The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-12
UPS AND DOWNS OF ART.
Reasons Why II Does Not Thrive Better in
This Country.

One OF the hfndrances to the cevefop--
ment of art in this country arises from
the fact that we are extremists. Things
are always good or bad to US. never mid
ding. We are either enthusiasts or
scorners, puritanic or radical, hero-wor-
shipers or iconoclasts. When fortune
smiles on our artists they are showered
with gold; when 1t frowns on them they
have hard work to get dinuer. America
is the only country in the world that has
this peculiarity. An artist i'm England,
France, Germany or Italy Is reasonably
sure that talent and perseverance will ul-
timately bring him rev rd, and his place,
once fixed in the esteem OF the people,
will be maintained, in the ordinary
course OF events, against all rivalry.
Thus, nothing can mar the honora bic rep
utation I'm England OF Henry Irving, Ell.
len Terry, the Bancrofts, Myndham and
France by Bernhardt, Reiane, Mounet-
sully, Got and Coquelin is secure.
Germany continues to applaud Alyary.
Lehman and Possart, and Italy still has
laurels for Salvini. A foreign artist can
not secure the approval of his people ex-
cept by good ,woi ks, but, having won
that favor, 1t Is not easily lost.
Here matters are different. Artists must
always te prepared to receive stripes or
an ovation from Us. An obscure actor
may waken up some morning to find him
self famous. A fine singer may suddenly
discover himself hurled into Oblivion.
Merit has little or nothing to do With
sidered, 1t is merely the popular whim OF
the moment. Our public is not only
tickle, but faddish. One day we neglect
all the honest appeals OF the artist; on
another we applaud even his faults. When
Paderewski first came to this country he
drew $50 into the box Office. Now we pay
him $4,000 for a single recital. Melba was
contemptuously neglected for fortnight
by the audiences that covered Eames with
laurels. Now Eames is forgotten and Mel
ba demands s1400 a night. Yet the
Australian does not sing so well today as
she did three years ago, while Eaihes has
improved in vocal expression. But the
foreigner has come into favor and our
own soprano has fallen out of fashion.
For many years Nordica was scorned, but
she promises next season 10 be the star Of
the opera company. II used to be the cor
rect thing to smile at the lyrics of DE
Koven. Yet his "Robin Hood" has
achieved 2000 performances. There was
a time when a first night at Daiy's was
one of the events OF the winter, but OF
late many of the critics have declared
war Oh this company. A later period
found us all enthusiastic at the premieres
OF the Empire, but nowadays those oc-
cnsions are marked by neither crowds
nor ovations. Yet the skill of these ex-
cellent organizations has increased rather
than diminished since we lessened our
applause of them. Olympia is the pres
ent fad, although, until recently, the
wits chose Hammerstein as their ret joke.
Edwin Booth ended career devoted TO
the noblest purposes of art before meagre
audiences, and Lester Wailack, once the
idol OF the town, died in djgaster.
In our country art must make hay
while the sun shines, for clouds often
come up In the night to cover ii with
unexpected and unmerited misfortune.
The Kendall, went Immediately from
fame into failure. At the Actors Fund
fair jewel was awarded to Georgia Cay
van as the most beautiful and popular
actress in America, yet now she is neg
lccted. We used to applaud Modjeska
and Mansfield, but at present they are
wande ers in Oblivion. Once Dixey was
everybody, now he Is nobody, and after
holding a public recpetion and ball at the
Metropolitan in his honor we forgot MIN.
Once upon time Bronson Howard and
Augustus Thomas were great authors, but
now managers flee from them to sit at the
fest OF David Belasco, and Paal Potter.
The ups and downs OF nrt in America
would be amusing II they were not melan.
choly. New York Press.