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No. 485. JtovQ. 1859.1 ; TIE LEAEEB «15
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her matinee musicale at Willis's the sam...
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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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Tneatrb Royal,, Dittrinrv-Iianb.—Mr, E. ...
scena fi & m " Fidelio , " and created , as he ? superb singing deserved , an intense sensation . The tunes are surely ripe for the popularisation of this -wondrous opera , A few years since , during the _ unclassical period of our musical annals , to which we so often refer , it was produced . before several full houses , on this very stage , hy a German company , under the direction of Herr Formes . We well remember the delight this revival occasioned to the musical circles of that day , and we are of opinion that were iFidelio to be now revived in its integrity the wide vast musical public of our day would speedily recoupe the management for any amount of f . imft- emense . and care , spent upon its worthy
presentation . TLe able Don Florestan of the cast we speak of—Herr Reichardt- ^ -is now in Loadon , and is always to be had for the illustration of the great master . In Madame Titiens we have the beau ideal of a Leonora . Roccos , it is true , hang not on every bough ; but if the monster troupe of this opera house , which ,, we understand , are under engagement for yet another year , cannot produce one , let Mr . Santley be made to study for the stage . He has voice enough , if he have not the dramatic energy of Formes , we are sure ; and if a thorough operatic cliorus cannot be found ( as is sometimes alleged ) after all these years of Mainzers * Hullahs ' , and Tonic Sol-fa ' s , why a great deal of useful time has been wastedand a training academy for such an one
¦ was not admired would be , of course , as ridiculous as to say that there was not something admirable about his execution : but on this occasion , as on others , we had the misfortune to hear him in some of those weak effusions which great singers occasionally offer to the public as genuine notes ! Whether the evilbedue to an amiable tendresse of the artist for the composer , or , as alleged by some more sensitive and knowing critics than ourselves , to arrangements ¦ with music sellers , we are not prepared to say ! No doubt it is to the former . But the nuisance is great ; and should the tendency to it become more obvious than at present , it must , ere long , be attacked _ by more vivacious and effective pens than ours . We
have heard it related that no less a managerial potentate than John Kemble once found himself at grave issue ' with a no less eminent singer than the late incomparable John Braham on this xery point . The vocalist was interested for a certain musicseller , and the musicseller was interested for certain airs just published , no doubt , with the superscription , " Sung by Mr . Braham , at the Theatres Royal . " He particularly desired , therefore , to substitute them for others in certain musical pieces , in which he appeared , and carried on the practice for awhile : but the autocratic manager , having become avare of it , declined any longer to be an advertising agent for the publisher , or a party to the affair in anv way ; humbled the great tenor considerably , and saved the public the infliction of much bad
music . The imposing Tweedle-dumdee ' s and Falde-ral tits of the present day will never , we hope , force the public to protest indignantly against their selection of music : or rather , we hope that conductors , band-masters , entrepreneurs , and others concerned , will not , by giving up their proper responsibilities , ever lead innocent artists to grief and cause annoyance to the musical world . To revert to Madame Bassano and her concert : That lady sang well our old favourite , the " Pieta Signore" of Stradella . Madame Lemmens was excellent , with Joachim in an elegant novelty—aria and variations for voice and violin ; and was justly much applauded . Herr Reichardt was successful as ever in a romance from " Linda di Chamouni , " and a song of his own composition . The selection was excellent and satisfactory throughout .
On Wednesday the Vocal Association gave their last concert for this season , and proposing to devote to the Handel College the profits of the evening , made a more than usual display . To the usual strength of the society was added that of Mdlle . Artpt , the brilliant young Belgian singer ; Joachim , the king of fiddlers ; and Madame Lemmens , whose rendering of the exquisite " Ombre legdre , " from Meyerbeer ' s new work , the " Pardon de Ploermel , ' justified us in all , and more than all , we have said of this lady as a first-class vocalist .
