Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-24
IN MUSIC AND DRAMA
Why the One Lives So Much Longer
Than the Other.
THE CHIMES OF NORMANDY

ELABORATE I'reporuIOuh sOr s"e
sentation Of This Beautiful Opera
by Gifted Amateurs-The Imperial
Benent and Gilmorc's Band.
The most ephemeral literature appears
TO be the dramatic. The distant land
scape. encharmed with a perspective OF
twenty centuries and more, Is filled WIN
noble ruins OF Grecian and Roman
dramas whose fragments still command
respect But the authors who reared with
such Industry and devotion are unknown
except to a few students. and to these but
few sentences possess value.
In the nearer distance OF English
drama the names OF Marlowe. Ford,
Beaumont. Fletcher. Massinger. Lodge
Haywood, and Ben Johnson are but dimiy
outlined upon the crumbling column
erected 10 their memories. The plays
Of Dryden are known no more The waves
OF one or two centuries appear sufficient
10 engulf those which survive their own
generation. II this transient and swiftly
changing life of the drama impresses u.s.
even so must the still more modern art
OF music especially the opera (music-
drama. In this art the same principle
asserts itself as in literature. That which
| survives Is the abstract in music-viz.,
| melody. AS In poetry, the thought when
applies with equal truth in all ages. We
ind that poetry outlives the drama be-
cause 1t contains less that is local to
the time. less that Is personal, and much
more that Is universal and impersonal
Whatever Is true to-day always has
been and always will be true. Truth
owes no allegiance TO any century. The
| centuries chew the cud OF human thought,
and leave to posterlty only that which
| is yitaizng and virile. There is something
| startling in the idea that a great mans
entire life and labor. for which fire.
quently many tones furnish monument
| to his industry, may, in the furnace Of
time be reduced to single sentence.
| This is the one gem that shall sparkle
| In the diadem OF life: the one drop OF
blood that continues to flow on in the
veins Of Immortality.
| LET the great world drift forever down
| the changing sands OF time" sang
| Tennyson. And the great world IS still
| drifting. and the sands are as changeable
| as ever they were. Few more startling
| instances Of this fact could be
| deduced than the waning popularity or
| the historic old house on the corner Of
| Seventh and Broad streets. and It's sug-
| gested metamorphosis into a skating-rink.
| 1t is the irony of fate, and an incontro-
| vertible fact that this house. which rose
| like Phoenix from the ashes OF the
| Marshall Theatre Qhe brilliant record Of
| which has, on more than one occasion,
| been fully set forth In these columns).
| has, from the year 1863 up to few sea-
| sons ago, commanded the bulk OF the
| patronage; but is now forced TO fall back
| to the second place, and that not so
| much on account Of the feebleness of
| some of the attractions that have been
| seen there as through lack Of patronage,
| which has diverted the channel OF popu-
| lar successes TO the Academy. Mr.. Leath
| tells me that, so far from making any
permanent change In the house, he will
| once again next season make another
bid to win back popular favor TO the old
| house, and with that end in view has
| secured and is stll endeavoring to Sc
| cure, some irst-cass attractions to play
| there next season. For the summer
| months only he intends to lay a floor over
| the opera-chairs level with the stage for
| rinking purposes.
| The fiat has gone forth that 1.-THE
| Chimes Of Normandy" shall be the dish
| par excellence Of the season In aid Of
a charity so wholly deserving as the Asso-
| ciated Hospitals and under distinguished
| patronage. the wealth beauty. and fashion
| OF Richmond will devote It's best talent
| to the Interpretation OF Robert Plan
| quette's tuneful masterpiece on the Tues
| day and Wednesday in Easter week, April
| 10th and nth. The idea OF giving a mon
ster benefit in Easter week 10 some local
| charity originated with Mr.. Thomas G..
Leaih. VINO sought this means to devote
| to charitable purposes some part OF the
profits OF this season, which has been
| the most successful on record since his
| connection with the Richmond amuse-
| ment-houses. Mr. Leath rendered the
| Academy, with complete service and all
| accessories, TO the Dispatch Company for
| any object they might suggest The Dis
| patch placed this generous offer before
: the boards Of Lady Managers OF the Vir-
| ginia Medical College NOW Old Dominion)
and Shetering Arms hospitals, the Re
| treat for the Sick. and the Eye. Ear and
| Throat Inflrmary. who very gladly avail
| ed themselves of 1t. and appointed Mrs.
| George Wayne Anderson. Mrs. G. OBJ.
| Cowardin, and Mrs Hugh Taylor "a an
| acting committee To decide the nature OF
| the entertainment and TO arrange all de-
| tails.
| In their selection these ladies' have
| placed their prospective patrons under "A
| heavy debt of gratitude in advance. They
| offer them something which has not con-
| stituted their dramatic fare year I'm and
! year out, until the hapless victims sick
| ened at II as the lsraelitcs sickened at
| their unvarying menu I'm the wilderness.
| With fresh, delightful material to hand
| with no lack of capabilty in actors, with
| each one to ell appearances fitted TO q
| nicely with his part, surely all viii 90
| merry as a marriage-bell. The perform
| ance is something that must not be missed
| by any one who has a good eye for
| dramatic sugar-plum.
| This choice, too. is interesting. as 1t
| serves to mark the trend of modern anna
| teur ambition. To such products OF the
| age as the new woman" the new
| man" and the new worker" must GER
| tainly be added the new amateur.
| The old amateur rather resembled
| Mrs. Lynn Lyntons ideal woman. lie
| was a modest. retiring being. whose sim
| pie needs for distinction on the boards
| were amply satisfied by the mild delights
| of THE Area Belle" BOX and Cox
| or Byronic comedy His descendant,
| on the other hand. has something or the
! temperament Of the wild woman lie
| is nothing If not go-ahead. There IS
| strain in him of recklessness, of defiance
| He cannot be happy unless he Is pitting
! himself against some Idol of the play
| going world or appearing in some note
worthy masterpiece. And so long as ne
| is nicely suited with the play and MS
mind is not pitched higher than his voice,
| and so long as he has ability TO COM
mass the his:rionic difficulties OF the task
| ne sets himself, there can be nothing
| but praise for his zeal and his ambition.
| 1t is a distinctive feature OF the cast
that will present "1he Chimes OF Nor
mandy" that each one seems TO possess