The Press. — London, England, 1853-07-02 00:00:00

212 Horace et Lydie, and scenes from Where's Pre cieuaes Ridiculer and the Mariage Force. The scene from einua, and short play of Horace et Lydie, were, to say the least, rendered very ine&ctive, by being acted in modern dress; and the constant alln sions to classic costume in Horace et Lydie, when applied to Mlle. Rachel's smart Parisian flounces, sa voured strongly of the ridiculous. The act of Andre ►aague was played in proper costume, and was by far the best of the tragic scenes ; indeed, ller►auuee has always appeared to us one of the parts in which Mlle. Rachel appears to most advantage. We can not refrain from again doing homage to M. Itegnier's great talent for impersonation. We shall never for get his acting of the savant in the detached scene from the Mariage Force, which, though a mere frag ment, was as real as it was truly humorous. The theatre was cr►wded to the roof on Wednes day night. Nor was it strange that such should be the case, as Rachel was to display her marvel lens power of pantomimic passion in that fourth act of Les Horoces with which she has imperishably joined her IMMO in histrionic annals. The morbid parts of conventional and Parisian life in which she had played this season threw out on Wednesday, with the power of contrast, all those great histrionic qualities which she abate possesses. it is in the grand old legends of Rome, on which Corneille has written with rapture, that Rachel seems to purify her genius from the dross of coarse and earthy passion. Her contortions cease to revolt; and her terrible spasms of agony partake of the sublimity of the supermitund. She seems to re quire the sculpturesque coldness of the classical drama in order to chasten down the almost fiendlike malignity with which she hurls her terrible invective, or explodes her bursts of Satanic scorn. There—in a scene where the apparel and the dialogue remove us from the contentious strife of the passing age— Raeliel ceases to lie the mere woman of brilliant power, and rises upon the excited faney as the Tragic Muse. As she advances in years she becomes more physically powerful. She has done mighty things. For more than a dozen years she has made the theatres of Europe resound with her trinnq►hs in a school of art that is unpopular with our modern publi.). Without artists to support her, unaided and alone, she has performed her exploits. Layard dug up only Nine veh, lint !Whet disinterred Corneille and Racine, and, with vitalising power, made throb the heart of human passion beneath the buried forms of clas sical lite. This wonderful artist inade her final exit on Wed nesday night, amid the enthusiastie applause due only to that degree of genius which is great and lusit. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. TIF.M.IOZ's opera, Beneenato Crlliui, produced for the first time in this country on Saturday last, failed most uneiptiviwally. Critics of all shades of opinion seemed to agree in the verdict of the general public, and admit that a second representation was impos sible. The manner in which the music was received seemed to its the nearest approximation to a fiasco that we have witnessed of late years in a London theatre; and nothing but the proverbial indulgence which the English invariably show to the work of a foreigner could have prevented the opera front being brought to an abrupt conclusion. The remarks which we made upon M. Berlioz'': music, when per filmed at the sixth l'ltilltarmonie Convert, apply with tenfold three to Iris /ten re ii to Genial. We do not question the author's learning and ingenuity, but we hold that he is wanting in those qualities which are absolutely necessary to establish the reputation of a second or even a third rata eomposer. In our opinion, moreover, the great lack of melody which is perceptible in all \I. Ilerlioz's works is not his only tailing; we think him open to the more serious charge of want of musical meaning and intelligence. We are convinced that no impartial critic can rise from hearing one of his more important works with any distinct notion of the impression intended ti be conveyed. and that it would be a hopeless task to at tempt to analyse the thoughts or describe the feelings which he professes to put into music. Ilk best etikis, indeed, are so surrounded with laboured writing and harsh combinations that their existenve can scarcely he recognised, even by the most skilled and practised musician. It is in vain to tell us that M. Berlioz is not understood, and that he is the Radio'. of a new style which in some future age will be duly appreciated. This position rests upon a false basis. We can call to mind no instance of any great talisman who has not enjoyed popular favour timing his lifetime: and it is so obvious that a work intended thr general instruction and amusement, to be suc cessful, must also be intelligible and pleasing, that we cannot &Mira space to combat am ()pillion which deserves the name of a