Music of some sort finds a place in the homes of the poorest, and the
concert, theatre, and opera are as much frequented by the humble of the
land as by the wealthy and noble born. The servant class on their 'evening
out' frequently go to the French opera, and there is not a boy on the
street but is able to whistle some tune from the great modern operas, such
as 'Faust,' 'Lohengrin,' and other standard works. And no wonder, for the
choristers in the operas walk behind fruit-carts all day long, and often
call out their wares in the musical tones learnt while following their
more select profession as public singers. Some, of course, cannot read a
note of music, and the melodies they have to sing have to be drummed, or
rather trumpeted, into their ears. To this end they are placed in a row,
and a man with a large trumpet stands before them and plays the tune over
and over again until they know it off. In the summer-time whole parties of
these Jewish youths--for Jewish they chiefly are--go about the woods on
their Sabbath day singing the parts they take in the operas in the winter
season, and crowds of people flock to hear them, for their voices are
really well worth listening to.
Concerts are naturally not so largely patronized by the people as are
operas and theatres. In the larger towns of Holland especially theatricals
take a very prominent place in popular relaxation, and even the smaller
towns and villages, should they lack theatres and be unable to get good
theatrical companies to pay them periodical visits, arrange for dramatic
performances by local talent. The popularity of the opera may be judged
from the fact that at Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Groningen, Arnhem
and Utrecht, operas in Dutch and French are regularly given, and
occasionally works in German and even Italian are produced. Money is
scarce in Holland, the people generally have little to spare, so grand
opera-houses, such as are thought necessary in most European cities of any
pretension to culture, are impossible, and the singers can seldom count on
liberal fees. But most of the best works are heard all the same--which,
after all, is the principal thing--and the enjoyment and edification which
result are not less genuine because of the simplicity of the properties
and the humble character of the entire surroundings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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