The Press. — London, England, 1855-06-09 00:00:00

JUNE 9, 1855. USit. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. THE performances at the Royal Italian Opera this week have included an additional extra night upon Monday, when Lucrezia Borgia was given, for the first time this season. The deep tragic character of Lucrezia is one peculiarly suited to the genius of Grisi. The finale in the first act, the trio in the second, and the fatal banquet scene in the third, offer situations to which few parallels in dramatic interest are to be found in modern operas. In a character so well known it is unnecessary to particularise the fine points—every one knows them—and of the first performance of the character this season we can conscientiously say, that in the deep pathos and intense passion of her acting Grisi was fully equal to the best of her previous efforts, while in the bril liancyof her singing the slightest possible decadence could only be discovered. Mario, as Gennaro, sang exceedingly well throughout,and confirmed the impres sion his previous performances this season have sug gested—that his voice is in better health and condition than it has been for the last year or two. In the "Di pescatore," and in the romauza in the second act, two of his choicest efforts when he is perfectly himself, he produced an immense effect, and in the death scene his acting and singing were superb. Tamburini resumed his old part of the Duke, and in the great duet in the second act, in which he feigns reconciliation with Gennaro, but at the same time poisons him by the hand of his wife, his acting was very fine; but his singing is but a shadow of what it was, as we have already intimated, but still there is no visible depreciation of taste and judgment, and hence it is still welcome. The famous " Brindisi " was sung by Madame Nantier Didiee with sufficient spirit and gaiety to win an encore. Grisi and Mario were recalled after each act, and at the end of the opera more than once: On Tuesday night Don Giovanna was repeated with the same cast as before, Mlle. Jenny Ney not having sufficiently recovered to take the part of Donna Anna; and on Thursday night the first representation of the Huguenots was given to a very crowded house. The cast was scarcely so powerful as in former years, Mlle. Marai taking the place of Castellan as the Queen, and Mlle. Didiee of Alboni as the page ; but Grisi and Mario were there, and the whole atteirion of the house was fixed upon these two great artists. Yet the audience were more critical than enthusiastic. On the whole, they were cold, and nothing seemed to warm them up till the grand scene of the third act. The " Nobil donna," the " Piff-Paff," the famous septuor of the duel, which scarcely obtained an encore, and the " Benediction of the Poignards" were listened to coldly, and with but faint applause; but the part of Urbano was in differently filled by Mlle. Didiee, who was ill and weak, and, though she managed to get through the " Nobil donna," she was compelled to omit alto gether her best song, the " No, no, no, caso egual." The house felt disappointed, and so the first act went off flatly, in spite of Mario's exquisite singing in the " Bell' angiol," and " Bela divina." In the second act the " Rataplan" chorus was weak and not so effective as it should he, but Grisi's unsurpassable execution in the" 0 terror ! mi spaventa," and the force and freshness of her voice, brought down hearty applause. With the third act however came the incomparable acting and singing of both Grisi and Mario in the duet after the benedic tion, their despair at the discovery of the frightful plot for the destruction of the Protestants of France, her confession of love, the exquisite tenderness which he repeated, "TU m'ami? oh qual brine raggio d'amor celeste!" his passionate appeal to her to fly with him, and their sudden desperation when the mournful tolling of the cathedral bell announces to them both that the hour of massacre has come, was a scene of such intense emotion, such deep pathos, and acted with such exquisite skill, as called forth raptures of applause. Of the other characters, Mlle. Marai sung the music allotted to the part of the Queen with great fluency and skill, but her voice is still tremulous and thin, and wanting in capacity. She is, however, a most correct and conscientious artiste, and is daily improving in her r6l Formes as Marcel was powerful and effec tive in his singing, though he committed a most un mistakeable false note or two in his duet with Valentine in the second act. His acting was fine, impressive, and highly poetical. Signor Taglialico looked and sustained the part of Nevers with grace and dignity, and gave the "Prodi guerrier tu vedi, non un solo assassin " with fine effect ; while Signor Polonini, as St. Brit, proved a most efficient substi tute for