On Thursday evening , at the Hanover-square Rooms , we were at a crowded concert given by a young and interesting debutante , Miss Eleanor Armstrong , a promising and encourageable pupil of Mr . F . Mori . Besides joining in a duo of KoBsiniand two trios , Miss Armstrong sang Mozart ' s "Batti , Batti , " with so much sweetness , and was so ably accompanied by Herr Lidel on the violoncello , that the performance received a well-merited encore . The same compliment was attempted with " The Lonely Harp , " in which Miss Armstrong was accompanied on the harp by Herr Oberthur , but the young lady had the modesty and good sense to curtsey her thanks , but to decline a repetition of the song . Miss Armstrong's sweetness
voice is a true soprano of considerable , though of not great power ; and , with a little more experience , she is likely to become a -valuable addition to the concert-room . Her unaseuining manner and lady-like deportment will always engage the sympathy of her audience . She wilj excuse us when , with the beet wishes for her success , vre w . oul < counsel her to overcome the two grave faults so often to be found in young artists : the one is , occasionally singing a few notes sharp , and the other an imperfect enunciation . These are tho rocks that many split on s and Miss Armstrong , who is yet young to have dared the ordeal of the public concertroom , has time enough before her to avoid them if Of the other
she will take our kindly warning . vocal performances none demand record here , save Madame Amadei's « Addio " ( Mozart ) , which was excellent . M . Remenzl played one of Ms own solos on the violin with such admirable expression as to have groat difficulty in resisting the loudly-demanded encore . Mr . Keallnmrh doalt ably , ns is his wont , with a Polonaise by Chopin . . The Horren Lidel ( violoncollo ) and Oberthur ( harp ) exerted thenasolves zealously in behalf of the young beneftciarc , and contributed a very ample share to the pleasure of ft very agreeable musical evening . Mr . Sranfc Mori himeelf very ably presided at tho piano , and conducted the whole . Among tho fashionables present were Sir John and Lady Lawrence ana a large party . We had almost forgotten Madame Lemmene ana
, should at once be set on foot to supply a want that is discreditable to us as a musical nation , which we have lately begun to esteem ourselves . To go On with Mr . Smith : —the Signors Badiali , Mongini , and Fagotti sang tlie trio from " William Tell ; " Mademoiselle Piccolomini and Signor Giuglini gave the duet from " I Martiri , " which was performed with so much success last season at Her Majesty ' s Theatre ; and , finally , the lessee made a speech . He referred with natural . satisfaction to his efforts on behalf of the public , and added some explanations in justification of his conduct in re Graziani . Mr . Smith ' s address was received with enthusiasm ; and the whole performance , from beginning to end , was thoroughly successful .
We hear rumours , not without considerable regret , that the company of proprietors of this theatre are again advertising for a tenant . Having succeeded in obtaining from Mr . Smith that novelty to thema regularly paid rental , they fancy that they can get more from some one else . The ridiculous rent terms obtained for short terms by the noble owner of the Lyceum has so inflamed their minds that they refuse to note the long seasons for which that playhouse is often closed . They are tired of the humdrum of punctually receiving a moderate income , and lust after a nominally heavy one , to be received by fits and starts , perhaps from a succession of unskilled adventurers , who will neither profit the landlords nor please the public , nor fill the mouths of the legion who are dependent for support on a
large dramatic establishment like Drury-lane . For the sake of the class last mentioned , we look with apprehension at the proposed step of the committee , which wo think illiberal , and inspired by little less than lunacy . Possibly they dream of securing Mr . Charles Kenn , sifter his fitful fever at the Princess ' s has terminated , or a new Barnum , with woolly horse , talking-fish , ct illuc genus omne . Perhaps they hope Messrs . Gye and Co . will compete , in the hope of thus extinguishing their rival . Perhaps Mr . Charles Mathews , or some other distinguished actor with a wife to push forward > is able and willing . Perhaps some amateur of fortune has been heard of . The realms of conjecture are wide ; but we have no further time to scour them .
The Concerts of the last fortnight have been very long and very close together ; anything , in fact , but like angels' visits . They have been , nevertheless , it seems to us , most brilliantly attended in nearly every case . In fact , it could hardly seem otherwise ; for as tho width of skirts has grown , pari pasau , with tho number of the population and the spread of musical taste , there are not only in these times more amateurs at each matinee or soiree , as the case may bo , but each of these , with few excoptions , does also cover a larger superficial area than her ropresonta- .
tives of tho last generation . The parterro of tho St . Jamos ' -hall , -wherein several excellent concerts have lately boon given , has , on such occasions , presented a similar offset , viowod from tho galleries of that building , to that wo endeavoured to describe in our notice of the Handel Commemoration Festival at tho Crystal Palace ; and has , we might add , been no less distinguished in respect of company than have been tho programmes furnished for the gratification of tho latter , In respect of vocal and instrumental variety and excellence ,
The first on our list Is that of Madamo Bassano and Horr Wilholm Kuhe , at St . Jaraos ' s-hall , on Monday , the 87 th of Juno , when those artists were Assisted by Madame Albertazzi , Madamo Lommons , Herr Iielohardt , with Messrs . Santley , Sims Reeves , PJatti , and Joachim . To say that the English tenor
No. 485. Jtovq. 1859.1 ; Tie Leaeeb «15
No . 485 . JtovQ . 1859 . 1 ; TIE LEAEEB « 15
Her Matinee Musicale At Willis's The Sam...
her matinee musicale at Willis ' s the same morning . But this lady now ranks—and , as we have before intimated * deservedly— so high with the public , and has so large a circle of admirers , that she will not grudge the space we have robbed her of in favour of her young sister vocalist . She was assisted by Mr . Benedict , Miss Lascelles , Herr Reichardt , and other eminences . She herself sang the " Ombre legere " and the " Ave Maria" of Schubert . On Friday Herr Bernard Molique , the great violinist , gave a high class concert at Willis's rooms , aided by several distinguished performers , among whom it is sufficient to name Joachim , Carrodus , Hies , Piatti—a " famous quadrilateral" ( to use the hackneyed word of the day ) of instrumentalists . Miss Palmer sang " The Nightingale , " composed for her by Molique , and Mr . Santley the " Parting , " also by the beneficiare .
