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' No. 498. Oct. 8, 1859.] THE LEADER. 11...
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MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
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libretto. Mr. Chorley has, -we believe, ...
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Surrey.—This theatre re-opened on Saturd...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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' No. 498. Oct. 8, 1859.] The Leader. 11...
' No . 498 . Oct . 8 , 1859 . ] THE LEADER . 11 ^ 7
Music And The Drama.
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .
Libretto. Mr. Chorley Has, -We Believe, ...
libretto . Mr . Chorley has , -we believe , adopted as the basis of his operations the original French words , and , in conformity with the judicious arrangement of the managers , has secured for the dialogue a good deal more of dramatic effect than was . conveyed by the recitatives composed for the Italian stage . Of the music and the story we said enough in the ample notice given on the occasion of its production under Mr . Gye . Suffice it to say , that the latter has been preserved by the librettist with all its simplicity and nealry all its slightnes * while ,
m * Koyai , English Opera , Covent Garden . — Though a Cynic might fairly remark that the opening of the winter season Of the Royal English Opera , after the florid pretensions of the managerial programmes , with * a . work by Meyerbeer , smacks something of Hibernicism , we are ourselves too sensible of the attractions of the " Pardon de Plotirmel" to pretend that the entrepreneurs should have resisted the temptations offered by a friendly ar ^ rangement with Mr . Gye ( who , we presume , rules the rights of representation in England ); and we accordingly welcomed , without cavil on that head , the elegant pastoral , " Dinorah , " in its neat English dressby Mr . Chorley . A few words , now , for the
the splendid band is led with unerring precision through the unaltered beauties and intricacies of the score by the popular and modest Mr . Alfred Mellon , who , whether lie will or no * an admiring public insist upon ranking beside the great Signor Costa himself . The success of Miss Pyne , in the part of JDinorah , is now complete . Suffering , on Monday night , from indisposition , which , though it took , nothing from her vocalisation or purity , of tone , yet robbed her of much physical energy , she was observed to be unequal , to the restlessness with which Madame Carvalho invested the fitful JDinorah .
But now that restored vigour , and the confidence gained by frequent repetitions have been added to her unsurpassed vocal ability , her performance—we are proud for our English opera to say—leaves nothing for the most exigeant of critics to desire . That we missed in the stalwart CorenV . no of the revival that timorousness that distinguished the performance of the slighter Italian representative of the part , may be imagined when the physique of the artists is contrasted . To require it of Mr . Harrison would perhaps be , in fact , asking too much of nature , who—will and talent notwithstanding—insists upon drawing her inexorable line somewhere ; but in the broader comic passages—the " Mensa regale "
the masses , at first with warmth , and then—injudicious reluctance being exhibited—with threatening pertinacity . Ultimately , however , the favourite of the evening made her appearance , and the town was satisfied . A more promising debut is rarely reported , and if Miss Pilling , not falling a victim to the frequent and pernicious results of early success , will but cultivate loyally her excellent natural endowments , she has , if we mistake not , a bright and prosperous future before her . ' In conclusion , we must notice that the opera is produced tinder the able direction of Messrs . Stirling and Edward
Murray , with all the completeness that distinguished the Pyne and Harrison enterprise last j r ear . The beautiful scenery and complete appointments ( goat and all ) used during Mr . Gye ' s Italian season remain of course much as they were , and the mechanism of the grand effect at the end of Act II . works even more perfectly than it did then . The considerate arrangements for the comfort of the audience , in which this management took the lead , we rejoice to see continued , and without more than ordinary boldness we may venture to augur from the data before us , that many thousands will appreciate during a long and prosperous season this year .
Crystal Palace . —The directors of this company and their able managers do their best to keep the interest in musical entertainments from flagging . On Saturday Mme . Catherine Hayes , with the Madrigal Choir , drew . a more than ordinary number to Sydenham . The fair vocalist reaped Tier usual honours in " Qui la voce , " and the magnificent aria from " Guillaume Tell . " The instrumental portions of the programme were unexceptionable . On Wednesday , a grand choral concert took , place , at which
Mme . Rudersdorf , and the Vocal Association , under the direction of M . Benedict , performed * selections from great as well as little masters . Mr . Coward interspersed the vocalisms with choice gems for the organ . A part-song , entitled " Take thy Banner , " composed by the organist , was very effectively rendered , and the production loudly applauded * Mine . Rudersdorf sang a beautiful aria of Mendelssohn ' s . A very large meeting was convened to hear the glees , niotetts , trios , choruses , and songs of this great vocal band .
