The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-20 00:00:00

612 attempted in this or any other country. Such demon strations are politically as well as socially of infinite mportance. The loyal outbreak of 'Wednesday will be cited by the foreigners who were present, in every part of the world ; and there were meetings of friends and relations within the walls of the Palace which only such a festival could have brought about. The Handel Festival of 1857 in the Crystal Palace will be a glorious reminiscence, and will descend to the chil dren's children of the actual generation. "THE TWO ' DON GIOVANNIS.'" MOZART'S Don Giovanni was revived on the 9th inst. at the Royal Italian Opera, and on the 11th at Her Majesty's Theatre. We will give our impressions of the two performances in one article, because we do not shrink from the frank expression of our opinions, looking at the two presentations solely from an art point of view. The two casts are as follows: _ [ HER MAJESTY'S ROYAL ITALIAN THEATRE. OPERA. Don Giovanni Sig. Beneventano Sig. Ronconi Leporello Sig. Belletti Herr Formes 11 Cominendatore M. Vialetti M. Tagliafico Masetto Sig. Corsi Sig. Polonini Don Octavio Sig. Ginglini Sig. Mario Zerlina Mlle. Piccolomiui Mme. Bosio __.. Donna Elvin Mlle. Ortolani I ronna Anna Mlle. Spezia Mlle. Marai Mme. Grisi There is a growing dislike to the use of epithets in operatic affiches. There was no occasion for Mr. Gye, therefore, to employ the term " powerful " to his cast, as it was self evident. The use of the word " unprecedented " as applied to the Haymarket cast is unfortunate. An "unprecedented cast" is equivocal—it may be taken in two ways. Compared with the casts witnessed in this and other countries, that of Her Majesty's Theatre was certainly " un precedented " in the worst sense. The majority of the Haymarket singers are essentially Verdi artistes—a school totally opposed to the classic and refined style exacted for Mozartian works. Beginning with the hero, the immortal Don Giovanni, neither Beneventano nor Ronconi can claim the attributes of an Adonis. Some venerable opera frequenters still cite Ambrogetti as the model Don Giovanni. The present generation swears by Tamburini. Of one thing we are quite certain—Beneventano is the lowest in the scale, both as regards singing and acting. Rmconi exhibits finesse in his acting—in the defiance and ghost scenes rising to grandeur, but his intonation is too often at fault; and if Don Giovanni must be measured by inches rather than by intellect, then does Ronconi's assumption fall short of the standard, albeit marvellously fine in singing, especially in the recitatives. The two Leporellos are on more equal terms. Belletti's version is sung like a true musician, but is tame in the acting. The music is too low for him, and the concerted pieces consequently suffer much. The solid substratum of Lablache in the lower notes will not easily be forgotten. The German's conception of the Don's servant we take to be accurate. He raiders him half-buffoon, halfbravo—a true Spaniard in his intimacy with his master—sympa thising with his love of adventure, and a ready cut throat if he can but stab in the dark. Then in the final scene Formes rises with the horror of the situation, and he feels the terrors which his guilty master affects to despise. The drawback in Formes is his strange pronunciation of the Italian recitatives—a defect amusingly illustrated by Ronccni, when the Don and Leporello exchange cloaks and hats. Tagliafico was born for the music of 11 Commendatore ; his peculiar timbre is most peculiarly adapted to the awful music of the part. Vialetti's intonation excepted, he was not in effective in the ghost part. Polonini's Masetto has been always regarded as a perfect thing of the kind —so stolid in appearance, and with the advantage of a fine bass voice. Corsi acted it admirably, but the music was quite out of his register. Mario's Don Ottavio is unapproachable : his chivalrous bearing renders the "walking gentleman" a prominent pic• tare, and his singing is perfect. To the surprise of many, Giuglini's Ottavio turned out to be the most feeble and insipid within recollection, independently of the irreverence with which he treated Mozart's text. Mine. Bosio's Zerlina, although improved in the acting, is still much more remarkable for its exquisite rendering of the music, barring some vary slight liberties taken with the text. Piccolomini, on the other hand, makes Mozart entirely subservient t) her acting purposes. If the audience, as a daily contemporary has suggested, have their eyes on her, she assuredly has always her eye on the stalls and pit. She plays to the house, which is her Don Clio •lnni and Masetto in turn. To her colleagues in Viese characters she rarely vouchsafes a glance. Her notion of Zerlina is right in making her a coquettish grisette ; but, Piccolomini, pray respect Mozart ! Do not massacre his melodies—do not torture his time and tune. Give us the Zerlina of your histrionic impulses if you will, but at the same time respect the