The Press. — London, England, 1856-07-12 00:00:00

Palk TIER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Tnz Italians and the French, and even the Germans, pertinaciously cling to the study of gesticulation, which Plato explains as inclusive of motion and gesture, to express internal feeling by external action or signs, "even when quiescent." The close copying on the Grecian stage of every facial expression and personal attitude, was considered as a musical study, time and rhythm being comprehended therein. A ballet, based on these divisions of tragic, comic, and satirical gesticulation, as may be witnessed in Milan, Naples, Paris, and Betlin, is a grave affair, and men of profound learning do not disdain to afford assist ance to the ballet master, the painter, and the pan tomimist, to give due effect to the dumb scenic representation. Some years since, in Mr. Lumley's palmy days, an excitement was raised for ballet ex hibitions, not exactly upon the grand continental scale, to last an entire evening, or to be preceded only bya single act of an opera, but sufficiently gorgeous and imposing to eclipse the glories of composers, whoever they might have been. The dancers, in fact., were supreme at Her Majesty's Theatre, and opera was neglected; the director making the mistake of taking a transient triumph for a fixed attraction. The days of the idealists and the realists were then glorious ; because the stars of the Taglioni, Fanny Elssler, Lu cite Grahn, Carlotta drisi, Cerito, Perrot, Sic., were in the ascendant, extinguishing the remembrance even of Noblet, Heberle, Bias, Mercandotti, Le Gres, Brocard, Anatole Montessu, Paul, Charles Vestris, Albert, Coulon, ,Itc. Tempted by the great success of Le Corsaire at the Grand Opera in Paris, a re• vival of terpsichorean spectacle has been essayed, and the experiment will, no doubt, prove successful, but not on genuine grounds. The popularity of the Corsairs, as it was proclaimed viva voce by the stallites and pittites, on leaving the theatre at midnight, will be derived from the concluding shipwreck, and the picturesqueness cf the general grouping. We join issue witn the verdict so far as this—that, whilst fully admitting these attrac tive points, we must contend the Corsaire is worthy of watching, principally for its pantomime, for rarely has anything more perfect been seen than the combined gesticulation of Mlle. Rosati as Medora, Signor Ronzani as Conrad, and M. Dauty as Seyd, the old pacha. There is no occasion fir any amateur to trouble himself about Byron's poem. M. SL Georges, wbo was the concocter of the Cor en ire, a well-known operatic libretto writer, in con junction with the veteran ballet master, have not pirated the Byronic fancies. They have invented situations for their hero and heroine, simply taking names as the standard, and it would be a complete waste of space to copy our contem poraries and fill the columns with the English printed adaptation. Without the book, Rosati and Ronzani tell their story. There is no mistake in the intense passion of the Corsair and in the sympathetic return of the Medora. Never were action and gesture more speaking, and attitude more poetic, striking, and graceful. M. Dauty is an admirable mime. His make-up was marvellously accurate, and his expressions irresistibly comic. A finer panto mime scene than that in which Medora dances round the pacha, and draws his pistols from the belt, he laughing like an old amatory imbecile, has not often been witnessed. The dramatic climax, when the Corsair appears at the window, was capitally attained by the three artistes. The Corsair's scene with the mutinous lieutenant, and Medora's " pas de fascina tion " round him, were great demonstrations on the part of Rosati and Ronzani. The grouping of the girls in the " pas d'eventail," with extended fans of peacock's feathers, was well contrived. The Oriental slave market is a very commonplace incident in a ballet; but Mme, Copere's taste in choice of colours for the costumes, and the skill of the elaborated groupings, carries it through with animation. Mar shall is in his glory when he has something terrible to grapple with, and the sinking of the felucca amidst the raging of the elements gave him an occasion for distinction of which be has skilfully availed himself. The transitions from the lurid glare of the sunset, to the blackened mass of clouds, were naturally made, the doomed ship being tossed on the agitated waves, and going down amidst a fearful crash, the Corsair and Medora being, of course, saved on a plank to enable them to receive the bou quets of the delighted spectators after the fall of the curtain. The only hitch of the repreeentation was in the over-anxiety of the crew to drown themselves, as they mercilessly dragged the waves over their beads, making such a dust as caused no little sneez ing from the stallites. This little defect remedied, the sinking ship will be seen with much interest. When the small size of the stage is considered, it is really surprising what scenic effects are accom plished in the Corsaire. The storm is