ART, LITERARY, AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1825, 27 December 1879, Page 4

ART, LITERARY, AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

[From English Files.] Salshury’s Troubadours are revelling in the ‘‘B ook ” and the satirical comedy entitled ‘‘The Sanguinary Chasm” at the Novelty Theatre, Brooklyn, E.D. The “Parisian” says that Sarah Bernhardt will come to this country next season or tiio following one, and will only play in Sbak' apoare, because she deems the classic French dramas incomprehensible to Americana, who though they understand not a word of French, can follow easily the action of a Sbakeanerian piece. Madame Bi-tori, who now only performs for charities, appeared in Paris recently in “ Maria Stuarda,” for the benefit of the sufferers of the lire in Alsace The critics say she has lost none of her old power and magnetism. Joe Emmett pliyed to the largest audiences of the .seas"n, at the Grand Opera House, Cincinnati, recently. He wi 1 succeed Sothsrn at ihs Park Theatre. He will open with “Fritz in Ireland ’

Frink Fray no, who calls himself a “shooting star ” actor, has devised a way of endangering two lives at once in his stage rifle feats. He shoots an apple off his wife’s head, and the bullet hits mechanism’ attached to the trigger of a second rifle, from which is shot a bullet piercing an apple suspended close over his own head. Mrs Frayne has only ono thumb. The other was popped off by her husband last winter. The male members of the Chicago Church Choir Pinafore Company went on a boisterous all-night sp-ce at Indianapolis after the performance The “People” says “they consumed more beer than any irrepgious Black Crook Company that ever appeared here ” What would John Wesley and the old fathers of the church say to a church choir, and such a church choir, too ?

In a new melo-draraa by R. Dodson, entitled “Adrift on the Tide,” lately produced at the Surrey Theatre, London, a Thames boatman rows into sight, and uncovers a man painted to represent a corpse just taken from the river. It is said that the audience goes wild with delight. Mr Arthur Sullivan, composer, and Mme. Antoinette Sterling, contralto, have each received over 5000 dols. already upon “ Tho Lost Chord,” the song which Mr Sullivan wrote for Mrs S erling only two years and a half ago. Sims Beeves, the English tenor, intends to make a farewell tour next year. Ho has already been offered £25,000 by an English manager. In a circus, at Paris, 111., a suddenlycrazed young lady ran into the ring, embraced the clown, and declared that he must become her husband. The audience said that it was tho first original joke that they had heard in a circus ring for more than twenty years. —“ Norrislown Herald.” Within tho last week or two there has passed away ano’her relic of tho London of the days of Elizabeth, the residence on the western side f f Aldersgate commonly known as “Shakespeare’s House” The local tradition goes that William Shakespeare lived in it when he was proprietor of the theatre in Golden Lane, towards tho close of the sixteenth century. In Shakespeare’s time the house bore the sign of the “Ha'f Moon,” to which sundry inscriptions and hieroglyphics in tho old woodwork referred. The house was well able to “ vie with any other house in the city for its elaborate carvings in wood and primitive pmoling, well worthy the attention of the curious in such matters ” Miss Colenso, a daughter of the Bishop of Natal, the “Athenaeum” understands, is engaged in writing a hist my of the late Zulu war.

Mr F. Burnand, tlio indefatigable, not content with the thousand and one pices on which he is engaged, has, says “ 1 ife,” accepted a commission from Mr Hollingshead to do a burlesque on “Bob Hoy.” lathe burlesque Mr Terry will play the Highland chief, and Miss Fnrren, Francis Osbaldistone. Mr Hollingshead has completed his arrangements (the “Fra " says) for a season of two months’ French plays at the Gaiety Theatre next season. Mile. Sarah Bernhardt, with M. Coquelin and company, will appear during the first month. “ Frou-Frou,” “Addenne Lecouvreur,” and “Jeanne Marie ” are among the plays proposed. During the second month of the PalaisEoyal will represent favorite pieces. Mile. Sarah Bernhardt is devoting herself with great ardour to painting in the studio of M. Alfred Stevens, having for the moment abandoned sculpture for the .sister art. She is working hard at a picture intended for the coming Salon. It represents a young girl picking the loaves from roses_ while Death fs leaning towards her to seize her in his grasp. The Princess Louise will illustrate the Marquis cf Lome’s book of travels, which he will not complete until after his visit to the United States.

