Life, 1885-12-03 · page 11 of 16
Life — December 3, 1885 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 319: Theater Criticism Satire This page satirizes dramatic criticism and opera pretension through a dialogue between two figures identified as **Damrosch** and **Seidl**—likely conductor Walter Damrosch and conductor Anton Seidl, prominent New York musical figures of the era. The joke: Seidl dramatically reads what he believes is a novel, complete with melodramatic plotting (masked balls, murder, vengeance). Damrosch reveals the "twist"—it's actually a *Herald* newspaper review of the opera *Lohengrin*, not fiction. The satire mocks: - Overwrought opera/theater criticism full of purple prose - The pretentiousness of music critics who mistake verbose writing for substance - The gap between dramatic expectation and mundane reality The accompanying illustrations show theatrical scenes. The page also briefly reviews current Broadway productions ("Hoodman Blind," "One of Our Girls," "The Magistrate"). The humor relies on readers recognizing these prominent musical figures and appreciating the jab at contemporary critical writing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
319 descriptive work. But let me go on. “Many eyes rested upon the half hidden forms in one of the vagnoir boxes.” Ah! Ihaveit. This is a dal masgué, and there is to be some spicy intrigue brought out. I see it now. One of the half hidden forms, I suppose, will jump up sud- denly, and, throwing aside its disguise, exclaim : “I will avenge him! He was mine. Ha! Ha! Traitor! Beware of a thwarted woman!” or words to that effect. Damrosch ; You'\lnever guess, You are not anywhere near the truth. Seidl; 1'm awful at riddles, anyway. (Read- ang.) “ Many thought of a vanished face." Ah, there is the pathos. That is the face the half- hidden form will avenge, 1 have no doubt. It probably belonged to some young lover, basely murdered, by a sordid rival. Here is some philosophy, “ After all the present is a very good age to live in.” I detect in that passage the ex- uberance of the writer who has probably re- ceived a cheque for a former story and did n't expect one. (Continues reading. Suddenly a deathly pallor overspreads his face. He gasps.) What is this? Oh it cannot be! Damrosch:; What is the matter? Seidl (reading) : “ The chorus was mechani- cal. The performance was praiseworthy.” What is this awful deception that has been practiced upon me? I thought I was reading a novel. I awaited the plot. I longed for it. Oh! woe the day! All this verbosity is merely — Damrosch: The Herald's able criticism of Lohengrin.” ( Tableau.) . . . HE production of ‘ Hoodman Blind” at Wallack’s Theatre on Monday night, with Messrs. John Gilbert, Kyrle Bellew, Harry Ed- wards and Miss Annie Robe in the cast, will be discussed in the due-est of courses possible. Alan Dale. . . . NOTES. NE OF OUR GIRLS is pursuing the evil tenor of its way at the Lyceum Theatre and the management report most grati- fying success as evinced by the constantly in- creasing audiences to be seen there nightly. . . . a > a < a & < T Daly’s the Magistrate shows no sign of diminished popularity, and the clientele of laughter lovers who always get what they come for at this popular theatre, have pro- nounced Mr. Pinero’s charming comedy a dis- tinct success. BOUND OUT TO SERVICE—Going to church. comicbooks.com