far better managed than the one in Halevy's Tenyesta, for now, by the panoraniie contrivance of the moving clouds, the felucca appears to be actually in motion on the waters. Whether this ballet will revive the THE PRESS. ancient predilection for serious pantomime time will show, but certainly no better specimens of the school could be given than the gesticulation of Rosati, Ronzani, and Dauty. One of the greatest treats experienced this season was that of Tuesday night, when Alboni sung the Cenerentola with a charm and brilliancy which contrasted strongly with the screaming and spas. modic styles the subscribers have had recently to endure, being told as a consolation that in these days a prima donna was not bound to know how to sing, provided she could act. With Calzolari as coadjutor, and a new buffo-basso, Signor Rossi, from St. Petersburg, Paris, and Vienna, as Don Magnifico. the opera went off merrily, even with an inferior Dandini to Beneventano, whose coarseness and want of finish are more and more apparent as his voice becomes fatigued by incessant strain. Rossi, who in face recals the late Mr. Fitzwilliam, and in unctuous humour Mr. Dowton, will be a very useful addition to the company. Mlle. Wagner will appear to•night (Saturday) in Lucresia Borgia, and Charles Braham will make his debut as Gennaro, and Mme. Amadei (Mrs. Fry) in Orsini. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. GRISI has reappeared as Elvira in 13ellini's Puritani, a youthful character, which, it was hoped, she had abandoned to younger aspirants. Gardoni's Arturo was new to the subscribers, who, however, resent the giving up of any part by Mario, however able his successor. Mme. Bosio has had a good re• ception as Leonora in the Trovatore. She sings the music brilliantly, and acts with more than ordinary animation. Otello will be revived with Grisi and Mario, and, we trust, Gardoni as Rodrigo. The season is drawing to a close, and Mr. (lye's plans to rebuild the Royal Italian Opera are stated to have been settled. The site will be the old Covent-gar den Theatre, the approaches to which will be im proved. CONCERTS OF THE WEEK. The eighth and concluning concert of the Musical Union was given last Tuesday, at Willis's-rooms. Mozart's quartet in B flat, Beethoven's quartet in E flat, No. 10, Op. 74, and his pianoforte sonata in C, Op. 53, were included in the scheme; the execu tants being Sivori, Cooper, Goffrie, Piatti, and Halle. Mr. Ella has brought his matinees to a brilliant conclusion, and he has fairly entitled him self to the approbation of his aristocratic admirers, as well as of the general body of amateurs. In his 1 • Record," which is instructive in information, if here and there somewhat eccentric and dogmatical, the director justly alludes to the fluctuations in or ganised institutions depending upon annual contri butions ; but the Musical Union has become a necessity for the fashionable classes, who love the classic masterpieces in chamber compositions ; and we believe that this Union will be one of the pioneers for the foundation of some permanent national musical institution. In the love of art there should be no exclusiveness, and music is the language of all countries, but we are not the less rejoiced to find that out of the twenty one artistes who have ap peared this season the majority is in favour of the English. Miss Susan Goddard, the pupil of Halle and Benedict, had an evening concert at the Hanover square Rooms last Monday, assisted by her two masters, the brothers Ganz, Mme. and Mlle. finders • dorff, Mlle. Milner, Herr Reichardt, M. Jules Lefort, Herr Rokitanski, and Signor Belletti. Miss Arabella Goddard, the pianiste, gave a soiree on Monday, at the Hanover square Rooms; she played the celebrated B flat sonata of Beethoven, in which she gained such glory at the Musical Union, with wondrous precision, the intricate fugue being rendered with almost unparalleled ease. Miss Goddard accompanied Mr. Sims Reeves in B,tetho ven's "Adelaide," his reading of which is full of affectation. Just at the fag end of the season an artist has arrived who might have created some stir, a Signor l'isani. He presented himself in the double capacity of singer and composer, and, independently of his own abilities, was for.ified by diplomatic recom mendations, being a son of the well known drago man at Constantinople. Mine. Viardot sung in French, Italian, and Spanish, at Signor Pisani's matinee, which was held at the Dudley Gallery, and Mme. Rudersdorff, Signor Monari, Signor Marras, Signor Sighicelli the violinist, and Signor Andreoli the left-handed pianist, with Signor Mariani and Benedict as accompanyists, lent their aid. MR. BUNN'S BENEFIT.