The Press. — London, England, 1857-08-08 00:00:00

ISO Epitaph: from the Greek Anthology. Recreations of Christopher Nei& VoL I. Blackwoods Victoria and the Australian Gold Mines in 1857. William Weitg.trth. Smith and Elder The Autobiography of Laths llah. Edited by E. B. East wick, F.R.S., F.S.A. Smith and Elder Ties Classed Catalogue of the Educational Division of the South Kensington Mateum. S pottisweode Holland, its Institutiuni, its Pr ess, Kings, and Prisons E. Meeter. Hope The Intellectualism of Locke. An Essay. Thomas E. Webb, M.A. Longmans Tom Burke " Ours." Charles Lever. Vol 11. Chapman and Hall China, Australia, and the Pacific Islands in the Years 1855.6. .T. D'Ewes, Esq. R. Bentley Sinai, the Hedjaz., and Soudan. James Hamilton. R. Bentley THE PRESS, ATJGIIST 8, 1857. the Italians love to style their enthusiasm, it sur passed even that exhibited for a Grisi or a Lind--a Pasta or a Malibrau—a Rubini or a Mario—a Tamburini or a Ronconi. The uninitiated, on taking up Mr. Lumley's prospectus for 1857, would naturally look for a repetition of the names recited above—such signal successes of course must be succeeded by permanent re-engagements. The reverse,! however, was the case. In place of the improvised engagements of 1856, the unparalleled phalanx of lyric genius, according to our daily con temporaries, the list for 1857 comprised only the names of Alboni, Piccolomini, Mlle. Berti, Signor Balletti, and Signor Beneventano. The new engage ments were Mlle. Spezia, Mlle. Ortolani, Mlle. Ramos, Mlle. Puma, Signor Giuglini, Signor Bottardi, Signor Corsi, and Signor Vittletti—almost an entirely novel troupe, in fact. Signor Rossi, \Jim replaced as buffo that stupendous Zucconi, re appeared at the fag end of the season, Beneventano, for some inexplicable reason, having done duty fur him in Bartolo—a delineation which effectually killed the Barbiere, with the aid of Reichardt one time and Bottardi on another occasion. Charles Braham, Reichardt, and Belart—the one an English tenor, the second a German one, and the last a Spanish one—were in turn added to the company of 1857. • The season opened on Tuesday, the 14th of April, with Donizetti's Favorite, and closed on Thursday, August 6th, with Verdi's Traviata and th:i last act of Puritani. The subscription was for thirty nights, and ended Saturday. July 25 ; since then, the theatre having been kept open nightly at reduced prices. The works performed from April 14th to August 6th were as follows : No. of Times. VERDT. 3 La Traviata No. of Times. PERIODICALS. West of Scotland Magazine. Hall and Virtue—The British Expedition to the Crimea. Rout ledge—Rout/edge's Shakepeare, King Richard the Second. Routledge —The Train—Tail's Edinburgh Magazine. Groombridge—Coe sell's Art Treasures' Exhibition. Partridge, Kent, and Co. — The Ladies' Treasury. Ward and Lock—London niiversity Magazine. Hall and Virtue—The Commercial Travellers' Magazine. Kent and Co.—The National Magazine—Kent and Co.—The Art Journal. Virtue and Hall—North British Review. Kennedy and Co. PAMPHLETS. On the Defence of London. .CIV. Parker—A Handbook to the Waxed paper Process of Photography. Chapman and Hall—Documents pour Servir a l'Histoire de !'Appli cation de l' Article 24 du Trade de Paris. Bradbnry and Evans Metropolitan IVorkhoisees and their Inmates. Longmans. PUBIC. THE OPERA SE tSON, 1857. HERMAJESTYITHEATRE ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA LIST OF CHIEF SINGERS. LIST OF CHIEF SINGERS. CONTRALTO SOPRANO: PRIME. DONNE: Mme. Alboni. Mme. Grisi. PRIME DONNE : Mme. Rosa Devries. Mlle. Spezia 11111 e. l'arepa. Mlle. Ortolani. Mlle. Victoire Balfe. SECONDF. DONNE AND Mme. Bosio. COMPRIMARIA : CoMPRIMARIA : Mile. Berti. Mlle. Mara*. Mlle. Puma. CONTRALTO : Mlle. Ramos. Mme. Di.liee. PRIMA DONNA ASSoLITTA : SECONDA DONNA: Mlle. Piccolomini. Mme. Tiigliiitico. TENOR, : TENORS Signor Giuglini. Signor Mario. Signor Bottardi. Signor Gardoni. Herr Reichardt. Signor Neri Baraldi. Mr. Charles Braham. SECOND TENOR: Signor Belart. Signor Soldi. Signor Mercuriali. BARITONES : BARITONES Signor Ronconi. Signor Belled. Signor Graziani. Signor Beneventano, BASSI-pRoFoNIM : BUFFO : Signor Tagliafico. Signor Rossi. Signor Polonini. BARITONE : M. Zelger. Signor Corsi. Herr Formes. UNKNOWN: DIRECTOR OF THE MUSIC, Signor Baillon. COMPOSER, AND CONDUCTOR. Signor ile Soros. Mr. Costs. Signor Gariboldi. SCENIC ARTIST. n %Sso Mr. William Beverley. Signor Vialetti. DIRECTOR OF THE MUSIC AND CONDUCTOR: /Moor Bonetti. SCENIC ARTIST: Mr. Charles Marshall. HER MAJESTY'SITHEATRE. SUMMARY OF THE SEASON. THE Haymarket " Restoration" dates from the 10th of May, 1850, when, after a lapse of three years, Mr. Lu nley resumed his functions as director of Her Majesty's Theatre. The renewal