Royax Surrey Gardens . — In our impression of last Saturday it was inadvertently stated that Mr . Paul Standish ' s voice consisted of qualities of a " deep-toned" voice . Oiir reporter intended to have described this gentleman ' s voice as a pure tenor . '
Act I ., and the concerted pieces throughout the opera—Mr . Harrison was entirely at home , and his valuable aid fully recognised : Of the acquisition the operatic stage has gained in Mr . Santley ( the HOeV ) it is hardly possible to speak too warmly . This young artist , whose appearance on the boards on Monday night was his second—if not his firstmust not yet be spoken of as an actor -at all ; but as a vocalist we feel sure he must have realised all and more than was expected of him by the composer ( whohimselfdesignatedhimforthe part ) and by the enterprising directors , who took the bold step of drawing hiin-from the eaae of the concert-room to the labour of the stage , at no inconsiderable risk and cost . There who
are few , we believe , of our contemporaries are not of our opinion that the wayward Graziani is , as far as regards voice and vocalisation , fully equalled , and here and there surpassed , by his young English compeer . It was noticeable , mor & over , that while Mr , Santley was most naturally in a considerable state of nervous excitement , his organ betrayed small traces of it , and he was fully heard and admired in the remotest parts of the house , though often singing at little more than half power . The «• reaper " and the " hunter " of the Italian version have come in the English one to be the personages Louis and Claude . Their representatives , are Messrs . II . Corri and St . Albyn , both painstaking and well-qualifled artists , whoso intelligence and practice on the stage materially helped to lighten tho drama for the benefit of the miscellaneous
public , drawn together by tho English Opera 'prices . On the subject , of tho now contralto , Miss Pilling , wo must again adopt tho eulogistic strain . This young lady , to be as brief aa possible ia gifted with youth , a prepossessing appearance , a beautiful voice , and a marvellously good enunciation . In tho air at tho beginning of the second act , "Fanoiullo che il coro , " written expressly for Madame Nantior DidiC'e ( which Miee Pilling hardly improved by taking somewhat slower than that lady ) , ahe won tho moat enthusiastic encoro of the evening from all ingenuous ainatours , and so charmed tho house again in tho duo of Aot III . with MJas S . Thirlwall ( who must not be named without praiae ) , that after the usual and deserved compliment to the principals , her appearance before tho curtain after its fall and the performance of the National anthem , was demanded by
Surrey.—This Theatre Re-Opened On Saturd...
Surrey . —This theatre re-opened on Saturday , and presented a re-decorated interior which excited unanimous admiration . Elegant and costly in design and execution , the front of the boxes and the ceiling charmed the eyes of the spectators with the lightness and richness of the embellishments , which are at once chaste and brilliant in tone . The performance commenced with a new " tragic play , " entitled " The Bridal of Beatriz , " in three acts . This we find to be an' adaptation of the worldcelebrated tragedy of " Emilia Galotti , " which has been reduced from its original five acts to its present number . Much abridgement has * of course , been necessary , particularly since addition has been also made of comic and brigand scenes , the latter of which are accompanied with pictorial and mechanical accessories . The original tragedy , which is by Lessing , is dwelt upon largely in his " Dramaturgic , " as constituting a n . bdel of dramatic construction . To a certain extent this is the fact , inasmuch as , throughout , the motives for the action are given , and tho leading springs of it are distinctly stated in tho first scene . The chain of events is linked well together ; even to tho production and transference of a dagger all is accounted for . The present adaptor has changed tho scene pf the play from Italy to Spain , and thrown a Spanish colouring over the incidents . The parfc of a brigand , performed by Mr . Fernandez , thus receives great expansion , and wo must confess was moat effectively supported by tho actor . All who know tho original play will reoollect tho magnificent part of tho Chamberlain , hero named Tortosa , and who found a capital roprosontative in Mr . Vollaeri . Tho part of the father , jNovarro , was most ably enacted by Mr . Crosvvick , who had manifestly resolved , and rightly , on establishing a reputation in at . Tho heroine , Beatriz Novarro , was supported by Miss Sarah Thorno , who made her reappearance on this stage after four years , and looked and read tho character with much propriety and grace . Tho very difficult part of tho disoarded countess , Oaurio , was confided to Miss Edith Heraud , who made her debtit on this stage in the character . It was well that this important , though brief rOlc , was allotted to an aotreas of experience ) And acknowledged power for tho audience had begun to show impatience at the slow progress of tho sooond act , but after nor entrance the tide ontiroly turned in
