On this page

• Text (7)

  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.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • 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.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    stories . It presents an open and breezy effect ; but it does not improve upon re" 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 3 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 .

    Untitled Article

    LA TRAVIATA AT THE LYCEUM . The 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 Astley ' 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 , Zelgbk , and Polonini , it would be difficult to find another Violetta equal in all respects to Madame Bosio , or an Alfredo who can look and sing like Mario . We are not called upon to institute impertinent 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 unconscious and inevitable innocence , the girlish freshness and coquetry of

    the actress , that fascinates and enchants the audience . Madame Bosio , in the part of Violetta , 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 minele with 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 attitude s 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 Avere equally satisfied , and we could not help inwardly repeating poor Moore ' s

    lines : Some eyes 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 coeur , in a somewhat fantastic costume

    He sang with that voluptuous fulness of tone for which his voice in its best moments is distinguished from all other tenors , and with unsurpassed refinement 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 Commendatore 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 , would ill disguise his contempt for the sweet siren melodies of Vekdi ; 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 .

    Untitled Article

    On Thursday evening , Madlle . Parepa , who has sung in Italy ( with Gioolini , we believe ) with considerable success , made 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 m 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 . Victoire Balfe will make her first appearance on the stage in La Sonnambula . This announcement excites the liveliest interest , and wo believe wo may without fear of contradiction promise our readers that on this occasion the highest expectations are likely to be fully realized . Richly gifted by nature , endowed with an hereditary predisposition to art , furnished with the advantage s of the finest education , and with all the secrets of the most accomplished culture , this young lady enters upo n her career under the most brilliant and encouraging auspices . The English public will , we are sure , give her a hearty national welcome .

    Untitled Article

    THE BOUFFES AT ST . JAMES'S THEATRE . We have already told our readers what tho Bouitfes arp , and in what the speciality of their entertainment consists ; with all best wishes for their success , and with a vivid remembrance of pleasant hours in Paris , wo hinted a doubt of their being thoroughly appreciated in London . Tho audiences of tho TidSatris Comtb and of the Folies Nouvjblleb are of a peculiar flavour and quality , and it ia Bometimea difficult to say on which eido of the curtain the dramatic element predominates . Tho wit , the slang , the jokes , the puns , tho parodies , the 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 an audience not well up' in Parisian life . Now we know that the St . James ' s Thkatub is in tho most aristocratic quarter of London , its audience is thoJlnejleur of Belgravia and May-Fair , who may relish a short season of French playa of the Gymnabb order , but whose palato is a little too dainty for strong meats . It was , therefore , a bold experiment of tho

    Bouffes to pitch their tents in that exclusive quarter of this exclusive « w m of London , but orld Nil desperandum Mitchell duce was probably the device under which they sailed for England . Wednesdiv the first evening , and a crowded and brilliant audience , such as Mr Mitch has the secret of bringing together , were assembled to greet these Fescenmn The first piece , M'sieu Landry , a hroad caricature of French peasant life intr duced M . Guyot , who played the husband with much dry , quiet humour- M Gertpre , as the gay deceiver ( capitally made up with enormous ' gills ' and waistcoat and continuations of inexpressible pictorial grandeur ) , whose in domitable vivacity is only equalled by his sublime stolidity ; Mademoiselle Dal " mont as the buxom wife ; and Mademoiselle Mareschal 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 imaginable ' 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 AveugUs was literally what thev call nf tv , « success of the evening . Les Deux AveugUs was literally what they call at the

    Adelphi a * 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 dgnoument . Les Deux 'AveugUs are simply two hardened and particularl y 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 . Pradeau , 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 A veugles 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 ereat success in Paris ( where everything Chinese is a sort of traditional bur-Fesque ) , 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 familiar with the contemporary celebrities of the theatres on the Boulevards . 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 Les 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 pleasant a way of passing a disengaged hour or two as can be imagined , and we advise our readers not to lose the op ^ portunity .

    Untitled Article

    THEATRICAL NOTES . An original English drama has been produced at the Adelphi Tukatue , under the title of Joseph Chavicjny , or Under the Thumb . At least , it would have been original had not M . Frederic Soulie accidentally preceded Mr . Watts PmLurrs in tne order of being . But whatever Mr . Phillipps may have lost in priority of creation , no has gained in fidelity of reproduction . Both his plot and his dialogue attest Ins easy familiarity with French literature , and especially with the works of that versatuo novelist . We hope that Mr . Piiillipps will persevere in the mission he has seemingly chalked out for himself of introducing the British public to the inexhaustible sources for original drama furnished by tho lively imaginations of our dramatic neighbours . Mr . Watts Phillipps would render still greater service to English piny-writers oy publishing in juxta-columns his own and M . Soulik ' s version of the yame story . " would thence appear how little it is necessary to deviate from the ideas and expressions that have suggested themselves to the creative writer .

    Untitled Article

    A MORNING OPERA . Among all the morning amusements of London , we remember few instancesi o o morning opera . Morning concerts have long been an established institution , nn convenience ) and popularity of tho arrangement has been testified by many a « . " >« house . Tho Direction of Her Majest y ' s Tuba-tub have , however , niinouncca i ^ intention of giving a morning performance on Monday , Juno 1 st , which J " * . , fl a mere concert , but an opera proper . Tho programme is arranged oa P eoin"y b lnB view to gratify those who arc prevented by distance and other causes iroin u « , b view to grainy uioso wnu nro jm-uvuuluu u ? man .., ^ — Minnie cnl letel sii b

    frequont visitors of tho Opera , and promises to suppy , as comp y as a , tcrtainmont can do , tho opportunity of hearing almost all the artistes v , oso have become of late ao widely known . Of the thousands who give up the oni jr attractions of a London evening for tho sake of a pleasant and healthy ies wnt j beyond tho smoke , many must have been tantalized to hoar of the lascini Piccolomini , tho exquisite art of Alooni , and the advent of a now iu bo Giuglini , and to know that such attractions are beyond their reach , o ^ obtained only at tho cost of much trouble and inconvenience . To tho Jjweuo ^ pleasant country around tho metropolis , tho announcement of a m 0 """ j > » . 0 , . bo like tho discovery of a now pleasure , and tho announcement for tho unit

    misoa something to suit every variety of taste . ruiaiitu , Tho performances will include La Traviata , with . Pwc » M » pin , «™ ' , „ , „ , Bknisvisntano . The Barbicre , condensed into one act , will bo given an i ; , of ALnoNx ' a wonderful vocalisation , while Bbllktti will appear aa m Benkventano hi tho part of Bartolo , and Viamctm aa BasUio . tnrminato about Tho opera will commence at half-paat one , and is expected to tormmu half-past five . Tho experiment givca ovory promiao of succeaa .

    Untitled Article

    We may be permitted to invite attention to Mr . Mitchell's announcement of the Cologne Ch < jjral Union ' s first concert at the Hanover Squaue Rooms on Monday afternoon , at half-past three .

    Untitled Article

    500 THE LEADER . [ No . 374 , Saturday

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 23, 1857, page 500, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2194/page/20/