Lately the French government has been compelled to build for the delectation of the Parisians, a splendid opera house, and besides the cost of this structure, which was two million of dollars, the government of France pays the following annual subventions or donations for opera alone: to the Italian Opera 120,000 francs, French Opera 900,000 francs and 250,000 francs to the Opera Comique, beside 200,000 francs annually to the Conservatoire, where music is taught.
In London, however, the support of such places is voluntary, and no state interference is dreamed of, save that of the Lord Chamberlain who is a sort of censor, and whose duty is chiefly to see that the ballet-girls do not abbreviate their skirts too much.
"BEAUTIFUL MISS NEILSON."
The most popular and lady-like actress in London is Miss Neilson, who performs at the Lyceum, the Princess's and Queen's Theatres. This young and charming actress is a favorite with all classes, owing to her perfect skill as an artiste, and her reputation is without reproach. She is known as "Beautiful Miss Neilson," and is of medium height, with dark, languishing eyes, in which the fire of genius burns, with a steady flame. Miss Kate Bateman, now Mrs. Dr. Crowe, is also a great favorite with the Londoners, and most deservedly so, for she has not her equal on the English stage in her distinctive line of characters. Who that ever saw the last act of "Leah," or the "Prison Scene" in "Mary Warner," will deny her terrible power as an actress. The English capital is divided into two camps as to the merits of the rival comedians—Lawrence, Toole and John Baldwin Buckstone. Alfred Wigan, and our own "Dundreary Sothern," stand high in the ranks of their profession, and no English comedian ever met with a more successful triumph in his own land than that earned by John S. Clarke at the Strand Theatre in 1869-70. French plays are very well received at the St. James Theatre—and I had the pleasure of listening to Schneider, in "Barbe Bleue" and "Orphee aux Enfer," who was supported by Dupuis, the celebrated tenor. Having visited many theatres in England, I can safely avow that I never saw an English comedy, or a play dealing with English characters and English homes, performed in better taste, or with more fidelity, than I have seen like plays produced at Wallack's Theatre, in New York City.
FULL DRESS REQUIRED.
Nearly all London theatres except the Queen's, in Long Acre, are dark and gloomy, and in the opera houses, the old style of erecting the private boxes or loges tier over tier and then hanging them with red velvet, gives a peculiarly heavy look to the interiors. Besides, prices for reserved seats are awfully high, and unless a man is the possessor of a pretty large private fortune, he cannot think of indulging in opera at all. As a proof of this I will here subjoin the prices at the Haymarket Opera House or "Her Majesty's," as it is called. The performances were Italian, German, and French, Grand Opera, and ballet:
Tariff of prices for private boxes: Pit boxes, 150 guineas for the season; grand tier, 200 guineas; one pair, 150 guineas; two pair, 100 guineas; orchestra stalls, 25 guineas; pit tickets, 10s. 6d.; amphitheatre stalls, 5s.; gallery, 2s. 6d. Opera on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and special extra nights. No extra charge for booking places. Evening dress to boxes, stalls and pit. Gratuities to boxkeepers optional. Doors open at eight; performance commences at half-past eight.
These prices, it will be seen, are simply frightful. Then, unless you go in the gallery, you must be in full dress swallowtail and white choker, which is not relished by Americans, and particularly by those from the back-woods, who are not very familiar with evening dress coats. Of course the large sums are the subscriptions for a season of perhaps thirty nights.