favour of the piece , and the act concluded triumphantly . Her scene with Tortosa and . Novarro was full of intelligence and point ; her scorn and revenge were alike most effectively expressed . In this scene also Mr . Creswick was aroused to the first demonstration of power ; and that gentleman ,, with Miss Heraud , was called for at the end of- the act , but the former alone appeared . The third act is much altered from Lessing ' s draught , in order to give an effective death to Novarro ; and in this purpose thoroughly succeeded . The play , at the conclusion y was an unquestionable success . The slight hesitathe of
tion which occurred in introductory scenes the second act , was more due to the original author than to the adapter ; for we recollect that at the St . Ja-mes ' s Theatre , the same weight was felt until the entrance of the countess , then performed by the celebrated Erau riindt ; and that the interest was then , as on the present occasion , thereby restored . The fact is , that Lessing ' s play is not so perfect in structure as he thought , and that the German process of dramatic development is rather too slow for the English mind . However , such is the force of the last act and a half of this drama , that no fear of its permanent retention of the stage need be entertained . made their
After the play , a new Ethiopian troupe dcbtlt in this country , under the name of" Campbell s American Minstrels . " Fourteen chairs were set for them , and their songs and actions were of . that extravagant kind that ensures popularity . The house was convulsed with laughter and enthusiasm at their absurdity and . talent . But it is not alone in song , but in dance that they transcend competitors . The concluding scene represented an explosion on board of an American steamer . The entertainments terminated with " The Three Dummies , " the part of Bob being performed by Mr . E . Marshall , the new low comedian of the establishment . The house was inconveniently crowded .
St . James ' s Theatre . — Mr . F . B . Chatterton , who is ' somewhat of a favourite with the literary as well as play going public , and was for years identified with , the Lyceum Theatre , has resolved on trying his fortune at the St , James ' s . The enterprise is no mean one , for the house has acquired such a renown for pertinacious resistance to all attempts to keep it open , that , among those best acquainted with such matters , a St . James ' s season is a by-word . The knowing- ones have in favour of their prophecies the fact that the theatre is isolated ; distant from the centre of the metropolis ; 01 ^ the road to " nowhere in particular , " and inaccessible by omnibuses : and the results certainly justify the
reasoning and the predictions . We are not , however , without hope that Mr . Chatterton , by his provision of attractive metal may create at length a public , not select , but general , for this pretty theatre : his proceedings show at least symptoms of vigour and intention . He has engaged a strong company , comprising that versatile and strongly-perceptive actor , Mr . Emery ; Mr . Charles Young , who may be fairly termed clever and energetic ; a bevy of fair ladies of real talent ; and an adequate and satisfactory complement of those generally useful people whothough unobtrusive and often undistinguished ,
, are ever indispensable . Would that we could add he had engaged a corps of dramatists . With Mr . Leicester Buckingham , a young offender of the irreverent school , who at least gains the little he at present aims at—a laugh—we have some sympathy , and , hoping better thiugs , will co ' iUuut ourselves with tlie mere record that his Virginius traveatie was as good as painstaking stage-management , vivacious acting , excellent singing , and an occasional jcu d ' espril of fair quality could inako it , and that the plebicula of the pit ami irolIoTv tminvod it amazingly . But wo hnvo JittJo
hope for tho unlbrtunato author , condemned Jo witness his own melodrama—or " comedy , wo buliuvo they call it—" Tho Widow ' s Wedding ; und that little is diminished when wo call to mind that tup poor soulVus hindered by neither grief nor shaino from bowing thanks for the applause of n few witless spectators . The reader will hardly seek to inquire fJr pot or oust : but lot us say that Mr . Emery scowLd and started in a manner tint must have boon painful to his own tasto , as a hall gipsy , half aristocratic hero } and with Mr . Charles Young , who made something of a Yorkshire squire « part ,, and MiescB Ardun , Murray , and Hickson , did tho little that could , to our fancy , bo done for t , ho piece But what mattered the vapi-i rubbish ot the dialogue , tho anachronisms , tho solecisms—in fact , tho absonco nf .. 11 t . luLt eonatituos a comedy—to pit und gallery .
i who seemed as if they had followed tho fortunes of " The Widow ' s Wedding" from thoir common home near tho Now-cut ? There wore pretty women , silk and satin drosses , a mysterious ;• ' party , ' a moonlit bridal in a ruined abbey , and an umbrella courtship between the first comic gentleman and his supposed lady-love $ so « t tho end of all , though stalls sighed and tlio boxes smiled , the real public applauded to tho echo—and tho author bowed his acknowledgments . Wo must not conclude without allusion to
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 8, 1859, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_08101859/page/11/
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