The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-26 00:00:00

MUSIC.

THE FESrivAL OF THE THREE CHOIRS.
[rums min colutstimo:snixT.l
WORCESTER, Mos'.tr EVF.NIN,:.
The old-establisihed festival of the three choirs ~r
Worcester, Hereford, and Olnueester, of which this is the
of
thea yor
city of a
111) ofthe giving eldn in-
augural'te :
128th anniversary, commences here to-morrow ; the wort',v
m
i llUngli tle l lEs
strict —an act of linsp:taliry
quite unprecedentad in the history of these ast vela ti.-
breakfastndthe
surrounding city
to( upwards p B.l 1s '
district—an
civic entertainments hitherto having been confined to the
members of the corporation, with sometime* a few select
friends. Mr. Hughes, however, in common with the inha-
bitants of Worcestershire generally, takes a becoming pride
in the maintenance of these festivals, which have of lute
years had some difficulties to contend with ; but which have
always been resolutely met and vanquished. As the rlitti-
cultics have increased, so also has there always been
found a corresponding spirit, determined to meet
them ; and although fears have, front time to time,
been expressed that some meeting then about to be
held would be the last, the festivals have again risen from
thrir ashes; and even the all-absorbing attraction of the
World's Exhibition has been insufficient to counteract the
cherished association of these meetings.
The festival may be' said to have commenced to-day, if
the rehcarvals are to be taken into consideration. Visitors
began to drop into Worcester on Saturday ; yesterday, tho
arrivals by the evening trains added a large number, and
the early train this morning brought such of the 300 per-
formers as had not previously made their appearance. A
vast improvement has recently been made in the means of
public conveyance to Worcester, of which the visitors to the
festival will reap the full benefit.
The ichearsal this morning has been confined to
sacred !mole at the cathedral. This evening the banal
and artists meet at the concert room, at seven
o'clock, for the purpose of rehearsing the secular
music. To-morrow morning there will be divine le r-
vice at the cathedral, with a sermon by the Rev.
E. 11. Cradock, M.A., canon of the cathedral. As has
been latterly customary, Tudia's pieces and response's will
be used in the choral service, the "grand" chant for the
relate, and Havergal's for the psalms. The re Ileum,
as usual, will be that composed by Handel for the victory
of Dettingen. Two anthems will be given, viz., Dr. Elvey
" In that day," and Mendelssohn's " When Israel out of
Egypt came" (Psalm 11t). In the evening the first con-
cert will be given, which will include Mendelssohn's " First
Walpurgis Night," and a raiacellunceers aeleet. from the:
works of various composers, Italian and Gerona n. On Wi d-
nesday morning will be given Mendehaahn'a oratorio,
"Elijah," Herr Formes taking the principal bans.
Wednesday evening's concert opens with a portinn
of Spolir's " J essernda," followed by F. Morris':
cantata, " Fridolin," and another short miscellane-
ous selection, including a madrigal by Benet. 'flow.-
day morning's performance of sacred tousle at the
cathedral wid be attractive, two oratorios being set down,
via., Handel'a " Samson" and Spolirhs "Last Judgment."
Miss Birch will also sing the "Ilnly, holy," of Handel;
and Madame Castellan the beautiful gem from the" Crea-
tion" of Haydn, " With verdure clad." The concert on
Thursday evening will be the last. It opens with a selec-
tion from Weber'a "Euryanthe," and a miscellaneous se-
cond part front the operas of "Oberon," " Eiden 's" eke.
As usual at Worcester on the last morning, the "
will be given at the cathedral on Friday. On Friday night
a ball, under distinguished patronage, will wind up the
festival.
We should not omit to mention that the principal voealists
engaged are—Madame Castellan, Miss Birch, Miss Delhi,
Miss Williams, Mffile. Sophie Cruvelli, Mr. Sims
Mr. Lackey, Mr. M,schia, and Herr Formes. The
band is selected, as usual, from the orchestra of
Iler Majesty's Theatre, the Royal Italian Opera,
and the Ancient and Philharmonic Concerts ; Mr.
Blagrove leader. Mr. N. Dow, of Worcester, is the
conductor ; Mr. Townshend Smith, of Hereford, s
at the pianoforte ; and Mr. Amott, of Gloucester, at the
organ, by virtue of their offices as organists of the three
choirs. The nave of the cathedral has been fitted it:, spe-
cially for the purpose of the festival. The orchestra ex-
tends from the organ into the nave westward ; the floor is
carpeted and fitted up with >ants, and there is a spacious
gallery raised against the west end of the nave. Seats arc
also placed in the aisles for the accommodation of those who
can only afford to take " third claas" tickets. The concerto
arc held in the College Hall, formerly the refectory of the
monks here, but long used as the school-room fur the Wor-
cester Cathedral school, about which Mr. Whiaton has re-
cently written so mach. The stewards of the festival are,
Earl of Ilarrowhy ; Sir Charles Hustings, M.D.; W. S. I'.
Hughes, Mayor; Rev. Canon Outback ; Rev. Pre-
centor A. Wheeh r; Rev. C. Crewe; J. Bents..., Essa,
M.P.; J. 11. B. Westhead, ; Capt. Itughout,
Isi.P. ; It. Clive, EN.; W. W. Essington, Esq.; and W.
Hancock, Esq. The Bishop of Worcester is the Pre-
sident.
A large number of tickets has already been sold. This
augurs well, so early in the week.

DRAMA.

