ABOUT fifty years ago Verdi wrote a comic opera " Un Giorno di Regno," which has also been performed at some Italian theatres under the title of "Il finto Stanislao," but without much success. He now proposes to revise this work, which has never had a fair chance. While he was originally engaged upon it he had been ill of throat complaint, and the rent of his lodgings was in arrear. His wife pawned some things to provide the necessaries of life. Shortly afterward, one after the other, within a few days, the faithful wife and her two small children were torn from the composer's arms by death. Verdi says, "I was alone! alone! In the space of about two months three loved ones had disappeared forever. I had no longer a family. And in the midst of this terrible anguish, to avoid breaking the engagement I had contracted, I was compelled to write and finish a comic opera!"

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ON the evening of March 21 Mrs. Charles Dennison (formerly Mathilde Madison of the Madison Square Theatre) will give her monologue entertainment at the residence of Mrs. William Amory, 102 East Thirty-ninth Street.

A PUBLIC examination of the students of the New York School of Acting was given at the Lyceum Theatre last Wednesday afternoon, and was a very satisfactory display of the progress which a regular school of pupils can make in study for the stage. Mr. Sargent directed the exercises in "action and diction," and Mr. Belasco in "stage business." Madame Malvini as the "dancing" mistress, and M. de Chadenedes as the master in "fencing," indicated that their teaching had been exceedingly energetic. On next Wednesday afternoon the students will play Molière's "Les Précieuses Ridicules," as adapted by Mrs. Charles R. Doremus; also "The Cape Mail' and scenes from "Leah, the Forsaken," and "Adrienne Lecouvreur."

MR. GEORGE FAWCETT ROWE, whose intellect I admire, and who, I believe, is the best living exponent of the Dickens' style of character acting, gave a monologue entertainment at the Madison Square Theatre, Wednesday afternoon, entitled, A Picnic Among the Crocodiles." The title was, perhaps, given it because he did not show us any crocodiles. He exhibited about a dozen remarkably well painted pictures of Egyptian scenery, the one giving a view of the pyramid Cheops being of especial interest and really giving a realistic conception. Mr. Rowe accompanied these pictures by a gracefully delivered "talk "—so easy like in fact that it seemed exactly what he intended it

to appear, no doubt-impromptu. But Mr. Rowe might have created much more out of it all, by making it of value in its information rather than entering into a Mark Twain style of travel. The Nile might have afforded a series of beautiful views given in rapid succession, and the introduction of the crocodile himself would not have been a bad idea. Mr. Rowe has traveled so extensively and comprehends things so well that he ought to make a monologue of his own adventures in a way that would form a most delightful hour. However, the present affair needs more consideration than I may appear to give it here. Nowadays, when there is so much that is trashy and frivolous on the stage, the sort of entertainment suggested by Mr. Rowe deserves hearty recognition.

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ART CHAT.

THE STEWART COLLECTION.

IV.

WE have two Fortunys to consider, “The Serpent Charmer," one of his most celebrated canvases, and an unfinished study of "The Beach at Portier," the last work painted by him.

According to a paragraph in a late number of Harper's Weekly, Mr. Winslow Homer estimates The Serpent Charmer" as the chef d'œuvre of the Stewart collection. The opinion of such a painter as Mr. Homer is of no small weight. But if this judgment is to be accepted, is it not with the qualification that such is the case from the painter's stand-point only? Aside from its wonderful technical qualities, what particular pictorial attributes which can interest the public has this picture? Is its story, or its chronical interesting, amusing, dramatic, historic, or edifying? Hardly. It does not seem to put forth claims in that direction. Has it beauty, does it recall nature, is it picturesque? To a small degree that latter property might very properly be ascribed to it. If it mirrors nature, it does so through artistic interpretation. The truth is, Fortuny was a painter's painter. In his fine appreciation of values, the balancing and arranging of the composition, the introduction therein of harmonious colors, and in a hundred other virtues most dear to an experienced artist, Fortuny was a master. He had not (at least in his smaller and really most successful works) any dramatic instinct as has Gérôme. He had no wit, little humor, no imagination, but the eye of a genius; not the ability to think, but to see and to transpose his vision to canvas.