Mr . Benedict ' s second and concluding concert for the season took place at St . James' Hall , and was , of course , throng-ed . The learned and popular professor was assisted by a crowd of celebrities , whom we have barely room to mention , and the programme took four hours to get through—though two encores only were allowed . The public were , in their own interest , pretty resolved on this point , and the only exceptions from the rule laid down by ifce directors were made in favour of the interesting Victorie Balfe and Signer Mongini ; to the former an encore was awarded in " The Last Rose of Summer" and to the latter in "La donna e mobile . "
, The strength of the vast operatic troupe of Drury Lane was there , with Madlle . Artot ( who generously woTild not be encored ) , Misses Anna Whitty and Stabbach , Madame Enderssohn , Herr Reichardt , Mr . Santley , Herr Joachim , Miss Arabella Goddard , and M . Paque . Miss Whitty , as the daugliter of a gentleman well-known in the literary world , has claims on our notice , independently of her successes in Italy , of which the fame preceded her debut in London . She has a clear voice , of considerable compass , and sang with much expression in Rossini ' s " Bel raggio , " and , with Siguor Mongini , in a duo from Verdi ' s Vespri Siciliani . Mr .
Benedict played a fantasia in his best manner on " Where the bee sucks , " The alpha of the matinee , which melted ( truly we may say melted ) into ian early soiree , was the Freyschiitz overture , and its omega , Benedict ' s " Marche Triomphale . " On Tuesday , Miss Elizabeth Philp , a young- composer as well as singer of promise , gave a concert at St . Martin ' s Hall . Among her patronesses appeared the magic names of the Duchess of Sutherland and the Ladies Wharnclifle and Waldegrave ; and among her assistants -were Mdlle . Artot , Miss Dolby ,
and Mr . Jules Lefort , as singers , with Herr Derffel on the piano and Wieniawski on-the ¦ violin . The ballad , " Oh , moonlight deep and tender , " composed by Miss Philp , was sung by herself modestly , gracefully , and , therefore , pleasingly . Her mezzo-soprano voice told well in a duo with Miss Dolby ( also of her own composition ) , and in a romance called <• II prime amore . " It will afford us pleasure to hear Miss Philp again , and to encourage her some day on the smooth way to new triumphs as we now do on the thorny one of coutiuued study .
On Tuesday evening , Miss Emily Spiller ( soprano ) , and Miss Clara Mackenzie ( contralto ) , joined their talents to produce a pleasing concert at St . Martin ' s Hall . The first of these aspirants was highly applauded for her charming delivery of the pathetic "Ah non credea , " from "La Sonnnmbula , " and the triumphal " Ah non glunge , " from the same opera ; while Miss Mackenzie , a vocalist of eminent promise , was no less satisfactory in the " Green Trees , a ballad by M . , W . Balfe . Miss Palmer deservedly _ -i . j . _ : —~ , 1 „ ., nntl ^ io ^ otin onr'nro in ft Hr > l 1 O" Ol obtained enthusiastic encore in a song 01
an Randeggor ' s , and Mr . Sims Reeves was lic-nrd to perfection in a delicious trio , " Oh Mcmorji ! " in which ho joined the heroines of the concert s ana in the superb " Adolaido , " of Beethoven . Miss Arabella Goddard played " Tho Last Rose of Smnmer , and « Tho Harnionhu , Blacksmith , " in >< * offnbeSt stylo ; and the London Glee and Mndngitl Union added much , in our opinion , to tho general eject of this very woll-arranged programme , by their perfoimanco of several of their choicest moreouux .
The name of Mr . Van Prang is so familiar in the musical world that we wero not more surprised to meet a numerous audience at his concert at St . James ' s Hall on Wednesday , than to find an admirably selected programme , and an excellent list of principal artist * , and ft full orchestra . Horr WieniawsS played hifl scientific arrangement of the beautiful air , " Tho Bod Sarafan , " and another Russian melody , In Ma best style . Ho was rapturously applauded , and only escaped an encore by Mr Van Praag ' s appeal for mercy on behalf of both performer and society at largo . Madame Bishop , MTadaino Rudoredorfit Mies Dolby , Mr . Wilbyo Cooper , Mr . Weiss , and Mr . Santloy , whose name * are all sufficient warranty for interesting per-
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 9, 1859, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_09071859/page/11/
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