The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-23 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA.

MISS SARA DOBSON.

What are we to say of the young lady, whose
first appearance in " Lurline," we had the pleasure
of recording the other day, and whose claims were
further tested at our national opera last evening in
the far more arduous effort of the dream-haunted
Amina. We confess to no little difficulty. If the
trepidation which marked her debut, and hung

like a veil over all her merits, has been
sufficiently removed to enable us at least
to see and speak of her musical pretensions
—how in respect to her dramatic ? Is her ex-
treme youth, including her obvious unacquaint-
ance with the stage—which explains her want of
adequate emotion, as well as ease and self-
possession—to be viewed also as a veil that
conceals her dramatic power, and which as
it is thrown aside is destined to reveal quali-
ties as commendable as those which denote her
vocally. Who shall say ? e confess we attach
but little importance to the recommendation of some
of our contemporaries that she should have re-
mained longer in the country and thereby acquired
a proper mastery of stage expression before she
appeared. In the first place there are no schools
of operatic training in the country. There is as
little provision in our provinces to make a singer
as an actor, In the next place there can be no
question that if a singer be only endowed with the
requisite vocal and dramatic gifts, as well as adequate
musical culture, he or she will grow as much under
the inspiration of a London audience in two seasons,
as in the country, they would in five. London favour
has a warmth that is tropical, and does its ripening
in a night. We can have no better proof on this point
than the career of Mr, Santley, who on his first ap-
pearance at Covent Garden was certainly as desti-
tute of dramatic expression as any singer of our
time, and who has so rapidly developed into one of
its most striking exemplifications. That it is the
destiny of Miss Sara Dobson to rival his notable
expansion is, of course, impossible for us to say ;
but we see nothing, at the same time, in
the utmost of her deficiencies which for-

bids us to irdulge the hope of it. Whilst
we must admit, therefore, that this young
lady is wholly unequal at present to a dramatic
interpretation of such a character as the Sonnam-

bula, and more especially in the presence of its
realisation on other boards, we can readily admit
the claims of much oL her vocal qualification, which,
if not extraordin try, are at least sufficiently praise-
worthy and pleasing to account for the marked
satisfaction which she communicated to the
audience. Miss Dobson is possessed of a pure
soprano voice, very delicate and melodious in
quality, which she exerts with a taste and firm-
ness that testify to the very careful and judicious
training she has received—but her voice at the

same time has neither the power nor flexibility
which would enable her to hold a first position at
this theatre. She has neither the vigour nor the
brilliancy which prima donnas now require to

satisfy the tastes that have been formed on modern
standards. She has a tenderness and delicacy
which must always please, and when further de-
veloped—in combination with her youth and en -
gaging appearance—can scarcely fail to delight,
but which at the same time can as little hope
either to impress or to electrify. Her execution of the
music of Amina may be inferred from these re-
marks. Its characteristic was great tenderness,
which in the music of the sleeping scenes deepened
to a point of genuine pathos that rendered her
impression very favourable in the finale of each
act—however wanting the usual aids of the pathetic
fervour which we have so long been accustomed to
in the one, or the burst of vigorous brilliancy
which mostly concludes the other. Miss Dobson was
warmly called for at the close of the first act (the
second of the English version), and just as heartily
at the end. The Elvino of the evening was Mr.
George Perren, who, unfortunately for Miss Doh •
son, being a novice like herself, was unable to sus
tain her in her arduous endeavour. His charas-
teristics also, like her's, are tenderness rather than
power, and an excellent musical style ; whilst his
dramatic quality, in like manner, time has
yet got to decide. His singing had
great earnestness and tastefulness throughout ;
his delivery of the " Tutto e Sciolto" almost win
❑irrg an encore. Strangely enough, however, he
omitted with Amina the duet of the "Son geloso,"
one of the loveliest pieces in the opera, and which
is so adapted to their respective styles, it could not
have failed in a due impression. One of the best
features of the night was the Rhodolfo of Mr.
Santley, whose superb voice and finished style lifted
a character that is little thought of into absolute
importance. His delivery of the "Vi ravviso" was
a gratification rarely afforded to the bearers of this
opera. Miss Tbirlwall, we must also notice, as a
very superior Lisa, her rendering of her two airs be-
ing equally distinguished by facility and sweetness
Mr. Rouse also was a valuable accession as Alessio,
his humour and vivacity, tending greatly to relieve
many of the slower portions of the story. To the
band and chorus, under Mr. Mellon, only our old
praises can apply—nothing could possibly exceed
their vigour, lightness, and exactness. The house
vvis very full.

MR. KENNEDY'S SCOTTISH ENTER-

TAINMENT.

A worthy successor of the late Mr. Wilson, the
celebrated Scottish vocalist, has at last appeared
in the person of Mr. Kennedy. Last night this
gentleman made his first appearance in London,
at the Queen's Concert Room, Hanover-square,
and met with the most enthusiastic success.

The programme of his entertainment was most
judiciously selected, and well calculated, not only
to gratify that part of the audience, " native
and to the manner born," but also to delight
the ears of the Southerners with the
music of Scotland in all its pleasing varieties.
Mr. Kennedy was particularly successful in the
well-known dialogue song " Come under my
plaidie," and also " Tak yer auld cloak aboot ye ;"
but his crowning triumph was " Scots wha hae,"
which was given in a most telling and exciting
manner. The result was a rapturous encore ; in-
deed, the audience seemed very much inclined to
encore everything, but a little consideration, we
suppose, for Mr. Kennedy induced them to have
mercy on their new entertainer.
Mr. Kennedy repeats his entertainment on Mon-
day next, when he doubtless will meet with another
hearty reception.

ARRIVAL OF PRINCE ALFRED.

PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY MORNING.

Her Majesty's ship St. George, with Prince
Alfred on board, accompanied by the Chanticleer,
has arrived at Spithead from Kiel.

MISS LOUISA PYNE.—This distinguished vocalist
has been seriously indisposed, having been attacked with
gestric fever, but her numerous friends and the general
public will be gratified to learn, that she is now approach-
ing convalescence, and will soon be enabled to resume her
professional duties both as manageress and artiste at the
Royal English Opera.

GROCERS IN THE CIVIC CFIAIR.—The grocers
were at one period the foremost men of the City of London.
During the 367 years that elapsed from 1231 to 1598, no
lees than seventy. three times was the civic chair occupied
by members of the Grocers' Company. Since 1757, when
Harsh Dickenson was Lord Mayor, no other has ever at-
tained that very enviable dignity. Again, in 1379, when
a compulsory roll of the trading guilds and fraternities of
London was made, the first on the list is the Grocers'.
This, too, be it remembered, at a time when the most fre-
quent cause of riot and bloodshed in the streets and market-
places was a jealous pride that stirred up all the principal
guilds to contend for the most honourable place at the
great public feasts and spectacles, which then, as now, but
with far greater consistency of time and circumstances,
characteririd the barbarous eplendour of a Lord Mayor's
show.— The Grocer.

EXPORT OF COALFROM GREAT GRIMSBY.—Return
of coal exported from the port of Great Grimsby during the
month of August, 1862 ;_To France, 3,314 tons; Prussia,
2,487; Russia, 1,319; liansaatic towns, 483; Canada, 500;
West India Islands, 351; Norway, 1,153; Spain, IES:
Mecklenburg, 24.5 Italy, 217, total foreign, 10,254; total
coastwise, 898; grand total, 11,152. ,iorresponding month
of 1861.--Total foreign,ll,4s4; total coastwise, 699. •
1
grand total, 12,153,