New-York tribune., 1907-08-04

huence; but that fact was not permitted to In
terfere with his argument. But this mas notnhs
to do with my present purpose
The new Park Theatre was looked upon as d
magnffcent playhouse in its day. and 1t is
pity that MI White writing about 1t Wnen IL
q quarter of a century old, shouio hafo
helped to spread the erroneous notion thal IL was
quite unworthy of so elegant form OF enter
tainment as Garcia brought into It, II refnaAiieu
a fashionable house through all its career OF as
least for a long time after it gave refuge 10 tiie
Italian muse. though it may not have poem apie @
to hold one OF its candles to the first mousse ou'
especially to house that muse eight years Ia'ei
The barrel hoop of the first New York Theatre
gave way to three chandeliers and patent Oh
lamps the chandeliers having thirty-nVe lsh'S
each" Mr.. Whites description or thls i''uso
after II had seen about a quarter or century
service is certainly uninvting. Its boxes were
like pens for beasts, Across them "eio
stretched benches consisting of mere ooard
covered with faded red moreen. narrower
board shoulder high, being stretched oehlno 10
serve for back. But one seat on each OIL inc
three or four benches was without even uiia
luxury, In order that the seat itself might Dc
raised upon it's hinges for people to pass III
These sybaritio Enclosures were kept uhuel
lock and key by q fee-expecting creature VIM
was always half drunk except when ne was
wholly drunk. The pit, which has In our ilou-
ern theatre become the parterre tor, as II 10
often strangely called. the parqueO the most
5eeira h1e mart Of the house. IN the PARK
Theatre hardly superior to that IN "hlch 'ie
Jacquerie of old stood upon the bare groulo
(par terre) and thus gave the place l's fIeiicn
name. The floor was dirty and broken in'o
holes; the seats bare, backless penches
Women were never seen IN the pit, and' al
though the excellence OF the position the pest
I'm the house, and the Cheapness or adiiissloi
half a dolIar) took gentlemen there, te" went
there who could afford TO study comfort ana
luxury in their amusements The place was
4 i ar-HC malls N
w. in the midst Of a performance, rats ran out
Of the holes in the floor and across into the
orchestra This delectable place was approached
by long underground passage, with pare
uhitewashed walls. dinly lighted, except AT
sort OF booth, at which vile fluids and Viier
solids were sold As to the house itself. 1t was
the dinEy abode OF drearlness. The gallery was
occupied by bowling roughs, who might nave
taken lessons in behavior from the negroes VINO
occupied n part OF this tier. which was ra'Ieo
off for their particular use.
This was the first homo OF italian opera
strictly speaklng. II had long housed opera in
the vernacular and remained 10 serve Us az the
fortress OF the English forces when the iirSt
battles we're fought between the champions OF
the foreign exotic and the entertainment Whlch
had been SO long established es TO call Itself
native. It's career came TO an end In loto "hen
like its predecessor and successor. II went up
IN flames and smoke
Presently 7 shall tell about the houses which
have been built in New York especially Tor
or.erttic uses but before then some attention
,r,,r,t IN NE given to several other old theatres
which had connection with opera in ono or an
other Of its phases. One or these was INC NC"
York Theatre, afteTward called the BoWery' anu
known by th.. nanle till recent date. The
walls OF this theatre echoed arst to the voice OF
Mailman when put forth IN the vernacular OF
the country OF which fate seemed, Tor uHe' 10
have decreed that she should remain resident
This was Immediately after the first season Oh
Italian opera at the Park Theatre me New
yorl, Theatre was then new. having been pulI'
I'm 1896 Nalibran had begun the study or Eng
ush In London before coming TO New YORK win
her father; and she continued her STUDIES Win
a new energy and new purpose after the ue-
nartlIre of her father to Mexico had left her ap-
-ora,,f,- stranded in New York with a bank
rlDt and good Cor nothing husband TO support
She made her first essay in English opera "ilh
.1,ba DEVILS Bridge" and followed 1t up Win
Love In a village" English operas, whether
of the ballad order or with original music, were
constructed in principle the lines OF the Ger
man SingspIei and French opera co.nlque' ali
the dialogue being spoken, ana Malpral eN-
nerience 1T the theatre and Grace CIlurch
coupled with her great social popularity. must
have made a pretty good EnslishWoman OF her
eft &c rather startling" says Mr. White in the
article already alluded to, TO mink or the great
est prima donna, not only OF her day put OF
modern times-the most fascinating woman
upon the stage in the first half or the nne-
teenth century-as singing the soprano parts or
psalm tunes and chants In d small town theh
less known to the people OF London and Paris
and Vienna than Jeddo Is iow. Grace Church
NAV well be pardoncd for pride in muslcaI
service upon the early years of which fell such
= crown of glory, and which has since then been
e~uided by taste not always unworthy OF such a
beginning" Maibran's performances at the
New York Theatre successful and q source
Of profit both to the manager and NJ. Malibran,
70 whom it Is said n portion OF the receipts
were sent every night.
Three other theatres which were identified
with opera more less into the field later.
and by their Names at least testified to tho
continued popularity which q famous English
institution had a century before, and which
endured until that name could be applied to the
places that bore II only on the lucus non
Iucendo principle. These were the theatres OF
Richmond Hill, Niblo's and Castle Garden The
Ranelagh Gardens, which John Jones opened In
New York in June, 1853, and the Vauxhau Gar
dens opened by Mr.. Samuel Francis in June.
1863, We're planned more or less after their Eng
Ish prototypes O1tt-of-doors concerts were
their chief musics, features, fireworks their