The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-26 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

A new comic operetta, in one act, entitled The Matrimon ia.
Ladder, wag produced at this theatre last evening. It is pro-
fessedly an adiptation from a French piece originilly produced
at the Opera Comique. The scene is laid at the chateau of
the Marquise de Beausecours (Miss Emma Howard) near
Faliiise. The Marquise, although passing as a widow,
is marred to the Seneschal of Falaise (Mr. Barker),
but for certain reasons wishes to keep her marriage
a secret. 'I he Seneschal's visits, however, are discovered by
Pierre Garbareau (Duruset), an itinerant gardener, whos"e
ladder the Seneschal has on sundry occasions taken for the
purpose of climbing into the balcony of the chateau. The
Marquise has refused to permit her cousin, the Chevalier
D'Orguevile ( Wilson), a rake of the Court of Louis the
Fourteenth, to visit the chateau until he shall be married;
' and accordingly the Chevalier announces his intention of visit-
ing his cousin, bringing with him his wife, an uneducated
country girl whom he has recently married. Accordingly
they make their appearance, and Pierre to his horror, dis-
covers that the • pret?nded Madame D'Orgueville is his own
wife Susanna ( \liss Gould), whom he had left quietly at
home. Pierre claims her, and is treated as a drunken fellow,
offering insults to a lady of rank ; his wife, however, contrives
to meet him, and tells him that the Cheva'ier is her foster •
brother,who had that morning fetched her, and induced her to pass
as his wife, in order to get admission into the chateau, he never
doubting that once there he couldnot fail to captivate his cousin.
The Marquise having overheard this, determines to lock the
Chevalier and Susanne into the pavilion, which is appropriated
to the use of the pretended Madame D'Orgueville. Pierre
comes with his ladder to the same pavilion, and utters divers
threats against the Chevalier if he should find him there con-
cealed ; the double ladder is placed to the balcony, and as
Pierre gets up on one side the Chevalier gets down on the
other. He sect a light in the Marquise's window in the
opposite balcony—a signal to the Seneschal ; the Chevalier
removes the ladder to the balcony, and the Seneschal
arriving, wonders to find the ladder ready placed for
him. He, however, ascends on the one side, the Chevalier does
the same on the other; thus situated, Barker and Wilson sing
a duet, which told amazingly, and was loudly applauded.
The Chevalier challenges his rival, and descends in
great wrath, fur the- purpose of fighting a mortal combat
while the Seneschal coolly walks on to the balcony, letting him-
self into the hems,: with a pass key, throwing down the ladder.
The Chevalier, in a fury, raises an alarm, and Pierre and Su-
sanne appear with candles in one balcony, and the Seneschal
and the Marquise with candles at the opposite one. The mar-
riage of the seneschal and the Marquise is explained, and after
being jeered by the two couples, the rakish Chevalier is left to
pass the night in the garden. The music, by M. Ambroise
Thomas, which is of a light and pleasing character, is essen-
tially dramatic, and the piece was perfectly successful. Miss
Emma Howard made a most fascinating Marquise, and he
would be no preux Chevalier who would not risk much
fee. such a dame. The acting of Miss Gould, as well
as her singing, in Susanne, was admirable ; she bids
fair to make one of the best soubrettes on the boards.
We arc glad to see our old friend Duruset, who, by his quaint-
ness as Garbareau, contributed materially to the success of the
piece. Wilson, as the Chevalier, sang as he always does,
most sweetly—but on this occasion, he came out as an actor
likewise. 'His affectation was rich, and elicited not
only applause, but laughter. With a little curtail-
ment the piece will have a run. As an afterpiece, it
is infinitely superior to Belly. Keolanthe (which pre-
ceded the 'Matrimonial Ladder) still pursues its success-
ful career. It requires to be heard more than once to
be appreciated properly. The Nightingale Duett, in the
second act by Madame Balfe and Wilson, is one of the most
exquisite things we have ever heard, and would alone be suffi-
cient to ensure Balfe a high rank as a composer. The house
was exceedingly well filled.