The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-22 00:00:00

SURREY THEATRE.

The first production here last night of an English
version of the grand opera, La Juive, which has had so
considerable a run in Paris, was entirely successful, and
redounded very much to, the credit of the management
and the principal of the artistes engaged. The story
upon which the opera is founded is familiar to most
Londoners, being the same as that which formed the
groundwork of the -spectacle of the Jewess, which Mr.
Bunn, at Drury Lane, and several other managers of
the metropolitan theatres turned to so good account
some years ago. There are few who do not remember
. the various incidents which led to the condemnation of
the Jewess of Constance to death by immersion in a boiling
cauldron for attempting to intermarry with a Christian,
and her being saved at a critical moment from that dread
ful fate by the discovery that she is the long-lost daugh-
ter of the cardinal who is presiding at her execution.
This was first appropriated for an opera by M. Halevy,
whose La Juive, as we have already said, has met with
much approval in the Parisian capital. The libretto of
the original, which is by M. Scribe, has been very
cleverly translated by Henri Drayton, who has also
made some alterations in the music of Halevy, both with
the view of bringing it within the compass of the orches-
tra and the vocalists here, and of making it more in
accordance with the taste of the audience ; and though
the critical may be disposed to find fault with this change,
we think it comes within the license usually allowed to
the adapters of French productions. The part of the
Jewess was very creditably sustained by Miss Lowe,
though her vocal capabilities are scarcely equal to
some of the higher flights she attempted. Miss
R. Isaac's sweet and melodious voice told with
fine effect as the princess Eudocia, and she was re-
peatedly and loudly applauded. It was a matter of
regret that she was lost to the audience in the last few
scenes, and we think if the Jewess had been allotted to
her, that character would have found a more efficient
representative, while there would have been more scope
for the display of her abilities. Mr. Drayton's "make
up" as the old Jew Eleazer, showed him to be a careful
artist, . and his song in the prison was carefully given,
with genuine manly feeling and without exaggeration.
Mr. E. Galer personated the Prince with taste and feel-
ing, doing some verygood things with his pure tenor voice.
In the concerted pieces a few more rehearsals will be
necessary to produce a satisfactory amount of harmony,
and the chorus singers must be persuaded, if possible, to
sacrifice individuality to ensemble, and'then' when these
two results have been achieved, there can be no doubt
but that they piece will have a successful run. The
scenery is very good, the tableaux striking, and the
processions numerous and imposing. The whole forms
a very praiseworthy effort on the part of the manage-
ment, while the efficient production of a piece of this class,
and its success amongst the classes who chiefly patronise
the Surrey, are gratifying proofs of the improvement of
the popular taste in the matter of theatrical amusements.
We cannot conclude this notice without strongly con-
demning the offensive introduction into the third act of
sa comic dance and a fight between some men at-arms,
-which were only suited for some pantomime performance,
and which should be got rid of without delay. All the
artistes were called at the fall of the curtain and warmly
greeted. The afterpiece last night was Mr. Planch6's
funny burlesque of Beauty and the Beast, in which Miss
St. George and Mr. St. Albyn kept the house in good
humour up to a very late hour. The latter was loudly
encored in one or two of his songs. The house was
crowded in every part.