The Press. — London, England, 1857-07-18 00:00:00

708 productions. Even the benefit nights of artists will not justify a course of proceeding so degrading to lyric art, and so unworthy of a first class operatic establishment. Mlle. Piccolomini has appeared as 'labia in Donizetti's Elisir d'Amour. The music is too florid for her limited powers, but, like all her assumptions, it. is prettily acted, with a tendency to exaggeration in the details. Jenny Lind made a terrible shrew of this Adina, and Piccolomini is quite right in making her a rustic coquette. Belart is destined with ordinary care to be the tenor. There is a geniality in his style of singing which warms his auditory. His Nemorino is one of the best that has been heard. Belletti's Sergeant is capitally sung aid badly acted, and the Dub:Amara of Rossi is conventional, without. approaching the unctuous humour of Lablache, or the racy drollery of Ronconi. At the Royal Italian Opera Mlle. Victoire Balfe's Lucia will be the nett novelty. Fra Diavolo is universally allowed to be one of the most perfect lyric representations ever witnessed. Next Molina) , Verdi's Traviata will be given with Guldoni's comedy, La Locandiera, for Mme. Ilistori. Tam berlik has returned to London from Rio Janeiro, but whether he will reappear this season has not been announced. Til E PRES S, JULY 18, 1857. CONCERTS OF THE WEEK. LORD WARD is an ardent amateur, ever anxious to assist the artists. He has opened the Dudley Gallery three times this week to beneficiaires— Italy, France, and Germany, curiously enough, being represented at these matinees. On Monday Signor Biletta, the composer, and Signor Solieri, the tenor, gathered the►r patrons. Biletta wrote La Rose de Florence for the Grand opera in Finis, not to speak of his successful English essay, White Magic, at the Haymarket Theatre. He composes gracefully and melodiously, is yet young, and has a future of promise before him. His works must not be lost sight of. Signor Solieri has achieved a fame which will insure him a position on lyric boards. The " aids " were Mlle. W.tgner, Mme. Marcolini, Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Dolby, Jules Lefort, the French romance s►nger, and Signor Monari, the basso; Signor Andreali, the pianist; Signor Bazzini, the violinist; and Bottesini, ►he contrabassist. On Wednesday it wal the turn of Mme. Ugalde, the star of the Opera Comique in Paris, who was once induced to quit her speciality and to sing in Italian by the side of Sontag, in Auber's II Prodipo, produced at Her Majesty's Theatre ;n 1831. Mine. Ugalde, in her own language, is the queen of florid songstresses. She is the Louisa Pyne of the French stage ; and in the works of Auber, Ambroise Thomas, Halavy, &c., is without a rival in brilliant vocalisa tion, as she proved by the specimens she extracted for the Dudley Gallery. Her fashionable auditory was enraptured with her bravura airs, the intervals in which were filled up by Mlle. Coulon, the pianiste, I3azzini, Solieri, Lefort, Herr Engel ( harmonium), Herr Reichardt, and Signor Burdini. The Teutonic beneficiairo was Reichardt, yester day, a tenor who, if he would but confine himself to his own guiturals, has infinite power of pleasing his hearers. When he attacks the Gallic, Tuscan, or Anglican tongues, he is not so successful; but as a concert and chamber singer his abilities are unde niable. The fourth and last concert of the Vocal Union took place on Wednesday, at the Hanover square Rooms. Mr. Poster, as we have had frequent occa sions to remark, has one of the purest and most sympathetic alto voices we have heard, and he sings with intense feeling and consummate tasta. His aid at the Vocal Union is invaluable. He is ably sup ported by Miss Marian Moss, Mr. Wilbyo Cooper, Mr. Montem Smith, and Messrs. Thomas and Winn. Practising together, this little troupe has reached rare perfection in part-singing. Miss Poole sang two airs between the glees and madrigals; and Mr. Hatton, the composer, played one of his own preludes and fugues. On Tuesday the matinees of the Musical Union terminated. Mr. Ella has maintained their high cha racter, and he has introduced the pianist and com poser Rubinstein, from whom so much is to be an ticipated as a new light in composition. ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC. TETE fourth and final concert of the Easter term was given last Tuesday, at the Institution, Tenter den street, Hanover•square. The programme con tained the names of Miss J. Whitehead, Miss E. Spiller, Miss Bignall, Miss C. Mackenzie, Miss L. Fosbrooke, Miss Whyte, Miss L. Van Noorden, Miss Aylward, Mr. Wallworth, and Mr. Bentkin, as vocalists; Miss Le Dieu, pianiste, a pupil of Mrs. Anderson, and Mr. John Cheshire, harpist, a pupil of Mr. Balsir Chatterton. The selection was from works by Beethoven, Donizetti, Balfe, Coppola, Weber, Verdi, Croce, Rossini, W. S. Bennett, Mozart, Meyerbecr, and the Earl of Westmorland. The singers were chiefly students under Manuel Garcia, the brother of Viardot and Malibran, and Signor Schira. There is too much disposition in this country, to cry down our institutions in art, as well as those of a political character. An interesting list has just been published of the termer pupils of the Royal Academy of Music, distinguishing those who have gained glory as vocalists, pianists, orchestral per formers, and composers. We have not space for the entire list, but we may cite the names of well-known celebrities, such as Sterndale Bennett, Macfarren, Mudie, Edward Loder, Hullah, Steggall, Lucas, Brinley Richards, \V. H. Holmes, Mrs. Edward Seguin, Mrs. Alfred Shaw, Lady Bishop, Mine. F. Lablache, Mlle. Favanti (Miss Edwards), Miss Bassano, Mrs. Weiss, Miss Ransford, Mrs. Enders sohn, Mrs. Noble, Mrs. Gilbert, Miss Palmer; Messrs. A. Sapio, E. and \V. Seguin, Allen, Bodda, Swifte, Harrison, Whitworth, Herberte, Cori, Lejeune, Wall worth ; Mrs. Hullah, Miss Macirone, Miss Vinning; Messrs. H. Blagrove, C. Seymour, H. Hill, A. Sim mons, Lavenu, \V. L. Phillips, Goodban, H. Chip), Aylward, Howell, Mount, Richardson, G. Cooke, C. and T. Harper, &c. The names have been selected at random, but they aro familiar ones, being musicians of note in every branch of art. We be lieve the Academy has educated 1,024 in all, 017 female and 407 male, and that there are now about 80 students in the Academy, some of whom will certainly turn out distinguished members of the profession. It must be recollected that the Academy has been founded, fostered, and supported by intli ♦idual exertions and subscriptions, without any assistance, like the continental Conservatoires, from the Government. There can be no doubt that the Academy supplies a first. rat tnu,ical education at a cheap and reason able rate, and it is not the fault of the system if Bachs and Beethovens, Alozsrts and Itlendels sohns, are not turned out every quarter, as we are gravely assured ought to be the case. If the pupil has it in him—that is genius—it will come out of course ; but ordinary capacities, with ordinary as siduity. may leave the Academy good professors if they please, and great ones if they oe gifted as well as learned. We find, on glancing over the printed lists, that tl , e Academy has produced enough talent to supply a National Opera, if it could be created, with excelle it composers, and executants vocal and instrumental, of first-rate ability. It is a national disgrace with such materials not to have an English Opel a, THE MUSICAL FESTIVALS. THERE are to be t.vo musical gatherings in the pro vinces this year—one at Norwich, in September ; and the other in the ancient, historical, and pictu resque town of Worcester, the last week in August. The manifesto of the eastern amateurs has not yet reached us, the committee, and Mr. Kerrison, their honorary and active secretary, being in a state of com bativeness with certain artists as to terms, the sing ing birds considering their migratory moments as those which ought to exact something excessive in order that the nests may be well feathered. The Worcester hon. secretary, the indefatigable and Rev. Mr. Sargeant, has been apparently more fortunate in his negotiations; his birds have been made, or rather will be made, to sing, the negotiations for the piping -time being peacefully concluded. Mme. Novello, the indispensable soprano, has been secured, with Miss Gilbert, Mrs. Clare Hepworth, Miss Louisa Vinning, and Mrs. Weiss, as adjuncts. The contralti are Miss Palmer and Miss Dolby. The tenors are Sims Reeves, Montem Smith, and Gar doni ; Messrs. Weiss, Thomas, and Herr Formes. Thera is a first-rate orchestra engaged, the players being chiefly from Costa's Royal Italian Opera band. Sainton, R. Blagrove, and W. G. Cusins are announced as solo performers. Mr. Done, of the Cathedral, will be conductor; Mr. Amott, of Glou cester, presides at the organ ; and Mr. Townshend Smith, of Hereford, at the pianoforte. On the morn ings of the 25th, 20th, 27th, and 28th of August the performances will be in the Cathedral ; and that amateur who has not heard oratorios in such an edifice is certainly not in a position to appreciate fully the sublime effects of sacred music. The Elijah and The Messiah will, of course, be given, and The Hymn of Praise of Meitdelssobn, with selections from Costa's Eli and liandel's Israel in Egypt. The schemes of the three evening concerts in tie College hall have been carefully studied, so as to present as much variety as possible in all schools of operatic music, and to exhibit as much as possible the abilities of the individual singers. Looking at these programmes from a provincial point of view— the only way in which, in fact, they ought to be regarded—the visitors resident in the three counties which form these festivals have ample reason to anticipate a great musical treat. We are glad to perceive that there are no less than thirty ste 'yards, a list of noblemen and gentlemen, which will gua rantee success in every respect. The Lord Bishop is the President, and the Queen and Pr►nce