delusion rather than a theory. THE PRESS. TO criticise this opera minutely is a perfect impossi bility. Suffice it to say, that we listened for three hours and a half to a Babel of noise and discord ; and we frankly confess that it would require more talent and ingenuity than we possess to give any co herent account of what we heard and saw. Th. , libretto of the opera is a most worthless composition, without interest, and almost without a plot, termi nating in a scene perfectly ridiculous. The singers, band, and chorus acquitted themselves most credit ably, and we failed to discover any mistakes of impor tance. Signor Tamberlik sang the part of Benvenuto with great energy, and Signor Tagliutico deserves especial commendation for the able manner in which he impersonated and sang the difficult part of Fiera uunca. Mme. Didiee, as A vanio, was as usual most carelessly dressed and " made up." This lady has so often to act in male characters that the manage. ment, for the credit of their theatre, should positively compel some improvement in her appearance on the stage. THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. Tip: programme of the eighth concert wag a fol lows: l.—Historical Symphony, Spahr--Seena, Muilione Vier dot, " Wie naelne," Weber--Converto, ciuliu, Mr. Itlewro‘o, Moliiino--Dnet, Madame t7ithtellaut aUd Mloliuue Vittrdot, "Ali fareiluno," Spoltr—Overt are, "Oberon," Weber. 1 tint, No. 4, Beethowl —A ria, Ma.bune Castellani, " Non Lemur." Allan—Concert... pianoforte, M. Frill Nfiebune ettNtellan mot Mielnlio. Ali glowda," Mozart-0% enure, "l;eintesvrinn," I.helpaintner. Spar's " Historical Symphony" is a very clever and interesting work, and displays the learning and ingenuity of the composer to great advantage. The first movement is very remarkable for its science and invention, and the larghetto is full of excellent writing and expressive melody. Though there is no lark of merit in what follows, we are inclined to think that the two first movements constitute the most effective portion of the composition. We confess, however, that we prefer Spohr's inure original works. True genius is never itself when compelled "to dance in fetters ;" and the selection of this symphony was hardly complimentary to the great composer, who was present, and who was received with much ap plause by an audience really capable of appreciating his abilities. Beethoven's exquisite symphony in B flat is so fully understood that it requires no critical comments. Suffice it to say that, considering the intense heat of the room, the precision with which it was executed VMS quite extraordinary. We were disappointed with Mr. Blagrove's performance of Molique's concerto. His execution was, indeed, irreproachable, but. he failed to enlist our sympathies or create any interest. We think, moreover, that the concerto itself is not the best that has proceeded from M. Molique's pen. and that. the pnmingknife might be judiciously employed. M. Hiller is a clever player and an accomplished musician, but, judging from those of his compositions that we have heard, we hardly think that he possesses sufficient invention to write a concerto. His performance did not make much impression ; but Orpheus himself would have failed to arrest the attention of any audience, were he to appear in the Philharmonic concert-room to per form a concerto at 20 minutes before 11 p.m., and in the last week in June. The singing was not much above Philharmonic par. Mine. Viardot was either out of sorts or out of voice, and she sang the scena from the Friexchut: without energy and with but little effect. The overture, by Lindpaintner, seems a clever piece of writing, but, as the concert did not terminate till a quarter past 11, few persons were left in the room to hear it. NEW PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. FROM the press of matter we are compelled to post pone our notice of the fifth concert till next week. MUSICAL UNION. WHAT Mr. Ella styles the director's mot iniv took place on Monday last, on which occasion he treated his au dience to a programme of unusual variety anti length. Mozart's quartett in (1, No. 1, though satisfactorily performed, is hardly so well suited to M. Vieuxtemps' energetic style and impetuous bowing as the works of more modern composers : had it been more quietly and delicately treated it would, in our judgment, have gone better; indeed, we have no doubt but that the fugue in the last movement was taken too fast. The septett of Beethoven was a great musical treat ; with the exception of a few mistakes in the slow move ment arising from incorrect counting of time and the failure of the running passage for the tenor and violoncello in the last movement, the composition was well executed; and it is but justice to say that M. Wttille is a very excellent performer on the clarinet. Our space will allow no further comments : we therefore content ourselves with stating that the pianoforte-playing of Mlle. Staudach, M. Blumenthal, anti the