The Press. — London, England, 1855-07-21 00:00:00

JULY 21, 1855. the Opera Comique forces. The finale of the second act, combining the " Dessauer," or sacred march, the oath, the pas redouble, and the fanfare of the military bands, was prodigi, usly well done. Despite of its intricate combinations, Costa managed to secure an ensemble, the plaudits for which at the close were tremendous, and insured for the conductor his appearance before the curtain at the end of the opera. That some disappointment was felt at the nonappearance of Meyerbeer in the orchestra to conduct his work there can be no doubt. As he has been in town to superintend the rehearsals, it was naturally anticipated he would follow the example of Spohr when Jessonda and Faust were produced, and direct the three first performances. Meyerbeer, however, entertained such high confidence in the ability of Costa, and being of a nervous temperament, that he paid the Covent Garden conductor the high compliment of requesting him to retain the bdton. The overture, with its stately march and animated coda, in which the military band on the stage co operates, was redemanded. The mounting of the entire work, so far as regards the stage action, was intrusted to the experienced hands of Mr. A. Harris, who enlisted a phalanx of our soldiers of the line, some of whom had been at Alma and Inkermann, for the military movements of the camp scene. The stern realities of war might be guessed at by the groups formed on the stage in battle array. The horse artillery, the batteries with their gabions, the infantry thrown forward as skirmishers and in line on the heights, the costume of the various divisions, combined a coup &mil which the oldest frequenters of theatres recognised as unparalleled. Beverly's scenes of the coast of Finland, and the rocky defile, are gems of art in their way. In short, nothing had been neglected by the management, no outlay had been spared, to do honour to the remarkable occasion of Meyerbeer's visit to the metropolis, after an absence of twenty two years. It must have been a proud moment to this great composer as he stood on the stage receiving, with evident diffidence, the ovation of the public and artists, to know that he had outlived all prejudices against his works, and to be enabled to feel that his hesitation for so many years to venture to this country had been a mistake. By the production of the Etoile du Nord the seal has been set of Meyerbeer's supremacy for operatic composition. He must, indeed, marvel that in an establishment without any financial aid from the Government, dependent for its . . resources solely on the support of amateurs, his works have been produced with such effectiveness; but he must be still more surprised, after the repre• sentations he has heard as to the Royal Italian Opera, and as to the state of art in the country, at Thursday night's performance. It' the result should lead to his appearance in a domain of art which he has not yet essayed, that of the soul-moving oratorio, then, indeed, will his advent here prove of mighty consequence. THE PRINCESS CZARTORYSKA'S MATINEE MUSICALE. —A performance of vocal and instrumental music was given on Tuesday morning at the town house of the Marquis and Marchioness of Breadalbane in aid of the Polish Literary Association. Her Highness the Prin cess Czartoryska, und'.r whose auspices the concert was arranged, was assisted by several aristocratic amateurs, as well as by Mme. Anichini, Mme. Rudersdo4, Signor Ciabatta, and Signor Belletti. Signor Piaui on the violoncello, Herr Eller on the violin, and Mr. Lindsey Sloper at the piano, were also present. The great feature of the concert was the performance on the piano of the Princess Czartoryska, par excellence one of the most brilliant amateur performers and accomplished pianists we have ever heard. Her principal selections consisted of the trio in C minor of Beethoven, and the sonata in A, for violin and pianoforte, by Mozart. In the *election of such music her Highness evinced a taste which was only equalled by her admirably artistic execution of these morceaux. Her fine tone, light touch, and exquisite purity of style, combined with remarkable fluency of execution, called forth the most rapturous applause ; and the correct and finished manner with which the illustrious amateur rendered the presto which concluded the sonata evinced a style incomparably clear and articulate. Her High ness, in the second part of the concert, performed one of Chopin's nocturnes, and also one of his mazurkas, as well as an unpublised MS., in a style so florid, expressive, and graceful that Chopin himself could have desired nothing more. Herr Louis Eller, who made his debut upon this occa sion, took the violin part in both trio and sonata, and afterwards performed three solos of his own—Minuet Sentimentale, Yalu Diabolique, and a Corrente—in which his execution, particularly in the latter, was marked by singular purity of tone, accurate expres sion, and great power of rapid manipulation. His success was undeniable, and the reputation which he has lately achieved in Paris fully borne out at this