The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-19 00:00:00

THE SPECTACLE.

The theatre in Konigsberg is not, of course, to
be compared with tl.o Grand Opera at Berlin, but
it is neat, and large enough, and has at present
two good oompaniea, operatic and dramatic. As
every seat for the royal command had been taken
three weeks before my arrival, I should have been
unable to tell you anything about that portion of
the day's proceedings but for the kindness of the
director, who, on the introduction of M. Simon,
the principal banker in the place, permitted me
the very great favour of being on the stage during
the performance. I could thus see the house from
the best point of view, witness his Majesty's en-
trance, and see the whole audience rise and give that
one sonorous cheer which is all that is permitted
on royal nights.
The royal hox, as usual on the Continent, occu-
pied a large central section of the two first rows of
boxes, but was only modestly decorated. His
Majesty, who was not so punctual as our own Sove-
reign, arrived at about half-past seven, accompanied
by the Queen and the Crown Princess, who sat
on his right and left hand, the Princess Alexandrine,
the Crown Prince and Princes Charles Albrecht
and Frederick Charles of Prussia. The royal ladies
appeared to be dressed in white ; but tins I state,
as the Mortiteur says, "with reserve," as I could
only peep out now and then—the appearance of a
special conespondent on the stage not being in-
cluded in the programme. Another difficulty I had
was, that I stood immediately behind the
ladies of the corps de ballet, who were
waiting their time to go on, and as these
young ladies always while away the tedium of
waiting with • series of preliminary gyinumtics, in
which they seem to be perpetually flinging their
feet in the direction of the proscenium, it was not
easy to tell what was going on in the house beyond.
I could see, however, that it wail packed to the
ceiling, that the ladies were in splendid toilette, and
that every one was paying much more attention to
the royal box than to what was going on on the
stage.
It was • washy opera of Flotow's, the only

[TWOPENCE

feature in which worth mentioning was that the
composer, mindful of his succesaful introduction of
a popular air in Martha, had worked both the
English National Anthem and the Prussian Hymn
into the overture, and thus ingeniously supplied
the want of novelty in his own melodies. The
principal tenor is M. Rabelny, who I have no doubt
will yet be favourably known to a London audience.
There was to be • ballet by the young ladies
whose preliminary practice had so much discon-
certed my observations, but the royal party rose to
leave at a little after 8 o'clock, and I rushed out
in order to witness their departure and the deport-
ment of the outside crowd. It was immense, and
was allowed to push in much closer than we are in
the habit of seeing in London.
I cannot say it was a very polite crowd, or
showed much ,respect of persoini,oe:secially stout
ones, but it was very jolly and humoured,
and very anxious to see the royal family. With
the help of my never-failing friends everywhere,
the ,police, I got to the front row, and saw the
Queen and Crown Princess enter the carriage, the
former in the best health and spirits, but the latter
looking I thought rather delicate, but must inte-
resting. Her Royal Highness's appearance was
the subject of universal encomium amongst the
• crowd. There was no cavalry escort, the carriage
merely picking its way slowly through the people,
and the latter cheering lustily and pressing each
other back to make way, in the most reckless man-
ner, as it passed along.