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

The two American children—Kate and Ellen
Bateman, who made their debut at this theatre last night,
are really very wonderful. as well as very d.lightful, little
performers, and we arc not at all surprised at the manner in
which they are said to have been received in their own
country. Their performances cannuut he criticised as dra-
matic representations; and no one who sees them will ever.
we think, he disposed to try them by such a test. We
must he thoroughly aware beforehand that the idea
of Richard tha Thad, or Ham/et, or Macfseth being
pernmated by an inhtut of six years old, is altoget..er
out of the question. No imaginable precocity of mind
could ever enable such a creature to comprehend those
characters; to form the most distant conception of their
nature, their passions, and their feelings; or even to under-
stand the meaning of the language they speak. A child's
acting of such ports must be mere mimicry, or the result
of teaching and training; but where there is an apt dispo-
sition and a happy organisation, the results may by such
that they cannot he contemplated without a great and very
pleasing degree of astonishment. Such is the case with
these little Batenrins. Ellen, the younger, who played
Richard the Third last night, is only six years old ; and her
sister Kate, who acted Richmond, is two years older. Their
baby figures, as they marched upon tho stage, each at the
head of his army of grown soul " bearded certainly
at first provoked a smile; but the audience, very properly,
had made up their minds to such incongruities as mattersof
course, and were soon absorbed iu adnairatiun of the grace,
beauty, intelligence, and spirit of the little performers.
The lust act only of " Richard the Third." was performed.
Thu tasteless interpolations of Colley Cibber nowadays
generally discarded, were retained; but this did not much
matter on this occasion. Little Ellen Bateman, dres,Bl in
royal robes and made up us the crook-backed Richard,
looked exactly like a miniature of Edmund Kean, whom
she resembled, too, in her gait and gestures, and in her
delivery of some of the most prominent passages; from
which we suppose that her instructor must have been well
acquainted with Kean's performance. lire animation and
strength of expression were often most surprising. Wheu
she sprang from the couch, exclaiming,
- •

Ogee mg on giu r hearse hind up my wounds'
Have ngerey, !eau • Mt, t did uga: dream ;^
the house rang with acclamations for several minutes. The
final combat was desperately sustained, and Richard (as
Kean used to make him du) fought at last upon his knees.
The curtain fell amid cheers and calls tram every part of
the house; and when the sisters came forward hand in
hand, they were received with a shower of bouquets front
the boxes. Nothing could he prettier than their behaviour.
When the applause subsided, !Men came forward and said,
with much simple grace, " Ladies and gentlemen, I thank
you heartily for your kind welcome."
The afterpiece was calculated to show the little performers
to still greater advantage. It was celled " The Young
Couple," and founded on Scribe's vaudeville " Le Mariage
Enfaintin." This ingenious piece, in which they personated
children of their own age, gave them an opportunity of
show,ng a'grcat and unquestionable degree of comic genius.
Their characters are a little boy wild girl of the old French
noblesse, who, iu pursuance of family arrang nientas, aro
merriest —a thing not without exeurple in French
real life, the young couple being separated till
they grew up. Scribe has Mundell on this subject a very
lively and pleasant little piece, and the acting of the two
children was perfection. Ellen, the younger, was the boy,
and Kate the girl. In the full costume of the old regime
they were the most graceful creatures imaginable; and
their childish innocence, while endeavouring to assume the
airs and manners of grown-up people who have attained the
honours of matrimony, was genuine, anutlgitimete acting.
indicating talents which ought one day to raise thesi youth-
ful performers to the highest how mars of the comic stage.
We never saw a piece more ttioroughly enjoyed by an
audience. It produced shouts of laughter; and, at the
close, the sisters were again eal'.ed fur awl applauded even
more warmly than before.
The whole eutert"imnents• under Mr. Barnum's direr•
tion, were exceedingly well gof up. The company of per-
formers is respectable and c dleient ; and we have seldom
seen a better performed far thin The Captain is nut
i Amiss," which preceded t' ate pieces in which the Batetuau's
' appeared. Them was lilt' cerise some dancing of a superior
order ; and all the aPPai'dtments and accessories oddly stags
were complete and in go al taste. The speculation ems
;,1 likely to be a successful, one.

MERCHANT SE/.MEN'S ORPHAN Asru.l4.—Yes-
terday, the general election of children into thin asylum took
place at the tnstita tion, in Bow-road ; Mr. Ilawliin• in Tee
chair. After the election (the result of which will byad-
vertised), the He v. Mr. Oribble. the Rev. Mr. RolibinN evt.
Shuttleworth, r.nd others, addressed the meetinz BP" the
merits and ad vantages of the charity, and called attend at
to the urgent necessity which existed for the otablbhmcnt
of a building fund, with a view to increase the usefulness
of the inst.itution.
FATAI STEAMBOAT ACClDENT.—Yeaterday after'
noon as the Sunbeam, a City and Chelsea boat, W.l• Co`tt
tag uto der Southwark-bridge, on her journey up the flyer,
a fotr,enger named Chittertield, who with his wife andchild
had. embarked just before, fell overboard into the ..troar
crarent formed by the ebbing wan:l,i, as their coune
narrowed by the piers of the bridge. Amidst much room'
sion the boat was stopped, and the firemen of the thotOla
engine, which is .noorect close by the spot, put nil
to
rescue, if possible, the unhappy man, then struggling .5
the water. They had nearly reached him as two steamers
came up, and he finally- sank in the sight of his heart-teq
wife and terrified child. At dusk last evening the body hot
not been recovered.