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500 ^ THE LEADEB, [No. 374, Saturday.
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LA TRAVIATA AT THE LYCEUM. Tjie Sinners'...
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On Thursday evening, Madlle. Parepa, who...
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THE BOUFFES AT ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. We h...
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We may be permitted to invite attention ...
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THEATRICAL NOTES. An original English dr...
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A MORNING OPERA. Among all tho morning a...
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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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11oyal Academy. Iii. T-Andscark. Art Is ...
stories . It presents an open and breezy effect ; but it does not improve upon reexamination . , „ , ^ i "An Autumn Morning , where brook and river meet , " by Creswick , also one of the best pictures by that painter ; but others are beginning to overtake him : the comparison offered by the matter-of-fact manner of the new school somewhat damages a style which is mixed in part with mannerism . I ) anby ' s " Court , Palace , and Gardens of the Alcinoiis—a ruddy morning , " is all mannerism : it is a tea-tray landscape , on a classic subject , painted principallyin red and black .
500 ^ The Leadeb, [No. 374, Saturday.
500 ^ THE LEADEB , [ No . 374 , Saturday .
La Traviata At The Lyceum. Tjie Sinners'...
LA TRAVIATA AT THE LYCEUM . Tjie Sinners' Opera , was produced at the Lyceum on Saturday with a success justified by the perfection of the ensemble as well as by the indisputable superiority of the principal singers . The opera is splendidly put on the stage ( it is only at Astlet ' s that operas are ' mounted' ) ; the scenes , the dresses , the appointments , the groupings , reveal the careful superintendence and accomplished skill which have become a tradition at the Royal Italian Opera ; the orchestra is , perhaps , the best in Europe , and while even minor parts are not disdained by such artists as Tagliafico , Zelgbr , and Poloniki , it would be difficult to find another VioUtta equal in all respects to Madame Bosio , or an Alfredo who can look and sing like Mario . We are not called upon to institute impe rtinent comparisons , but we may suggest en passant that the charm of Madlle . Piccolomini is the charm of youth , of freshness , of enthusiasm ; and in the Traviata it is perhaps not so much the marvellous instinct with which that pure child of genius and impulse identifies herself with the fevered life of unpermitted and unpardoned passion , as the sense of contrast in the unconsciou s and inevitable innocence , the girlish freshness and coquetry of
the actress , that fascinates and enchants the audience . Madame Bosio , in the part of VioUtta , has surprised her warmest admirers : she takes all hearts captive , not only by the marvellous combination of voice , method , and expression in her singing , but by the bewitching grace , the adorable languor , the despairing tenderness , and the quiet intensity of her acting . The Italians have the word which expresses the peculiar charm of Madame Bosio . It is morbidezza , that softest delicacy which is the very opposite of harshness and angularity , and in which the varying expressions melt and minglewith no abrupt transition and no jarring contrast . Always supremely
, elegant , she betrayed once or twice a feeling and a power for which few would have given her credit . In her tone and manner there was a caressing waywardness , in her attitudes a desinvoltnre , in her gaiety and sadness a playing light and shadow irresistibly touching . We need not say how lovely Madame Bosio looked in each change of that prodigal luxury of dress beneath which the poor lost heart is beating itself to death . The eye , the ear , and the heart were equally satisfied , and we could not help inwardly repeating poor Moore ' s lines : Some eves there are so holy ,
They seem but given , they seem but given , Like shining beacons , solely To point to heaven , to point to heaven . While some—oh ! ne ' er believe them—With tempting ray , with tempting ray , Would lead us—Heaven forgive them ! The other way , the other way ! Mario was the ideal of an amant de caeur , in a somewhat fantastic costume . He sang with that voluptuous fulness of tone for which his voice in its best other tenorsand with refine
moments is distinguished from all , unsurpassed - ment of style . Graziani is an effective Germont : it is quite a tonic to listen to his clear , resonant , virile voice ; but his acting wants relief and ease , and the swaying of his arms is too constantly that of the Statue of the Cominendatore in Don Giovanni . It was fancied by some , who forgot the conscientiousness of all real superiority , that Mr . Costa , lord and arbiter of Handelian solemnities , vould ill disguise his contempt for the sweet siren melodies of Verdi ; but this apprehension was entirely dissipated by the first notes of the Introduction , played by his admirable band with the tenderest delicacy and the choicest care . If there be any secret beauty in a score , Mr . Costa is sure to search it out .
On Thursday Evening, Madlle. Parepa, Who...
