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ROBERT MACAIRE . Without Robert Macaire this nineteenth century of France would want a type It is no small thing for an actor to have created such a type ; and that Fre * deric has done . Other parts way be played by other men , but Fre"de * ric ' 'is Bobert Macaire ; and a more quaint , fantastic , graceful piece of philosophic buffoonery does not exist . I am riot here to criticise a performance so universally known ; but a word upon the celebrated snuff-box may not be but of place . To my astonishment I find a dramatic critic saying , " the snuff-box was as eloquent as ever . " If you must know in what that eloquence consists , learn that whenever Robert Macaire opens his box , in turning round the lid it gives a squeak , and whenever it squeaks the foolish audience laughs , as if some exquisite joke were there ! To my mind , so great an actor as Frederic might very well dispense with so cheap and easy an art of tickling the ears of the groundlings ; and yet , to show how some physical detail arrests the attention of the crowd , nine people out of ten , in speaking of Bobert Macaire , will infallibly mention the snuffbox , as if Frederic ' s talent were illustrated by that ! I remember standing before Bauch ' s statue of Bliicher with an Englishman , whose admiration found a vent in this remark : " Look at the spurs—how wonderfulV Here the detail which his practical experience appreciated wm in him of more conseauence than all the rest of the statue—Bauch
must be a great sculptor who could represent spurs with that fidelity ! But because I think the snuff-box business trivial , I must not be supposed to depreciate a performance which is perfectly unrivalled . " Age cannot wither nor custom state its infinite variety . " I think Lemaitre detestable in tragedy , and inimitable in drame and buffoonery . Bny Bias was afflicting ; the scenes from Trente Ans de la vie d ' un joueur , proved that his day is passed for those great effects he used to produce ; but in Don CSsar , Bobert Macaire , and Paillasse he must be praised in hyperboles . Begnier , the rif , spirituel , and well-disciplined Begnier , is to be with us after Easter , with Mdlle . Denain , and Paul Laba .
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OPENING OF THE ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA . Ciceho , a great wit as well as a great orator , and dearer to me in the former character than in the latter , somewhere points to the surpassing acuteness of the Greeks , as proved in their reckoning uk man accomplished who was not a musician . Were I cursed with an tybdurate tympanum , and the taste of a British Tenor , I might answer Cicero , and prove that by music , the Greeks understood something far more extensive and intellectual than we understand by it . Indeed , I might reasonably ask if the Greeks knew anything about music at all , in our sense of the term : simple melodies , and a rhythmic turn ! turn I twanged on a short-stringed lyre , they tad abundance of j but what dim . and distant notion had they
of our grand orchestral and choral harmonies , our prodigal colouring ana heaven-scaling wails of passionate aspiration P What knew they of Gluck , Beethoven , Mozart , Weber , Meyerbeer P As well ask what they knew of a railroad or a post-office . For you must not take without criticism the accounts transmitted us of Greek music . It is all very well for Poets and Feuilletonists to rhapsodize , but let us control their rhapsodies by Science , and ask any gentleman with profound views on the subject of Acoustics , what tone or combinations of tone are possible with a lyre such as we see the Greek lyre to have been—what could be done with those three short strings ? Or what with that Pipe , ( otherwise called a syringe—avpiyg , ) upon which pastoral-minded men expended their lungs P
All that I might say—if I were an ass . But remembering what Genius can do , I believe wnat Genius is said to have done . I don't think Orpheus a fable—what was PaganiniP Then , let us remember David soothing the anguish of Saul ' s kingly heart , by strains so touching , that Madness itself melted before them ; and yet the harp he played on was , after all , nothing but a Jew's harp , you'll observe ! I wander from my point , which was Cicero ' s remark on the necessity of music to an accomplished mind . " The man that has not music in his soul" the quotation is somewhat musty . Indeed , how can a man claim the recognition of well-regulated minds who does not go to the Opera P How can he hope to exist without going to the Opera P What is Life , but a Bhythm of the Divine Harmony P ( I hope you understand that nhrnsfln What is the Metaphysic of Tone , as a profound