boy Napoleon was pleasing; that Bottesini's solo was very wonderful; and last, but not least, that the singing of M. Jules Lefort was a positive in fliction. SATURDAY, tortign rttistic tiossig. THE living German poets are throwing themselves on the drama with a singular eagemesss. The Siegelinde of Oskar von Redwit% is already preparing at Dresden. The perli►rmanee is to last live hours. Bernard von Lepel read at Berlin his maiden drama, Waldemar, Margrare of Brandcabury, in which the false Waldemar is, in accordance with modern his torical researches, considered to be the right one, an d rice renal. Otto ltogurth has finished a comedy, 7'he Court's► Reuss. A Frankfort literary paper an ticipates for it an immense success. All the lyric theatres at Paris are closed. The Grand Opera, which will most probably change its director, and the Opera Comique, because they both very much wanted cleaning; the Opera National, o n account of the recess ; the Italian Opera, because it has ceased to exist. At the same time not a single concert is announced, and there is a complete lethargy in the world of music. Rachel begins on Saturday at Brussels with Phedre her announced series of five representations. llog,er made his Wind at Berlin some days ago, in the tenor part of the Dame Blanche. Mlle. Fahr and M. I)essoir left, for London, to rejoin M. Emil )evrient's German company. Dessoir has a reputa tion for what (imams call the heroic parts in the classic drama. _ . _ At Florence the Theatre Altieri was closed for want of money. The Pergola was to reopen with Beatrice di Tenda and I Lombardi, with La Frezzoloni,liasili, and Totfanari, and Maria di Bohan, with the tenor Dan' Armi. Yerdi's new opera, II Traratore, was performed at Faenza with immense enthusiasm. Thalberg is writing two operas—one for Vienna, which is to make its appearance next spring; the other for the Opera Commit° at Paris, with a libretto from Legouve and Serila. The libretto to the 'ltalian partition was written by Felix Romani. An Imperial ukase has been published at St. Petersbnrg forbidding any mingling in the concerts of religious with profane music. The principal stipulations are as follows :—Concerts are subdivided into religions and profane; religious pieces are never to Le mixed with profane; religions concerts cannot take place in the theatres ; no psalms or prayers be longing to the orthodox religion can be sung ; if of other creeds, then only with the words in a foreign language; accordingly Lwow's Stabat Mater cannot be performed with Russian words. Next to the very rich works of the Russian mission in China now being published, that of the Councillor of State, lwan Liprandi, upon the Ottoman empire, is cited with great eulogiums. It is said to surpass that of Hammer, which was till now held to be the most complete. The collection of the necessary ma terials has oe.cupied halt' the life of its author. The collection of books belonging to him comprises every work published in Turkey, in any language, from the sixteenth century to IssB. A monument in memory of the celebrated philo logist of the sixteenth century, 'Justus Lepsius, was inaugurated this week at Isque, a little town, his birthplace, sonic three leagues from Brussels. Bel gium has honoured in this way of late most of its celebrated men in arts, sciences, and arms—Vesale, a physician, Godfrey of Bouillon, Charles of Lor raine, at Brussels; Rubens at Antwerp, Gretry at Li►ge ; Simon Stevin, the celebrated mathematician, at Bruges ; and, lastly, Orlando Lasses and Roland tie Lattre, at Mons. stientt nb i'itentutt Prroatr. MURAL PAINTING.—NEW INVENTIONSL—The desire to possess some means of preserving mural pictures from atmospheric influence, and of which fresco painting is still subject to decay, especially in northern climates, has been the cause of many expe• riments made of late, of which the Munich stereo chromy has been one of the principal. In the present Paris Exhibition of Fine Arts, however, M. )levers, of Turin, a former pupil of Jollivet, Ary Schetter, and Picot, has placed a large picture executed with enamel paste on burnt clay (pate &email ear terre cuite). It is of large dimensions, 54 by 44 metres, and is composed of iS pieces. The brilliancy of this picture, representing " Three Guardian Angels Watching the Sleep of a Babe," is great ; still there is some inequality of colour in it, as the want of greater means prevented the artist from using an adequate furnace for baking the single tablets of clay ; and he was unable to burn more than sixteen at a time, which operation be had to repeat with the whole three times over. The execution of this vast enamel has cost M. I►evers one year's labour, and an outlay of 10,000 francs. Stereochromy has been also used by M. Portaels on the walls of the Church of St. Jacques sur Caudenberg in Brussels. It is certainly a procedure more durable than the old Italian fresco. Still it is to be supposed that stereuchromy, as practised at Munich anti Brussels,