The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-04 00:00:00

"'Mir.

ROYAL ITALLLN OPERA.

- - -
Madame Maria Vilda has followed up her mo-
ose in Norma by another memos, equally decided, in
.Lacrezic Bonds• This opera was performed on Saturday
evening, when she sustained the chansoter of the heroine
with as effect rarely surpassed by any of the grentost stare
of the tragic stage. She was applauded to the echo by one
of the largest sadism:es of the season ; and it seems pro-
bable that her performance will give a fresh run to this
powerfu but hackneyed opera.
NM*. Bianeolini, the new contralto, bad peat success
in the part of Maio Orsini. She looked the character welt.
acted with spirit, and in the &Inoue anacreontic, "11
■egreto per ever felice," was loudly and unanimously
eaeored.

Of Mario's Genus?* it is sufficient to may that his acting
sad singing were equally beautiful and equally successful ;
and Roneocti's representation of the Duke Alfonso was as
wad sad terrible as ever.

drama.

OLYMPIC.

On Saturday night this popular little theatre was
soddenly tuned into a comic opera-house by the prods*
Wm of an English version, slightly burlesqued, of M. Offen-
isch's Barbe Ilkue. Blue Beard is one of the latest
works of this gay and sparkling French composer, and
to do justice to the adaptation (which is by Mr.
H. Bellingham) Mr. Horace Wigan has thought it
advisable to mix his ordinary burlesque company with
two competent opera singers, and a small but efficient
operatic chorus. He has engaged Miss Galion, a niece of
Miss Louisa pyre, whose style of singing is founded on
Imer aunt's, and Mr. W. M. Terrott, a tenor singer, who
made his appearance last season at Covent-garden Theatre
is linglish opera. Mr. Terrott is above the average height
d tenors, and Miss Galion is below the average height of
sopranos—we are speaking of stature, and not of vocal
*surpass ; but they both have • lively and agreeable
notion of acting. As dramatic critics, it is not
our province to speak of their singing, and we must leave
iltafplessing duty to the musical critics, who will soon have
to recognise M. Offenbach as a musical composer.
The burlesque version of Blue Beard has a clear story,
laving little connection, except in name, with the old
legend. All the stock elements of burlesque are duly
provided—a saucy princess, • pretty prince, a king panta-
loon, • henpecking queen, and comic attendants. The scene
is laid in No-man's Country, and the dresses, rich and limner-
OW, appear to belongto three centuries of French history—
the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth. The quiet
sad original humour of Mr. E. Atkins finds employment
in the character of an alchymist, who is afterwards dis-
guised as a Spanish gipsy, and introduces some novel and
saluting " business " with a tambourine. Mr. W. H.
Stephens appears for the hundredth time as the bur-
lesqued dotard King, and Mies Farren has plenty of
" cheeky " business, but no distinct cellar-flap dance, as
" a policeman of the period." The scenery and appoint-
ments are elegant and complete, and Mr. Tully shcen his
well-tried ability as conductor of the music. The produo-
lion of such • piece is another sign that operatic extra-
vaganza, or comic opera, to use • less sounding phrase, is
replacing modern burlesque on the London stage.