The Press.
London, England, 1856-07-26 00:00:00

usir.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
MADAME ADELAIDE MALNOTTI was the original Tan
credi when that once popular opera was produced by
the prolific Rossini at the Fenice at Venice in 1813.
Mme. Belloc, or Signora Bellocchi, as she was after-
wards called, was the first Tancredi who tossed her
plumes at the King's Theatre. Then there was the
" limping " Tancredi, who is referred to by Ebers as
the Signora Marinoni, in the days when a committee
of noblemen tried to manage the artistes, and of
course caused a European war amongst singers and
dancers. But Pasta was after all the only real Tan-
credi, Malibran not coming up to the mark like the
Italian prima donna, and Viardot, at eighteen, being
ton young for the Syracusean patriot. Alboni'sfiasco
in 1848 at the Royal Italian Opera everybody recollects,
and the reason of it is too curious a fact to be omitted
here. Alboni, whose name and fame had been made
at the Covent garden establishment, obtained in
1848 most exorbitant terms from the doomed direc•
tors at that time. But despite of the burdensome
engagement, the contralto became most refractory.
Costa had taken great pains with the mount-
ing, and everybody looked forward to a great hit
with Alboni, who, however, on the first night,
sulked and walked through the part, even singing
in the most somniferous style. Never did an
artiste make a greater mistake. Alboni assuredly
achieved her purpose of damaging the direction, but
her artistic reputation never recovered from the
utter failure, and, stamping herself as no actress,
destroyed her chance as an artiste to draw money
singly. if Johanna Wagner had been better sup-
ported last Saturday, her Tancredi might have proved
a hit. But Reichardt, after Rubini and Mario, in
Argirio—Bouche, after Angrisani, Zuochelli, and
Tamburini, in Orbazzano—and Mlle. Jenny Bauer,
after Mme. Camporese, Mme. do Meric, and, above
all, of the unrivalled mistress of florid vocalisation,
Mme. Persiani—what could be expected of such a
cast ? German gutterals and Gallic gabble made
sad havoc with the choice Italian, and transpositions
and interpolations tran,mogrified the Rossinian score
strangely. Tancredi'a heroics are also old-fashioned,
and the spangled armour of Wagner and Reichardt
glittered in vain. Between Tancredi and William
Tell there is an immeasurable distance. And, then,
what is the use of giving such a work as the former,
abounding as it does in the florid style, with singers
who cannot sing their scales? Is the school of great
singing going away ? How few artists are there now
who can sing the Rossinian characters ! Calzolari
and Belletu are amongst the best, and yet these two
clever singers were not included in the cast of
Tancredi. Wagner trod the stage like a hero, she
handled her sword like a Guardsman at an Alma
charge, she declaimed as energetically as Gough at
a temperance meeting, but she sang, on the whole,
without sensibility, and her organ was harsh, grating,
and forced. Her dive into the depths below were
such sudden splashes as to be grotesque at times.
Force without feeling will not charm in the vocal art,
and energy without elevation will not realise Ros-
sinian grace and grandeur.

Mlle. Piccolomini appears to-night as Norina, in
Donizetti's Don Pasquale. The last nights of the
season are announced for the first week in August.

MADAME. RISTORI has returned to the Lyceum for
four final performances. The Medea was given last
night to a crowded house. Pia dei Tolomei, Ros-
munda, and Franc ..sea da Rimini will be repeated on
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday neat.

TEE FIELDING FUND COMMITTEE have already
commenced their labours. On Friday morning last
a Mr. Charlton, a professional harlequin, who ap-
peared at Drury Lane in the last Christmas panto-
mime died in the Whitechapel workhouse, leaving
his wife and children in a very miserable condition.
The circumstance was recorded in the Globe the

same evening, and it immediately attracted the
attention of the committee. A member of the com-
mittee personally visited the wretched residence
of the poor people, and within less than four
and twenty hours of the publication of the para-
graph, an arrangement was made for the decent
burial of the poor harlequin, the immediate necessi-
ties of his family were provided for, and steps taken
for the judicious administration of a little periodical
relief, until they should have an opportunity of earns
ing sufficient to maintain themselves.