ANOTHER painter who appeals to the artists rather than the public for sympathy (although his admirers are fewer and his detractors many) is Munkacsy, now famous. His faults are sometimes glaring. His shortcomings always apparent. He sometimes substitutes tricks for art. But he, too, has an eye. He sees, perhaps, more broadly, with more grasping power, power to take in an ensemble, than any other living artist in the world. His "A Visit to the Baby," is one of his minor works, but it is a marvel of the best phase of modern realism in the painter's art.

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BENJAMIN CONSTANT is a rich colorist of the modern French school. His paintings are extremely decorative, and seem to claim little more. His tints are often, in the pure meaning of the word, splendid. His brush work is .charmingly free. "Evening on the Terrace "

is a scene which might be considered generally oriental, the catalogue says Moroca, I believe, and is a fair example of the painter s style.

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AND now to satisfy ourselves with simply naming the two principal landscapes, other than the Bonheur.-" The End of the Month of May,”—“ Daubigny; “ Landscape and Cattle," Troyon; for the collection is remarkably weak in its landscapes, and then I think we have disposed of all the best and most notable works in the galleries. It would be quite unprofitable reading to review such works as those of Toulmouche, Boldini, Girard, Bouguiet, Alfred Stevens, Madrazo, Jimenez y Aranda, Leloir, Moreau, Willems, Merle, Meyer von Bremen, and a host of such painters of the Spanish, Dusseldorf or Parisian "parlor genre" (appellation my own coining) school.

I will speak generally of the collection in our next number, and of the result of the sale in the succeeding one-that event takes place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings of this week.

NOTES.

ON Thursday and Friday evenings of last. week, the collection of paintings belonging to ex-Gov. Sprague, of Rhode Island, was sold at Moore's Gallery. The catalogue makes special mention that the pictures were principally selected by Mr. Thomas Robinson, of Providence, R. I., "many if not all having had, before purchase, Mr. Robinson's favorable judgment. In other words, the best-known · American professional picture critic, has given them his approval, and vouches for the catalogue description of all of them. W. Sprague." We are glad to know that Mr. Robinson is 'the best-known American professional picture critic." We had always supposed him to be a picture vender, pure and simple, who gathered up the odds and ends from artists' studios, paying a mere song for the same, and selling them at a goodly profit, upon the strength of the name attached to them, not upon their merits.

VERDI AND HIS NEW OPERA.

SEVERAL elaborate illustrations are given of Verdi's new opera of "Otello" in this issue of THE THEATRE. This remarkable composer is now attracting the attention of the civilized world, and his latest achievement must, therefore, be duly recorded here.

Verdi was born October 10, 1813, at Le Roncole, a poor little village about a league from Busseto, a small town of three or four thousand inhabitants, situated at the foot of the Apennines. The date was originally given by M. Pougin and other writers as October 9, 1813, but this mistake has been corrected in the latest edition of Pougin's biography. Verdi's name given in French birth certificate was Joseph-Fortunin-François, but Verdi has preferred to be known only by the Italian equivalent of Joseph-Giuseppe. His parents were poor but industrious, and kept what may be called a "general" shop, in which they sold grocery and liquors, etc. To the village came occasionally a wandering fiddler named Bagasset, to whose performance the little Giuseppe used to listen with delight. It is said that Bagasset recommended Giuseppe's parents to let the child study music. At all events, when but seven years old he was a choir boy at the little church of Le Roncole, and there, for the first time, heard the sounds of an organ. He was so impressed, and so earnestly implored his father to let him study music, that an old spinet was purchased, and on this wretched instrument (which is still preserved in his residence, the Villa St. Agata) he worked so ardently at his musical studies that at the age of ten he became organist of the church at Le Rancole, and during the succeeding seven years went on foot from Busseto, where he found a kind friend in Signor Barezzi, whose daughter he eventually married, to Le Roncole, every Sunday, to play the organ, his salary being forty francs per annum! During