of the operatic per formances within the ancient arena afforded general flati , faction, and it was hoped that the experience of the past woul I not have been lost, but that a sincere spirit sf art worship would be the leading feature in the future policy at the old Opera-house. Every in• dulgence and allowance were made, therefore, for the—as it were—improvised campaign of 1850, and it was utterly impossible for a theatre to have re opened under more flattering auspices. Amongst the old favourites and faces Alboni, Signor Calzolari, Signor Bocarde, and Signor Belletti were seen; and amongst the new artistes were the truant Johanna Wagner, Mile. Piccolomini, Mme. Albertini (the English prima donna., Mme. Amadei (the English contralto), Mlle. Rizza, Mile. Finoli, Mlle. Berti, Signor Beneventano, Signor Zucconi, and Signor Salviani. According to the duly recorded recitals of the debuts of all these new-comers, in the diurnal journals of 1850, every new artist was a prize—there was not a single failure—quite the contrary, transcendent was the triumph of each artist ; and such was bis or her reception that in furore, as La Favorita La Figlia del Reggimento 4 11 Trovatore 7 L'Eliair d'Amore Nabucco (Nino) 1 Lucia di Lammermoor 8 MOZART. RuSSINI. Il Don Giovanni 13 II Barbiere 2 Le Nozze di Figaro 3 La Cenerentola 2 BELLIXI. La Sonnambula 1 I Puritani 5 The above return would give sixty-one perfor mances (including the two morning ones on the Ist and 29th of June), but to these must be added the Piccolomini and Giuglini benefits on the 6th and Ilhh of July, at which no entire work was presented, a pot-pourri being substituted on both occasions of operatic odds and ends. If we add Mrs. Anderson's morning concert on the 18th of May, and Benedict's three musical "festivals" of the 10th and 24th of June, and the Bth of July, the theatre will have been opened sixty-five times. This return shows that the opera season is becoming more and more limited. Neither Mr. Lumley nor Mr. Gye ventured to com mence operations before Easter, and both directors cut off the month of August, taking care to terminate their subscription nights by the end of July, and the former could only keep his company together by a diminution in prices. The two directors turn the autumn months to account by expeditions into the provinces; and the inference to be drawn from this line of policy is, that, in order to meet the enormous expenses of their establishments during the regular London season, they must calculate on contingent receipts before its ancient conclusion. As regards Mr. Lumley's doings during 1857, the list of operas given above supplies its own explana tion. It has been essentially a Piccolomini and Giuglini season. His programme foreshadowed his intention, special reference being made to Picco lomini ; and the only novelty promised, if novelty it can be called, being the revival of Mozart's Don Giovanni. The engagements were evidently made with the determination that no really great singer should be in the field to disturb Piccotomini's popu larity, and, so far, good judgment was shown ; for Ortolani, with a disagreeable voice in quality, and a very imperfect execution, and Spezia, with a fatigued organ, and possessing but moderate dra matic ability, have not in the slightest degree com promised the fame of the representative of La Tra viata. But what of Alboni, it may be urged in reply? Alboni was here last season, and, although one of the greatest of vocalists, has never "drawn money "—to use the theatrical term—by herself. When she sang as contralto with Grisi and Mario at the Royal Italian Opera, it was another thing alto gether; but alone, especially in the mode in which Mr. Lumley has taken good care to present her, she is not attractive. She sang this year Rosina twice, Amina once, and Cenerentola twice. On two occa sions II Barbiere was cut down to an act, and on another she had to sing the last act of the Sonnam bula. We might sympathise with such a truly magnificent singer on this treatment,if we were not so strongly convinced of the great mistake she has made in this country, at all events, of abandoning her contralto parts. Perhap s , as she is about to resume them to "oblige" Mr. Beale, Alboni may, at a future season, enchant her former admirers by a esumption of her former grand parts. Piccolomini has not advanced this year in artistio reputation, although we are assured her attraction has increased in a financial point of view. Her new parts have been Lucia, Zerlina, Susanna, and Adina ; and her acting in Zerlina was accepted without reserve as a compensation for its musical deficiencies. '['he new tenor Giuglini carried off the honours in the Lucia; and Susanna and Adina, even Mlle. Piccolomini's