German-Schilling— -in a luminous treatise on the JEsthetic of Music , pertinently asked—what is the metaphysic of Tone , but the Physic of the Infinite , the Anthropology of the SoulP What , indeed ! And if this be so , which you clearly see must be so , then , argal , the Opera is one of the grand Functions of Life ! _ . In unphilosophic plainness , the Opera lias become one of our indispensable luxuries . " JLe super / lu chose si nicessaire ! " said Voltaire . I he Opera is a luxury become a necessity , and therefore the opening of the Boyal Italian last Saturday was " an event . " It was the burst of spring sunshine heralding a summer of delight . All th e , " old familiar faces were smiling there , and every one was disposed for enjoyment , Ihe orchestra , bo disciplined by Costa as to be the orchestra of Europe , was strengthened by the immense talents of Bottessim and Pmtti , and one ^ i wi «««
only regretted that tliey Had . not somemiug mure w y y * ., r ~ " ~\" than the noisy , meaningless music of Maria di Bohan , which it not JJonizetti ' s worst opera , ( a bold man he who should fix upon the worst !) is undeniably among the very bad ; an occasional passage from the Oberon , and several from Bossini , nota % in the . Otello , wero the only agreeable phrases that caught my ear . But , en revanche , there was Bonconi in unusually good voice ( never very good ) , and Taniberlik singing as only Taniberlik con . singT Madame Castellan looking pretty as over , and singing with the same charm of voice and execution ( a little unsteady somotuSefl in her intonation , and wanting in decision in attacking the notes ) , and acting with the same ladylike wwpropriety—always one routine ot looks and gestures , no matter what the part . Moreover , there was a debutante , Mdllo . Seguin , a full , melodious contralto , wanting in brio , but
free from all affectation , and capable after a little experience of " rendering important service to the theatre , " as the French critics Say * The triunipn of the evening was BoncOni ' s acting in the last scene .: there he showed himself the great tragic actor , the master of irony , terror passion and the ^ fme fluctuations of an agitated mind . > ; ' The ZHvertissement Viresan . infliction . It is a mistake to lengthen out an opera by inserting dancing . iLet those who delight in the galvanized grace of pas and pirouettes be treated therjeto at the end of ihe eveninff ' , ¦ • . . ' " ¦ ¦ ; ¦ ¦ . ¦;¦ ¦ ' ' ' ¦ ¦ ' - ¦ ¦ -. ¦ ¦ . * . Try- ¦ " . * O * ¦ .. "¦ ' ' ¦ : - " ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' .: ¦ ' : . r . - ¦ ¦¦ . - ¦ -. - - ViyiAN .
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The Opera of Gruillaume Tell was admirably performed on Thursday but it was chiefly remarkable for introducing to a London audience , Herr Ander , a German tenor , whose repute was already known . He is a truly fine singer , and the part of Arnold is well suited to show his . qualities . He has a voice not of unlimited compass , nor is his delivery equal to that of the very happiest Italians ; in both respects he might claim a second rank . But his faculties place him in the very first . Although not boundless , hia voice is at once powerful and tender ; his elocution is broad , clear , emphatic , yet tasteful and delicate ; his style is highly animated , varied ] tuc auiuu vt- ixitvuuui / j ©
ailU . Ill cLUUctvlU } Xllo ICtlbUico | jiaiu auu ^ aj L , . _ u UUUJltCnance is expressive , his person is graceful , his deportment is free , dignified , and manly . Here are adjectives enough to make a fine singer . Ander reads Ms part with a just and modest discrimination ; his entrance is unobtrusive—he seeks to occupy his proper place in the scene of the moment ; he does not labour to make " points ; " he sings with sparing embellishment . The great trial of the piece , the scene in which he endures the reproaches of Tell and Walter , yields love to patriotism ,
and becomes a leader of the patriot rebels , —was a noble piece of l yric acting ; forcible , finished , strongly contrasted , and yet in harmonious keeping throughout . Ander was well supported by his colleagues : Boncoiii , the consummate actor and musician , is the very model of 2 ^—plain , dignified , and tender . Marini is in better voice than we have ever heard him , and in as good looks as ever—a giant of proud vigour . He was welcomed as an old friend . Castellan , ever refined and interesting —Taeliafieo , sound , efficient , and conscientious , and admirably " made up "
—Polbnini , useful and complete—you know them already . Ihe chorus singers themselves might be mentioned individually , so much individual co-operation do they throw in : the conspiracy scene was a triumph-of dramatic chorus-singing—the whole trained to alight and shade , not always found in the part-singing even of solo performers . Need we add , that the overture , played as only Costa ' s glorious band could play it , was re-demanded with immense enthusiasm . After the great trio- in the second act , Bonconi , Marini , and Ander were called before the curtain ; nor was the excitement of the audience appeased until Costa had made his bow from the stage , his official baton inland . Altogether , Ghiillaume Tell is a happy revival ; and , we feel assured , every fresh performance will increase its attraction . Z .
