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.. . . yA. . , , Si'IWflfriffi .JlUXl CjUttTtHUlIUiJHtfJ * ^ " ^
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locus standi . The " Old Water-colour Society " are roundly taxed , by some , with having taken the hint altogether from the New Society , and having very " cannilv , " to say the least , stolen a march upon the latter . " " I am utterly at a loss , ' ? says one -. whose position in the art world is guarantee for his accuracy , "to conceive upon what ground , not also shared by the new Society , the ' Society of British Artists , ' the « Portland Institution , ' the old Society , can demand a portion of the Burlington-house Estate . _ As public teachers of art they have no earthly claim . That they have painted pictiu-es , exhibited them , and sold them to their great advantage , there is no doubt . That the removal of the Koyal Academy
may change the locality of the fine art market from Pall-mall to Piccadilly , and so diminish their receipts , is also possible . Hut this is no reason why a body , equalled only by the Academy itself in its conservatism , and whose exclusiveness has been shown by the manner ofits refusal to fill up its vacancies , should have money or money ' s worth of the country , while the other bodies named remain unendowed . " " AYe think we may safely assure our correspondent , on the strength of the Premier ' s recent answer to Lord St . Leonards , that neither money nor money ' s worth will be given , or in any way heedlessly appropriated to the Water-colour Society . That even its offer to rent a portion of the
estate will be acceded to vre have ; our doubts . \ V e wish much we could see our way more clearly than we do to a central public institution for the teaching of the arts , and a central hall for the exhibitions of such societies as chose in virtue of receiving state patronage to accept certain responsibilities . The elaboration of a scheme is no affair of ours : but then it strikes us , at first sight , that few difficulties would oppose any conscientious step in this direction on the part of her Majesty ' s Ministers . An advertisement just issued by the Science and Art Department at South Kensington cannot be
made too public . It refers to a course of twelve lectures on the human form , by Mr . John -Marshall , F . E . S ., F . R . C . S ., Assistant Surgeon to the University College Hospital , which will commence at four p . m . on the lit ' , of April-. Thecourse is to be such as may be attended by lady students , and will be a great boon to themany amateurs whose studies have hitherto been stopped , where the necessity for anatomical teachinghas arisen . The fee for a single lecture is to be one shilling : for the course , six shillings . Students are recommended to provide themselves with note books .
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ADELrill THEATRE . This luxuriously fitted theatre is now in full swing . The management seem , for the present at all events , to have struck the old Adelphi colours—melodrama —and hoisted those of the light and elegant school . This they have been enabled to do with completeness , by the addition of Mr . and Mrs . Alfred Wigah to a company previously rich , as numbering among its members those old favourites Mrs . Alfred Mellon and , Mr , B . Webster , and the very natural and
promising comedian , Mr . J . L , Toole ; and by no means poor as possessing in its second ranks Miss Keeley , Miss K . Kelly , Miss Arden , nnd Mr . Billington . The revival of " The Bengal Tiger " and " , The First Night , " two of Mr . Wigan ' s best pieces , have stamped the present change in the character of Adelphi entertainments with success . The house has been nightly filled with larger crowds—a « d thoso of a far more refined character than , oven in the most triumphant days of . the pieces , were wont to applaud the fine pathos . of Mudame Celeste , alid the extravagancies , legitimate and illegitimate , of Messrs . Bedford and
Wright , We have been pleased to observe that Mi * . Wigan has . completely recovered his health , the state of which nt onetime made imminent his entire loss tp the stage . Hie personation of the testy old Anglo- , Indiun in ' The Bengal Tiger " is no leap admirable now than when lie first charmed us with it *—now some years einccj—at the Olympic ; when Sir Paul Pagoda was sot down by all real judges as second to none of his ctlbrts , except , perhaps , his Achilla TqI ~ ma JJn / ard ., Ho is , wo need hardly say ,