the week he worked in the warehouse of Barezzi, who was an ardent lover of music, and a performer in the orchestra of the Busseto Philharmonic Society. Verdi, who never relaxed in his pursuit of musical knowledge, here attracted the attention of Provesi, organist of the cathedral, who volunteered to give him lessons, and Barezzi allowed him to practice on an excellent grand pianoforte. Provesi was an accomplished musician, writer of operas and other important works; and under his able teaching Verdi made such progress that at the end of three years Provesi declared that his pupil knew more than himself, and surrendered to him his place as conductor of the local Philharmonic Society. For this society Verdi wrote a number of orchestral works, the MSS. of which are still preserved in

the archives of the society. In 1833, his kind friend Barezzi obtained for him one of the bursaries at the disposal of the Monte di Pietà, and also furnished him with the means of existence at Milan, whither Verdi journeyed, hoping to obtain admission as a student at the Milan Conservatorio di Musica. He was, however, rejected by the principal, Signor Basili, and continued his studies under the tuition of Signor Lavigna, while residing with Professor Seletti, in whose house (No. 19 Via Santa Maria) he was hospitably sheltered, and in which the apartment of Verdi is reverentially preserved with its furniture undisturbed. In 1835 he married Margarita Barezzi, and resided at Busseto (where he had succeeded his deceased friend Provesi as organist of the cathedral) until 1838, when he returned with his wife and two children to Milan. Here, in 1839, at La Scala, his first opera, Oberto di San Bonifacio "-libretto by Temistocle Solera -was produced with such success that the manager of La Scala, Signor Morelli, contracted with him for three operas, to be produced at intervals of eight months. "Oberto is not considered a masterpiece, although it contains one number, the prayer "Dio Clemente," which is worthy of preservation. Verdi's second opera was Un Giorno di Regno."

While occupied on the work he was overpowered by a terrible calamity, the death of his wife and children, and if under these circumstances the opera proved a failure it could not be thought surprising. He has never since then written a comic opera. On the 9th March, 1842, his first great succeess, “Nabucco," was produced at La Scala, and formed the turning point of his career. It was followed by "I Lombardi" (Feb. 11, 1843), Ernani (March 9, 1844), "I Due Foscari" (Nov. 3, 1844). and Giovanni d' Arco" (Feb. 15. 1845), and during the succeeding five years he produced "Alzira," "Attila," "Macbeth," "I Masnadieri," "Il Corsarao," "La Battaglia di Legnano,' Luisa Miller," and "Stiffelio." On the 11th March, 1851, appeared his first really great success, Rigoletto," which by many competent judges is considered his masterpiece. This was followed in quick succession by his still more popular operas " Il Trovatore" (Jan. 19, 1853) and La Traviata" (March 6, 1853), and since then he has given us Les Vêpres Siciliennes" (June 13, 1855), Simone Boccanegra" March 12, 1857),

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Un Ballo in Maschera" (Feb. 17, 1859), “La Forza del Destino" (Nov. 10, 1862), “Don Carlos" (March 11, 1867), "Aida" (Dec. 24, 1871), and "Otello" (La Scala, Milan, Feb. 5, 1887).

Signor Boito has adhered as closely as possible to the story and text of Shakespeare's

“Othello,” and his work has met with much approbation. Of the illustrations given here are two of the principal stage scenes, and portraits of Verdi and Boito in Verdi's apartment where the great composer is playing the piano score for his librettist; also a portrait of Signor Tamagno, who sings the part of Othello, and Mme. Pantaleoni, who sings Desdemona.

KYRLE BELLEW AT HOME.

