New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-26
TOPICS IN PARIS.
MUSIC AND BICYCLES - ARCHERY IN
NORTHERN FRANCE.

Paris, May 10.
Music Is all the rage at the present moment on
the banks Of the Seine. and it Is scarcely possible
to enter a salon without finding ones self tread
Ing on a sonata, tripping up over pound VOL
ume OF Chopin being half deafened py so'H'
Wagnerian morceau the so-called raou's' vi
evening partes being affected by the prevailing
craze so that music now constitutes one OF their
annarentlv Indispensable features. Formerly
they were devoted to conversaton-that art III
which the French. and especially the Parisienne'
shine with such brilliancy-and 1t was al these
receptions that one heard the current gossip ana
news Of the day detailed in the most sparkling
and witty manner possible manner which
served 10 keep keen and sharp what may be
described as the edge Of ones intellectual facui-
tea NOWADAYS however the art or conVersa-
,ion has been shunted altogether into the back
ground II one ventures to raise the voice above
n whisper during the performance Of some ara
the ncighbors cast glances Of reproach while inc
hostess either frowns raises her eyebrows III
token OF her dispeasure. Moreover. the women
are all seated together. as 4 In some country
church. while the mon are relegated 10 'he rear
and generally compelled 10 stand thougho"' '"'
concert which. Of course sill further SERVES u
diminish the attractions 81 the music 80 lar ~
they are concerned; for In order 10 ENJOY anu "P
precate melody the body must De at co'"Pl'V
rest and subject 10 no physical discof'ior" '"'
~ the results Of this has been marked oec''"e
t., ,ba attendance OF mer at evening receptlons
and they not unnaturally prefer 70 let theIr WIVES
, daughters 90 out alone while they them
,,s rotira IN the club and TO the Inevitable
.ord,,hIe with disastrous results to the FAMILY
.xoheouer and corresponding advantage 70 the
club revenues. Women Ike the 'oin'eSSc u"
croNuhle the Vcomtesse de Tredern, countess
Wokenstoin. wife OF the new Austrian anna"
sador and other ladies who have great "ea''" ~
their disposal and who may DO des'rloe' q"
m.lonaniacs. can afford to be Indifferent L S"'"
ev.rv-day considerations as these pu' I" '
average mondaine they are OF vital l'nl"' '''''''
.h. - anxiously hoping that some one Of her
set will have the courage To send ou' 'aruS i'' "
recepton on which In lieu OF the ordinary in'ima-
49,, .on fora dc Ia mus.que" there Will be an
,.,,,, On tho effect that there VIII be no
,,s,c II "a believed that an innovation of this
,,,1 would have an immense success, especially
-, tho nrcsent moment. when society is suffering
from 4 positive surfeit Of harmony.
Anr,ros II muse the announcement OF the IT,
vi,,l .. ..Tannhauser' n the Opera WITHIN the
u.xi few weeks serves to recall ViViHly 10 '"'"'
the sensational circumstances 81 It's former p'o-
duction here during the latter part OF the i''s'
~ Napoleon Ill It was Princess Meuerhich WIN
obtained for the great maestro the lohseu-io'
oprortunity OF submitting his masterpiece - Wv
apprecation Of "A Partisan audience. fihui's AZ
sorts or obstacles put in his way by 'he man
accn,cnt Of the opera. Wagner addressed hi'hsc"
., rrnecss Pauline whom he had known AZ
Vienna. and invoked her aid. In her usual I'M
,,,.'. WAY she went straight To the Emperor
reuroachcd him with closing the doors Oh HIS
Academy Of Music To any but Frerch composers
and informed hla that he had an opportunity Oh
clearing himself Of this reproach by giving "'re'
,,ors FIR the representation Of "rannhauser
This he did AZ once. and. In spite or the ili-"ii'
%, all the pcope connected with the court and
| government II was put upon the stage Inc
ar,t and only performance was memorable
| ~ and IN sni,c Of the presence of the Emperor
| and Empress and OF the fact that the mouse was
.r,va,l with members OF the Imperial court ana
| ~ the great world. at least half OF whom were
| there by virtue ~ complimentary tickets most
| dIseraceful scene took place. the hootihs anu
whistllng being Of such character from the
very outset of the piece as almost To drown the
| voices II the performers. conslcerapIe PorN""
Of the audience composed especially OF those De-
| lonrluy 10 the higher classes OF society, WAS
found I, be- provided with SINAI. silver Whistles
| ON which were engraved the words, Pour -
TaunhNuaer" which had been distributed III the
| most liberal and frechanded manner |" thos"
Interested In the failure of the piece. Poor Nag-
| ner tainted behind the scenes when he saw now
| his opera, which had obtained such spiendl' sue
c,as I'm Germany and Austria. was received
| Princess Mctternch's face expressed all the con-
tompt which she felt for this unmanncrly display
| Of prejudice the only trace ~ excitement being
the angry manner In which she tore her gloves to
| ni.ces while the heavy and somewhat sluggish
| face Of the Emperor betrayed signs of altogether
| unusual irritation Empress Eugfne seeming TO
| no gratlled rather than annoyed by the behavior
| of the audience and to enjoy what she evidently
| regarded sort Of discontinue for Princess
| Metternich. whom she never liked. and whose
| h!gh-bred nsolence was forever dlsconcertinS
! her After the close of the performance. which
| was never repeated. Princess MetternHh. while
| descending the grand staircase of the Opera ex-
| claimed that the time would come when the
| Parislans would applaud "Tannhduser" with
| az much enthusiasm as they had shown on that
| night In hooting IT off the stage II Is a pity
that her new-hcdged widowhood should prevent
her from seeing the realization OF her prediction
| after the lapse OF a quarter OF n century.
The event OF the week has been the attempt
| on the part Of the Deputy Pascal Grousset. the
ex-leader of the Communist instruction. to Sc
cure the arrest and conviction OF no less a per-
| sonage than the Prince de Sagan a charge
| of highway robbery. Some time ago the Prince.
| who In his capacity as leader of every form Of
sport as well fashion, has taken a prom-
| nent part In the bicycling craze, obtained from
the municipality the lease Of certain portion
OF the Bots de Boulogne for the use of his new
| bicycling club. with the object OF establishing
there a veledrome OF such beauty and perfection
as to attract knights OF the wheel from every
| portion OF Europe. 1t was expressly understood
| that under no circumstances should any OF the
! magnificent trees which adorn the site formerly
occupied by the Skating Club be cut down.
The Prince and his colleagues seem to have
found that It would be impossible to complete
| their 1000-metre track--the longest In Europe
| without removing number OF trees and, ac-
| cordingly. this was done secretly at night over
| two hundred OF them being felled and carted