genius of the composer, who has THE PRESS: assigned to Zerlina the divinest of melodies. Donna Elvira has not yet met with an adequate representa • tive in this country. The part is of the highest musical importance, and ought to have a first-rate singer. Neither Ortolani nor Marai come under this category; both have antipathetic voices, the former especially ; but one quality displayed by her is worthy of praise, that of distinct enunciation. Between Grisi and Spezia there is an immeasurable gulf. The Donna Anna, wrote a German poet, ought to be represented by "one of the handsomest of her sex, one of the grandest of actresses, and one of the greatest of singers." This is why Grisi's imperso nation has never been approached—she has the three qualifications. Spezia has a good stage pre sence and has considerable energy, but her Donna Anna is not Mozart's heroine. Dismissing for a moment the two casts, neither of which is perfect, but which wilt not for a moment admit of comparison, so inferior do we regard that at her Majesty's Theatre, a word or two as to the restorations in the text at the latter estab lishment. It must be borne in mind that Mozart's original score, as produced at Prague in 1787, is the one generally adhered to in Germany and elsewhere. Mozart made certain additions when the opera was produced at Vienna—additions, no doubt, suggested by the exigencies of singers, who have been the tyrants of lyric art in all countries from time imme. !lariat. We think the director at Her Majesty's Theatre is entitled to credit for trying some of these additions, for it will be soon seen what are really valuable and what are quite useless. As for au absolute adherence to a composer's score, it is simply absurd. Is it to be desired that Handel's Messiah should now be deprived of Mozart's additional ac companiments ? If there be a restoration of Gluck, would it be possible to follow his instrumentation strictly? The cry against the use of the trombones in Mozart's Don Giovanni is a senseless one. Let us see what the Haymarket restoration has done in the case of the chorus " Viva la liberta." In Mozart's original score, now in the possession of Mine. Viardot, it is only sung by the seven principal characters on the stage, the chorus not having been employed at all. Now, what does Mr. Lumley state in his advertisement?— From respect to the grand work of the immortal com• poser, the following artistes of the establishment have consented to lend their assistance to increase the effect of the majestic finale of the first act, including the chorus " Viva la liberta." MM. Reichardt, C. Brahana, Bottartli, Mercuriali, Kinni, De Soros, and Baillou; Mesdames Poma, Berti, Baillou, Fazia, and Ramos. What is the result of this combined effort ? A grand political demonstration on the stage, with waving of hats, throwing up of caps, &c. What was really the meaning of the poet Da Monte, the writer of tl , e libretto, and the design of the composer? Simply to convey the notion of general gaiety free from the conventional forms and restraints of society. This was the "Liberty Hall " intended by them, and not a claptrap exhibition, never intended by either poet or composer. The two airs, " Dalla sua pace " by Ottavio, and "Ah ! fuggi ii traditor " by Donna Elvira, ought to remain permanent restorations on two grounds—first because of their intrinsic musical merits, and secondly because they assist in the accurate development of the story. The "Ho Capito " of Masetto stands in the way, and it can be spared. We think the present placing of the grand scene by Elvira is wrong. We have heard it sung in Germany at the opening of the second act, which is better. A duo between Leporello and Zurlina—" Per queste tue manine "—and the finale after the departure of the Don to the regions below, are still omitted, the latter being a vexed question ; but we think that alter the descent of the libertine hero, the moral finale would not be listened to. But what say the restorers ? What becomes of their theory of "the score, the whole score, and nothing but the score "? The mise en scene of Don Giovanni is within narrow limits. A ballroom scene, the eques trian scene by moonlight, and the Pandemonium, are the prominent items for the painter and deco rator. In the first and second there are chances for legitimate display : the last scene must be ideal, and, after all, is reduced to a supply of red fire, more or less, as Don Giovanni descends, with a contrast in effect by making the Commendatore ascend in blue fire. Marshall's success is in the ballroom, with a Sadler's-Wells effect of ancient days in a fountain of real water. But the stages at the Lyceum and Her Majesty's Theatre are equally unadapted to realise the composer's intentions in the finale of the first act, as it requires three distinct compartments for the waltz, the minuet, and the contredanse. The triple times of three-four, two-four, and three-eight can only be rendered intelligible by the action of the three sets of dances, unless they are visible to the audience. It