The Press.
London, England, 1855-07-14 00:00:00

PART I.

Overture (Prometheus) Beethoven
Terzetto con Coro, " Esc° altin," Madame Weiss,
Madame Bassauo, and Mr. Whitworth W. L. Phillips
Concerto iu F minor, pianoforte, Mr.W.H.Holmes W. S. Bennett
Reck., " Numi the intact mai," Aria, " Be
m'abbandoni (Nitocri), Madame Bauman Mereatidanta
Solo, " Autumn," " La Dans. des Fees," harp,
Mr. John Thomas Parish Alger'
Aria Buffa, " Wel rampolli," Mr. Frank Bodda
(Cenerentola) Rossini
Finale to the Second Act of " Don Quixote." The
principal parts by Madame Weirs, Mr. Henry
R. Allen, Mr. Herbert., Mr. Whitworth, Mr.
Wallwonh, and Mr. Frank Bodaa Macfarren
PART 11.
Overture (MS.), " The Return " Watson
Duet, " Come, be gay," Miss Helen Taylor and
Miss Riumford reischiitz) Weber
Aria, " Parto, ma to ben into," Miss Birch (La
Clemenza di Tito) Mozart
Clarionet Obligato, Mr. F. Godfrey.
Introduction and Rondo Pastorale, violin, Mr.
illagrove Blegrove
Terzetto, " Troncar suol di " (Guillaume Tell),
Bir.ilerberte, MrWallworth, and Mr.Whitworth Rossini
Aria, " Prendi per me," Miss Rausford De Bei Jut
Finale to the Second Act of " The Regicide "
Principal parts by Miss Helen Taylor, bliss
Ransford, Mr. Henry R. Allen, Mr. Herbert°,
and Mr. Waliworth Lucas
Conductor, Mr. C. Lucas.

The solo instrumental performers were Mr. W. H.
Holmes, pianoforte; Mr. H. Blagrove, violin ; and
Mr. John Thomas, harp. The orchestra and chorus,
conducted by Mr. Lucas, and composed of the pupils,
were large and complete in every department, and
the selection of music, though including several
hackneyed morceaux of the German and Italian
masters, yet did not neglect our own composers.
Of the performance, we can only find room to say
that it was excellent as far as it went. The opening
overture to Prometheus was finely played. Bennett's
concerto in F minor was given with great taste and
expression by Mr. Holmes, and the finale to the
second act of Macfarren's opera, Don Quixote, was
performed in the most creditable manner, and the
choruses given with great expression and force.
Mr. Whitworth, who made his first appearance after
his long tour in America, was very warmly applauded
in the famous Anacreontic song, " When Bacchus
invented the bowl," and Mr. Allen, in " I quit my
pillow," sang with great sweetness and expression.
Miss Birch sang Mozart's " Parto, ma to ben mio,"
accompanied by the clarionet, with great purity and
finish, and the finale to The Regicide was given with
fine effect. The concert was very fully attended, and
though we would wish on future occasions for less of
those hackneyed pieces of Italian opera music, yet
the performance on the whole was highly creditable.

Stt §rama.

PRIVATE THEATRICALS AT LCAMPDEN!!

HOUSE.
A PERFORMANCE, to which much interest has attached
took place on Tuesday night in a pretty little theatre
which is one of the numerous ornaments of Colonel
Waugh's magnificent house at Kensington. On the
10th, 18th, and 19th of June there were three gather-
ings of the friends of Mr. C. Dickens to witness the pre-
sentation, at his house, and by himself, some members
of his family, and two or three gentlemen of artistic
distinction, of a charming little drama by Mr. Wilkie
Collins, called the Lighthouse. The brilliant suc-
cess of these performances well warranted a repetition
of the piece, and it was selected as the attraction
which should enrich the funds of a valuable charity to
which Colonel Waugh has been, in other ways, a
most liberal benefactor. The Lighthouse was there-
fore played on Tuesday to a high class audience,
admitted by voucher and guinea ticket. The actors
were Mr. Dickens, Mr. Mark Lemon, Mr. Augustus

JULY 14, 1855.