most ardent admirers admit, were mistakes. It will be seen that the Traviata was given ten times, and this fact is about the true indicator of her real position at present. With her natural gifts she has a future before her, but her tendency to exaggera tion has been lately on the increase. Giuglini, the new tenor, achieved a great triumph. He has been an invaluable acquisition. His last acts in the Lucia, Puritani, Favorite, and Trovatore have firmly fixed him as a favourite, and have accounted for the ex aggerated eulogiums which have been so injudiciously showered on him. His great defects are a dragging of the time, and a want of power and intensity. He sings charmingly in bits, but is apt to weary through. out a long opera. Next to Giuglini, but superior in sentiment, and more accomplished in execution, is the new Spanish tenor, Belart. If the latter will study, he may take hereafter the lead. Bottardi was a failure. Reichardt is not adapted for Italian opera; and Charles Braham is only fit to be a chamber singer. Vialetti, the new basso, did good service. His intonation is defective, and his style is French, but he Droved one of the best importations. Corsi has never had a real chance. If he had made his debut in the Due Foseari, the public would have recognised a thoroughly dramatic artist. The Ballet presented a piquante danseuse in Mlle. Poe chini, and the returns of Rosati and Marie Taglioni were, of course, warmly welcomed—the latter is gaining ground vastly. Mlle. Salvioni was a debu tante. Mme. Perea Nene was not relished in her new quarters; what was admired at Mr.Buckstone's did not pass muster at Mr. Lumley's. On the whole, the signs of the times this season at Her Majesty's Theatre are not bright and pro mising. We are not at all misled by apparent triumphs ; and the mere fact that the balance is on the right side of the exchequer is no guarantee for the future. After the disastrous fire at Govent garden Theatre there was a fine prospect opened to retrieve the fallen fortunes of Her Majesty's Theatre. The policy was a palpable one. It should have an earnest endeavour to approach, if not to equal, the magnificent performances which rendered the Royal Italian Opera a theatre of European reputation. On such a basis everybody would have rallied round the old Haymarket establishment; but the mistake of former years has been repeated. Instead of directing all energy and attention to the stage, and presenting an unexceptionable ensemble, it has been evident :hat reliance has been principally placed on external sources of influence, and connoisseurs have been expected to shut their eyes and ears, and disbelieve, in fact, the. evidence of their senses. This game has been tried ; it answered for a time, but it was eventually played out; and, unless a change take place, it will be more speedily exhausted than it was in past days. The director who speculates on the permanent ignorance of the public in lyric art is sure to fail egregiously in the long run. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. OUR summary of the season is in type, but, owing to a press of matter, is unavoidably postponed until next Saturday's issue. Obituarg. BISHOP BLOMFIELD, late Bishop of London, died at Fulham on Wednesday evening. The late bishop was born in 1780. Having been educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, he was third wrangler and senior medallist in 1808, and subsequently a Fellow of his college. After taking order: he became suc cessively Archdeacon of Colchester and Rector of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, and was co. secrated Bishop of Chester in 1824, from which see e was translated to that of London in 1828. He was known to the world of letters by editions of ".2E.co)tus and " Callimachus ;" he was also author of a " Manual of Family Prayers ;" "Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles ;" " Sermons at St. Botolph, Bishopsgate," kc. He was one of the original supporters of the New Poor Law, and had a principal hand in establishing the Ecclesiastical Commission. Bishop Blomfleld was one of the prelates who protested against the elevation of the present Bishop of Hereford, and as a member of the Privy Council dissented from the judgment delivered by Lord Redesdale in the Gorham case. He resigned his see last September, receiving a pension of 6,000/. a year. THE COUNTESS (DOWAGER) OF STAIR died OR Sunday last, at Oxenford Castle, near Edinburgh. The decased countess was third daughter of Adam, first Viscount Duncan, the renowned admiral, by Henrietta, second daughter of the Right Hon. Robert Dundas. Her ladyship was born in 1783, and married in June, 1825, the late Earl of Stair (then Sir John Dalrymple), who died in 1853.