was quite right at Her Majesty's not to parade two leading dancers in the minuet, and it was praiseworthy to free the supper scene of the lady supernumeraries who have here so long occupied it. One mistake was made in having the scene of the Comrnendatore's death, in the first scene, in a SATIIIIDAY, garden, as Donna Anna distinctly mentions the murder as having occurred in the street. For those who are curious in encores --those absurd excrescenses of operatic representations in this country—it may be as well to mention that at the Royal Italian Opera Mme. Bosio was encored in " Batti, batti " and " Vedrai carino," and that the trio of masques, sung by Grisi, Marai, and Mario, was redemanded. The encores at Her Majesty's were Piccolo►nini in Zerlina's two airs, Giuglini is "II mio tesoro," and the chorus " Viva la liberta." The two or&iestras of course are not to be men. tioned in the same breath. The weakness in the stringed—on which so much depends—in Bonetti's staff was fatal to the inner workings ; rarely were the celli, the violas, and second violins heard. He was painstaking, and deserves credit for effecting so much with inferior materials ; but his times are fre quently at fault. How the accompaniments are rendered by Costa's orchestra scarcely require even passing mention : even if there was an inferior cast, such masterly execution would carry an opera through triumphantly. Both theatres were crowded to excess—a proof of the undying popularity of Don Giovanni. Since the above was penned we have again seen the opera at Her Majesty's Theatre, and must abso- lutely confirm our first impressions, that the interpretation of Mozart's score is a failure. MUSICAL D01N03.-0 wing to the space occupied by the notices of the works of Mozart and Handel, we cannot notice the Philharmonic concert last Monday and the Musical Union last Tuesday, at both of which Charles Halle played. We are glad to announce that the " Vocal Association," under Benedict's able direction, will have a concert next Saturday at the Crystal Palace. Next Thursday Mlle. Victoire Balfe will appear at the Royal Italian Opera, for the first time as Lucia. M. Belart, a Spanish tenor of note, is announced for next 'Tues day, at Her M‘jesty's. MADAME Rlsroßt.—We had hoped to have noticed this week the splendid creation of Camma at the Lyceum by the Italian tragedienne. It has been another triumph for Ristori. Next Wednesday she will appear in a translation of Dean Millman's tragedy of Fazio. Fabal an Riiiitarg :pttiligente. A MONUMENT TO CAPTAIN HEDLEY VICARS has just been completed by Mr. Hale, to be erected in Beckenham Church. The Christian character in combination with the soldierly bravery of Hedley Vicars, of the 97th, have become known to all through his "Memorials," of which, it is stated, not less than 1.50,000 copies have been sold; his name and fame needed, therefore, littie from "storied urn or monumental bu it" to keep them living in the hearts of his countrymen. The design of the monu• ment is simple and pure. The soldier's sword hangs in its scabbard against the wall of his last home, suspended from an elaborate sword knot, which affords thus a ready ribbon for the motto of his regiment. From the handle of the sword also depends a scroll, which thus gracefully adapted is in reality the monumental tablet on which are written the name and description of Hedley Vicars, with an inscription in such language ot• piety, faith, and re signation to the will of the Almighty, ant hope in the love and mercy of his Saviour, as the pious hero would have himself desired should be placed on his tablet of remembrance. THE VICTORIA CROSS.—Her Majesty has been pleased to signify to Lord Pantnure, the Secretary of State for Wa.., that it is her gracious intention to personally distribute the Victoria Cross (the Order of Valour) on Friday, the 26th inst. It is now determined that the ceremony of the distribution shall take place in Hyde-park, and not on the paraie facing the Horse Guards, as originally contemplated, so that a far greater number of the public may have the opportunity of witnessing the interesting pro ceedings. Prince Albert and all the elder members of the Royal Family, the Prince Frederick William of Prussia, the Archduke Maximilian of Austria, and a brilliant Court circle will be present on the occa sion. SIR GEORGE MAGRATH, M.D., retired Inspector of Hospitals, died a Plymouth on Friday, the 12th inst. Sir George received a pension for wounds June 18th, 1816, was made a Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order January 17, 1834, and a Companion of the Bath August 17, 1850. THE ROYAL YACHT Victoria and Albert, Captain the Hon. Joseph Denman, sailed at daylight on Saturday morning on a cruise to try her machinery. She reached Cherbourg, eighty-four miles, in five hours. She visits the Channel Islands and the coast of Ireland. THE 23rd and 93rd Regiments embarked on Wed nesday for Hong Kong, the first named on board the screw transport Cleopatra, and the latter on board the screw transport Mauritius.