New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-26
FEARS FOR THE COMEDlE
Opinion in Paris That the House OF MoIlere Is III
Decline-The Dramatic Action Taken
by Mile Ge,iat
by Mile. Geniat.

I right for buffers" Thus did he seize his
liberty
The critics suggestion for remedy
against the descrtion of the Conledie ny
all its abest players is that the govern
ment increases it's subsidy 20 sum which
will allow a salary of from foooo To 300"
francs n year apiece for the company
leading regulars II is NJ Brissons oplh-
ion that tho public service rendered ny
the Coincide is great enough To Justiiy
such an additional expenditure. II IS
necessary. he urges. 10 arm the illustrious
house against the dangers which multiply
around it.
IT one listcns-to Frenchmcn Of a less
traditional turn of mind than NJ. Brisson,
ono gets far different story. For no
small part of the people who IKE ~" ti'-
atrc. either seriously or merely for amuse-
mcnt mold that the house of Moiierc Is
GOOD for that master and n few others,
but for little else. In other words, many
modernized Frcnchmen call the tomedic
Franchise museum of dead episodes.
Certainly it has not been notable for pro-
duction Of the best in Frances contehi-
porary works, just az the Academy mas
not recognized the most important con-
temporary figures in French literature
Rather has it selected a few of the pore
presentabe second and third raters
among the dramatists for presentation,
The same medocrity. so far as contcin-
porary works 60 is apparent in its play
crs Frances best actors are not there
though some have come therefrom. get
ting out well in their youth Strong per-
sonalities. either in authors or actors, are
not particularly welcome at the house.
Old pieces and old masters, with some
centuries of hard earned glory behind
them. are welcome, and considerable mod
ern drama -and-water is tolerated. In the
sense that the Coincide FRANCHISE pro-
yides an excellent course OF eXpositions
of ancient masterpieces. with a few safely
timid modern works thrown in to indi-
cate that nothing serious has been done
in the last hundred years. rather than
Characteristic repertory OF contemporary
works of Importance, ii may be called "a
decadent institution. 1t lacks youth,
courage and all confidence in our own
time.
NJ BrieuXs Femme Seule' continues
To attract comment, though of sociologi-
cal rather than literary order The fact
that there are nearly 1000 900 self-support-
ing women in the country's industries,
against not many more than 3, 800, 900 men,
is ample explanation of such an interest
Within few weeks the Marigny Theatre
will take up the same theme, less seri-
ously, of course, I'm piece by NJ. Donnay.
The Mary Magdalene" Of Hebbel, the
German dramatist has been successfully
produced and favorably received. 1t Is
little too simple and blue and fierce for
the French. though they admit that these
characteristics, rather than their own
fancier ones, make up lie tragiQus
yeritable" The play OF NJ. Paul Clandel
"rAnnonce fate a Marie" has attracted
an unusually serious interest.
In music. the production at the Opera
OF Vincent d'Indy's "Fervaal" has been a
considerable event The work was origi-
naIIy presented at the Theatre de IA
Monnaie. at Brussels in 1897, its Partisan
representation at the opera Comique,
being reserved for the following year. 1t
had been out of mind for so long, and
d'Indy had so grown in fame in the mean
time, that the public received 1t a. Q
novelty. In character, it is far more
Waenerian than d'fndy's later or con-
temporary work. and consequently much
less difficult OF comprehension. Both
music and text are by d'Indy. That mas
ter. who never gets into the newspapers,
has at least let il be known that within
the course of two or three years he will
produce a sort of oratorio. called La
Legende de Saint Christophe," OH which
he has been at work for seven years. and
for which he has cherished the idea for
more than twenty.
"Kismet" is still running, with no news
as 70 when "Servir" Is to replace 1t.