The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-24 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Mademoiselle Parodi has secured her position as the
Qaeen of lyrical tragedy. She appeared on Tuesday in
the character of Semiramide, and even surpassed the
expectations of her warmest admirers. As a whole,
(and it is as a whole that the impersonations of Made-
moiselle Parodi must be judged, for she is no mere self-
seeking point-maker, but a conscientious interpreter of
the whole inspiration of her author, leaving the points
to make themselves, which they do much more effectually
than when strenuous efforts are made to bring them
out), as a whole never has the character of the majestic
yet guilty Assyrian Queen been more truthfully or more
grandly developed than it was on Tuesday by Mademoi-
selle Parodi. She was equal to Pasta in her grandest
moments. In the earlier scenes she was indeed queen-like;
there was a calm dignity about her impersonation which
seemed to awe all those about her into respect, it
was the calm majesty of conscious power, the innate
sense of an undoubting and admitted superiority which
has no need to exert itself in order to prove its exist-
ence. Mademoiselle Parodi has reached the highest
pitch of art—she understands the secret of repose.
Never have we seen anything more majestic than her
acting during the whole of the magnificent quartett
" Di tanti regi e popoli," which was sung as perfectly
as it could be by herself, Colletti, who was the Assur,
Lablache, who was the Oroe, and Bartolini, who vi as
the Idreno. The "Bel Raggio" was magnificently sung,
and acted beautifully. The Queen was for once sunk in
the woman, and the majestic Semiramide was again a
girl in her love for Arsace, and in her joy at the favour-
able response of the oracle. It was an oasis of human
feeling in the sterile desert of heartless state in
which she who wears a crown is condemned
to live, and move, and have her beicg.
She was, however, again the Queen, ay 1 every inch a
queen in the speech from the throne, in which she an-
nounces to her assembled subjects her choice of Arsaco
as a husband. And the conclusion of this scene, the
magnificent finale " Guiri Ognuno," was, whether consi-
dered as a vocal or as a dramatic display, one of the most
magnificent,; one of the most perfect ever witnessed.
Never have we beheld anything finer, anything more
classical, than the attitudes of Mademoiselle Parodi,
as she listens to the voice of the spectre; never anything
more terribly sublime than the changes of her counte-
nance in that supreme moment of terror and of horror.
Never, not even by Pasta herself, has this terrible scene
been more sublimely embodied. Every attitude of
Parodi was a study for a sculptor, whilst the
rapid changes of her mobilo features put the
painter's art at defiance to catch them. The opening scene
of the second act, the great duet with Assur was, per-
haps, the triumph of the night. The haughty dignity
of Mademoiselle Parodi in this scene was magnificent
and intense, as was her expression of indignation—and
never have we seen indignation expressed with greater
intensity—it was the indignation of a Queen who felt
and knew her power, and never once forgot her state.
The stately pride and haughty dignity with which she
commanded Assur to respect in Arsace his sovereign
was sublime, and then that sudden gust of feeling with
which she exclaims," Send questa gioia," as she hears the
music announcing the approach of Arsace and his troops,
was perfectly thrilling, and went at once to the heart.
The scene with Arsace was also a magnificent display of
histronic power. Never has the expression of the most
acute mental agony been so truthfully depicted as it was
by Parodi, in which she lets the paper fall from her hands
which reveals to her the history of Arsace. She
gives but one look —one momentary glance—before
she covers her face with her hands ; but that one
glance is a glance of such unutterable anguish
as to show that in that moment is concentrated
the agony of years. In the far-famed duet which fol-
lows " Ebben a to ferisce," the conception is beautifully
carried out. She is no longer the haughty Queen, bid-
ding stern defiance to Assur, and breathing forth
threateninga against him ; she does not address Arsace
in a tone of defiance, but as a guilty woman, bowing to
the irresistible decrees of fate, to whom death would
be a welcome refuge from the more than mortal agony
which she suffers. Piteously she implores him as
the minister of the gods to give her that death.
This duet was deliciously sung by Parodi and Alboni
(who was of course the Arsace), and the middle move-
ment, the far-famed " Giorno d'orrore," was rapturously
encored. The triumph of Mademoiselle Parodi was
complete, she has made the character of Semiramide,
perhaps the most difficult in the whole range of Italian
lyrical tragedy, her own, and this is but the foretaste of
many future triumphs yet in store for her, among which,
not the least, will be her Medea. She was called for at
the conclusion of the first act, and at the conclusion of
the opera, and also frequently during the course of the
performance. Mademoiselle Alboni was the Arsace; this
was the character in which she first made her deblit, and
by her personation of which she at once secured her
position. tier rich mellow contralto tones were never
heard to greater per:ection than they were on Tuesday.
Her magnificent rendering of the opening aria, " In se
barbara," excited a perfect furore. We have frequently
heard her in the part of Arsace, and always with de-
light, but never have we heard her in such excel-
lent voice, never has she acted the part of
Arsace so excellently as on Tuesday. Coletti was
magnificent as Assur, both as regards his singing and
his acting. In the second act he nobly seconded Parodi
by his impassioned energy; in fact this scene has never
before been so perfectly rendered in this country as it
was on Tuesday by Coletti and Parodi. Lablache, in
order to strengthen the cast, took the part of Oroe, the
High Priest, and the consequence was a representation
of the chef d'oeuvre of Rossini as nearly approaching
perfeetiou as possible, more perfect by far, as a whole,
than any representation of it which has hitherto taken
place in this country.

NEW NO V E L S.
BY DISTINGUISHED WRITERS.

Sir E. BELWER LYTTON'S HAROLD. Third Edition. 3 vols.

J. FENIMORE COOPE R'S SEA LIONS. 3 vols.
111.
BERMAN MELVILLE'S MARDI. 3 vols.
IV.

DUDLEY CRANBOURNE ; or, a Woman's History. 3 vols.

