ART, AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1851, 28 January 1880, Page 3

ART, AND DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

[From English Files.] A new opera has been successfully produced at Manchester. The music is by Mr F. Stanislaus, and the libretto by Mr R. T. Grunton. The subject is based upon Mr W. H. Ainsworth’s novel, “The Lancashire Witches.”

Mr Longfellow and W. D. Howells are, it is reported, writing together for Lawrence Barrett a play upon the story of Captain Miles Standish.

Mr Frith, R. A., is, it is announced, painting a picture of a sitting of the Central Criminal Court, which will probably be exhibited at Burlington House next May. Another picture which is expected to have a place in next year’s Royal Academy Exhibition is a representation by Mr Seymour Lucas of that famous game of bowls which the admiral of the English fleet is reported to have been engaged in when the Spanish Armada was signalled “in sight.” In the tenth volume of his “Archives de la Bastille,” M. Ravaisson deals with the question of the Man in the Iron Mask. His solution is, says the “Academy,” that this mysterious being was Sebastien de Penancourt, Comte de Kerousalle, ensign of-the Duo de Beaufort’s Guards, and brother of “ Madam Carwell,” mistress of Charles 11. George Fawcett Rowe is dramatising “The Leavenworth Case,” a melodramatic novel of the Wilkie Collins type, recently published by the Putnams. Argus.” Bret Harte recently passed a few days in Paris, on his way to the Consulate at Crefeld. He has applied for leave of absence, as he says the climate of the place is injurious to his health. The Paris “ Figaro ” Has concluded an arrangement with him for the advance sheets of his stories, and he may write specially for that paper on his return to France. He is also occupied with theatrical projects, of which we may soon hear something. The illustrated paper to be sold in Paris at the Murcial fete will ba a literary curiosity, for Rothschild will write the “ City article ” —and au indefinite article it will be, we expect—while Sardou, De Broglie, Got, Naquet, Victor Hugo, and _Gambetta will also contribute. There will be drawings also by Meissonier, Dore, Worms, Detailie, and Neuville, and all for one franc. It is to he hoped that some of the edition of 300,000 will reach London, for though it will probably he very badly done (as such numbers always are), it will be, ae we have said, a literary curiosity. Tennyson’s new play, in one act, will be taken from one of the prettiest stories in “Decameron” of Boccaccio. It will be produced at the new St. James, in London. “Richard the Third ” as an opera is the latest effort to set Shakespeare to music. The composer is Signor Canepa, and the librettist Fulvia Fulgonio, and the opera was produced at Milan recently with coiv siderablo success. It would make a curious chapter of operatic history to note the various plays of Shakespeare which have served the operatic librettist. “Romeo and Juliet” has had various musical settings. “Othello” was ouce one of Rossini’s most popular operas. Goetz has lately made use of “Taming the Shrew;” and Sigoor Pinsuti Ins quite recently set “ The Merchant of : Venice.” “ Hamlet ” we have and allied to ! the music of Ambrose Thomas and others ; and “ Much Ado about Nothin" ” was not

long ago treated operatieally in Germany; where many a year ago Nicolai produced “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” which is constantly performed in the German Theatres. Halevy, the French composer, made an opera of “ The Tempest ” some years ago at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Mendelssohn was to have composed the work, but did not like the libretto. He was better pleased to set Shakespeare’s own lines in “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream." wrote an opera on “ Macbeth,” but it is one of his weakest productions. There is scarcely any work of our great poet but some composer has set it to music.