The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-18 00:00:00

,_.

WED

NESDAY

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

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That the production of a "grand historical opera"
by the celebrated Julliee, whose name has long since
become a household word throughout the length end
breadth of the land, should fill the walls of C went
Garden to overflowing might well be expected, and
certainly the attendance last evening in honour of the
first representation of Pietro 11 Grande was of no
ordinary extent.
The popular maestro himself pre-
sided in the orchestra, and was greeted with even more
than the customery fervour that his presence evokes
from the auditory. wherever he appears. In the
d
" gettiog up" of the new affair expense seemed
literally to be no object. We all know the splendid
resources of the establishment, and in addition to their
full development last night, in the features of scenery,
costume, and appointments, three military bands
were superadded to the instrumental strength of the
orchestra, and the chorui was augmented
by the addition of forty-two voices. The libretto of
Pietro .11 Grande is the work of Mr. Desmond
Ryan, translated into Italian by Signor Mazzioni.
Historic truth has yielded to the caprices of
poetic
f
licence, as may be seen from the following sketch of
the story as it has been handled by Mr. Ryan.
The
dramatic effect produced is, however, in the present
case an ample excuse for the disregard of Clio. Peter
(Signor Tamberlik) is on the •point of departing from
his ship-building labours, in Saardam, and Catherine
(Mdlle. Anna Zerr)-_a sort of naval virandiere—is
smitten with the disguised Emperor. The
young
lady, however, has two suitors, Rossomak
(Herr
Formes), a Cossack chief, in attendance on the Czar,
and Zeinbarg (Signor Rommi), one of her own coun-
trymen ; for neither of whom, however, does she at
all concern herself. The first scene represents the
dockyard, and is full of bustle and character. On one
side is a ship on the stocks, with men employed tar-
ring her. At the back is a very correctly rigged
barque, carrying top and top gallant mast% which
moves away at the close of the act, carrying Peter
and his fortunes. Men labour at anvils and carrying
stones, and twisting ropes,
and altogether the spec:-
taele is very lively and 'significant, After an attempt by
Zeinherg on Peter's life, at teetjnetjgaliee of R°Bg°-
intik, acoinplimeatary ballet signalise"s fife know-
ledge of the Dutch authorities of the personnel of one
of their shipwrights; and when this is over, and in
the silence of the 'night, the two would-be assassins
return, intending to complete the business of the Czar,
when they are discovered by Catherine, denounced,
and the life of Zeicherg only saved by Peter—who
avows his real individuality—interfering on his behalf.
A tender farewell of the poor Dutch girl follows, and.
then, in the midst of a very effective tableau, the Em-
peror enters his own ship and bids his old comrades
adieu. In the second act we have an elaborate tent
scene, with more than one band upon the stage. Peter
and his generals, the most conspicuous being Lefort
(Sig. Tagliafico), are holding a revel—a very,favourite
proceeding, by the way, of the Czar, and the group of
tough old Scotch adventurers, who mainly
formed his coadjutors_when Catherine, who
has followed her lover, bursts in and an-
nounces the imminent danger of the Russian army.
After being recognised and welcomed by Peter,
and departing on her mission to the Grand Vizier,
warlike proceedings commence. Peter changes his
plan of defence, and dictates fresh instructions to his
generals. Then the tent draperies are drawn aside,
disclosing fortifications and a distant camp. After a
warlike chorus of officers, we have a military spectacle
representing the defiling of the Russian forces. Troops
of various species march by, from artillery to Cossacks.
The first band is that of a cavalry regiment, all the
performers mounted and 1
P-ays;ng a gay and piquant
march. Infantry drums and fifes come next, the
drums very long and of a peculiar construction; and
lastly, we have an ordinary regimental band. The
whole display, which is a very brightly and carefully
managed piece of pageantry, leads up to the arrival of
Peter with his staff, all equally mounted on capari-
soned and caracolling steeds. The remainder of the
act is made up of tumultous choruses, and rushes
of driven-in and rallying soldiers across the
stage. Peter, with a telescope, surveying the
field, is not in the least put out by the
explosion of a shell close to him ' • and finally,
making a last appeal to his men to follow him to the
death, he seizes a standard, and rushes with his re-
serve of troops into the fray. The third act opens in
the Kremlin. The night is dark, with snow falling.
The Czar holds high festival, and from the daughters
of the Boyars assembled he is to select a Czarina.
But Rossomak's vengeance is not yet satiated. In a
nook near the palace be and his accomplices plan the
assassination of the Emperor.
Of course the faithful
and omnipresent Catherine, who has not turned up
after the battle of Pultawa until this critical moment,
is wandering by, and, of course, she hears their plans,
and hurries off to save once more the Czar. The
monarch is in a desponding condition, 'longing for
another look of the lost Catherine, when her voice
