did nothing. /
was very disappointed when l read that Mr..
Plancon had been presented TO the sovereign
of the British isles In The costume in which the
average Briton IS supposed TO attend the opera
IN Paris. L quite expected 10 read that Sir
Augustus had taken programme, an umbrella
and peck ct handkerchief, and had manufac-
tuTed NJ. PlsncOn a complete suit Of evening
wear out OF them in the space OF three minutes
by a stopwstch." N'ImpOrte--the British.
tweed suit of the Paris opera is avenged.
The Royal National Eisteddfod OF Wales has
taken place al Carnavon This month, the
Prinee and Princess OF Wales being present.
Nothing has contributed more to the musical
and pOeticai spirit prevailing among the Welsh
than this annual festival, which is always par
ticpated in by some of the greatest artists, and
when prizes are awarded 10 amateur perform
ers and chors, as well as 10 native poets. II is
the dream OF every muscaliy gifted Welsh
child, ana OF every ambitious choir, 10 win
prize at the Eisteddfod. These awards confer
sort OF national celebrity, for they fire.
quently made by tile votes of the whole assem-
bly,, which generally contains the most artistic
element of the principally. The Eisteddfod Is
held ia different towns. which are always be-
sieged by thousands Of people. During the
progress of the festival excursion trains are
being run from all parts Of the country.
The National Sangerfest, which opened in
New York on The 23d inst. has been OF a most
gorgeous description. The opening of the
musical festival was preceded by a process
sion Of many thousand men, led by General
Franz Siegel,who marched 10 the tune of vocal
music from Second street and Second avenue
A1ala
Alpine bats and carried torches. Between the
Arion and Liederkrantz societies six horses
drew large float representing the apotheosiS of
music and song. Electric lights in the form of
flowers brought into relief the figures in the
temple built on the float, In which Apollo with
characters OF the creations of his followers
was represented.
The European appearance OF Nine. Meba
at Covent Garden, af.er her American tour,
was veritabe triumph. Faust" was given
In French and Italian; that is TO say, Meba
sang in French and Plancon sometimes In
French and sometimes in Italian. The per-
fOrmance savored little Of the tower OF Babel,
but that was only detail. for the opera was
most brillia ntly Interpreted; In fact, from
musical polnt Of view, it left nothing to be de-
sired. Sir Augustus harris CoYenI Garden
Company is now giving German performances
twice week. In which such great artists as
AWAY WltBduu duu hesuducS BTdll, G1er-
ken, Klafsky and olrzka are assisting.
Count Leo TolstoI,.in whose eyes all means are
good for eyangeliZing the masses, has produced
in Moscow tneater moral play, int-rspersed
with music, entitled "Vfnokour. (The Alcohol
DistilleD." The words were written entirely
by Tolstoi himself, but the music was COMPOSED
by Nine. Seron. The piece proved beyond the
understandings Of the people, who decided that
the gaspoda (masters)were ridicullng the mouik
(peasanD. The Count seeing that his doctrines
cannot be spread by the play, has given Nine.
Serof permission 10 change The plot. "because,"
he says, II recognize no literary rights"
The craze in European musical circles at
present is lecture on some such subiect as
modern songs, The fOlk-sonGs OF a particular
country or the compositions of a popular or
classical master. The lecture is generally given
by well.known poet or critic and is followed
by Illustrations generally contributed by noted
artists. In Paris these "chzts" seem TO have
greater hold on the popular fancy than con-
certs pure aud simple.
Carvslho, the director of the Opera Comique
has received an opera in three acls, "La VIVIAN
diere," the poem of which Is by Henri Cain and
the music by Benjamin GODDARD that most mod
ern of French composers. The work, OF which
the action is supposed to pass in 1892, will
soon be produced at the Opera Comique. with
Mile. Delna, who is such an ideal Dame Quickly
In "Falstaf." as the prIma donna.
During the past season at the Brussels
| Theatre de la Monnaie" the most successful OF