The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-26 00:00:00

DON PASQUALE.

The genius of Donizetti has yet got t'be appre-
ciated. His brief career and immense fertility were
alike injurious to his fame. He should have lived
longer, or written less. When a writer is said to
have composed nearly a hundred operas in twenty
years, we may acknowledge his invention, but we
must doubt the possibility of that thoughtful and
maturing art which is equally required to crown
his toils with immortality. At the same time, it
must be allowed that to launch a hundred works on
the uncertain tide of public favour, and be able to
say, as in his case, that even seven continue afloat,
is no ordinary test of power. Of all the
writers of the last century—from Handel down
to Sacchini, with the sole exception of Mozart
—not one opera remains with us. What
do we produce of Gluck, or Piccini, of
Jomelli, or Paisiello. Even among the com-
posers of the present century—who average their
twenty works for the most part—which of them is
likely to contribute his six or seven enduring
favourites ? Certainly not Rossini, who, at the
utmost, has given but four—nor Meyerbeer, unless,
at his present rate of production, he is destined to
triumph for two centuries. But another fact, which
is quite as important, is the inclusive genius of
Donizetti. He stands apart from the mass of his
contemporaries, on the illustrious ground of his
combining both the tragic and comic sympathies.
He can interpret both the ideal and the real of
humanity. He is both the poet and the humorist,
who can deal with man entire. Since the days of
Mozart—the lyric Shakspeare, no other composer
has been so distinguished, with the sole exception
of Rossini, and he, it must be remembered,
more on the comic than the tragic side.
When we recollect, therefore, that Donizetti
has given four such tragic operas as " Anna Bolena,"
"Lucretia Borgia," the "Favorite," and the
" Lucia," together with three such comic triumphs
as the " Elisir d,Amore," "Don Pasquale," and the
"Figlia de Regimenta"—we assert that, whether
in respect to the depth or range of such a genius,
it has not yet obtained the acknowledgment
which is so unquestionably its due. Of all the evi-
dences of his comic power "Don Pasquale" is cer-
tainly the highest_approaching closest to the
" Barbiere"—that true standard of lyric comedy,
and Mr. Mapleson could scarcely have gratified his
patrons more completely than in presenting it
With such resources as bis theatre now commands.
Distinguished not more by its genuine gaiety than
its marked dramatic character—when produced in
England originally it achieved the utmost
to the absolutely
i
popu-
larity, and also continued for many years to be
a universal favourite, owing
perfect manner in which it was nterpreted. Who
can forget that its hero was Lablaehe,and that its
heroine was Grisi—that its doctor was Tamburini,
and that its lover was the unrivalled Mario ! The
loss of these great artists, but more especially the
first, for whom the amorous Don was written, and
who embodied it in a manner it is idle to expect we
shall see repeated, fully accounts for its comparative
neglect in recent years, and accordingly its fresh-
ness to many an auditor on its revival at this house
last evening. That revival, in nearly every respect,
reflects the highest crrdit on the theatre. Signor
Zucchini's Don Pasquale—it is but the merest jus •
tics to say, is the very best that has been witnessed
since that of its great original. It is the perform-
ance of a genuine comedian, as well as of a thorough
musical artist, who can be unctuous without coarse-
ness, and vigorous without excess. It has all the
traits of the most careful study, developed
by the most humorous spirit and sympathy,
and has an effect that is just as natural
as it is pleasant and enjoyable. Nothing can pos-
sibly be more comic than his delighted encounter
with his bride from a convent, who pretends to be
so shy she can scarcely endure the sight of a man,
and whose charming prejudice he feels that his
personal interest must soon subdue—or his astonish-
ment on discovering that all her innocence is a
trick, and he is entrapped for life into the clutches
of a fashionable virago. The restless transport of
his expectations, and the entire collapse at the re-
sult, is as comic a piece of contrast as we remem-
ber to have seen. Equally good is the wonder and
rage to which he arouses frota his stupor,. when
he finds his bride is going to ruin him, not only in
pocket, but in charaoter,and intendsa visit not only
to the theatre, bat a taeCtiDg n-iLL a gallant. Here
his wonder, as he stares at her, when she tells him
to go to bed—his rage when she persists on leaving
him, and his overthrow again when he receives the
box on hisears, and murmurs, "e finite Don Pasquale,'
all you have got to do is to go and drown yourself,"
were all rich in the extreme. The melancholy
snivel, too, with which he enters, entirely prostrate
in the last scene, and says to Malatesta, " Brother-
in-law, you see a dead man walking upright" (" Un
morto che:cammina"), was a most amusing touch
of nature—and, in accordance with the dramatic,
is the vocal merit of his performance. His delivery
of the aria, " Un foco insolito," is a most spirited
and expressive effort ; and his share in the finale of
the second act, when he is raging at the discovery
of his betrayal, carries a comic indignation to the
extreme height of which it is capable. Alto-
gether this is a performance which esta-
blishes the claims of Signor Zucchini, and
we should suppose cannot fail to become as
popular as it is genuine. Anothev feature of the
evening was the Malatesta of Mons. Gassier, which
was a very humorous and gentlemanly effort that
must advance this excellent artist another step in
public favour. Equally good in singing and acting,
his delivery of the charming air, especially " Bella
Siccome un Angelo"—is worthy of all praise. A
third attraction was theErnesto.of Signor Ginglini,
who proved to the delight of the audience that he
had entirely regained his noble voice, and whose
delivery of all the'music—whether in its:tenderness
or melody—could not possibly be exceeded.

