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¦ *«;*a<v. A«G. 13, 1859.1 THE J^APEB. ^...
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MUSIC AND THE DRAMA, ETC.
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RoYAt Italian Opera, — The Covent-garden...
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CRYSTAL PALACE. " The King is dead—Long ...
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Madame Ansa Bisnor.—At a tin o wheiv the...
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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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¦ *«;*A<V. A«G. 13, 1859.1 The J^Apeb. ^...
¦ *«;* a < v . A « G . 13 , 1859 . 1 THE J ^ APEB . ^^^ 935 ^
Music And The Drama, Etc.
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA , ETC .
Royat Italian Opera, — The Covent-Garden...
RoYAt Italian Opera , — The Covent-garden season which was -clouded from its birth by the lamented death of Madame Bosio , terminated on Saturday last . It has presented , among stock operas , the " Trovatore , " the " Traviata , the " Martha , " and the « Othello , " with a strong cast-Tamberlik , Grisi , Ronconi , and Gardom The « Maria di Rohan " and the " Gazza Ladra — both noticed in these columns-have ^ been the revivals ; the first falling , as it deserved , rather flatly , the last being well sung , and , especially as regards the oyerturefveryweU played . The one new work a noticed here at length )
Adelphi Theatre . —Mr . Benjamin Webster , _ an admirable artist , and the zealous manager of this theatre , rallied a crowd of admirers round him on Saturday night last ; , when Mr . Planche ' s excellent piece , "An Old Offender , " was revived at first price , as if to > ffbrd a better opportunity for distinction than he has hitherto enjoyed here , to the talented comedian , Mr . J . L . Toole . This gentleman ' s delineation of CymonPurefoy , the simpleminded Templar—who is compelled , by force of circumstances , to accept the position of a " first burglar , " and leader of a gang . of ruffians— -was , in all respects , admirable , and was admitted , by the majority of the critical world , to entitle him to
higher rank in his profession than that of a mere low comedy man .. The second piece of the evening was a new translation from the French , called " One Touch of Nature-, " and the public have reason tor regretting that the announcement on the bill— i * -or this night only "—has been so strictly adhered to . As the leading character , Holder an ex-tailor , since a theatrical hanger-on , serving , for the time being , a certain dramatic author , Mr Beaumont Fletcher , Mr . Webster has room for the display of histrionic talent of the highest order , and on Saturday not in vain invoked his genius . The main incident of the play is the discovery by Holder of a long-lost daughter in Miss Constance Belmour , a self-willed
actress , whom he is deputed by his employer to familiarise with a certain part in a new play ( that of the father ) , to which she has so strong an objection as to desire its excision ; and , in spite of a little risibility excited by the sartorial memories , by comparing which the parent and child recognise their relationship , Mr . Webster contrived to invest it with a most pathetic character . This eminent actors skill in costume , minute detail , and theatrical " makeup" are so proverbial that we need no fur ^ ther refer to it than b y saying that it was brought to bear upon his performance of Holder , while his rendering of the various emotions of the queer , loving , old enthusiast were such as may entitle the his test The
character to rank among grea successes . announcement of the revival here of Mr . Buckstone s famous melodrama of " The Flowers of the Forest , was , it must be confessed , insufficient to draw a crowded house . The appetite for melodrama seems , in some measure , to have died out on this side of the Thames '; since the closing of the old Adelphi , and the dispersion of the famous company that at its period of greatest ascension seemed to exercise a spell over a large and sympathetic public _ ot its own . A fair sprinkling pf the good , ordinary middlings decked the pit on Tuesday , but the stalls and dress circle told plainly that either the public sensibility , roused of old
by the magic of Celeste , Wright and O . Smith , was asleep , or that there was no lively faith m the fitness of their successors . A sprinkling of theatrical virtuosi were led tliither , as another class of antiquarians would be to the unrolling of a mummy or the opening of a crypt ; but the old Adelphi crowd was no more there than the old Adelphi enthusiasm . Will either return ? Probabilities are at first sight against it . For though the construction , of such melodramas as the " Green Bushes" and the " Flowers of the Forest " may be profoundly scientific from the playwright ' s point of view , these pieces are too artless in another sense to captivate tho general public , who have been used of late to the innd other difficulties
volutions of plot a engineering m which our dramatic authors now rival , where thoy do not copy , their masters of the French school . But on the other hand were it possible again to assemble for the illustration of melodrama such an array of talent as contributed in the palmy days of the old Adelphi to the illustration of such pieces as we have named , a steady phalanx of votaries of the fullflavoured drama , who now seek the pabulum of their predilection in the eastern , transpontine and suburban theatres , would be found also rounded in the Strand . We have not before us the Adclphi playbill of seven years ago ; and cannot , therefore , speak very accurately as to tho cast of that day , but wo can bear witness that Mrs . Alfred Mellon ( then Miss Woolgar ) has lost nothing of power or
intelligence since we then admired her as the gipsy boy , Lemuel . Mrs . Billington lias an uphill part la Cynthia , the Zingara , a character whoso every word and gesture recalls the spiritual performance of Madame Celosto . This lady , however , oxortod herself oommondably , and should tho revival bo destined to succeed , will doubtlqss contributo moro and more to its popularity , as hor dumb show loses its prosont traces of arfciilco . She ovon now rises hove and thoro , as , for juiatanco , at tho close of Act 1 ,., and , agnlu in the second Act , in her denunciation of tho unknown nvurdoror , to tho tull pitch required for tho illustration of the part , and , on the whole , niorlts encouragement . Tho prominent character of this now edition is Miss Kato Koily , who mudo ' an oxtromoly Interesting Starllyht Boas , dressing 1 in tho bost taste , singing luiv ballad stanzas prettily , and loading tho joyous country tlniico most takingly .
