The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-10 00:00:00

Theatricals in France.

GRAND OPERA.—M. Mermet's long-announced "Roland
) a Roncevaux," brought out here on Monday evening,
may be considered the musical event of the day. We may
premise that the subject is taken from the famous mediaeval
" Chanson de Roland," composed about the 10th century
by a minstrel named Theroulde. This poem is one of the
most remarkable monuments of early European literature,
and, like the noble lay of the Cid, and our own
poetical romances celebrating the exploits of King
Alfred and his knights, bad a large share in
forming and inspiring the heroic) poetry and the
chivalrous spirit of subsequent ages. M. Mermet, whose
first production was the opera of "King David," which
came out with indifferent success about the year 1846, has
been engaged for the last 18 years upon this theme of
Roland, and has at last, after many disappointments,
succeeded in producing a work which, to say the least,
places him in a high* rank among French composers.
The opera has this unique distinction, that the poem and
the music are both the work of the same author. Roland
the Brave is the nephew of Charlemagne, and the spot-
less Bayard of that heroic age. Charlemagne is
returning with his army after the conquest of Spain ; and
Roland, left in command of the rear-guard, is set upon by
the Saracens and slain, with the flower of the Frank
chivalry, in the valley of Roncevaux ; these are the simple
facts, but M. Mermet has interwoven a love story, by way
of plot. Among the twelve paladins of Charlemagne there
is a traitor—Ganelon—who is about to force a gentle lady
—Alde—to marry him, but she loves Mend, and escapes;
the felon knight, bent on revenge, conducts the Saracen
forces to the fatal valley; Roland is urged by the warlike
bishop, Turpin, to blow a certain ivory horn, which
would be heard by Charlemagne, and bring him to the
rescue, but he and his knight choose to die rather than ask
such aid ; the horn is not sounded till too late, and his lady-
love discovers him among the dead only in time to receive
his dying breath. Of the overture to this opera little need be
said ; it is a sort of prelude, composed of the leading melo-
dies of the work itself, and, with the final march, is not
striking as a piece of instrumental music. The first and
second acts form a prologue—somewhat too long—to the
third, which is the grand culminating effort of the composer
—the fourth act being little more than a finale. The
first act is relieved from its too monotonous
character by the " war song of Roland," very well
given by Warot, and finely responded to by the chorus ; by
a touching melody, "Le soir, pensive aux pieds des Pyre-
nees," by Mine. Gueymard, as Alde ; and by Roland's song
with the chorus " Superbes Pyrenees," The second act
is unreasonably long, but is distinguished by several fine
melodies and choral passages, a duo between Roland and
Aide, "0 dame de beaut 4," and a remarkably quaint and
touching chorus, "0 Roncevaux, vallon sombre. The
third act, as already observed, is the gem of the
opera ; Mermet seems to have concentrated his
powers on this portion of the work and it is full of telling
dramatic as well as musical effects from beginning to end.
The closing finale of the opera, takes up the same theme,
and the curtain descends amid universal plaudits.
THEATRE ITALIEN,—The " Sonnambula" was the opera
selected for the commencement of the season on Saturday,
but, in consequence of a slight indisposition of Mlle. Patti,
we had " Rigoletto," with a new tenor, Signor Sarti. After
Mario, whose impersonation of the Duke was one of his
finest efforts,the task of any other "Duke" has become diffi-
cult, and the shortcomings of the new substitute are perhaps
all the more apparent. The difference in the present case is
truly too great. M. Sarti's voice is not wanting in sweet-
ness, and in certain passages there is considerable pewee ;
but the upper notes are vague and uncertain. Perhaps in
other and less ambitious roles M. Sarti may be useful, but
in such as this--never. Mme. Lagrange was rather cold
in the two first acts, but warmed up later, and in the
well known quartette sang well. Delle-Sedie was in ex-
cellent voice, and showed himself, as he always does, an
accomplished artiste. On Sunday evening " Lucrezia
Borgia" was performed, Mine, Lagrange filling the part of
Lucrezia, and Meric Lablache that of Orsini; and on Tues-
day "Lucia de Lammermoor," with Mme. Lagrange,
Franschini, and Naudin. Wednesday may however be said
to have been the real " opening night," as Mlle. Patti made
her first appearance for the season in the " Sonnambula,'
and was in splendid voice, and welcomed with fervid enthu-
siasm by a crowded house. It is understood that Mario
will appear during the winter, and en revanche M. Naudin
is definitively engaged for the Grand Opera, to which he
will transfer his services after performing 15 nights at the
Italiens. Brignoli, the much vaunted tenor from America,
is to make his appearance first at Madrid ; this artist is not
unknown in Paris, having made his debut here some 10 or
12 years ago with but indifferent success.
ODEON.—A clever little comedy in one act was brought
out in this theatre on Saturday called " Les Meres Terri-
bles," in which two match-making ladies do their utmost to
get a husband for their daughters in the person of a young
gentleman who is unfortunately already married. The
two "terrible mothers" (Mmes. Bergeret and Ducoudray),
rival vixens, each bent upon the discomfiture of the other,
are capitally rendered, and the piece goes off with great eclat.
Messrs Chivot and Duru were named as the authors.

