The Express.
London, England, 1868-07-06 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

The performances of the past week have com-
prised La Favorite (on Monday), La Iligtia del Reggimatte
(en Tuesday) ; a selection from J w Dimwit., Fame, and
L'Afrieense (on Wednesday), for the beeefit and last
appearance of Mademoiselle Pauline Lucca; Beam •
Oisdietta (on Thursday) for the first time this season ;
and Feast on Saturday, with Madame Rey-Balla as
liargherita.
The farewell performanee of Mademoiselle Lucca
was duly noticed by us last week, and we need now
,only comment on the other two specialties just
referred to. Gounod's latest work, Bessie et Juliette,
produced at the Paris Theatre Lyrique in April
last year, was brought out at the Royal Italian Opera on
the 11th of the following July, on which occasion its cha-
racteristics and; merits were fully discussed and analysed
in the Daily News. Although as • whole somewhat of an
anti-climax after its composer's Faust, there is yet enough
beauty and power, especially in the muck of the love
scenes of Romeo e andietta, to render it sufficiently
attractive to all who value refinement and grace in musical
expression; and were it not so, such a Juliet as Mille.
Adelina Patti would confer an importance on the walk,
even in its mere dramatic aspect, that would compensate
for any deficiencies in other respects. Again last
week did this impersonation exercise the charm
that each a realisation of so poetical a conception
must ever have over an audience of any cultivation—and
this, as already said, if merely viewed in a dramatic
light. With the super-addition of the highest qualities of
voice and of vocal art, Mdlle. Patti's Juliet is each as the
opera stage has scarcely ever exhibited at any period.
Even the trifling welts ariette, " No, no, non ti vo," in
the Bret act (the weakest act in this or any other of
Oounod's works), assumes an interest from the charm and
grace and delicate vivacity thrown into it by this artist.
It is, however in the development of her love for Romeo,
and the contest of feeling between her passion for him
and her filial duty, that Mdlle. Patti gives such force,
truth, and beauty to her performance. The tenderness
of sentiment, the all-absorbing devotion infused into the
love scenes with Romeo, are such as would dignify weaker
music than that of M. Gounod. It is in these scenes
chiefly that the composer's power is shown in this opera.
The short duet in the first act (" Madrigal a deux vole")
"Angiol regina"; the more important duet of the bal-
cony scene, "Notts divine,"; the duet, " Va, t'ho gul
perdonato," in which her love for Romeo over-masters
her horror at his slaughter of Tybolt, with the passionate
paths of its concluding " Addio mia vita"; the final duet
in the tomb-scene--all these and many other incidental
passages were given with a perfection of voice, style, and
action, constituting • combination of high excellences
seldom united in one artist. Not alone those interested
in musical art, but all who would witness a perfect realisa-
tion of one of Shakespeare's most lovely female characters
should see (to say nothing of the added charm of hearing)
the Juliet of Mae. Patti. Signor Mario was, of
course, as before, the Romeo ; for who else
among operatic tenors could be found to look and act
in worthy association with such a Juliet? Some de-
ficencies of voice may well be compounded for by such a
refined and chivalrous impersonation, and such finished
style in vocal phrasing. The only change from last year's
cast was the substitution of Mdlle. Locatelli for Mdlle.
Nau as the page Stefano, whose trifling air, "Da jeri
indarno" (worthier of a place in a vaudeville than a grand
heroic opera), was given with much light grace by the
former lady, but failed, as usual, to snake much effect,
notwithstanding the strained device of its alternated
rhythm of two-four and three-four time. Signor Ootogni
was the Mercutio, and again the "Queen Mab" song, well as
it was given, fell fiat as compared with the immense success
which it obtained in the Parisian performance. M. Petit,
as Camila, acted and sang like an accomplished artist, his
excessive use of the vibrato, however, frequently weaken-
ing the effect of his otherwise impressive performance.
Other details of the cast were also as last season, including
Mdlle. Amos as Gertrude; Signor Neri-Baraldi, as
Tybalt ; Signor Bagagiolo, as Friar Lawrence, &c. The
opera has been still further retrenched beyond the omis-
sions of last year, and even now it occupies the full time
in performance that should be devoted to an evening's
entertainment. The splendour of the opening ball-room
woe, the picturesque beauty of the moonlight balcony
scene, and the excellence of all the stage accessories, added
to the exceptional performance of Juliet already com-
mented on, confer a special importance on this opera
apart from whatever musical merit& it may possess.
On Saturday night, Madame Rey-Balla (whose debut
in Les .liuguenots we recorded last week) made her second
appearance as Maigherita in Faust. We have now bad so
many representatives of this character, and some of such
excellence, that even to obtain recognition and moderate
lumen inthe part is a proofotoonsidemblemerit. Madame
Rey-Balla by this second appearance has made a conside-
rable advance on the impression which she created last
week on her debut. Probably, owing to diminiehed ner-
vousness, her voice on Saturday night was both more
brilliant and more sympathetic in quality than on the
former occasion, and her performance throughout was
more equal and sustained. " The King of Thule" ballad was
well sung, but with a slight tremolo, somewhat opposed to
the cold abstraction of the situation of absorbed reverie,
due probably to some remains of nervous anxiety. In
the following " Jewel song," Madame Rey-Balla made a
distinct and decided impression by her brilliant vocalisa-
tion and artistic phrasing ; while, in the quartet which
I ensues, her singing was characterised by genuine pathos
and expression, intense, yet untrained. That touching
plumage commencing "Al campo d it fratel, la madre

perdei," was given with admirable effect, a; was also
that passionate appeal to Faust, "Ti voglio amer idols-
trar,' the phrasing and feeling of which called down
loud applause. Indeed throughout the remainder of
the Garden scene Madame Rey-Balla's performance RO3
full of merit in intention and execution, and was recog-
nised by a general call before the curtain at the close of
the act. In the subsequent cathedral and prison scenes
this lady fully maintained the favourable impression pre-
viously made, proving herself an artist of greater accom-
plishment and power than might have been inferred from
her first appearance. The remainder of the cast was the
same as in recent performances here—Siebel, Mdls. Lacs-
tell; Faust, Signor Mario; Mefistofele, M. Petit; Valen-
tino, Signor Cotogni, &c. A slight delay previous to the
commencement of the opera was agreeably filled up by a
brilliant performance of Rossini's overture to QusUaems
Tell.