his first appearance here. A solo on the violoncello by Piatti, and a number of vocal morceaux, in addi tion to the famous songs of "Bon lomme," THE PRESS. Robert le Diable, by M. Levassor, between the parts, concluded the entertainment. The room was crowded with a fashionable and distinguished audience, among whom the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, Marchioness of Ely, Marchioness of Aileshury, Earl and Countess of Fortescue, Viscountess Palmerston, dm., were present. At the close of the performances the Marquis of Breadalbane presented to her High ness the Princess Czartoryska a congratulatory ad dress from the Literary Association, signed by him self as president. _ SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—M. Jullien has this week commenced his series of Concerts Monstres at these popular gardens. His orchestra, which is on a large scale, includes several artists of note, among them M. Guerin, M. Leloup, Herr Reichardt, Signor Martini, and Herr Romig, &c., are the most distinguished musicians. The selections of music have hitherto been upon the usual popular scale, and several of M. Jullien's well-known compositions have been very warmly received, "The Allied Armies Quadrille " still achieving great triumphs. The fine weather and this attraction, which materially enhances the " Siege of Sebastopol," have nightly filled the gardens to some extent. BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.—The preparations for this festival are on a scale of unexampled liberality. The programme speaks highly fur the judgment and taste of the committee, and shows that they have determined on sparing no efforts to maintain the celebrity for which the festivals at Bir mingham stand preeminent. Greater care than usual has been bestowed in the selection of the choral department, which will consist of about 350 performers, while the band will consist of about 150 more, so that, combined, there will be five hundred in the orchestra. The principal vocalists include Mine. Grisi, Mlle. Bosio, Mme. Rudersdorff, Mme. Castellan, Mme. Viardot, and Miss Dolby; Signor Mario, Signor Gardoni, Herr Reichardt, and Mr. Sims Reeves ; Signor Lablache, Mr. Weiss, and Herr Formes. Mr. Costa conducts, as usual. One of the principal attractions of the festival, so far as the musical world is concerned, will be the performance on the second day of Mr. Costa's new oratorio, en titled Eli, which has been written for this meeting. The subject is from the first four chapters of the First Book of Samuel. The words have been com posed by Mr. William Bartholomew. The other se lections are unexceptionable. On Tuesday morning the Elijah is to be performed ; or, Wednesday, the new oratorio; on Thursday, The Messiah; and, on Friday, Beethoven's Mount of Olives, Mozart's Requiem, and a selection from Handel's Israel in Egypt. The three evenings are all devoted to the usual class of concerted music. On Tuesday evening Mr. Macfarren's cantata, Leonora ; on Wednesday we have, inter alia, Mendelssohn's Lorely, and selections from The Huguenots; and, on Thursday, Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, a composition of Prince Albert's, and selections from the Etoile du Nord, &c. The programme presents the appearance of having been very carefully and judiciously pre pared. The magnificent hall is undergoing a very elaborate course of decoration, suitable to the archi tecture of the building. From the descriptions which have appeared in the provincial papers, the or namentation is of a very gorgeous character, the ceiling being studded with arabesques. The mode of lighting is to be entirely changed. The new plan is by sunlights in the three compartments of the ceiling, and more than twelve hundred burners will be employed in obtaining sufficient illumination. The festival is this year a few days earlier than usual, being fixed for the last four days of August; but it has in it the highest elements of success. Re Vrama. HAYMARKET. ON Monday night Mr. Farren took a farewell of the stage. For forty years and upwards he has been famous to the wcrld, and few actors can claim so un deniable a success in certain characters as Mr. Farren. As Sir Peter Teazle or Lord Ogleby he was literally unrivalled, for never from his early days has any actor appeared who could equal him in his sin gular power of individualisation, in his exquisite conception of character, or in those delicate touches and minute traits with which he perfected the im personation. His name will always be connected with these two characters, and although be never failed and always excelled in everything which he undertook, even to a Grandfather Whitehead, his reputation will stand upon Sir Peter or the dandy lord. Of late years bis broken health and loss of me mory seriously affected him, and it is only surprising that he should have been able to bear up so long against such terrible physical infirmities as he suf fered. On Monday night it was painful to a de gree to see the veteran actor striving boldly to go through his part ; hut he could only sustain himself in a solitary act—the second of The Clandestin' Marriage, one