The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-22 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

Les Diantans de la Couronne, the music of which
is as sparkling and as brilliant as the diamonds whose
adventures it celebrate,, was produced here last
evening for the benefit of Mademoi,elle Charton
(who, we are sorry to learn, is soon about to
quit us), and produced in the most perfect
manner in which it has ever been produced in Eng-
land. An effective orchestra of accomplished mu-
sicians, used to each other's play, and conducted by
one who thoroughly under,tands the art of playing
on such an orchestra, is essentially necessary to do
anything like justice to the elaborate score of
Auber ; and never was the orchestra more
effective than is the orchestra of the St. James's, a
conductor more completely master of his art, than
M. Charles Hanssens. It was delightful to watch
the quiet and masterly manner in which Han ssens
conducted the orchestra last evening. There
was none of that fussiness—none of that abo-
minable audible rapping on the book, by
which the efforts of some of our most
celebrated conductors are marred, but all was done
quietly and without apparent effort, and yet never
has the overture to the Dianzans de la Couronne been
performed nearly so effectively in this country as it
was last evening. The ehorusses, too, were given
with a degree of ensemble that was perfect, and never
have we before seen this delightful opera nearly so
well represented as a whole. Mademoiselle Charton
was La Catrina, and her execution of the exceedingly
difficult music with which the; part abounds was ad-
mirable.; her acting,' too, was excellent. She evi-
dently takes a different view of the character
from that taken by Madame Thillon. Ma-
dame Thillon revelled in the mystification
ofand
La fun of
than the
of the te
; she was more
Queen. With Mademoiselle
Charton, the idea of dignity is predominant, she
cha
Qranceer
never, forgets: the Queen in La Catrina. She was
deservedly encored in her celebrated scena in the
first act, in which (and it would be an act of injustice
not to mention the fact) she was most
efficiently supported by the chorus. Mademoiselle
Guichard, as Diana, sung and acted most effectively ;
her air in the second act was admirably given, and
warmly applauded. Couderc was the Don Henrique,
a part which he originally created in Paris, and which
has continued his own ever since. He is not only a
singer but an excellent actor, and his acting in the
scene with the brigands in the first act was excellent.
M. Buguet, as Rebodello, looked the very beau ideal
of a brigand chief, and,Chateaufort, as Campo Mayor,
acted the part of "a foolish and a faded gentleman"
to the life. The piece was excellently put on the
stage. The fair Nneficiare was called for at the fall
of the curtain.' The opera was preceded by the
pleasant vaudeville L'lmage. As might have been
anticipated, the benefit of ividlle. Charton attracted a
crowded and brilliant audience, amongst whom were
—the Conde de Monternolin, her Serence Highness
the Hereditary Princess of Parma, the Turkish
Ambassador and suite, the Marquis and Mar-
chioness of Douglas, Countess of Cardigan, Earl
and Countess of Jersey, Earl of Shelburne,
Marquis of Abercorn, Lord Ossulston, Earl of
Falmouth, Earl of Munster, Earl of Belfast, Lord
Eliot, Sir George and Lady Colthurst, Sir William
Fraser, Lady Quintin, Lady and Captain West, Lady
and the Misses Domvile, Sir Frederick Trench, Mr.
Henry Baring, Mrs. Claude Wilde, M. Eugene de
Gerlache, Mr. and Miss De Horsey, Mr. Hardwicke,
Mr. Charles Heneage, Mrs. and Miss Gore, Mr.
Krehmer, Mr. and Mrs. Sanford, Mr. Paul, and Mrs.
F. Drummond &c.