Mr . Toole is at home as Cheap John , and in his assumption of the barrister ' s paraphernalia is no less laughable than in his pourtrayal of mingled imprudence and apprehension on finding himself too . near the precincts of the court and the haunts of the javelin men for his own coinfort . Paul Bedfordthough a little toned down—is Paul Bedford still , as the Kinchin , and the rest of the characters are fairly represented . Mr . Byron ' s thorough Burlesque , " The Babes in the Wood , " continues its career ; and here * again , Mrs . Mellon—who , as Sir Rowland Macassar , has to contend against an unbecoming costume— -reminds us of her excellent Sardanapalus .
Mrs . Billington is , perhaps , too fascinating as the strong-minded Lady Macassar ; but this , if fault it be , is surely oh the right side . Miss Kelly and Mr . Toole are so amusing and so truthful as the enfans terribles of the nursery , that we might almost imagine , as missions are the fashion , that they intend to instruct , as well as amuse , the young idea by their excellent caricature of nursery " fractiousness . " As we have , on a previous occasion , noticed this sacrilegious version of the nursery legend , we can at present give no further space to it than is required for its general recommendation " to parents and guardians . "
host in itself ( and already , which had it been produced sooner , would alone have made a grand season , has been the " Pardon de Ploermel , " here called Dinorah , of Meyerbeer . The well-accustomed vocal stars have been Grisi , Mario , Nantier-Didiee , Tamberlik , Ronconi , Gardoni , Graziani . Madame Penco , who came with great opinions in her favour from Paris , has some way to make before she can be recognised as of the first magnitude , and Madame Lotti Santa , still more . The house has been prominently favoured , in spite of the constellation at the rival Opera , by the fashionable world , who have thronged it night after night with matchless assiduity , and this circumstance
must have cheered , in no small degree , the worthy manager , under the painful conciousness that his programmes , Until the appearance of " Dinorahj " within the last fortnight , lacked novelty ; his list of artists was sadly decimated ; and his appliances generally , still suffering from the effects of the fire which destroyed an amount of theatrical plant only recoverable by immediate and disastrous extravagance , or by years of patient accumulation . We cannot close tliis brief notice of the season—necessarily so brief because there is so little to chronicle —without a word in high praise of the interior arrangements , in winch respect nothing that could contribute to the convenience and comfort of the
audience seems to have escaped attention . , NOEFOLK AND NORWICH THIRTEENTH TRIE . Vnial Musical Festival . —At a meeting of the general committee of management of the Norfolk and Norwich Musical Festival , held at the residence of Mr . Roger Kerrison , the hon . secretary , on Friday , the 29 th day of July , 1859 , the Earl of Albemarle ( the chairman , the Rev . the Lord Bayning , F . W Irby , Esq ., the Rev . Precentor Symonds , F- J . Blake , Esq . ( the treasurer ) , J . B . Morgan , Esq ., C . S . Gilman , Esq ., C . E . Tuck > Esq ., & c ., & c , being present , the following report from the sub-committee was presented and read : — " The Committee of Management of the Norfolk and Norwich Musical Fesmmittee that
tival have to report to the general co they have duly considered the one important business delegated to them , the choice of a conductor , and have come to the conclusion that considering the very useful services of Mr . Jules Benedict during many past festivals , and his entire competency as a musician of the first class , they cannot do better than recommend him as the conductor of the next Norwich Festival . They also append to this recommendation that he be requested to produce some novelty of his own composition as one of the features of the festival of 1860 . It is a subject of congratulation that the guarantee fund has already amounted to upwards of 8 , 0001 ! .,
and it is hoped that , by tho exertions of members of the committee , it will speedily be raised to as much ( if not more ) as on the last occasion . The sub-committee cannot but express the greatest satisfaction at the success of the last Festival in spite of the numerous difficulties they had to encounter ; and they earnestly hope that by renewed exertions , and a determination to engage tho best available talent in tho country , tho next may bo attended with a still greater amount of pecuniary benefit . In futhorance of this object it cannot fail also to be a subjoct of congratulation that the Earl of Albormarle , whose services wore eo valuable on tho last occasion , has again kindly consented to accept tho oiuco of chairman of the general committee . —( Signed ) E .