Most delightful was his rendering of the
Sogno soave e casto," the lover's adieu to all his
hopes, his share in tEe exquisite quartett of the

second act, which was very properly redemanded,
and his delivery of that gem of serenades, " Com e

gentil," which was also, and as loudly and as prc-

- ..
perly, encored. The only exception we can take,
we regret, is to the Norina of the evening. Mdllc.
Guerrabella has every personal accomplish-

ment for her task—a charming appearance

and engaging manners, but her want of
sufficient vigour, both in respect to voice

or expression, abated the illusion, most unluckily,
where it most required to be sustained. Her most

succes.ful vocal effort was her share of the exqui
site duett, " Tornami a dir," in which Signor
Giuglini's faultless expression seemed to inspire

her own. The performances terminated with the
" Barbiere," compressed into one act, in which
Mdlle. Trebelli renewed all her good impressions.

'he house was well attended.

HANDEL FESTIVAL.

The Festival terminates to-morrow with "Israel in
Egypt. It is necessary to state, in order to correct an
erroneous impression that very generally prevails, that it
will be irnp6siible to give a fourth performance. A body
of vocal and instrumental performers, 4,000 in number, it
should be borne in mind, is by no means so easy to deal
with as an ordinary assembly of musicians. How they are
got together is sufficiently a puzzle, and coming as they do
from all parts of the kingdom, under specific arrangements
as to the length of their stay in town, and with railway
return tickets for the week only, it must be obviously im-
-1 ossible to keep them all together after to-morrow. Tho
instrumental members of the orchestra have numerous
other professional engagements, and under all the circum-
stances it is somewhat surprising that the idea of a fourth
performance should have been entertained. We recom-
mend every one to embrace to-morrow the last opportunity
of participating in this brilliant musical festival. Ths
offices at Exeter Hall for the sale of tickets live been
literally besieged this morning. Their Royal Highnesses
the Euchess and the Princess Mary of Cambridge, with a
host of other distinguished visitors, will be present at the
performance of the incomparable "Israel in Egypt" to-
morrow.

A LAWYER MISREPRESENTED.—A certain lawyer
had his portrait taken in his favourite attitude—standing
with his hand in his pocket. His friends and clients went
to see it, and everybody exclaimed, " Oh, how like It's
the very picture of him." An old farmer, however, die
sented. "Don't you see," said ho, "he has got his hand
in his own pocket ? 'T would be as like again if he had it
in somebody else's,"