The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-03 00:00:00

MARIO IN " LE PROPHETE."

If we are this year without Tamberlik at either
house, if there yet remains a shadow of a shade of
a doubt as to Giuglini's recovery so far as to admit
of his appearance this season, in fulfilment of Mr.
Mapleson's promise, on the boards of Her Majesty's
—we have, happily, still left to us, the King of all
the Tenors, Mario, one who is yet to the last
the pride and paragon of the Royal Italian ! It
is, in truth, among the most notable facts in re-
gard to the musical season now in progress that
Mario is in glorious voice—is nightly in such voice
as he was " in" only upon two or three occasions,
quite exceptionally, during the whole course of last
season ! The freshness of his beautiful and, in some
respects, matchless organ, we recognised ourselves
with delight and duly notified in these columns
in our critique upon the Opening Night at the
Royal Italian, when, as will be remembered,
the season • was inaugurated so very bril-
liantly with Gounod's chef d'oeuvre, Faust e
Margherita. Since then the same delightful fact
has been evidenced, again and again, and quite as
conspicuously. On Monday the same fact was
recognised as once more matter for general congra-
tulation among the audience assembled together
within the walls of the Royal Italian, to witness
the performance of one of the four—not the greatest
of them, to our mind, but still one of the most not-
able of the four—of those prodigious musical achieve-
ments of Meyerbeer, called, with full justice, not
simply Lyric Dramas, but Grand Operas ! Colossal
evidences of the wonderful genius of the Maestro,
of which genius the world had a foretaste more than
three and thirty years ago, when the precursor of
this series of Grand Operas, Robert le Diable, was, in
1831, first produced. At deliberate and lengthened
intervals, since then, have appeared the four gigantic
masterpieces known now, the wide world, over, as
the Four Grand Operas of Giacomo Meyerbeer—
Les Huguenots (the grandest of all operas to our
thinking)—Le Prophete (the opera before referred
to as having been performed at the Royal Italian on
Monday evening)—Dinorah and (what is announced
we rejoice to up, for performance again at the Royal
Italian on Saturday evening next) L'Etoile du Nord.
Added, at length, to that glorious list—added to it
only as recently as Friday evening last—there is yet
the fifth of these Grand Operas of Meyerbeer—
crowning the radiant catalogue—perfecting, accord-
ing:to the report of those who have actually heard
this last of his greatest works—just perfecting

the reputation of the composer of Les Huguenots, of
Le Prophete,.of Dinorah, of L'Etoile du Nord, with
the posthumous triumph of L'Africaine. France,
Paris, in each instance, being the starting-point in
the marvellous career of each—as, in truth, the
very perpetuation of the French title of each of these
five Grand Operas (even in their Italian form) clearly
enough, distinctly enough, serves to indicate.
L'Africaine we have yet to make acquaintance with
—happily, according to Mr. Gye's programme (and
Mr. Gye has long since proved himself to be a man
of his word, a fulfiller of promises as well as a giver
of them, what though he is Director of a great
Lyrical Establishment !)—happily, we say, the Time
for our making acquaintance with L'Africaine is
during this present season, and the Place Covent
Garden Theatre, otherwise the Royal Italian !
Meanwhile; we have reasons enow to rejoice over
the good the gods have (already) given us—those De-
migods of Song, the Great Composers—interpreted
as they are by such High Priests of their art, let us
say, as Signor Mario! We had reasons, for example,
abundant and overflowing, for exultation (during the
delay yet awhile of L'Africaine) on Monday evening,
when Mario, nobly assisted by other artistes of emi-
nence, interpreted yet once more for us, the
Prophete of Meyerbeer. In the absence from the
lyrical stage of the incomparable Garcia, Madlle.
Edelsberg enacted Fides with a singularly pathetic
impressiveness—lgadlle. Sonieri co-operating with
her very charmingly as Bertha, Jean of Leyden's
betrothed. The Three Anabaptist Leaders of the
revolt in Westphalia—picturesquely clad in sable,
like so many puritan Hamlets, without, however,
their princely stars and loosened garters—found ad-
mirable interpreters, both histrionic and lyrical—

