The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-08-21 00:00:00

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

JIILLIEN'S CONCERT AT TUE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—
On Thursday evening. next, M. Jullien gives a second grand
concert and military fete at the Zoological Gardens. In ad-
dition to his own splendid band, he will, as on his previous
.visit to these gardens, be accompanied by the band of the
2nd Life Guards, whose performances gave so much satisfac-
tion and delight. The attractions held out are great, and
without doubt the audience, as on the last occasion, will be
very numerous.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—That the opera is gaining ground
in public favour, has long been an understood matter, and one
which has received rather more than the ordinary extent of
corroboration from the musical dilettanti and connoisseurs of
Liverpool, so far as conversational acquiescence can be relied on.
That the amount of patronage bestowed on the efforts of a
really efficient operatic company has not been indicative of
the truth of this general belief, is unfortunately true ; and
what is still more unfortunate, these efforts have been repeated-
ly made and as repeatedly rewarded with the same extent of
speculative approbation and practical neglect. During the
past week, we were afforded the opportunity of witnessing the
performance of high class opera; and the result has been that,
except on two or at most three of the evenings, the attendance
in the theatre was so poor as to be far, very far indeed, from
reimbursing these responsible for the cost of the undertaking.
This is a matter deeply to be regretted, but it is also one for
which an immediate remedy cannot be very directly discovered.
Everything connected with the getting up of these operas has
been of the first order. No expense was spared in having the
orchestra and the chorus of the greatest excellence; the leading
vocalists were of the highest character, and the selection
of operas was judicious. The scenery and costumes were beau-
tiful, and neither expense nor labour were omitted in the
attempt to have everything connected with these operas worthy
of the character and taste of Liverpool. The series commenced
on Tuesday evening, with Verdi's recent opera " Il Trovatore,"
which was rendered in a style of great excellence. This opera,
which has produced a profound sensation in London and Paris,
as well as at the leading theatres of Italy, is a work rather of
adaptation than of genius. A great artistic authority informs
us that he will be most original who is most familiar with the
ideas of others ; and judging from this foundling of Verdi's,
it would seem that he had aimed at great originality, of the
kind alluded• to by Reynolds. In "Il Trovatore" we have
snatches—beautiful snatches, it must be admitted—of the
most striking features of our best operas. It resembles, in this
respect, a garland,in which selected flowers of every hue and
fragrance have been combined to form a charming. whole. It
is without doubt a musical manufacture, but a very clever one,
and one deserving of high commendation. The leading charac-
ters were admirably sustained—Madlle. Bosio, whose person
and general style are lady-like, beautiful, and fascinating,
taking the prima soprano•part. Her voice is rich, clear, and
melodiously liquid, while her vocalization is graceful.
Madame Viardot Garcia, in herself a host, was also a
leading artiste, uniting in her performances the highest
order of dramatic singing. Lively, impetuous, and strikingly
impassioned, she threw into her singing and acting all the
eloquence and power the characters were susceptible of re-
ceiving. As a bass of noble quality, power, and delicacy, it
would be difficult to find a compeer to Signor Graziani. His•
style is full, flowing, and artistic. Tamberlik as a first-class
tenor requires no commendation from us. He has earned a
high reputation, and he deserves it., The ether artistes were
more or less known, and generally admired in Liverpool. On
Thursday evening, the performance consisted of Mozart's
great opera, " Don Giovanni," which was given in admirable
style to a crowded and enthusiastic audience, who testified
their admiration of the opera and-of ,the style in which it was
rendered-by frequent and well-deserved- plaudits. On Wed-
nesday, Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," and one act of
" Otello," were performed to a limited and. listless auditory;
Friday witnessed a larger assemblage, to grace the perform.
ance of Bellini's " I Puritani," which .was well given and well
redeye& On Saturday the programme of performances was
brought to • a close by the production of. Rossini's-. sparkling
and showy-• opera "Il Barbiere de Siviglia," and an act of
"Masaniello." On this last occasion the house was well
filled ; but,. as a whole, these beautifully-performed operas
failed in attracting remunerative audiences ; a matter deeply
to be regretted, as every effort was made to deserve and secure
encouragement: The music of all of them was charmingly
played and sung ; the chorus and orchestra were numerous
and effective ; the costumes were gorgeous and beautiful ; the
scenery was exeellent,, and the manner in which all the operas
were put upon: the stage indicated a high desire to please,
and showed plainly that no expense nor labour was spared in
getting them up. Can we under such zireuinstances, hope
for more liberal encouragement for another effort ; Or are
we quietly to relinquish any further attempt. at having first-
class operas produced in Liverpool ?