admirably seconded by Mrs . Wigan , whoso Miss Yellowlcaf is her best part , and a perfect piece of comedy . 3 Vl > . Ji L .-Toolo ' s JJuvid , again , iVqo from > that exaggeration which often tempts tho i » luygrs of comic servants , was a worthy pendant to the principal gems of " Tho Bengal TJgor . " In " Tho First Night , " in which , as Achilla T < tlma Dxtfwd , tho . artist has to contend with some inconveniences of dramatic construction , Mr . Wigan was no loss thun ever successful . His delineation of tho old French actor ' s anxloty to seourb his daughter ' s dtbut , his intense lovofor " zis wondarefool shild , " ihis musical fanaticism , hip courtly manners , hie poverty stricken make-xip , as rapidly and as readily as heretofore provoke alternate sympathy and laughter . Wo
cannot say that Miss Keeley comes up to our old impressions of the debutante , Rose Du / ard , though she sang vei-y fairly with Mr . Wigan the duet tra-A'cstie from the Hugundts . Theprima donna whom Achille contrives to depose in favour of his " shild " is now adequately R epresented by Miss Ardeii ; and Mr . Billington , as Fitzurse , must be particularly noticed as a vast improvement upon the stage " swell of ten years ago . ITAXIAX Ol'EEA , J ) El , 'UY LAXE . Our readers have for some time , of course , been aware that it was in contemplation to open Drury Lane for Italian Opera after Easter ; but if they had so tar fathomed the mysterious depths of Mr . E . T .
Smith as to be prepared lor the monster programme he has issued , we can only say they were cleverer than ourselves . We are inclined to .- 'imagine , from the announcements , which we ¦ should hardly believe , the lessee capable of making without some foundation , that the chances of Her Majesty ' s Theatre being opened have diminished . At the head of Mr . Smith ' s bill figure Mademoiselle Tietjens and the far-famed Giuglini , who were Mr . Ltimley ' s trumps last season , and Signor Graziani the favourite baritone . The stars of the second magnitude comprise Marini , Badiali , a ! nd Mdlle . Vancri , whom we have heard with pleasure , and a host whom we have yet to hear . The possibilities and promises form a strong array , but we cannot venture to raise the hopes of column
reasonable people by . retailing' them in this . Among them we find the names of Elvira Branibilla and Borghi Mamo , of whom the latter is howafter years of climbing— tli 6 rage in . Paris . The list of works whose performance is in contemplation is long and important . Among them figure the master pieces of ¦ Mozart ; Verdi ' s " Sicilian Vespers" arid " [ Macbeth ; " Flotpw ' s " Martha ; " Rossini ' s " William Tell , " and " Gazza Ladra ; " and the " Armida" of Gluck : The published list of band and chorus shows strength , and the name of Mr . Benedict is guarantee - for strenuous exertions to obtain completeness . The theatre , we hope we niay . say , will be redecorated . Its interior is at present in a state that demands the outlay of a small sum , which , unless we are mistaken , will much improve
s appearance . i > yne a > 'P iiAnxiiso . v oveua , covext g . vrbex .. The " season was , as we predicted , safely enough brought to a brilliant conclusion on Saturday night . An enormous crowd bade an enthusiastic farewell to the fair manageress , and in a brief . address , imblishecl with the bills , it was , announced that an Opera by Mr . W . Viiiceut Wallace ( composer of Maritana ) was accepted for the next season . While saying our au revoir to this excellent troupe , which of course cannot find favour with all our contemporaries , we must remind our readers that the repeated change of performances which some of our ^ clever friends clamour for , may , when managers have only