VAUDEVILLE,—Much public curiosity was excited by
the announcement of a play at this theatre called "Le
Drao," written by Mme. Georges Sand, and adapted for
the stage by M. Paul Meurice, but we fear that, though
preceded by a great flourish of trumpets, this new piece
will add no leaf to the laurels of its illustrious author.
The Drac of Provence is the familiar elf, by
turns benevolent or malicious, common to the traditions and
Ics-oada of all nations—thtl Scandinavian " kobold" or
"troll," the (7o=mou hid o. uctgulauuekcu kuta uui
so many of Grimm's admirable stories), the " brownie' of
Scotti,h rustic belief. The " drae" of Languedoc is the
marine type of the spirit, and is supposed to interest him •
self specially in the domestic affairs of the fishermen. The
drama was originally written for the little domestic theatre
of Mme. Sand at Nohant, and was published some three
years ago in the Revue des .Deux Mendes. In its primary
form it is very pretty and poetic; perhaps it would have
been better to have left the piece untouched, or better still
to have restricted it to its original destination. In its new
and by no means improved form it is too fantastic, or else
not fantastic enough ; the real and the supernatural are not
sufficiently separated, and the ethereal element and the
earthly are so mixed up that the illusion so necessary to
dramatic enjoyment becomes impossible. In the prologue,
which is in verse, the Elf of the Sea, who has become
enamoured of Francine, a fisherman's daughter, asks per-
mission of Cyanee, Queen of the Water, to assume mortal
form ; he accordingly enters into the resuscitated shape of
Fleur de Mer, a young sailor who has been drowned, and
proceeds to pay gentle court to the young girl; but she
being attached to a certain scapegrace Bernard, who is at
sea, looks down upon the poor boy, whose too poetic adora-
tion she does not appreciate ; whereupon the elf, inspired
by jealousy, plays such fantastic tricks as becomes his capri-
cious nature, inciting mischief and quarrels among lovers
and friends; but finding that the constancy of Francine is
proof against all trials, he gives up his evil doings, and
makes all parties happy—throwing off at last his " mortal
coil," resuming his ethereal existence, and floating away to
his native region with a song of joy, which is the finest
part of the piece. Whatever be the intrinsic defects of the
drama itself the name of the author will probably insure it
a ,brief existence. Mlle. Jane R.sler, as the " Drac,"
proves herself an artist of the first order, and probably
never appeared to greater advantage ; the subordinate parts
were well sustained, and the scenic effects exceedingly
good.

THE BourrEs-PAnislENs.—This popular little theatre
reopened for the season last Friday, notwithstanding the
embarrassing position in which it is at present placed by
managerial and other disputes and difficulties. Besides
" M'bieu Landry" and "Mesdames do la Halle,'
wo had a new opera-bouffe, by M. Jonas, "Le
Manoir do is Renardi4e," in which a family