The Press.
London, England, 1854-06-17 00:00:00

lint Arts.

ROYAL GALLERY OF ART.
THERE is now on view at Messrs. Colnaghi's a collec-
tion of drawings, very beautifully executed, from some
of the finest pictures in the galleries of her Majesty
and Prince Albert. Recognising the able and earnest
labours of Mr. S. C. Hall in his Art-Journal and
other publications, the Queen and Prince have gra-
ciously given him permission to engrave the finest
works in their collections, and for this purpose the
drawings have been made. The plates will be en-
graved in line by the most eminent engravers, and
will be issued in different classes to suit the conve-
nience of subscribers.

From the rare excellence of the pictures, and from
the popular character of the enterprise, it is to be
anticipated that the work will meet with extensive
patronage. The reputation of Mr. Hall is a guaran-
tee that no pains will be spared to ensure excellence
in the several issues of the work, and to make it
worthily fulfil the munificent design of her Majesty,
to allow, as far as possible, all classes to participate
in the enjoyment and instruction which they them-
selves derive from the "cherished treasures of their
several homes."

As the collection will remain on view till the end
of this month, the London public may for them-
selves form some opinion of the great beauty and
value of the collection, and of the extreme care
bestowed upon the drawings. Those from Le Jeune's
fine picture of the " Liberation of Slaves among
Ancient Jews," of Frost's " Cupid Sleeping," of
Stanfield's "Royal Yacht, Cornwall," of Cope's
" Cardinal Wolsey," of Danby's " Seraglio at Con.
stantinople," and others, represent the character and
spirit of the originals with admirable distinctness and
truth. _ _ _

The compliment paid to Mr. Hall is a very high
one, but it is well-deserved. It is now between
fifteen and sixteen years since he first cemmenced
his ' with the Art-Journal.

THE PRESS.

During the whole of that period he has devoted
himself to its management with a singleness of
purpose and honesty of aim,—united with great
application,--of which there are few examples in
art literature. He has steadily adhered to the design
with which he set out, of cultivating a taste for art
by popular criticism, and gratifying it by good
engravings from great masters. By his labours he
has contributed to the formation and success of
those vast art-enterprises which form such a pro-
minent feature in the history of our time.
The work in progress is in many respects the most
important which he has yet undertaken. The reli-
ance he bas hitherto placed on the public appre-
ciation of his enterprise has never yet failed him,
and we are persuaded will not do so now. It is
gratifying to find that royal patronage, and some-
thing more—for the copyright of many of the pic-
tures must be extremely valuable—is so cordially
afforded to an undertaking which, under Mr. Hall's
management, cannot fail to advance the interests of
art, and prove satisfactory to the public.

pusit.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Dunwn the past week Mme. Grisi has been the pre-
siding genius of this theatre. Supported by the best
artists of Europe, she has enacted the heroine in
Lucrezia Borgia, one of her most successful parts,
perhaps the most suited to the very remarkable
physical qualities with which Nature has endowed
her. Either from prejudice or habit we have
conceived that Lucresia Borgia will vanish from
the stage with Mme. Grisi; anyhow, it will be many
a long day before we can see the vindictive Italian
mother so completely represented. It is bpt justice
to say that the general execution of the opera is de-
serving of the highest praise.

DRURY LANE.
THE management here deserves unquestionable
praise for their revival of Mozart's Seraglio. In the
actual dearth of new productions, it becomes almost
a duty to look out for the neglected successes of
former days—a duty more easily performed by such
an establishment as that at Drury Lane than by the
more cumbrous and expensive management of the
Italian Opera. A well-tilled house and a well-pleased
audience were the deserved reward. Nevertheless
we cannot say that this production forms an exception
to the general rule, that what the world has once
thrown away is seldom worth picking up again. The
style of The Seraglio is that of its day, when La Serva
Padroza rode triumphant on the stage—a style full
of phrases and ideas, often excellent, but without the
fixity and connection which alone gives them force to
modern ears. Like the music, the action is all acci,
dent—spirited he: e and there—never sustained. The
mind of Mozart, full of melody to overflowing, throws
off these same phrases with wonderful and perhaps
unfortunate facility, and the consequence is that you
wonder why in the midst of so much beautiful
melody you cannot persuade yourself to be pleased.
You find at last that with all this uniform beauty
you want that without which all the rest is as
nothing,—interest. The work is like a Cape plain,
all heath and geranium. Historically the work is of
considerable value. One traces in many passages,
the duet at the beginning of the second act espe-
cially, the germ of the school of Cimarosa and
Rossini. On the other hand, the German school
peeps out in the long and tiresome yet meritorious
solo of Constance which follows. This and one
or two more such passages explain the reason why
the opera, when first attempted in Italy, was sent
back as full of errors of the copyist. The bass buffo
song in the third act is the only one throughout
which displays the finish and completeness which a
very little more practice enabled Mozart to acquire.
The story is trilling. A lady and her soubrette,
with a knight and squire for lovers, fall into the
hands of a pacha and his steward, who become
their lovers too, and from whom they alternately
escape. The want of landmark in such a story, with
the same fault in the music, are, we fear, fatal to any
lengthened success. The vocalisation, like the act-
ing, was sufficiently easy, excepting that the prima
donna is rather severely tried in the second act.
This part fell to Mlle. Rudersdorff, who acquitted
herself to perfection. Mlle. Agnes Bury made a
naive and charming soubrette. The weight of
amusing the audience fell on Formes, the 'l'urltish
steward, to whom the part was adapted in every way,
and he kept up the . spirit of tho character in fine
style. The real Christian parts fell to Herr Peaz
and Herr Castelli, and that of the pacha to Holzel,
who did well what he bad to do, but looked anything
rather than a pacha, as, indeed, how could he?
What pacha in love would stand stock still for half
an hour, while Mlle. Rudersdorff was pouring forth
her emotions ? The opera was produced on Wednes-
day, and repeated last night.

SATURDAY►,

FRENCH OPERA.
THE only novelty this week has been La Proniiiie,
by Clapisson, an opera which has had a great rim
at Paris, but which seems to us to possess, musically
speaking, scarce even a fraction of merit. Madame
Cabel was the life and soul of the performance ; in.
deed we can only ascribe the patient endurance of
M. Clapisson's dreary and barren music for threQ
hours and a half to her constant presence on the
stage. Madame Cabel is one of those singers who
fascinates us we scarce know why. Her school of
singing is certainly good, but her powers of vocali-
sation and expression are by no means extraordinary;
and her voice, save that fora French one it is rather
above the average, would by most critics be held
positively indifferent. Yet, for all this, she possesses
undeniably a certain portion of that t...lent which
can melt the stony hearted; and this heaven-born
gift, added to her expressive countenance, intelligent
acting, and ease upon the stage, combine to obtain
for her that success which has been denied to countless
artists of superior genius and intellect. We shall
hope to see Madame Cabel in some opera of greater
musical pretensions.

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