startles his ears. In a moment she is in his arms,
and the story of Rossomak's treachery dis-
closed. Peter quietly bides his time. 'Rosso-
mak .makes his appearance with his friends in
the ball-room ; but when be attempts to stab the
monarch, Peter, who is prepared, seizes his wrist and
drives the weapob into the assassin's breast. when,
in conclusion, we state that Catherine
succeeding congratulatory chorus, resplendent in im-
perial robes, we have brought the story to its fore-
seen termination.
The music is much what we had anticipated. A
great deal of what is pleasing, sparkling, melodious,
appears in the
and effective—noisy pro-
found. There was no dulness, but some condensation
is necessary. This should be employed principally
in the second act, where some disapprobation was
occasionally, and not very
-
manifested, to which, however, the introduction of
equestrian spectacle, which shocked the
hyper-fasti-
dious, partly conduced. The grand hit of the opera
and which will become, we imagine, a great popular
is the Russian hymn,
favourite. The waltzes, polonaises, and mazurkas,
and
felicitously introduced, are of course delightful,
here observe that the choregraphic e
based upon a national melody,
so is the ballet music of the first act. We may
Madame Robert and M. Alexandre was highly
praiseworthy ; but that of the new Russian danseuse,
Mademoiselle Adrieneff, did not find unani-
mousamid
favour. , The first act terminated
tremendous applause, and a recall for Anna Zerr,
Tamberlik, Formes, and Jullien. We could specify
several morceaux of great beauty, but shall be contentd
execution of
with singling out the prayer of the nuns, accompanied
by the organ behind the scenes ; the septet in which
o cel, (eel
Peter dictates the plan of the battle ; his cavatihs,
" Ah ! se to m'ami ;''
dun afflita ;" and the chorus, " Non s oda pia." Tam-
berlik was absolutely glorious. He looked, acted,
Catherine's prayer,
and sang to perfection. The peculiar talents of
Mdlle. Anna Zerr were exercised to great advantage
in the part of Catherine, and assuredly these _ two.e
eminent artistes are entitled to the gratitude of the
justice.
What for they did him the amplest
What Formes had to do he necessarily
The exertions of Tegliafico, Stigelli, Polinihn
indeed all concerned, were worthy of all admiration.
to
All that is wanting is some judicious curtailment.
d attractive
render Pietro 11 Grande highly popular an
spectacle ; and
as an opera, as it is magnificent as a .
disappoint
we rest satisfied that M. Jullien will not
..
.. .
his friends, the public, in exercising this snit
et
1111 t
eo r
falla i o no f
There was very considerable applause a
did nobly.and
and
the curtain. M. Jullien was loudly called
with Mdlle.
th for,dile.
responded to the summons, in company wl
Anna Zerr and Tamberlik.
Among the persons
the performances by his presence.
Am°ls-ake and Du-
of distinction present we remarked the
Geraldine
chess of Beaufort and the Ladies andHenrietta.or_,
d the Du-
Somerset, the Duke and Duchess of Ben:
Bath the Earl of
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge honoured
chess of Leinster, the Marquis of Bbaet
Viscountess Now-
port, the Countess of Glengall,
lett, Viscount Clifden, Viscount and.dstone
, his port, Viscount and Viscountess
Mai Gordon Lennox,
Excel-
lency Baron Rehausen, Lord Henry
Gordon, Lady Burg-
Countess Pow-
M.P., Lord and Lady Frances
GLady Mary Chris-
hersh and Mrs. Locke, Lady King._, Bateman and the
topher and Lady Lucy Grant, 1,40!
Churchill, Colonel the
Cape), Lady Flower, Lord Alfred
the Hon. Mr- Jer. .
Right. Hon. Cecil tireld Forester,
Hon. Miss Hanbury, Lord Gerald Fitzgerald, Lady
the Hon. Mr. Stuatt
annhy, Colonel the Hon. G. cadoge
Macdonald, the Ron. Mr.
Wortley, the Hon. James
Anson and Miss Anson,
Banbury, the Hon. Mrs. George
Hon. Strange and the
ningham, the Hon. G. W. Mulles, the Hon. Gerald Pon-
the Bon. Mr. J. A. Villiers, th.e..
5. Norton, the Hon.
211.8irerH, eSariryA,BristhhuT Sir Mrs. Abbott, Sir Henry
Hon. Mrs. Jocelyn, the Hon.
George Douglas, Sir E. Page Turn
As-
ton, tee. &o. Webb,

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
The astonishing and unprecedented feats of the
brothers Seigrist, on La Perche, have excited such an
amount of pnblic enthusiasm that Mr. Batty has
found it expedient to enter into a re-engagement with
those extraordinary artists, who continue nightly
to
display their matchless dexterity in the circus. The
grand spectacular drama of Peter the Great is in the
height of its attraction; the role of the Muscovite Czar
being sustained with great dignity and effect by Mr.
Ryder. In the production of this piece Mr. Leclercq
has proved himself to be the best of stage•managers.
The groupings and general liaise en scene are most
admirably arranged, and, indeed, in all that has been
brought forward on this stage under his direction, a
Signal improvement on preceding seasons is dis•
cernible in the legitimate features of stage
effect, resulting from his singularly happy
Combination of taste and tact. Astiey's has never
been stronger in the field than at present, and we
strongly recommend any who may not have visited it
lately, not to omit an evenings enjoyment in its
brilliant interior before the approaching recess. We
are given to understand that Mr. Batty has retained
Mr. Fitzball to write the opening of his Christmas
pantomime, regardless of expense, and which he is
determined shall surpass all his previous efforts.