On Thursday evening , Madlle . Parepa , who has sung in Italy ( with GruouNi , we believe ) with considerable success , mude her first appearance in England as Elvira , in the Puritani . Madlle . Parepa is a lady of rare personal attractions , and possessed of a fine rich soprano voice , well trained , and still in all its strength . As an actress , she is careful and intelligent , and we have little doubt she will be much admired when she has got over the terrors of a first appearance . On Thursday next , Madlle . Victoiue Balfe will make her first appearance on the stage in La Sonnambula . This announcement excites the liveliest interest , and we believe we may without fear of contradiction promise our readers that on this occasion tho highest expectations are likely to bo fully realized . Richly gifted by nature , endowed with an hereditary predisposition to art , furnished with the advantages of the finest education , and with all the secrets of tho most accomplished culture , this young lady enters upon her career under the most brilliant and encouraging auspices . The English public will , wo are sure , give her a hearty national welcome .
The Bouffes At St. James's Theatre. We H...
THE BOUFFES AT ST . JAMES'S THEATRE . We have already told our readers what tho Bouites are , and in what tho speciality of their entertainment consists ; with nil best wishes for their success , and with a vivid remembrance of pleasant hours in Paris , wo hinted a doubt of thoir being thoroughly appreciated in London . Tho audiences of tho Theatre Comtb and of the Foueb Nouvelleb are of a peculiar flavour and qualitj' , and it is sometimes difficult to eay on which aide of the curtain the dramatic eJement predominates . Tho wit , tho slang , the jokes , the puns , tho parodies , tho burlesques , are all specially addressed to a public of initiates ; tho colour is essentially local , and tho allusions with which every piece is plentifully sprinkled are caviare to nn audience not » well up * in Parisian life . Now we know that the St . James ' s Thbatjrb is in tho most aristocratic quarter of London , its audience is tho finejleur of Belgravia and May-Fair , who may roliah a short season of French plays of tho Gvmnahid order , but whoso palato ia n little too dainty for strong moats . It was , therefore , a bold experiment of tho
Bouffes to pitch their tents in that exclusive quarter of this exclusive < world of London , but Nil desperandum Mitchell duce was probably the device under which they sailed for England . Wednesday was the first evening , and a crowded and brilliant audience , such as Mr . Mitchelt has the secret of bringing together , were assembled to greet these Fescennines The first piece , M ' sieu Landry , a broad caricature of French peasant life introduced M . Guvot , who played the husband with much dry , quiet humour- M Gertpre , as the gay deceiver ( capitally made up with enormous ' gills ' and * waistcoat and continuati of ndeur
ons inexpressible pictorial gra ) , whose indomitable vivacity is only equalled by his sublime stolidity ; Mademoiselle Dal * - mont as the buxom wife ; and Mademoiselle Maresciial as the country coquette The two ladies have each a pleasant little chirping French voice , piercingly shrill but clear and true ; with which they trill away in the happiest style imag inable ' This little piece , roundly played and interspersed with little songs that fizz like fireworks , was heartily enjoyed . The second piece , however , was the success of the evening . Les Deux Aveugles was literally what they call at the Adelphi a c screamer . ' From first to last the audience was in a roar of laughter .
This is something like a tour deforce for two actors to achieve in a piece that has no story , no incidents , no de ' noument . Les Deux 'Aveugles are simply two hardened and particularly wide-awake professional beggars , who take their station on the Pont des Arts , the one with a trombone and the other with a guitar , each with a lamentably misspelt appeal to pity labelled on his breast , and who , with these instruments of mendicant warfare , terrify or seduce the passer-by into desultory alms . It is a capital satire on that professional beggary which flourishes in the British as in the French metropolis . M . Phadeau , who is the leading actor of the Bouffes company , is colossally funny as the blind beggar who plays the trombone . His face , a satire on the sun in a fog , is an incessant provocation to Homeric laughter ; and he has a twist of the cheek and eccentric movements of the arms or legs fit to convulse an audience of Trappists . M . Pradeau is the incarnation of farce extravagant and immense ; but there is wonderful truth and a very nice perception in his humour , while it would take a dozen Wrights to surpass his laughter-moving powers .