of his cleverest and most exquisite scenes ; yet he got through it with considerable effect, 695 the warm and enthusiastic applause of the house encouraging him manfully. When the curtain rose and discovered the old favorite of many long years surrounded by his friends and associates the house rose and cheered with enthusiastic vigour, and the curtain dropped upon another of that inimitable school of actors which flou rished so famously in the days of our fathers. The performances, which took place under royal patronage, were varied and amusing. King Rene's Daughter came first, performed by Miss Helen Faucet and Mr. Sullivan, and followed by the amusing farce A Moving Tale, in which Mr. and Mrs. Keeley appeared ; then Mr. Sims Reeves sang "The Bay of Biscay," and Mr. Albert Smith " Galignani's Messenger," while Mr. Webster, Mme. Celeste, Mrs. Stirling, Mr. Leigh Murray, Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Selby, Mr. Compton, Mr. Harley, and Mr. Parselle, appeared in several of their most amusing characters, and in The Clandestine Marriage Mr. Wigan, Mr. Howe, Mr. Chippendale, and Miss Ellen Chaplin lent their effective assistance. During the week the "Spanish Dancers" have continued their charming pertormances, and the new ballet, Two Pretty Women, is the most successful which has been performed. PRINCEBS'S.—A lively, entertaining farce, as usual adapted from the French, Un Mari qui Arend du Ventre, was produced at this theatre on Monday with great success. The title itself, even in English, How Stout you're Getting, attracted a good deal of attention, and the smart dialogue and good jokes which succeeded fully bore out anticipation. The story is that of a fat, bulky chemist, who is too fond of his dinner, and his cozy arm-chair, and too indif ferent to his wife, suddenly receiving a hint front his doctor that his idleness and indifference will be productive, not only of unusual obesity, but of a graver evil, since his wife, young and pretty, is perpetually the companion of a good-looking cousin, George. Mr. Plummy becomes alarmed, and at once takes active measures to subdue his own tendency to fat, and his wife's to visit her cousin ; goes through all sorts of violent gymnastic exercises, dances, fence and fights, and, as a last resource, starts upon a tour to Switzerland, with the intention of attempting Mont Blanc. As the fair Mrs. Plummy's object has solely been to get her husband out of his arm-chair and on a foreign tour, the conclusion is inevitable, and they start, leaving cousin George to look after the business. Mr. Fisher, who takes the character of Plummy (originally assigned to that inimitable actor Arnal, at the Varieties), enlivens the piece materially by his versatility and humour, while Mr. Everett as cousin George, and Miss Murray es Mrs. Plummy, are both extremely clever in their impersonations. The piece is certainly one of the most successful farces out this season, and selves as a very pleasant prelude to Henry the Eighth, which appears to have lost none of its attractions. ADELP ti I.—An extract from the last Christmas piece Zigzag, called Fraternization, has been brought out at this theatre with success. The title will sufficiently indicate its allied meaning, but the grand contamination of the plot is the appearance of en heroic drummer, M. Blondelet, who beats twelve drums at once, and elicits the most startling and alarming combinations of sound. FRENCH EXHIBITION OF P &INTINOS, Pax-MALL THE picture of the "Horse Fair" by Rosa Bonhenr, now exhibiting at this gallery, is a very remarkable painting. It is not saying too much to admit that very rarely is a mere representation of animal life painted with such vitality, so perfect in form and grouping, so harmonious in colour, and so excellent in general effect. The subject is the "Horse Fair," at Paris, and the immediate matter, groups of cart stallions being brought up to the post. The central group includes a man mounted on a dark-brown stallion, which is rearing up with savage obstinacy, while the led horse —with ears down and head forward—is evidently on the qui rive for mischief. On the lett of this couple, and a little in advance, is a magnifi cent white horse, plunging furiously ; while further on two huge grey stallions are seen in full trot for the picket. On the right of the first couple, and in the rear, a noble, broad-chested dun horse is coming up quietly, led by a man who is smiling at the troubles of his companion on the brown horse ; while the background is filled in with led and mounted horses, in all attitudes and action,—con eluding a scene perfect for truth and effect. It is high praise, but not exaggerated, to say that this picture is well worthy the study of all artists and amateurs. The drawing is so correct, and the story so well told; while the vigour and animation of some of the groups contrasts ad mirably with the easy repose of the others. The grouping is excellent, and the lights so cleverly managed, as to bring out the central group in bold relief. The bead of the dun horse on the left is perfect for expression—the fire in his eye, and the