Egg, Mr. Wilkie Collins, Mr. Charles Dickens, the
eldest son of the novelist, and Mr. Hogarth ; and the
lady characters were supported by Miss Hogarth
and Miss Mary Dickens. The play is a melodrama
—the scene is laid in the old Eddystone Lighthouse
—and the characters are well contrived to display
the abilities of the performers and to develop a
pleasing story of domestic light and shade. Mr.
Dickens and Mr. Lemon, tried and finished actors,
appeared to very great advantage—the personation of
a conscience stricken but obdurate old man, by the
former, being as perfect a piece of acting as we have
over seen ; and Mr. Lemon's hearty, earnest,
irascible portraiture of one of the lighthouse men
was also thoroughly genial and unconventional. But
all did well, and the grace and gentleness of the two
ladies—Miss Hogarth as a wronged and forgiving
woman, who, supposed to have been murdered, re-
appears to warn and to pardon, and Miss Dickens as
the affectionate and trustful little jeune ingenue of
the drama—gave a refined and charming tone to the
whole performance. A beautiful drop scene was
painted for the piece by Mr. Stanfield, who also con-
tributed some capital devices for preserving the
illusion of storm, spray, and ceaseless play of the
waves. A second piece—Mr. Dance's Wonderful
Woman—was given, and the Hon. Mrs. George
Wrottesley (a daughter of the gallant Sir John Bur-
goyne) sustained the chief character with great
ability. But one thing was wanting to complete the
eclat of the night, and that was the presence of
royalty, with which the performances would have
been honoured but for the engagements rendered
necessary by the visit of the King of the Belgians.
Her Majesty was, nevertheless. graciously pleased to
express her interest. in the success of the perform-
ances and to their object.

A PERFORMANCE of somewhat similar character took
place at Grosvenor-house on Monday afternoon,
under the direction of a committee of gentlemen,
composed of Viscount Chelsea, M.P., Lord Duffe-
rin, Baron Marochetti, &c., the object being to aid the
funds of the Hospital for Women in Soho-square.
The Marquis of Westminster having granted the use
of his picture fallery for the purpose, it was arranged
that a vocal and instrumental concert, embrucing
some of the highest professional and amateur
musical talent, should take place; and that an
original comedietta by Mr. Tom Taylor should
form a feature in the attractions of the fête. The
first part of the performances consisted of a musical
selection, in which the amateur talents of Sir John
Harrington, the Hon. W. Ashley, and Mrs. Sartoris
were assisted by the professional skill of Signor
Belletti, Mr. Charles Braliam, and Mrs. Nassau, sen.
Mr. Albert Smith also enlivened this portion of the
entertainment by singing his favourite melange, en-
titled " The C mintry Fair." Mr. Tom Taylor's
comedietta, The Late Lamented, was then performed
with great Eclat, the chief character being sustained
by the author, supported by Mrs. Sartoris, Mr. Alfred
Wigan, Miss Mary Boyle, and Mr. Spence. The se-
cond part of the concert concluded the entertainment,
which was highly successful, the sale of tickets
having added the large sum of 8001. to the funds of
the charity

HAYMARKET THEATRE.-On Wednesday night Miss
Reynolds took her benefit at this theatre, which we
are happy to state met with a complete and ample
acknowledgment. The performances commenced
with a revival of Sheridan Knowles's play of Love,
the character of Huon being taken by Mr. Barry
Sullivan. After this the Spanish dancers went
through their performances, and the farce of Only a
Halfpenny concluded the evening's entertainment.
OLYMPIC.—Mr. Robson took his benefit at this
theatre on Wednesday last, upon which occasion
Plot and Passion, with The Yellow Dwarf, was per-
formed. The house was crowded to excess, and
the favorite warmly welcomed by an enthusiastic
audience.

FRENCH Prxre.—The eminent tragedienne Rachel
will appear in the popular play of Les Horace* at
St. James's Theatre on Monday, July 30th ; and will
also perform in Phedre and Androraaque before em-
barking for America early in August.

SURREY ZOOLOGICAL OARDENS.—M. Jnllien is
about to give a series of six " Concerts Monstres "
at these popular gardens. The illustrious maestro
will no doubt produce some battle-piece worthy of
the great event which the pyrotechnic display at
these gardens is intended to represent.
THE THIRD CHISWICK FETE for the season took
place on Wednesday in the old gardens, and with
the usual accompanying privilege of visiting the
grounds of the Duke of Devonshire. The day, how-
ever, was one of the most unfortunate in the annals
of the society, and as a matter of course the attend-
ance of company was very small. The show in itself
rivalled, in the opinion of the best judges, any pre-
vious exhibition of the Horticultural Society, the dis-
play of fruit, to which precedence was given on this
occasion, being especially brilliant.