Zacharia in Signor Capponi, Mathisen in Signor
Polonini, and Jonas in Signor Neri-Baraldi.
The gorgeous and tyrannical libertine, Count
D'Oberthal, was, as usual, the character allotted,
most judiciously, to Signor Tagliafico. But the hero
of the night in every sense (here again, let us say, as
usual) was Signor Mario as Jean of Leyden, the
Prophet ! In the second part of the first act, in the
tavern at Dordrecht, where Jean appears simply as
the innkeeper, Mario was as charming and as fasci-
nating as ever, not alone in his rendering of those
dreams of glory, which may be said to be audibly,
almost visibly revealed to us, in the visionary " Io
stava in pie prostrato," but in his earnest bye-play,
when listening to the temptations held out to him
by the conspiring leaders of the Anabaptists. And
so, for that matter—as indeed who that has gazed
upon and listened to the Jean of Leyden of Mario
knows not already, and who has not seen and heard
it ?—so, for that matter, was it throughout the
whole of the four acts on Monday, as it has been so
often previously ! Throughout—through the mag-
nificent pomp and tragic situation of the coronation
scene in the cathedral—through the breathless soli-
citude and anguish of the scene in the dungeon—
up to the very climax of all, where, in the banquet
scene, in the Town Hall of the City of Munster,
the disenchanted Prophet of the Anabaptists

still robed in his royal apparel, figuratively speaking
lapped in soft Lydian airs and crowned with roses,
breelthing an atmosphere of fragrance, surrounded
by voluptuous dancers, bearing aloft in his jewelled
hand a golden tazza, brimming, one might fancy,
with the wine of the gods sings as Mario
alone can sing it the one delicious haunting melody
of Ze Prophete, "Beviam, e intorno giri"—to fall
prostrate afterwards at the foot of his throne in the
midst of the crashing flames and ruin he has
prepared for himself like another Sardana-
palus ! After the final descent of the curtain

on Monday, Mario, as a mere matter of course,
or rather, let us say, as a sheer matter of
necessity, was summoned before the footlights,
to be there greeted with acclamations. Everything
prospers so well this season ab- the Royal Italian
that we haye reason once more to congratulate Mr.
Gye on his propititious prqaration for what will be
his crowning achievement ,thii year—the first pro-
duction, that is in England, of Meyerbeer's Afri-
caine.

Gallery of Illustration,

-0

Yesterday afternoon a new Opera di Camera,
composed by M. Emile Jones, and adapted from
the French by Mr. German Reed, entitled " A Fair
Exchange," was produced with the greatest success.
It consists of one scene and four characters, sup-
ported by Miss Henderson, Miss Pitt, Mr. J. Sha
and Mr. Whiffin, and the fun of the little trifle con-
sists in the cross purposes of four lovers, each of
whom has become an adorer to the other's sweet-
heart. The opera was capitally rendered by the
artistes engaged, and will assuredlybecome a general
favourite? with the lovers of sweet and simple
melody. There was a pretty duet, which was
encored, between Miss Henderson and Mr. Whiffin,
and a qurstet between them and the other pair of
lovers, played and sung by Miss Emily Pitt and Mr.
J. A. Shaw, which was much admired. The suc-
cessful chamber operetta by Mr. Macfarren, called
" The Soldier's Legacy," still holds its place,
and is received with favour. These musical per-
formances are quite independent of Mr. and Mrs.
German Reed's entertainment, and are only given
on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

REPRESENTATION OF LAMBETII;--It is expected
that the writ for the election of a member for the
borough of Lambeth will be moved for next Friday even-
ing, and that the nomination will take place on an early
day next week. At present it appears unlikely that there
will be any opposition to the returp. of Mr. Alderman J. C.
Lawrence, to whom a requisition bearing upwards of 2,000
signatures was some time since addressed, in anticipation
of the retirement of Mr. Williams. The names of several
other gentlemen have been mentioned in connection with
the forthcoming election, but no efforts appear to be made
to bring them prominently ,before the constituency.
The Earl Delawarr arrived in town on Monday
from Buckhurst Park, Sussex.

The, Government has offered a reward of $lOO,OOO
for the arrest of Booth and his accomplices. Per-
sons harbouring them are subject to the penalty of

death.

An accomplice of Booth, named Atzerot, has been
arrested. Nothing further has been published con-
cerning the person already arrested. He is supposed
to be named Suratt. A letter of Booth's, written
several month's ago, shows that he was plotting the
capture of Mr. Lincoln, but gives no intimation
that he contemplated assassination.
The Confederate prisoners at Point Look-out
have passed resolutions of abhorrence at Mr. Lin-
coln's assassination, and expressing sympathy for
his family.
Delegations from different parts of the Union
have waited upon Mr. Johnson and offered him
support. Johnson made several speeches, indicating
no definite policy, but reasserting that treason is
the highest crime, and must be punished ac-

cordingly.
The New York Herald believes that Johnson will
adopt a more demonstrative and exacting foreign
policy than that of Lincoln, and states that he is
committed to the Monroe doctrine.

