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258 THE LIAPR. [Satorday, ¦ "" ' LZ——^—i...
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THE SICILIAN BRIDE. Although the theatri...
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JAMES VI. Mr. Phelps is deservedly tho m...
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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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Frederic's Don Cesar. A Mobe Unfortunate...
I confess W Frederic , in that scene with the Mng , made me laugh ; but I add , that the muscles of my face had not resumed their qmet condition before my judgment revolted at the means by which the laughtei C been raised : Bulbonery , which was amusing in the earlier scenes , became intolerable as the tragic earnestness of tie situation deepened : instead of the wronged husband and dishonoured nobleman ( such as that scene demands ) , he threw over the character the buffoonery : of Bobert Macaire ; and this did not leave him even in the" final scene , where Don Char stands forth , imposing , almost heroic . - . " •— - , Efface that stain from his acting , and what a performance it is ! What dignity and impassioned grace in the serious passages !—what boundless caprice in the comic ! He is the greatest melodramatic actor tins age has seen , and unlike all other great actors !
258 The Liapr. [Satorday, ¦ "" ' Lz——^—I...
258 THE LIAPR . [ Satorday , ¦ "" ' LZ——^—i———^—^——w ^^— wt ^ mmm ^ ^ mim ^^—^^^^^^— - ¦ _ , ^ . ^ ^ _ _ ] _ _ ¦ .. . ... ¦ ... ¦ . . _ . ^ ¦ ¦ . ... ¦ . ¦¦¦ ¦ ; . ¦ ^ . ¦" . ¦¦¦ . ¦¦ . . " ¦ . . ' . : ' ;¦ " ^^^^^^ ¦
The Sicilian Bride. Although The Theatri...
THE SICILIAN BRIDE . Although the theatrical week has been busy , I have been theatrically idle ; and instead of doing my duty in gaseous boxes , have lived through the rolling hours in severer studies , or in enchanted drawing-rooms , watching the Drama of Life , and following its shifting scenes with something of keener interest than the Stage has power to excite . We talk ot tragedies and dramas , farces and comedies—nay , we write them sometimes , and strut triumphant at the feeble achievement ; yet what are all our poor intentions compared with the terrible reality daily being acted around us ! Oh , if the curtain of smooth appearance and polished indii > ference could but for a moment be drawn up , what a stage , and what situations on that stage , would meet the eye ! The aching hearts that throb beneath the smiling brows!—the dark entangled perplexity oi desire and crime which lies under the calm exterior !—the doubts that
rack , the lusts that rage , the hate that festers , the anguish that eats away the heart , the mad ambitions t hat torment it , —all veiled from the gaze b y a conventional propriety of speech and deportment ! Such volcanoes boiling and seething under the graceful vine-elad mountain ; such abysses of horror lightly bridged over by a fair-seeming appearance ! But , happily for us all , we live beside the volcano , and heed it not , because we see it not j the drama is acted , but the curtain is not raised , and we see little or nothing of it , and so we betake ourselves to theatres , where some exaggerated picture of it may be seen . "Vivian , who has lost his eagerness of the stage since he has learnt to raise for himself a corner of the curtain , and so watch the Drama of Life as it is played out before him , has been this week sacrificing duty to philosophy , and is forced to rely on the reports of otliers" * for much of the week ' s record . Balfe ' s new opera , for example , I did not see . Frankly , I was not greatly
tempted . The Balfeian ballad is my abomination . I never could dream that dwelt in marble halls ; my heart never is bowed down with weight of woe ; and as to our being happy yet—it all depends upon the other " party . " Nevertheless , there is a certain life—movement—animal spirits—call it what you will , in Balfe ' s music , not without its claim upon popularity . His writing has an Irish accent in it , bright , sprightly , genial , something vulgar , perliaps , and overlaid , with blarney , but pleasant and full of life . In a short comic opera he i 3 charming ; but a grand opera , and the poetry by Bunn— " that gives us pause" ! I did not go ; and as far as I can learn , I lost little b y staying away . Instead of my report , you shall have that given by the critic of the Morning Chronicle , abridged .