themselves and the ptiblie proper—not a list of subscrihers —to consult , be considered always as a concurrent symptom of weakness in the treasury , and a sure forerunner of weakness in the ensemble . We are convinced that the splendid mounting of the stage , the admirable band , the extensive chovus . of Covcnt Garden , could not have been maintained at their late level for a month , had a change of bills been forced upon the management every week . We are sux * e , again—and all but fanatics will agree witlx us—that practice , now as ever , makes perfect ; and the perfection to which the nightly performance of Balfe ' s operas has brought the aforesaid band and chorus , would never have boon achieved had the attention of
principals , conductor , leader , band , and chorus been turned , night after night , to the study of different works . Wo had rather hear one work perfectly than half-a-dozen only moderately played ; and though this would appear at first sight a desperate platitude , it is by no means universally acknowledged . The fact is , that opera managers tiro on tho horns of a dilemma . If they stick to a limited range of works , tlioy attain perfection , and leave the critic without on occupation . Jf they rush wildly in quest of
novelty , and dream of pleasing by dint of new sonsations , they reap whirlwind ' s of consure for disgraceful carelessness and imperfections of all sorts . Apropos ot tho Drury Luno Opera and Mr . 13 . T . Smith's long Hot of promises : we hope that manager will take heed ore Uo pledge himself and a nowly collected cpmpany to a season of spasmodic failures . Ho has no list of private-box patrons , who may fairly insist upon a change of performance' — for who would take a box to hear ovon " Eon Giovanni" for forty-flvo nightsbut only tho real public to ploasc- ^ -amplo enough to find a iVosh chango of hearers every night , if a re « l musical treat is provided for them .
ST . TAMK 6 ' S IIAT-r ... —MO ? TUiVY VOPUrAK OONOBHTfl . Tiua I ' opular Concerts arc scudding boforo tho wind . Without mountobankory , or meretricious attraction of any kind , but by the moro provision of a clnselenl bill of ftiro , tho directors contrivo to crowd this beautiful hall once a weok , It l » as ovon proved , somewhat unexpectedly , it must bo confessed , that
and Piatti . Mdlle . Behrens was hciird to the greatest advantage in the beautifully solemn nir , " Jn quest u tomba ' sctira . " ' Her tone was truth itsclt ; ar . d her enunciation so . remarkabl y' good , that this song was a treat . The delicious- ' " Kennst du das land , " which never fails to charm , was done very fair justice to by Madame Enderssohn , who threw considerable feeling into her version . The superb / quartet from Fidelio , " II cor , e la mi a ft-, " was ¦ conscientiously rendered by Madame Enderssohn , Mdlle . 'B ' ehrens , and Messrs . AVilbye Cooper , andPatey . Mr . . Patoy lias- certainly not adequate power to take thebass part of this composition' lie has a voice of good timbre , good taste , and intention ; but for the foundation of such
extravagantly paid vocalists are not indispensable . As brilliant a gathering welcomed ,- oh MoiHlay , Mdlle Behrens , Miv Wilbye . Cooper , Madame Khllerssolm ' and Mr .. Patej-, as . could . have been collected a ' few years ' since by only one or ¦ two . ' greater stars , in ¦ the magic of whose nanies . an undue confidence was reposed . We may safely attribute this change to the growing appreciation of classical instrumental music , most excellent professors of which , it seems , have standing engagements at these concerts . At tlie second Beethoven concert , of which we are about to speak , ' a ' quartet . in C-minor , ami another in E flat , for two violins , tenor , and violoncello , was exquisitely played by Wioniawski , Ivies , Schreurs
a splendid fabric as this quartet more physical quality is requisite than he possesses . He sang very well the fine song of the jailor from the same opera " , but out of the abundance ; of'his- ' other qualities he could not supply the one deficiency . "Wlie-n v > e have said that Mr . Wilbye Cooper snng Adelaida , as might be expected , well and purely , we have done with the vocalpart of the coiictrt . Tlie Kreutzor Sonata , a duo for pianoforte and violin , was superbly played by Miss Arabella Goddard und M . " \ Vieni ' awski , the former of whoni-Svas no less successful in Beethoven ' s pianoforte masterpiece , the sonata " Patlr f-tique . " The auditory included such a ' nuinbor of ajuateur musicians that the inordinate length of tliis work seemed but to . stimulate-and-harden their patience .