Tamburini. Her Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Princesses of Hohenlohe, and attended by the Duchess of Wellington, honoured the performances with their presence. The Trova tore is to be repeated to-night, Mlle Jenny Ney having sufficiently recovered to resume her part. THE PRESS. CRYSTAL PALACE. GREAT and gay have been the doings at Sydenham within the past se'nigbt, during which the directors have celebrated in various ways the anniversary of the opening of their gigantic e-tablishment. On Sa turday last there was an horticultural fête, for which enormous preparations were made, such as the colossal proportions of the palace rendered not only possible but easy, down the long nave and along the open corridor facing the terrace. The arrangements were judiciously contrived to suit all weathers, but the fete, though it might not have been spoiled U 3 rain, went off all the more gaily through the influ ence of the bright sun and genial gales which deigned to visit the land for the first time since the branches had proclaimed the arrival of spring. The floral display fairly rivalled any that either Chiswick or the Regent's-park has ever exhibited. Prizes awarded upon a most liberal scale, to the aggregate amount of 1,000 sovereigns, attracted the flowers to the palace, and the flowers in turn attracted a concourse of visitors, in many respects as gay and gaudy as themselves, to the number of nearly 15,000. Besides the horticultural show there were musical perform ances, chief among which was that of the young pianist, Arthur Napoleon, who gave infinite satisfac tion to the select, or rather the sturdy few who were able to crush their way into the vicinity of his dais under the nave. Three bands and nine fountains also played during the afternoon—the latter for the first time in public, and also to the great delight of the company. On the whole, this fête must be re corded as a genuine and signal success of the direc tors, who have given welcome hints that it will be the first of a series. On Monday another entertainment came off at the palace, in the shape of a concert, at which Alboni was to have sung for the first time in England this season. Indisposition, however, prevented her ap pearance, and the musical portion of the fete wag otherwise supplied; the fountains, bands, and Messrs. Staples' refreshment-tables supplying the supplementary attractions, which gathered 13,000 season-ticket holders—such only being, as on Satur day, admitted—for their enjoyment. The forced absence of Alboni is to be repaired, according to the programme, this day (Saturday), when she will appear in another concert under the same conditions, and with similar accompaniments —barring of course a first indisposition. ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—The engagement of M. Levassor, the celebrated actor of the Palais Royal, at this theatre will afford an opportunity to all true lovers of the exquisite histrionic art of our neigh bours of fully gratifying their tastes. The first of a series of Mutinies et Soirées Ricriatives et Comiques was presented on Wednesday evening, M. Levassor sustaining the principal parts in the proverb A Deux Pas de Bonheur and Le Bas Bleu, a vaudeville in which be appears in five different characters. The interval between the proverb and the vaudeville was agreeably filled up by three songs and a comic scene. In the proverb M. Levassor personates a cynical Englishman, who having fallen in love with the in visible singer of a most fascinating little chanson, travels over the whole of Europe in the hope of find ing her. The singer and the song pursue him in all his rambles, but all his efforts at discovering her, which are detailed in an amusing soliloquy, are un successful. Eventually the cause of his travels turns out to be his own ward, who has accompanied him, and he then discovers that he has been from begin ning to end within "deur pas" of perfect happiness. M. Levassor's Englishman was a thorough gentle man, a little cold and awkward, perhaps, but not in the slightest degree a caricature, never, in tone or gesture, "overstepping the modesty of (English) nature." The Bas Bleu is a very slight affair, and produced but little effect on the audience, coming, as it did unfortunately for its effect, after the Pere Bon homme and the Pirouettes d'un vieux Danseur, both of them, but especially the first, most finished speci mens of the actor's art. The imitation of extreme old age in the song was certainly the most sur prisingly truthful effort of the kind we have ever witnessed. The " childish treble" of the voice, the shrunk figure, the feeble gait, and the innocent vanity of age weakly struggling to conceal its physical defects, were assumed with an accuracy which made it difficult to believe that the actor had not undergone some miraculous temporary trans formation, and