Mr . Balfi ' s grand opera , wliicli has been for some time in preparation , The Sicilian Bride , was given last Saturday evening with that degree of success which much clever scoring and a profusion of the old cut-and-dry Balfeian school of ballads , acting npon the favouring sympathies of a first night ' s audience , were likely to produce , but without , so far as can be judged from a first representation , achieving that genuine and unmistalieable impression wrought by works destined to live and be admired and studied as solid and worthy efforts of musical genius . The Sicilian Bride is an ambitious attempt at the most ambitious form of the grand opera . We could have wished Mr . Baxfb to have continued his devotion to the lighter and more graceful opera comique . In ' pieces like the Quatre Mis
cVAymon , and Le JPuit d'Amour he is only second to Auber , but in venturing upon Meyekbuek ' s ground his feebleness becomes apparent . He has neither the continuity nor profundity of musical imagination—ho has neither the heated fancy nor the extraordinary command over orchestral and choral resources of the great musical dramatist ; and , accordingly , a vast and complicated scene , involving massive volumes of sound , which in Meyerbeer ' s hands would have soared into a gloomy sublimity , becomes in Mr . Baize ' s a mass of confused noise , in the production of which it is evident that the agencies used by the author of the Huguenots have been appealed to , but just as evident that they have not answered to the call of the weaker enchanter . Throughout the first act of The Sicilian Bride
tho imitation of Meyehbeer is very apparent . Wo have much the fiaine musical effects kept in view as those in tho second act of tho Huguenots—the contending choruses of two warlike factions , hushed by tho light and tripping music of dancing girls , and the contrast of martial with ecclesiastical music at tho close of the act , being cases in point . But tho opera lias graver faults . In tho first place , the subject , although not devoid of good dramatic points , is colourless and uninteresting . Tho incidents arc glaringly improbable , tho links of connexion between act and act not very apparent , mid tho denouement ho weak , and so obviously capable , by n very easily applied means , of improvement , that wo wonder Mr . Bunn did not t than that of
in this respect tiiko a further liborty with M . St . Gkouge , oher turning his libretto out of French into another language . Ingenious tho work may porhapg l > o called , but it shows no fancy , or warmth , or glow of mental conception . Tho mind refiiHtte to bo carried on by tho neatly-conceived , but far from catching or enthralling inarch of incident ; while the personages are more lay figures , without a breath of individuality or separate colouring , in whoso fortunes no mortal can take tho slightest intercut . There is Httlo or no difference made in tho sentiment of their music : the French tyrant of Sicily sings just such ditties as the lover and tho patriot ; in fact , any one of tho characters might change ports with another without any violence to at least the feeling of tho music .
The general character of tho opera is ambitious and elaborate , aspiring to complex choral treatment , and Heawoned , for tho sake of tho music-sellers and tho young ladies , with ballads in Mr . Baote ' s ordinary sentimental manner . Tho instrumentation , w full und noisy , keeping all tho instruments well upon the strotch ,
and introducing several brass solos , to which but the scrimpest justice was don The introduction or overture is short and brassy . It contains the principal mo tivos—particularly one repeated copiously in the work , and first introduced ther " when Androzai is dictating the determination of the conspirators . The openin double chorus went flatly and heavily , althou g h it contains clever and musician like writing . The executants were by . no means at their ease , and the music suf " fered proportionally . An aria , sung by Miss HobtON , as the young armourer " " The moment invites us , " is quaint and lively , and its repeat by the chorus was effective . Bianca has then her first ballad , "' Tis mine to weep , " a plai ntive melody of no very striking originality , but Well adapted to mild drawing-room temperature . The duet for the lovers , " Oil delight!—oh hour enchanting ! " is better "
It has passion , spirit , and colour , and the cabaletta is bright and playnil , and was encored . A general chorus of the two parties to the feud is marked b y bread th and a piquancy of treatment , not long sustained , and which fades into comparatively , common-place scoring in the mingled choral and solo passages which ensue , and which are varied again a la Huguenots , by dance music , the main theme of which is one of the Tarantula airs . The ecclesiastical music celebrating the wedding , brings down the act drop . The second act contains a prettyish ballad for Mr . Whitwobth , " Thy beauty , while it thrills my soul , " which was e ucored , and which is perhaps the gem of the opera ; Sirencts air , " Like a bright dream /' another ballad , " My happy home , " nicely instrumented , and which after much opposition was also encored ; with a cavatina for Montluc , form the main features of the act . A lachrymose plaintive character is common to all the ballads , and their style is so identical as to awaken a tedious feeling of monotony . In the