^ lA . TOlt GODFREY . RHODES OX TEXT -UlCIIITECTUBE . A vekv pleasing lecture on the above subject was delivered on Monday evening at the United Service Institution , Scotland-yard , by the gallant author of " Tents and Tent Life "—a work already reviewed in our columns . The major ' s valuable improvements in the military tent were illustrated by diagrams and drawings , and were fully appreciated by an audience of competent judges . It was announced that the inventor had been highly complimented by Ins Majesty -the King of Hanover , and ptlver continental Powers , ami that the tents were under trial at Aldersliott . ¦ ¦ .,
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CHIPS . FxtoM a recent correspondence between Messrs . Gye and ¦ ? Smith , ' respectively the lessees of ( Jovent Garden and Prury-Uuiy Theatres , it appears tliut both those gentlemen conceive themselves entitled to advertise the enrolment of the baritone Uraziuni in their troupe . In a letter dated the i > lst irist ., tiiu former manager proposes to obviate tlie conUmwince ot , such announcements by submitting their rival chums to the arbitration of some two leading managers . .. J . HC tenor of Mr . Smith's reply is , that though the bignor may have , in truth , at one time been bound to Mr . Gycj ho was subsequently loosed by that gentlemanis defaultand that having transferred his * ' isiccs 1 t °
; ;; , J > rury-lano , lie cannot iiow be given ii ]> . ^ " ' - "J rejoins that this refusal ofurbitrution ntvtla \ w com ' meht , and distinctly states that he hns nm ( lo . noaefliulfc in tlio con tract wit li tho singer . Jii " . »»»« ' » replies with a letter to tl > o leading paper , ¦ w ' 1 I <} ll 1 1 * considered final , and which scans to settle . tlie , matter of tho Signor ' s freedom to clioono a luaimgor . Tho sympathies of tho interesting party m tllsl ) lllc appear to be with his wow allies , who , it neoas ik , will , wp presume , have to'fortify him against injunctions and such like managerial artillery . The last now " Wizard" who occupies tlioproiwsional chair of Artificial Mugicjat the 1 liinoycr-S'iu ™ l } nr ,, ^ .. jV / . T ^ Ii 51 It > t » o . Tiifohs . Andci-hdil . Doblol , anu
others , " translated , " we must suppose—( lor magicians arc , of course , borno off to realms unknown , on nory drngons)—is astonishing thcllcnos «> t the win as much as did any of his predowflaoiwi . »» y tl 1 " / , '' ,, clcctrit-ny , meohanlcs , uml flrst-rnto sli'itflit ot H « n « . Asthooxtont to which tho former Beienee . s aio ap plicablo to the conjuring art becomes lroni yciuw year moro recognised , tlie olegauco ») 1 " fno « PI »« J" l"B employed , and , iu tho linnd * of a skill il cru « s mn , tho oomnlotonoss of tho deception , buuymo moxo
rpmarkablo . - .. 1 uiv , i < lt Tlio erratic Lola Montus , Countess «> f Jjtt « S tlio who has , by her strong-inindod oxwloils nna " >« agreeable recital of her own and other tolKs oxpo rioncos inn quoor ¦ world , maclo a " « " »<» » ' ^ "l America and Australia , is announced to b ° . » : visible in London on tho 7 th of April , bho « u » then ropeat a lecture on " The con \ lo nppoota «'
.. . . Ya. . , , Si'iwflfriffi .Jluxl Cjutttthuliuijhtfj * ^ " ^
STIwafriifi mul ( Bnievhunmmts . ¦ ¦ » ¦ — ' * ¦
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406 THE LEAJDEB , [ Ko .. 470 , March 26 , 1859 .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 26, 1859, page 406, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2287/page/22/
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