Sir H. HUNTLEY'S PEREGRINE SCRAMBLE. 3 vols.

EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND TWELVE; or, the Fall of
Napoleon. 3 vols.
VII.
PALGRAVE SIMPSON'S LILY OF PARIS. 3 vols.
VIII.
HELEN CHATZTERIS. 3 vols.
IX.
CERVANTES—EL BUSCAPIE. 1 vol.

ELIZA LYNN'S AMYMONE; or, the Days of Pericles. 3 Tols.

ion. Miss SYDNEY'S SADNESS and GLADNESS. 3 vols.

XII.
Miss COSTELLO'S CLARA FAKE. 3 vols.
XIII.
II NS C. ANDERSEN'S TWO BARONESSES. 2 vols.
Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street.

Immediately, in 2 vols.,
NEW WORK BY CAPTAIN MARRYAT,
VALERIE. An Autobiography.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.
Orders received by all Booksellers.

ST.

JAMES'S THEATRE.

Season 1849.
FRENCH PLAYS and OPERA COMIQUE.
TO-MORROW EVENING

The Performance. will c;;;;;Wce at Half-past Seven o'clock with

LA VENDETTA.
To conclude with
TOUCIIEZ PAS A LA REINE.

Mr. Mitchell begs also to announce that, notwithstanding the in-
Ireased expenses of the present entertaimnent, the prices of admis-
'ion are determined as follows:
Boxes .. ..
Pit .. ..
Amphitheatre ..

.. 6s. Od.
• • 3s. Od.
.. 2s. Od.

Subscriptions for the season may be arranged at Mr. Mitchell's
Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street ; Mr. Sams', St. James's-street ;
Mr. Andrew?, New Bond-street ; and at the Box-office of the
rheatre, which is open daily from eleven till live.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
Last Appearance of Mille. Carlotta (iris!, being her Benefit.
TII IS EVENING,
Will be performed Rossini's celebrated Opera,
LA GAZZA LADRA.
In the course of the Evening a Selection from
LA ESMERALDA.
To conclude with the Second Act of
LA GISELLE.

Application for Boxes, Stalls, and Ticke's to be made at the
Box-office of the Theatre, where Pit Tickets may be obtained, as
usual, price 10s, Gd. each.

Doors open at Seven ; and the Opera to commence at Half-past
Seven o'clock.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.—GERMAN OPERA.
TO-MORROW,
Will be performed Beethoven's Opera,
FIDELIO.
Performances to commence at Eight o'clock.
Private Boxes and Places may be obtained at the Box-office ; and
at Messrs. Jullien and Co.'s, 214, Regent• street.

THEATRE ROYAL, lIAYMARIOET.

Mr. B. Webster, Selo Lessee and Manager, Old Brompton.

THIS EVENINt, -
Will be p^rformed RUNAWAY HUSBANDS.
After which a Classical Extravaganza, called THE SPHINX.
To be followed by THE ROUGH DIAMOND.
To conclude with the Farce of LEND ME FIVE SHILLINGS.

THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPIII.
Under the direction of Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING,

Will be performed THE IRISH POST.
After which a new grand Extravaganza, entitled TIIE DEVIL'S
VIOLIN AND THE REVOLT OF THE FLOWERS.
To conclude with a Farce, called GOING TO THE DERBY THE
DERBY DAY. Mr. Jeremiah Twiddle, Mr. Wright; Mr. John
James Chucks, Mr. Paul Bedford ; Captain Nobble, Mr. Worrell ;
Mrs. Chucks, Mrs. Matthews ; Mrs. Twiddle, Miss Woolgar.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame VeStril.
Sole Lessee. Mr. Charles Mahe ,vs.
THIS EVENING
Will be performed THE WATER PARTY.
After which, A WONDERFUL WOMAN.
To conclude with THE SEVEN CHAMPIONS OP CHRISTEN
DO3l.

Dregs Dozes, 55.; Upper Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 25.; Gallery, h. No
lalf-price to any part of the house.
The New Box-office, No. 2, Wellington street, is open to the
public every day, from Ten till Six.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Mr. J. M. Maddox, Sole Lessee and Manager.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed the Opera of LA VIVANDIERE.
After which A CONCERT.
To conclude with THE WATERMAN. Tom Tug, Mr. C. Braham

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. •
Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty.
Under the Patronage of her Majesty the Queen, his Royal Highness
Prince Albert, &c.
The following eminent artistes form the greatest amount of female
equestrian talent ever engaged in this or any other establishment at
one time :
Mdnes. Adelaide Hinnio, Valentine, Louise Touirnaire, La Jeane
Josephine ; Miss Woolford, Barrand , Davidson, Avery, and La Petite
Jeanette.
In addition to the above Mr. Batty has great pleasure in announc-
ing that he has engaged that peerless equestrian Marie Macarte,
whose brilliant triumphs on the Continent and in America havo ac-
quired for her the appellation of the Equestrian Enchantress, and
whose first appearance will be duly announced.
Last Week of the grand Easter Spectacle.
In active preparation, and will be produced at Whitsuntide a new
grand Military Equestrian Spectacle, entitled
MOOLTAN and GOOJERAT ; or, the Conquest of the Seikhs.
THIS EVENING,
The performance will commence with a Grand Equestrian Spec-
tacle, by Fitzball, entitled THE WHITE MAIDEN OF CALIFOR-
NIA; or, the Horse of the Ocean.
To be followed by an inimitable display of SCENES IN THE
CIRCLE. in which the first Equestrian talent of the day will appear.
To Conclude with the favourite Afterpiece of CHERRY BOUNCE.
Boa-office open from Eleven till Your.
Stage Manager, Mr. W. West.