third act , the most dramatic music occurs in the duo for Montluc and Bianca , changed to a trio by Rodolfo ' s entrance . The subject is handled with musicianlike skOl , and the various phases of feeling expressed with a lucidity and breadth of idea which is not common in the opera . The effect , however , was marred by Miss CbichtON ' s want of physical power . Her efforts to force a breaking voice were very painful , and occasionally produced absolute discord . After another common-place ballad for Modolfo , Bianca being supposed while he is singing it to be in a feinting state , we have the scene of the armourer ' s cave . The grand chorus to the clanging of the hammers is not effective , although it suggested reminiscences of a similar scene in the Crown Diamonds . A pretty rondo from Miss Hobton , " The armourer loves his trade , " had something of the piquancy of the opening air . After a reprise pianissimo of the conspirators' chorus , we have the entrance of the French soldiers , The proceedings are carried on in recitative , and
the act ends with a noisy cursing chorus directed against Modolfo , from which one hardly wonders at the hero ' s anxiety to fly . The fourth act opens with a chorus of judges , solemn and gravely coloured . There is next a ballad—these eternal ballads which are not ballads—for Mr . Sims Reeves , and which suggests strong reminiscences of FraDiavolo , if we mistake not . The succeeding duet between Rodolfo and Bianca was again marred by the failure , at the critical passages , of Miss Cbiohton ' s voice . There was dramatic energy and excellent intention in her efforts ; but she must nurse her physical powers , and learn that all-important vocal secret—to menager the voice . The remainder of the opera fell flatly ; the last chorus was an introduced work of an Italian composer , and it brought down the curtain—with applause certainly , but without any symptom of enthusiasm . Mr . Batfe was called , and then a species of laughing demand was made for Mr . Bunn , who told the audience that he had done all he could for them , and would
persevere in tlie same line of policy . The opera on the whole was respectably given . Mr . Sims Reeves was in good voice at the beginning of the evening , but the constant drag upon the higher notes told on his organ , which became coarse and uncertain towards tho close . He sang his ballads , " however , with the usual effect . Mr . Whitwobth was evidently hoarse . His best point was the encored ballad , "Thy beauty , while it thrills my soul ; " but latterly his voice was nearly as much broken , and as wildly out ot tune as Miss Cbichton ' s . Mr . Dbayton took a small part—that of the necromancer , who gives Montluc the sleeping draught ; and Mr . E . O . Totomin , whoseifarst appearance it was , went respectably through the not-very bright rdle of the mice Miss Hoeton
He possesses a bass voice of moderate power and compass . P . sung her songs , as she always does , with energy and colour ; and Miss Rebecca Isaacs gave a couple of ballads with commendable neatness . Miss CbiCHTON hns mucn to struggle against in peculiar awkwarxlness of manner . Her sleep-walking ficenc was curiously ungraceful , and—meaning to bo impassioned in her last duo sn jerked herself up and down in a manner which produced irrepressible laugntu . Miss Ckioitww ought seriously to apply herself to the study of tho demeanour and bearing necessary for the stage . Without some degree of accomp lishment in this respect , the best dramatic music is thrown away . She sang with great pui y of tone and delicate justness of intonation , but tho general effect was sadly mm _ by the two fiascos which we have noticed , but which a little more core and nuwinb
of tho voice will easily prevent a repetition of . , ni i-iin In point of getting up , there is nothing original , and little appropriate . J « - armour and Louis Quatorzo interiors do not go quite smoothly together , an ^ grouping and 6 cenio arrangements aro such as would bo favoured by 110 fashioned stnge-manager . It is not necessary to criticise tho English rena of tho libretto—it will suffice to say that it is Mr . Bunn ' s .
James Vi. Mr. Phelps Is Deservedly Tho M...
JAMES VI . Mr . Phelps is deservedly tho most successful of managers , an _ " stands ftrst among our tragic actors . I had a-certain , hesitation in » y P down tho last sentence , lest it should look like a sarcasm to taiic ° J J actors . Pholps may perhaps think it hard to to classed witn ivnu « Charles Kcan , W . J . Wallack , or Barry Sullivan , ovon thougu ah placed at tho head . , . ^ formed On Tuesday , Pholps took his benefit , and for tho second tune ? oiM > i the Eov . Mr . Whito s now play , James VI ,, remodelled from ws *^ Gowrie , publish e d some years ago . It is not a vory ? nter % Y"k rcsO nt nor do I soo how tho Gowrio plot is to bo made interesting , xao i . ^ piece depends wholly on . tho exhibition of the ¦ character at da / " V- „ . ( our James I . ) , and its success is owing to Phelps ' s admirable j ^ . fo pedantic , covetous , cowardly , cunning , James was placed bolor £ - jong extraordinary vividness , and the effect was unquestionable . - »• , ^ since Pholps has had so good a part . The play was mounted ^ *\ . tion , caro and artistic excellence for which Sadler ' s Wells has a ^ VJAN , and its rocoption was enthusiastic .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 13, 1852, page 22, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_13031852/page/22/
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