It is reported that, in conseqUence of Mr. Seward's
condition, Johnson will appoint Mr. Preston King
acting Secretary of State, or Secretary de facto.
It is stated that in consequence of Lincoln's death
Mr. Harlan will not assume the secretaryship of
the Interior.

Johnson has postponed the confiscation sales at
Norfolk until after the organisation of the Freed-

mens Bureau.

The World asserts that Johnson has informed the
Governor of Indiana that he never believed the
doctrine that the rebellious States were out of the

Union.

The diplomatic corps visited President Johnson
on Thursday. Baron Gerolt, Prussian Ambassa-
dor, read an address of condolence, and expressed
hopes for the early re-establishment of peace and
the maintenance of friendly relations with foreign
Powers.

Sir Frederick Bruce has presented his credentials,
on which occasion he expressed deep sympathy at
Mr. Lincoln's death, and said that her Majesty had
nothing more at heart than to cultivate relations of
amity and a good understanding, so long, happily,
existing between England and America. In this
spirit he was directed to perform his duties. Mr.
Johnson expressed pleasure at her Majesty's friendly
sentiments, and said that the interests of civilisation
and humanity required that England and America
should be friends. He always accepted it as an
honourable fact that the Queen was a sincere and
honest well-wisher of the United States.
Mr. Johnson said he accepted Sir Frederick
Bruce as a Minister well disposed to maintain the
peace and honour of both countries. The Presi-
dent and his associates would act in accordance with
the same enlightened policy and consistent senti-
ment.

General Haneck has superseded Ord in the com-
mand at Richmond. Ord has relieved Gilmore al
Charleston.

The New York Herald asserts that Sheridan last
night received a despatch from Sherman announcing
the full surrender of Johnston's army.
Kirkpatrick has pursued the Confederates 30
miles beyond Raleigh. It was expected that the
Federal forces would compel Johnston's surrender.
It is denied that an order was issued to arrest
Judge Campbell and the ex-Mayor of Richmond.

Wilson captured at Selma 2,000 prisoners and
100 cannon, and destroyed a large quantity of
cotton, naval iron work manufactories, and build-

ings.

Thomas's cavalry are reported to have captured
Columbus, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama.
Mosby is reported to have surrendered on the
same terms as Lee, and Rosser to have offered to
surrender upon similar terms.
The Confederates completed their evacuation of
Mobile on the 12th, and the Federals entered the
city on the 13th. Little private property was de-
stroyed.

Official reports announce that Lee surrendered
26,000 men and 159 cannon.

POSTSCRIPT.

An expedition from Charleston has destroyed
1,000 bales of cotton, and all the railway bridges
between Columbia and Florence, and has brought
in 2,500 slaves. 5,000 more are waiting to come in.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW YORK, APRIL 22 (MORNING).

Money abundant. Gold, 1501 ; Exchange on
London, 161 k to 163 ;on Paris, 3f. 481 c. Stocks
steady. New York Centrals, 95 ; Illinois, 109 ;
Erie, 77/ : United States 5-20 Bonds, 1061. Cot-
ton quiet ; Middling Upland, 38. Flour declining ;
wheat heavy ; corn good inquiry. Provisions
slightly firmer. Coffee and sugar good inquiry ;
molasses quiet. Petroleum steady ; crude, 37 ; re-
fined, 52.

THE BOMBAY MAILS.
MALTA, MAY 2.
The Ripon and Ceylon leave here at 9 a.m. al
midnight.

The former may be expected at Marseilles on the
sth, and the latter at Southampton about the 11th
instant.

The Carnatic brought the mails to Suez, arriving
there at 1.30 a.m. on the 28th of April.

OUTWARD CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND
AUSTRALIAN MAILS.
The Pera, from Southampton, April 20, reached
Malta on the 29th, at 3 p.m., and left at midnight
for Alexandra.
The Poonah, from Marseilles, April 28, arrived
on the Ist inst., at 12 a.m., and left at 6 a.m., for
Alexandria.
OUTWARD BOMBAY MAIL.
GIBRALTAR, MAY 2.
The Massilia, from Southampton, April 27,