MR. KYRLE BELLEW was standing with his hands at his back in front of the fire-place as I entered his spacious bachelor apartment, on Lafayette Place, a few mornings ago.

The face, familiar to the hundreds who visit Wallack's, was lit up by a faint smile, the iron-gray curls were carefully brushed, a cigarette of exotic aroma was held between the regular teeth.

Mr. Bellew is one of the few actors I have met, who looks well when off the stage, and in the daylight of every-day life.

His slender figure, on the morning in question, was draped with a kind of black and white striped flannel tennis jacket, and with waistcoat and trousers of dark cloth of foreign fabric.

A large white cat was perched on his shoulder.

The host waved the intruder upon his privacy to a chair, which, like almost all the furniture in the room, was of yellow satin.

We soon fell to talking of the actor's past. Kyrle Bellew, the son of the well-known reader and actor, James W. Bellew, first exercised his infant lungs in a town called Prescott, in Lancastershire, the birthplace also of John Philip Kemble.

His youth, prior to his going on the stage, was eventful. He was by turns a sailor, a minor, a ranchman, and knocked about here, there and everywhere.

"This," said Mr. Bellew, stepping toward the mantel and lifting up a small decoration, "this was presented to me by the Russian government for saving the life of one of its subjects."

I looked toward the mantel, but hardly noticed the trinket to which the speaker referred. My eye was taken with the large portrait of a handsome English woman that stood in the midst of numerous other photographs.

It was a fine aristocratic face, worthy of the pencil of a Reynolds or a Gainsborough.*

"This," continued Mr. Bellew, "is my certificate of membership of the Primrose League.' On the wall yonder, you see two portraits of myself by Thrupp. The one represents me as Fabian dei Franchi, in the 'Corsican Brothers,'

* Heavens! Of whom is this portrait ?-Editor.

the other as Louis dei Franchi. That painting in oils? That is a portraiture of your humble servant as Romeo, done some years ago by Paterson.'

I looked about me. A breakfast table, with silver set, stood in one corner of the room; a large writing-table stood in the centre; a round table, covered with books, was placed near the window; a piano occupied a place to the right.

The bright yellow furniture on all sides gave the apartment the air of a lady's boudoir.

I can understand Mr. Kyrle Bellew's popularity with the fair sex at Wallack's. I explain it in the same way as I account for the favor which Mr. Carlos Hasselbrink, the first violin under Seidl, enjoyed among the ladies at the Metropolitan Opera House. Both Bellew and Hasselbrink have, besides their innate talent, the refinement of manner, the certain sympathetic savoir faire that betokens born gentlemen.

We find many interesting curios and souvenirs scattered about the player's room. Here is a handsome red morocco-bound volume of Shakespeare, presented to Bellew by his colleagues. Here, on the piano, is a photograph taken by himself, of his romantic place on the Thames. There, is a photograph of his yacht "Pera." There, is the order of St. George worn by Macready in “Henry V.," and presented to Bellew's father on the last night of his appearance.

I am permitted to handle the real Damascus blade that Bellew drew when playing in the 'Corsican Brothers." I dally with the dagger which he draws in "Ruy Blas," and which was once the property of Edmund Kean. I turn the pages of the prompt-book of "Hamlet," with the autograph annotations of Charles Fechter.

A rap at the door. Another.

A visitor.

I take my leave of Mr. Kyrle Bellew.

Lewis Rosenthal.

"MR. FLOCKTON is not the only English actor playing in Jim, the Penman,' at the Madison Square Theatre, Frederick Robinson, of Phelps' Company for so many years, plays Ralston; H. M. Pitt, who, though born in Albany, N. Y., has passed his career in England, is the Louis Perceval; William Davidge, formerly at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, with James Anderson, is the Dr. Pettywise. Mrs. Booth (Australian) plays Mrs. Ralston; Mrs. Phillips, Lady Dunston. Mr. Holliday, from the English provinces, is the Netherby, and Herbert Millward does one of the smaller parts.”—London Dramatic News.