Consort patronise this festival, the profits of which are for the benefit of the widows and orphans of clergymen in the three dioceses. MR. GLADS'I'ONI?. UPON CLASSICAL EDUCATION. Mn. GLADSTONE was last week present at the annual examination of the pupils at Trinity College, Glenal. mond, Perthshire. As such ceremonies in England, and it appears in Scotland too, end in a lunch or a dinner, Mr. Gladstone, in replying to a toast proposed by the Warden, took the opportunity to deliver the following opinions upon the value of a thorough classical education. He said For twenty-five years I have mingled amid the cares and storms of life—for twenty five years I have seen the demands made on men—and that chiefly among those who may be called—and I do not cad theta so invidiatialy— the utilitarians. the practical people ; and the result of that experience is that, instead of despising more than formerly the ancient plans of education, and being ready to substitute the more novel, the new-tangled ideas upon the subject, I have every year more intensely wished and more earnestly prayed that the higher education in this country may be maintained on the old foundations. I ant not disposed to give in to the adversary one inch in the matter of disputation in this question. I hold that their views are not merely rash and bold, but that the move. merit altogether is in the wrong direction, and that they are taking a very narrow view of the exigencies of human nature, and that in finding fault with the experience of mankind they are not substituting anything better, but merely notions manufactured in the brain which will not stand wind or weather. We are told that the French language is much more useful than Latin and Greek. and that the time spent in acquiring a knowledge of Latin and Greek should he given to French. I answer this by saying it is much more useful to make coats or waistcoats than to learn Greek or Latin, or French either; and it is therefore not necessary to teach French and Greek, but the thee should be employed in making coats and waistcoats ; and I believe the mail who will admit the first argument will also admit the second. There is an impatience in men's minds of any result that is distant—a losing hold of the great principles on which society is based for the shallow views of men who look for immediate results ; and not seeing the effects at once of these things—of Latin and of Greek—they are dissatisfied. In coming down by the railway, by is side I saw the electric telegraph. Now, it might have been said by an observer "What is the use of that?" He sees the use of the railway, but he sees nothing of the uses of the electric telegraph, and lie might suppose that the pcica and the wires were erected there for some idle purpose — if not for ornament, at least not for use. But yet throngh these wires is passing the mind of the world—the most wonderful communications ever known. Is not that the case with ancient classical literature? Ara its results not seen in the character of the men produced in this country? If it is found that the minds of men under that mode of education are better fitted fcr ail the active duties of life than in other countries where it is disre garded, then, is this not a demonstration to satisfy any reasonable man that, although the results may come slowly, and may be at the ntoolett invisible, they must persevere with their labours; and that, although the fruits are slow, they will come, and that they will gain what is desired—to enable their children to discharge all the varied duties of life. That is the practical issue which we must he content to abide; and all that I ask is that we be not tried by the test of immediate utility. If only the objector will be content to take the results of experience —and it is a comprehensive school—then it would be the tribunal to which I would be willing to carry it; for I am convinced that the same amount of practical utility cannot be ob tained by the substitution of any other system of educa tion. I confess that, turning your attention to another point of view, I am by no means satisfied of the value of a superficial classical education. Whether it is one of those goods from which results are obtained in exact proportion to the amount taken, 1 have great doubts. I have a strong impression that in order to obtain its benefits there must be a thorough classical education. There must not be any mere mastery of books, but rather a thorough assimila tion of the intellectual habits—we must not give up the old-fashioned exercises of committing to memory what we have learned to construe, but go on that our minds may harmonise with the languages. For my own nart feel the deep importance of the thorough study of Latin and Greek—and I am glad to see that in this college this principle is acted upon. I am willing to make additions and extensions to that study, but not to imply the loss of what is indeed a delightful as well as useful study, or the substitution of anything directly opposite,