had really become the cheerful octo genarian he was representing. The comic scene, in which an old Maitre de Danse, whose enthusiasm for his art is overmatched by stiff joints and feeble powers of respiration, produced convulsions of laughter. M. Levassor was effectively assisted by Mlle. Teisseire, who sang a pretty village song, " Le Cure du Village," celebrating the virtues of a good Roman Catholic pastor, a counterpart of Chaucer's priest, with great taste and feeling. The house was well filled, and, what is very unusual in London theatres, most successfully ventilated. Da. GAISFORD, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, died on Saturday morning last, very suddenly and unexpectedly. The deceased appeared to be in per fect health a few days before, and on the previous Tuesday and Wednesday had been engaged in ex amining candidates for the Slade studentship in the College-hall. Dr. Gaisford took his B.A. degree in 1801 as Grand Compounder, 111. A in 1804, and was appointed one of the public examiners in 1809. He was nominated Regius Professor of Greek in 1811 ; Prebendary of St. Paul's, and also Preben dary of Llandaff, in 1823. In 1831 he was appointed Dean of Christ Church, and had the degrees of B.D. and D.D. conferred on him by diploma in the same year. He was also a delegate of the press, fellow of the Royal Academy at Muni7.ll, and a corresponding member of the Royal Institute of France. He was the author of many classical works, printed at the University press, and held the highest position as a Greek scholar, and his death leaves a blank in that department of literature which will not easily be supplied. The deceased was in his 77th year, and, although partaking of the character of a strict disci plinarian, was greatly beloved in his college. He en tertained a deep-rooted attachment to the university and to his college in particular. He was a great friend and patron of poor students who came to Christ Church, and who showed themselves deserving of regard and encouragement by their quiet study and persevering attention to their duties. )yontg Itarket ant ditg Antellignut. FRIDAY EVEN7NO. TILE Control Market has undergone a marked reaction during the current week, prices having declined nearly per cent. This result is, however, attributable in great degree to the consequence of the large and rapid improvement in quotations since the previous account, which naturally led to some weakness from over-excitement, aided by consider- able sales effected for the purpose of realising profits. It is noticed, however, that upon every fall the public still come in as purchasers for investment, and though the suspension of actual transfer opera tions during the period that the Bank books are shut on dividend account has kept real transactions much in abeyance, yet the presence of such bidders in the market has tended materially to check decline anci given renewed buoyancy to the quotations. All the extraneous causes which were calculated to influence the market have borne a suspicious character. The tidings of successes in the Sea of Azoff, and of the resumed bombardment of Sebastopol, promised to exercise a favorable effect on the barometer of the Stock Exchange. Those advices were, however, received and accepted without producing any notice able improvement, the market for the time appearing to be guided and governed entirely by speculative in fluences. Bullion continues to arrive in masses. 246,0001. came to hand on Monday, and 510,000/. was brought home on Thursday by the West India mail steamer. On the other band, the foreign exchanges are turn ing adversely to this country, and seem to threaten a renewed drain of the precious metal in addition to the heavy outfall which is always going on upon ac count of the war and foreign loans. Monday was the 4th of the month, but the corn. mercial bills falling due on that day were below the usual average in amount, and were met without difficulty. The Omnium of the new loan has been in much demand, and was quoted as high as 5 prem. This afternoon prices were 4i to 1. The New Annuities have been done at 161. Consols were marked to day at 911 to 911 ex div. Reduced at 911 92 ; New Three per Cents. 921 to 921 ; India Bonds 225. to 255. prem.; Exchequer Bills 19s. to 225. prem.; Ditto Bonds 1001 1 ; Bank Stock 209 210. SHARES have been well supported at good prices. Be tween May 1 and June 1 the quotations of nearly all the best lines improved from 3 to 5 per cent., and this higher range of prices still rules in the majority of instances. FOREIGN. The market for Foreign Stocks has shown little animation. Turkish Bonds still almost monopolise attention. They have been dealt in at ♦arious quo tations from 82 to 88, holders showing much a nfi dence. Sardinian were done to-day at 8111 es dl,. for the settling. Mexicans are somewhat lower, at 22 to