ART, LITERARY, AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1757, 7 October 1879, Page 4

ART, LITERARY, AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

[From English Files,] Mart Twain, is said to have netted the largest sum ever made out of one play by any dramatic author, living or dead. Dp to the end of the season he had been paid more than £30,000 for royalties on “ The Gilded Age.” Mr Barry Sullivan has been appearing at the Haymarket as Benedick, supported by Miss Bose Eytinge, the American actress. I read (says “ Figaro ”) in the “ World ” of Aug6th,‘'the thric'-widowed Ilmadi Murska has arrived up in London, got up as youthfully as ever, &o." It is an unfortunate fact that although Mdlle. lima di Murska agreed to come, and telegraphed the news that she had started, the wayward priraa donna, not for the first time in her life, changed her xn : nd, and remains in the United States. The difficulties between the Theatre Frangiis and Mdl'e, Sarah Bernhardt have been smoothed over. Mdlle. Bernhardt is in future to have a whole part in the company, that is to say, she becomes a “ Societaire a part entiere,” and she is to have three months’ holiday each year. Mdlle. Sarah farther demanded a whole year’s holiday at the end of a year from this date. The matter was compromised, and Mdlle. Sarah will have seven months’ conge, in which she can fill her engagements in America, England, Russia, or wherever they may be. Mr John Hollingshead proposes to reintroduce Mdlle. Sarah Bernhardt to his patrons next May, and negociations are pending with the company of the Palais Royal to succeed her. At the Alhambra Theatre they have been giving an English version of Offenbach’s “ Prinoisse de Zanetta Mias Alice May made a successful appearance. Her voice filled the theatre completely. She sung with excellent taste, and was vivacious without descending to vulgarity. She has seldom appeared to such advantage. Mr Lytton Sothern has from the Royalty, and is now at the Criterion, where he recently obtained very favorable notice in Mr Burnand’s new piece “ Betsy," which is an adaptation of “ Babe,” and is a similar piece to ” Pink Dominos.” Signor Rosnati is singing at a New York Theatre. “ Our Girls ” passed its hundredth night on August 7th at the Vaudeville Theatre, London. It is stated that £7OOO were Mr Irving’s profits on the recent Lyceum season. They have been having a genuine novJly in “ Pinafore ”at Providence, 8.1. It took place on an artificial lake in Park Garden in that city, and was given in a real ship, fully manned and rigged. Little Buttercup and Sir Joseph Porter and his female retinue were rowed from the shore in a small boat and barge, and Sir Joseph was received with a salvo of artillery. The performance was witnessed by nearly 3000 people, for whom Beats were provided on the banks of the lake. The effect is said to have been quite unique. Daring the siege of Paris, in the late war between France and Prussia, Marie Boze instead of singing one evening, recited a shepherd’s refrain by that favorite poet of the French populace Beranger. The occasion was for the benefit of the suffering ones in Paris at that time. Madame Boze was attired in a shepherd’s costume, and looked as bewitching as she always does. Among the vast audience present was now the famous artist Da Renville, who was so captivated by the beauty of the fair prima donna in peasant’s garb that he made a sketch of her upon the spot. A few weeks later he gent a fine portrait of Marie Boze herself, and begged her acceptance of the gift. The picture now hangs in the salon of Madame Boze’s residence in Paris. Da Neuville’s pictures are now said to bring fabulous prices, and are much sought after. His famous battle-piece of the French surrender to the Prussians, which is always surrounded by great throngs at the Exhibition at Paris, and which has teen often described in the newspapers, is said to have been recently gold for 80,000 francs. A Russian connoisseur in art has been buying up at any price all of De Renville's pictures which he could find. Hearing of tho artist’s portrait of Marie Boze he immediately went to see it, and has written to her to know if she will part with the picture for any sum she chooses to name. But she has declined this offer with thanks, saying to Monsieur that whenever the day comes when she is in need of money she will consider the munificent proposal to purchase her portrait by De Renville.

Mr W. J. Anson has a scheme on hand which will have the good wishes of all lovers of the stage, Mr Anson proposes to open a picture gallery of drawings and paintings hy actors and actresses, and of portraits and pictures relating to the stage. The late Mr Charles Mathews was, as is well known, an excellent artist j so is Mr Jefferson, of Bip Van Winkle fame ; Mr Neville paints in water-colours ; Mr Forbes Robertson is a pictorial artist, so are Messrs. Giddens and Maltby, both of the Criterion, and many more theatrical artists handle the brush with no slight dexterity. Portraits of actors and jesters would include the works of all the great masters who have painted in this country from “ Will Somers,” Henry VIII.’s jester, of Holbein, to Mr Long’s magnificent portrait of Mr Irving, a work that will bear comparison with the great Yandyck himself, Scenes selected from the works of the late Mr Charles Dickens, such as “Jingle and Pickwick,” “Nell and her Grandfather," “ Flora Finching and Mrs F’s Aunt,” “ Dick Swireller and t'-e Marchioness," and the “ Death of Paul Dombey,” will be shortly introduced in a dramatic form. The company who are to give these representations are to include Mr Chippendale and his wife and Mr Everett. Another novel entertainment, illustrating by a series of tableaux the stories of the “Arabian Nights’Entertainment," will be brought out in the course of a few weeks at the Egyptian Hall. When “ Pinafore ’’ was first played in Portsmouth (saysthe" Figaro”) the audience was largely sailors. They took the whole thing as a most serious opera. They never smiled throughout except in the bell olio in the second act. and then because they danced. When Josephine exclaimed, “ Such audacity, and from a common sailor,” they hissed her; and when she rushed on the stage as Ralph was about to blow his brains out, exclaiming, “ Hold, stay your hand, I love thee,” the applause was hearty. When Sir Joseph came on board they fairly hooted at him, and would hardly let him sing his ■ongs.

It is likely that one of the first pieces M r Sothern may produce in the United States is Mr G. R. Sims’ “Crutch and Toothpick,” which has now passed its 100th night at the Boyalty Theatre. Theatrical matters appear to be going ahead in Rome. For the year 1880 it is announced that there will be twenty theatres in the Italian capital, in spite of the immense tax to which managers in that city are subjected, In Paris, with its population of nearly two millions, there are only eighteen theatres, so that the proportion of playgoers must be at least eight to one greater in Rome than in Paris. In London there will be nearly thirty theatres open. Mr Charles Read , in conjunction with Mr Harry Jackson, will probably produce “It's Never too Late to Mend” at the Paris Ambigu Theatre next winter. It-is perhaps not generally known that Sir Michael Costa’s debut in England was made as a.vocalist, at the Birmingham Festival of 1829. The young man was taught music by his maternal grandfather, Giacomo Tritto, and went afterwards to Kicoio Zingarelli, the composer, for whom ho attended the festival in order that he might conduct a cantata which his master had been commiscloned to write. The Birmingham Committee, however, doubted hia ability, and said that he could only be engaged as a singer, and that moreover if he did cot sing he would not be paid a penny for expenses. Signor Costa sang accordingly, making his first appearance in “ O muttutii f- albori,” from Rossini’s “ Donna del Lngo.” The result does not appear to be highly successful. Some harsh critichma were written about, him, but a very friendly biographer says, “ other persona present at the Festival formed a very different judgment of the young musician.” This judgment, however, does not seem to have been with reference to his vocal ability, as the moat celebrated of them, the pianist and composer dementi, looking over the song, “ Nei furor delle tfc.mpeato,” from Bellini’s “ Pirato,” which Cosia was scoring for orchestra that he might be properly accompanied, said, " Fob »re a cortxposer, not a singer,”