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HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE . After many rumours and some terrors lest there should be no opera this season at Her Majesty ' s , Thursday night settled all doubts by the opening of the dear old house ; with Maria , di Bohan , as if in rivalry of Covent Garden . Not because I have any affection for Maria di Bohan , but because I wished to compare notes , I went to Her Majesty ? s , and left Guillaume Tell to be treated by my colleague . Ferlotti , the new barytone , who made his de'but jg Bonconi s part , is what people , who like vague words with a grand sonority of no meaning , call " an artist . " They admit that he has not much voice : " Oh ! but quite an artist ; " they admit that he sings flat : " but he is such an artist ; they admit that he languishes and shouts alternately : " but what an artist . It may be so ; but if It be so , all I can say is , I wish he were less ot an artist and more of a singer . He is really a tragic actor with " fine moments , " as the French say ; and his third act was a thrilling performance . But his singing was throughout spoiled by a sickly affectation of tenderness , by a tedious retardation of the tempo— -by an alternation otjorte ana pianissimo—and by an unsteadiness of intonation , which in any but an artist , " I should declare to be serious defects . Still , let me not exaggerate : even in his singing there were good points , and I shall be glad to Jieai
Calzolari sang the music of Chalais with considerable effect ; lie improves every year . Fiorentini , as the Duchess , did not look so il . andBO j ' r as usual , but sang with unusual entrain , and was in capital voice . JBertrand made a decided hit in the small part of the Abb 6 de ^ ^ and , altogether , the opera—for such an opera—wont off with eclat . x > until Joanna Wagner appears , Her Majesty ' s trump card has not ocu shown .
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SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS . The present exhibition in Suffolk-street continues the imPr 9 vcm ^| ° " its predecessors , and is far more rigidly freed from p ictures ol amor , be retained within the scan of domestic affection ; a number ot the ww that now adorn the walls possess merit as transcripts of nature * particular aspects . Here and there , too , wo notice works ot a £ ™ promise . Amongst the lattor wo must , unluckily , still rank Mr . ^ j . g still a the president , who has been a public man for many years , and i ^ > ^ promising artist . Ho has for years " given hostages to iortuno , \ ^ shape of innumerable children with flhadod eyes , and shaded soles TO . foot , that ho would bo a Murillo ; but ho has not redeemed tho 9 ? 7 ®™ auo However , ho has true feeling ; he can catch a smile , seize a pusuuci ^ attitude , and hint a sentiment ; and if he wore a stronger man , no «» h convert promise into fame fulfillod . . , A : n ( TiOnn The moat extensive merit is that of painting " bits , " hko V ™™?* * ^ "Sodgy nook in tho leafy month of Juno "—a Bpocimon ot in ^^ ' art . Allen ' s " Summer evening "—a view over a villaged valley w hfl ambitious . But this artist , like J . C . Ward in tho " Windy . day oi ^ coast of Oban , noods to acquire a greater mastery over Ins jngmwi .
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3 S 0 > THE tEAD-ER . .. : ¦ . ; :: ;; ; ESatpri ^ y ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 3, 1852, page 330, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1929/page/22/
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