Mile. Fechter has been offered an engagement at the Grand Opera to sing the rdles of pages, but has declined the offer. She will probably devote herself to an Italian career, though Carl Rosa was very anxious to engage her for English opera. The complimentary testimonial to Signor and Signora Bronchi at the Grand Opera House, says the San Francisco “Morning Gall,” by one of tho largest, most fashionable, and and brilliant audiences of tho season, was on event that pleased ua greatly. Wo remember the Bianchis when they came here, now some twenty years ago ; we remember when they produced the opera of the benefit “II Trovatore,” at Maguire’s Washington street Opera House. Since that time, Signor Bianchi has probably sung in more than forty different operas, and has projected and carried on operatic seasons with more or leas success. Only once in tho score of years did he leave Son Francisco, and then to make a professional trip to the Australian Colonies, where he was well and profitably received excepting in Adelaide. His celebrated farewell, and his manner of making it, to “ Ad-de-la-ida,” is a matter of stage history. With Bianchi, we associate the names of Manousi, D’Ormy, Ghioni, Contini, John Gregg, John de Haga, Brambilla, and many more operatic celebrities, past and almost obluionised. We also think of George Evans, a chef d'orchestre, dear to the hearts and voices of tho old operatic people, because of the facility with which he lifted them out of the musical chuck-holes of the difficult score that threatened to snap the “ springs” of their voice. The performance of Friday night brought all these incidents and people of the past to our memory. We remember when Signora Bianchi was the 41 toast of the town” for her singing of Azuoona: when her “Stride la Yampa” was voted a marvel of lyrio action and her “ Si, la stanchezza” tearful and heart-rending in its pathos ; but it will be no inj notice to the lady to say that her notes, like many of her admirers, have passed away. There was a melancholy significance in the lino as Manrioo song it in the prison scene : “Riposa, O madre : iddio oonoeda.” With all hia old nicety of conception, and with an occasional reminiscent strain in his tenor voice. Bianchi is yet but a remembrance of his former self as an artist. Physically, a pretty substantial one, wo admit; but like Hamlet, ho has grown " fat, and scant of breath,” as witness his rendering of “Di Quella Pira.” Time was when his responsible voice would, for an entire opera, have put Wachtel to his trumps. But what is tho use of contrasting tho past with tho present. Lot us think only of tho pleasant fact that the public did not forget their faithful old servants, but gave them such a benefit—so large in its numbers, so hearty in its applause, so odorous with the florists’ blooms—that one would think the objects of it were just stepping on the stage, tho pets of tho populace, instead of retiring after tho service of a score of years.

DB. ABTHUR SULLIVAN. The following brief sketch of the life of Dr. Arthur Sullivan is extracted from an American paper, '■ Ennkcll'a Musical Review." As anything relating to the popular composer of “E.M.S. Pinafore" is interesting at the present moment, I reproduce it for the benefit of my readers Sullivan was born in London in 1814, and inherited his musical taste from his father, who was a teacher of music at Eueller Hall, a training school for bandmasters in the army. His precocity may bo judged by the fact that when only three years old he was a singer in the Chapel Royal, and at fourteen received the Mendelssohn medal, being the first to be thus honored. Ho was at first taught by his father, and afterwards pursued his studies at the Royal Academy under John Goss and Sterndalo Bennett, and at the Leipsio Conservatory under Bietz, Hauptmann, and Moschelos. The latter took a great fancy to him, and pronounced him “ a

ad o£ great promise,” and ono whom he vas “ sure would do credit to England.” >Vhen seventeen years old, his maa’c (Op. 1) no Shakespeare’s “ Tempest.” performed at r. ;rial concert, created quite a sei salio i, a;.d nuch delighted Professor Mo ; chtjlep, who -aw in the work good promise of the fruit of lis predictions. In 1862 hia 11 Enchanted Isle ” was brought out at Ooveot Garden, and was received with much favor. His cantata

Kenilworth ’ was given at the Birmingham Festival in 1864, and in 1865 a Te Deum of hia was given to the public. About this time a number of excellent songs and an ■rnthem were published ; also a few piano solos, one of which was performed by Madm. -chiller, in Boston, in 1874. In 1869, his Prodigal Fon ” was performed at Worcester, and a selection from it has often been ■Ming in concert by Mr John F. Winch. “On Shore and Sea” was written for and produced at the International Exhibition, London, 1871, and was sung in Chicago in 1877, at an Apollo Club concert. Tbs “ Light of the World” was brought out in Birmingham in 1873, and the pastoral symphony and overture of it have been given in America. Ilia “ Miller and his Men ” was composed in 18/4. He has written many duets and part songs for male voices, and hia compositions of this class are great favorites with concert people everywhere. Of his published works wo refer last to his dramatic compositions, which all belong to the school of comic opera. We believe they are all included under the titles rf Thespis,” “II Contrabandists,” “ Sorcerer,” “ Box and Cox,” “ Trial by Jury,” and “ H.M.S. Pinafore.” The last three are well known, “ Box and Cox” being often heard, and “Trial by Jury "has become a general favorite, certainly in this country, having been performed in numerous theatres since it was first given here at the Globe, in 1876, by the Soldene troupe. In the recent performance of his ‘■ln Memoriam ” by the Paris Sooiete des Concerts du Conservatoire,” Mr Sullivan has received a compliment which is said to be the first of the kind ever awarded to a living Englishman by this national institution. The work gave entire satisfaction. “H.M.S. Pinafore ” has been more instrumental than all the others in making bis name known to the world. In fact, a sort of lunacy seems to have taken possession of the public in its admiration of this sprightly work. Mr Sullivan holds two honorable and responsible positions in England : that of Principal of the National School of Music at South Kensington, and that of Profissorot Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music. He is a Doctor of Music by virtue of a decree of the Cambridge University, ond is highly esteemed, not only as a successful composer, but as a friend and In disposition and character, he is said to he of the mo»t genial and generous kind. We have a somewhat positive assurance that he will visit America in October, and, should he do so, he may expect such a welcome from all his “sisters and his cousins and his aunts ” on this side the salt pond os is "hardly ever” acorded to any but our most distinguished visitors.