CornjMan , Chairman . " Thereupon , on the motion of Lord Bayning , it was unanimously resolved , ! - * - " That Mr . Jules Benedict be appointed the conductor at tho ensuing Festival . " IC was also resolved unanimously , — " That ho bo requested to produce at' the next Festival some novelty of his own composition , as one of the features of tho Festival \ " and " that the ongagomont of tho vocal and instrumental performers bo first submitted for tho approval of the conductor . " " That the thanks of tho mooting be accorded-to the Earl of Albemarle for attending upon this occasion , and for his able conduct in the chair . " We are informed that ? Mr . Benedict has accepted the ofllco of oonduptor , and lias intimatod lite Intention of writing a cantata for tho Festival of 18 ( JO .
Crystal Palace. " The King Is Dead—Long ...
CRYSTAL PALACE . " The King is dead—Long live the King . " The series of Saturday " Operatic Concerts " is no sooner over than another of * Saturday Concerts " is announced , and , in fact , was inaugurated on Saturday last , on the occasion of Mr . Manns , the musical director ' s , benefit . On that occasion the vocalists were : Mademoiselle Artot , Madame Louisa Vinning ( why " Madame" ?) , Mr . Sims Reeves , and Monsieur and Madame Weiss ( why " Monsieur" and " Madame" ?); the instrumentalists being Miss Ajahella Goddard , Mademoiselle Sophie Humler ( violin ) , Herr Eugel ^ harmonium ) . Mademoiselle Artot sang Rossini ' s " Una Voce / ' and Rode o s air with variations , and in both pieces displayed the most brilliant qualities . She was encored after each performance , but contented herself with reappearing on the platform . Nevertheless , Mademoiselle Artot would have achieved still greater success if , instead of executing two morceanx in the bravura style , she had substituted for one of them the scene from the " Prophete , " which she sings so well , or any air which demands dramatic expression rather than fluent vocalisation . The public of the Crystal Palace would then have been able to form a just opinion of this artist ' s great talent ; whereas at present they have only been made acquainted with one phase of it . Mr . Sims Reeves sang a new ballad , " Forgotten all , " by F . Berger , and " Love sounds the Alarm , " from " Acis and Galatea . " He was much applauded , but was not in particularly good voice . Madame Vinning gave the " Last Rose of Summer , " re-demanded , and joined Mr . Reeves in . the duet from " Linda , " and Mr . Weiss sang very spiritedly , his scena , ' ? The Slave ' s Dream , ' also re-demanded . Miss Arabella Goddard played two pieces—a fantasia by Mr . Benedict , and a " Capriceio brilliant " by Mendelssohn . After the latter she was recalled , and was loudly applauded ; indeed , Miss Goddard is never so successful as when she is performing the very best music . Mademoiselle Humler and Herr Engel executed fantasias on their respective instruments . Madame Bishop , it is announced , is about to leave us again for America . She is to appear this day at tho second concert of tho above scries , with Mademoiselle Art 6 t , Mademoiselle Sophie Humler , and a Signor Oliva , a tenor debutant of reported promise from Florence . Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duphess Marie Of Russia , accompanied by tho Princess Marie , and her sons tho Princos Nicholas and Eugenie , and attended by tho Baroness Brunuow and tlio members of her suite , visited tho Crystal Palace on Wednesday , Sir Joseph Taxton and Mr . Grovo , the Secretary of the Crystal Palaco Company , received the distinguished party and conduced them through tho building . Upon leaving , tho Grand iJuohess intimated hor intention of . again visiting the palaco , on Monday next , to witness tho great display ok the entire soi'ios of fountains and cascades which is specially flxod for that day .
Madame Ansa Bisnor.—At A Tin O Wheiv The...
Madame Ansa Bisnor . —At a tin o wheiv the affbotation of fashion rcsorvos all its praiso for foreign singers , it becomes the English journalist to raise his voioo in bohalf of nativo talent whenever ho is afforded an opportunity . Wo therefore gladly eoteo tho ono proeontod by Mudamo Bishop ' s benefit , to take place on Monday next afc tho Royal Surrey Gardonsi and , since this talented lady Is on tho point of jUving for America , wo hope our readers will qvIiico thoir appreciation of one of tho best singers England has producod , by availing thorn-
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 13, 1859, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_13081859/page/11/
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