The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-04 00:00:00

POPULAR CONCIRTS.-ET. JAMES'S-HALL

The success of the concerts lately given at this
place, under the direction of Me. Benedict, has led to smother
series of performances of the same description, the first of
which took place last night. A concert of this kind, from
its very nature, snide little room for remark. Last night's
programme consisted of a number of common things inn
and played by the usual performers. The sole novelty was
the appearance of Madame Lanaia, a lady (said to be an
English woman) who has sung with Gnomes at Turin and
other place* in Italy. She fang two beautiful things,
Bellini's " Come per me sersoo," and llosset's " Vol ohs
sepses;' but this is all that we can say of her at resent,
for her faculties seemed to be so paralysed by tear, that it
would not be fair to criticise her performance, The only
other circumstance to be noted we. the absence of Mr. Sims
Reeves end the clamour which it caused. Placards were put
up at the doors containing an apology for his sb-
seace on the ground of indisposition—an apology vouched
by a medical certificate. But this would not satisfy a portion
of the audience. When Mr. Cooper came forward to sing
one of Mr. Reeves's ballade there was a great uproar, corr-
elating of cries of "Reeves,' mingled with hisser and yell..
Mr. Cooper tried for a while to make bead against the storm,
but at length he left the orchestra. Thee mine the Swedish
singers, who strove for a time to make themselves audible.
but in vain, and they too disappeared. Them there was a
long pause ; the noise continuing unabated. A gentleman
came forward and attempted to read the medical certificate,
but he also had to retreat abruptly. Another paw; and
then Mum Arabella Ooddaid appeared, followed by Signor
Piaui. The sight of the fair young pianist at once allayed
the Mom. She was received with shouts of applause ; and
Mendelssolan's beautiful duet in D, for the piano and vio-
loncello, eaquieitely performed, was received with Gotha-
dilLllll. The good humour, thus motored, was not again di -
rurbed ; and Brahma's duet, " All's well," the most popular
of the pieces set for Mr. Reeves (which we. very well sung
by Mr. Cooper and Mr. Smedley), was not only unanimously
applauded, but loudly encored. It is only necessary to add
that the other performers (in addition to those already
mooed) were Miss Poole, Mdlle. de Villar, and Mille.
Behrens, v.:slime, and Herr Engel, an the harmonium
that the concert was conducted by Mr. Benedict ; and that
there wes a crowded audience.

DRAMA.

LYCEUM.

Jut night Madame Celeste, who has entered upon
en engagement at this theatre, made her firet appearance in a
new drama, hearing the semi-romantic, semi-ecientiflo title of
diaries de Loreto ; or the Cradle of Steam. This piece it
appears has been expressly written for Madame Ceimte by •
French author, has never been acted oa the French stage,
but has been translated for the Lyceum by Mr. Falconer.
Though divided into three acts, the story is of the slightest
and thinnest material, while the action and dialogue are so
consonant with the plot, that the drams might be witnemed
by the meet Excitable person, without the slightest fear for
the rieult. It serves as a display for Madame Wale's
talent, but only much in the same way as • Sunday hired
hack would serve as a display far Madame ; with i
any actress not ranking equally high with the public in
the principal character, we should question the success of
Marion de Lathe. The plot is soon described. Salomon di
Cam (Mr. Emery) is • mechanician, who has actually made
some preliminary dl novena in the motive power of steam,
He km • wife who is paid great enmities to by the villain of
the dory, Doctor Fatigue.: (Mr. H. Vandenhoff), who useabia
Influence with Richelieu (Mr. Falconer) to have Salomon in-
carcerated in the Biting as • lunatic. The halficnered maim-
nician has however • friend in Marion de Lorene (Madame
Celeste), who is always arriving at opportune moments, who
expoess Estignac to Richelieu, showing the Cardinal that
his supposed agent was really in the pay of his enemy
blast:in, and who finally procure, the liberation of Salomon
and the imprisonment of Estignse. Literally this is the
enure story of what filled three acts, and consumed upwards
of two hours in gage n•ration. To Madame Celeste too much
praise cannot be awarded ; end when we ray that the whole
weight of the piece rested oa her it may be imagined what •
burden the bad to bear, but she played with a spirit, vivacity,
and verve, which carried all before them, and brightened up
even this very heavy drama. She was greeted with the
heartiest reception, and loudly summoned before the curtain
at the end of each act. She was wall supported by Mr.
Emery, who played with much ragged Whoa, end by Mr.
Vendenhoff, who did his best with • very indifferent part.
The piece was very well mounted.
The bedtimes of 76e Siege of Troy having been much
icompretised, and the machinery being all In working order,
the Christmas entertainment bow much improved since the
opening night, and is nightly received with the greatest
favour.