—Next Monday, at Drury lane Theatre, Mr. Bunn, the former lessee, will take a benefit, on which occasion portions of the operas of the Enchantress, the Bohemian Girl, and the Maid of Artois, will be performed. The words of these works are by Mr. Bunn, who was associated for so many years with Mr. Balfe in the working of a really National Opera, the decline of which in some measure may be ascribed to the jealousies of the wits of the day, who, being themselves libretto writers, did not like Mr. Itunn's monopoly of the SATURDAY, only existing lyric stage. When the history of the two patent houses is examined hereafter with im partiality, justice will be done to Mr. Bunn f or hi s exertion, to sustain their interests. His managerial dictatorship fell after arduous struggles, but what has it left behind? tte grams. LYCEUM THEATRE. GOLDONI'S COMEDY "LA LOCANDIERA."-MME. HISTORY; THE action of the comedy passes at Mirandolina's hotel, at Florence, in 1753. Mirandolina (Mine. Ristori) is the owner of the hotel, "La Locandiera," at the death of her father, and on the rising of the curtain the Marquis of Forlipopoli (Signor Belloui. Bon) and the Count d'Albaf.orita (Signor Boccomini) are disputing as to their patronage of the hotel Mistress, finding, however, a dangerous rival in her eyes in Fabrizio (Signor de Ogna), a waiter. Th e Marquis is poor and mean, and the Count is rich and generous; the former hopes to find favour with the mistress cf the hotel by his rank and patronage, and the Count by his lavish expenditure and by his atten tion. Mirandolina is no ordinary landlady—there is nobility in her face, grace in her movements, and fascination in her manners. The Cavaliere di Ripafratta (Signor Gleck) is no believer in her attractions, as he tells the two disputants ; he is a kind of Rolando and Benedict. The landlady is piqued at his hatred of the fair sex, and resolves to subdue him—her weak point being the love of flattery and adoration, as she admits herself. She mystifies Fabrizio, who relies on the wishes ex pressed by her father on his death-bed, that she will marry the waiter. Of course she tames the womar hater, and plays off two lively actresses, Ortensia (Mme. Tessero) and Dejanira (Mine. Rapazzini), as ladies of rank on the Marquis and Count, from whom, with ludicrous tact, she extracts presents, and ulti mately, after causing the Cavalier to quarrel with them, she bestows her hand on the faithfui Fabrizio, who, however, in vain tries to exact conditions from her as to the "love, honour, and obey," &c. Miranaolinti in the tag of the comedy, gives notice to her too loving lodgers to quit her hotel, with an intimation, that on changing her condition she purposes to change her coquettish ways. Such is the outline of this lively three-act drama, which, in many points of treatment, resembles the plays of Congreve. Goldoni has been called the re former of Italian comedy. His animated pictures of manners gave a blow to the system of masked comedy. The construction of La Locandiera is slight, but the love scenes are by no means deficient in drollery. If we had not the example of Homer's " Nausicaa," who condescends to wash her veil in the stream, the notion of Ristori doing the work of a laundress on the stage, of giving out linen to the visitors, and of making out hotel bills, seems impos sible to be conceived, after the terrible displays in Medea and Rosmunda. But the Florentine hostess is no ordinary personage, and the great tragedienne does not lose her air of distinction. The landlady i a well-drawn character. The soliloquy in which she is piqued at the Cavalier's hatred of women is ad mirable. "To be courted, flattered, and adored," she exclaims, "is my weak point;" but then she archly adds, in her own defence, "it is the same with all women." The Cavalier is also well con ceived. His roughness and rudeness in the firA instance, and his subsequent submissiveness to the wily will of Mirandolina, are cleverly developed by the author. The cowardly Marquis is a good and consistent sketch. He is placed in bold relief with the more courtly Count. The feeblest part is the waiter Fabrizio, and one feels that at the denoue ment the landlady has sacrificed herself to an in sipid lover. The quadruple plot to win the hostess is not in the least entangled; it is easily and perspicuously developed, without attempt at complication and artifice. The second act, in the Cavalier's room, in which he is moved gradually to regard the ingenious landlady with favour, and finally with liking, is dexterously worked. The comedy is rich without caricature, in this scene. It is just such a one as could be imagined in any country at any period, with such a hostess and such a guest. Most exhilarating and most exciting is the situation in which the Cavalier is compelled by his inexorable tormentress to persist in his declaration to the Count and Marquis that he is a woman hater, whereas he is unable to conceal his ardour in the by play with the landlady. When he piteously asks her whether tears of women and her swoons are really false and feigned, the extent of the feeling can no further go. His final exit is in a towering rage, with the admission that flight alone can save him frt,ra Mirandolina's wiles. The acting of the comedy by Ristori will require a separate notice. ADELPHI THEATRE. THE pen of a ready writer has transformed 31. Legouve's tragedy of Medea into a one-act burlesque or this theats.. Mr. Mark Lemon has converted • , •