It was , we think , a mistake to play Les Deux Aveugles as the second piece : anything , however intrinsically comic , coming after such an explosion , was necessarily and fatally an anti-climax . Besides , there is only a certain fund of laughter available in the most cachinnatory of audiences ; and too much laughter leaves a residue of savage and dull depression . Hence Ba-ta-clan , which was a great success in Paris ( where everything Chinese is a sort of traditional burlesque ) , fell terribly flat , and , before it was half over , two-thirds of the audience had oozed away . Another , but a secondary cause of this conditional failure of Ba-ta-clan , was , that its fun is almost absolutely local and pure Parisian , and the parodies can only be appreciated by those who are of the theatres the Boulevards
familiar with the contemporary celebrities on . On Thursday , we are told , the order of the pieces was inverted , and Les Deux Aveugles was played last . Last evening two new pieces , Le Deuilde Benjamin and Ijis Pantins de Violette , were played . We trust Le Savetier et le Financier will be one of the early productions . The orchestra is conducted skilfully by M . Offenbach . On the whole , we cannot help surmising that the Bouffes would have found a more triumphant success at the Surrey Gardens or Cremorne ; but a visit to the St . James ' s during their short visit of one month is about as plensant a way of passing a disengaged hour or two as can be imagined , and we advise our readers not to lose the opportunity .
We May Be Permitted To Invite Attention ...
We may be permitted to invite attention to Mr . Mitchell ' s announcement of the Cologne Choral Union ' s first concert at the Hanovek Square Rooms on Monday afternoon , at half-past three .
Theatrical Notes. An Original English Dr...
THEATRICAL NOTES . An original English drama has been produced at the Adiclimii Thkatkk , under the title of Joseph Chavirpiy , or Under the Thumb . At least , it would have been original had not M . FmcnEiuc Soulie accidentally preceded Mr . Watt . s Pihluits m the order of being . But whatever Mr . Pihlupps may have lost in priority of creation , no has gained in fidelity of reproduction . Both his plot and his dialogue attest his easy familiarity with French literature , and especially with the works of that versatile novelist . We hope that Mr . Pkillipps will persevere in the mission he has seemingly chalked out fur himself of introducing the British public to the inexhaustible sources for original drama furnished by tho lively imaginations of our dramatic noiyliuours . Mr . ' Watts Piullipps would render still greater service to English play-writers uy publishing in juxta-columns his own and M . Soulie ' s version of the same story . « would thence appear how little it is necessary to deviate from the ideas aiul oxpiessioiw that have suggested themselves to tho creative writer .
A Morning Opera. Among All Tho Morning A...
A MORNING OPERA . Among all tho morning amuscmonts of London , we remember few instancesi o a morning opera . Morning concerts have long been an established institution , " convenience and popularity of tho arrangement hu . s been tcstilied by many a ( 1 ° " :. hou . se . Tho Direction of Hick Ma . ikstv ' s Tiikatkk have , however , annomieeii u intention of giving a morning performance on Monday , Juno 1 st , which is t «> jv mere concert , but an opera proper . The programme i . s arranged especial ^ " view to gratify those who are prevented by distance- and other causes m > m t , frequent visitors of tho Opera , and promises to supply , as completely art a » m b irUIIUUIlL VIBlLUin Ul LUU V / JJU 1 U , « l >» [ nuiiuouo l ^ r o »| i | iv I » , » . HJ 1 I 11 C 3 all the artistes ioho a
tcrtainmont can do , tho opportunity of hearing almost w have become of lato so widely known . Of the thousands who give up til ) oi « i j attractions of a London evening for tho Hake of a pleasant and healthy romuuij . j ^ beyond tho smoko , many must have been tantalized to hear of the liwcini i ^ Piccolomini , tho exquisite art of Aliioni , and tho advent oi a new i « ^ Giugljni , and to know Unit such attractions arc beyond their reaoii , ^ obtained only at tho cost of much trouble and inconvenience . lo tlio . mv 0 l ( "' ' wm pleasant country around tho metropolis , the announcement of a morning oi bo like tho discovery of a now pleasure , and tho announcement for the nrsi i
miscs something to suit every variety of tasto . r ,,,.. MN , nnd Tho performances will include La Traviata , with ricooLOMiNi , ° ' " ;|| licn UknisvkntAno . Tho Jiarbicrc , condensed into ono act , will bo given m < l / Jarle ^ of Aluoni's wonderful "vocalisation , whjlo Bkllictti' will appear aa Bicnkvicntano in tho part of Bartolo , Viajjotj as Bastho . f npnl | nat 0 about Tho opera will commence at half-po « t ono , ana » a expected to t-rnuu half-past five . Tho experiment gives every promise of succoso .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), May 23, 1857, page 20, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_23051857/page/20/
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