The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-23 00:00:00

lon* 3rtistit tiossip.

A MELANCHOLY circumstance has interrupted the pm-
feasional tour of Mlle. Rachel in Belgium, and
obliged her to renounce her project oft continuing
it in Holland and Germany. On urday last
she returned from Maestricht to Brussels, and per-
formed in The Horaces. Never was the great trage-
dian more great; but the effort seems to have exhausted
her strength, so much so that after the representation
she remained for several hours in a complete syn-
cope. Her malady having increased, she was
obliged to return in haste to Paris, to pass in repose
the last month of her cove.
Apropos of Mlle. Rachel and the Comedie Fran-
caise, a magnificent typographic production has just
left the press of M. Firmin Didot, under the title of
Historical Documents on the Comedic, Francaise."
It is a curious work, though embracing only the
period of the first Empire. In France public men
and literature were at all times closely mixed up
with the theatre; the foyer of the Comedie Fran-
caise was in former times, as it is partly still, a sort
of kaleidoscope where all celebrities of the day
gathered. Though the work of M. Emil Laugier re-
lates more especially to the official part of the his-
tory of the celebrated institute, it abounds with anec-
dotes, and will be read with interest.
The Comedie Francaise has lately revived Mo-
here's SganareUe, in which the parts of Sganarelle
and Don Juan were performed with incontestable
talent by Samson and Geffroy. A new drama, in
two acts and in verse, The Queen of Lesbos, in which
Judith will have the principal part, will shortly
follow.
The Lyric Theatre at Paris will reopen on Sept. 1,
and the three Operas are preparing for an interest-
ing struggle during the next season. Meyerbeer is
composing an opera comique, which will decidedly
make its appearance in December at Paris. In his
moments of leisure the celebrated maestro is pre-
paring an oratorio.
Alboni, just returned from America with a princely
fortune, is to marry shortly the Sardinian Coubt
Pepoli.
11. Masset, from Liege, who for a time enjoyed a
celebrity as a singer, has been appointed professor
of singing at the Conservatoire of Music at Paris, in
the place of the late Galli.
The Belgian Pictorial School of Art has achieved
several striking successes at the Paris exhibition.
On the report of Count Nieuwerkerke, four of the
Belgian exhibitors received the gold medal ; two
others the legion of honour. The remarkable pic-
ture of the young painter Slingeneyer—the " Battle
at Brouwershafen," one of the best historical records
of the country—has been bought by the Belgian Go-
vernment, and presented to the town of Antwerp.
This production marks a new phase in the yours.
Belgian school of painters, of which Slingeneyer is
incontestably one of the most eminent pupils. It
proves that without losing their brilliant qualities of
colour they have resolved to apply with more care to
design.
M. Guillaume Kobell, painter to the Elector of
Hesse, died some days ago : his pictures of battles
are much esteemed in Germany.
Joseph Kleinhaus, the blind sculptor, died in
the Tyrol, his native country, some days ago. Having
become blind at the age of nine years, in consequence
of the measles, he produced when twelve years old a
Christ of natural size. His works are very nume-
rous • his Christ* amount to 400. Two months ago
he made' on a model a beautiful bust of the Em-
peror of Austria.
Mlle. Emilie V andermeersc h is at present the lioness
in Brussels. She has been admitted to perform Ina-
fore the Royal Family ; at the palace of the Infante of
Spain, Maria Isabella de Bourbon; and iu all the
aristocratic drawing.roome which the season of ril-
kgpiature has left open.