The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-26

posted on chair with their paex4 ard
their long, thick. wavy hair fsll about
their earnest faces. They n1ig1L Eave
been either mendicants or pilgrims. tn as
certain which one OF rs movei near
enough to glance at the boJlS, wesch
seemed Of deep interest to them 1t that
page upon which was deosc: a In viSs'l
colors the tcrments OF heliI They were
pilgrims. Another day, when we were IN
a picture shop. q young peasant Of about
twenty, In threadbare cloth ana sofIed
linen, his hair long came In with some
thing under his arm. The proprietor OF
the shop seemed to know the fellow. and
told him 20 show what he had brought.
It proved to be q charming and original
painting. done In the manner OF the I'M
pressionist the subject a group Of small
boys at play about a uooI OF water. The
painters name Is safanoR. and he Is one
Of the most promising pupils now IT the
Klein School of Art. There was the gen
uine simplicity Of povery and great tsal-
emit, and not the Bohemian pose. such a.
one grows 50 weary Of In Paris and thu
other great art centers.
NJ. Nicolas Lissenko, the Russian com-
poser. makes KlefI his home. He is yell
known in his own country as the author
Of the Jbest collection Of little Russian
folk-songs. operas into which he has
woven these national themes and compo-
sitions (nationaD for the piano and voice.
Another important figure In KieT music
al circles is otokar setcik. critic and ccm-
poser, wirey little man with bushy gray
hair. whose Nsympathles are with the
classielsts and not with the members of
the new Russian school. The operas are
delightful and works given by Russian
composers, as well as the usual italian.
French and German operas. This week
we have seen Tchaikovsky's ''Sadko,"
and Scrolls "Rognleda-" sadko was one
of the arly minstrels Of Russia. and I'm
his opera Rimsky-Korsakov gives Us
charaming pictures from the life Of the
primitive Russians. The music Is charac-
teristic OF the country and time, and,
like everything by Rimsky- full
of melody. One wonders how this man.
an officer IN the Russian navy. found
time to accomplish all that he did mus
ically. It was with "Rognteda" that Sc
RON the musical critic made his reputa-
ton as composer. The opera Is full
OF vigorous and original choruses. dances,
and spirited songs, for which forms Sc
rolf has a particular talent. The time OF
the opera Is the ninth century. when Pa
gan and Christian ideas were at war, and
the composer seizes the opportunity Of
fered to induce a wild sacrifcial dance in
the first act. The singing Is very good;
on the part of the men, remarkably so.
We are struck by the wonderful bass
voices on the Russian stage as well as
in the curches.
There are two theaters here. The old
one. belonging to the city, happens to be
closed at present. The new theater was
built by a private company three years
ago. 1t Is a comparatively cheap build
ing, but care has been taken to make the
interior attractive and comfortable. The
are in white and gold, with
pale-blue velvet hangings. The aisles
and exits are broad. and the cane-bottom
seats roomy. An opera-glass Is placed in
front Of each seat, and Is to be had free
Of charge. EMILY NJ BURBANK.