The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-25 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE

At length we have before us the programme of her
Majesty's Theatre for the season of 1847—a programme
which proves that the exertions made by Mr. Lumley,
" under circumstances of peculiar difficulty to form a
company still more worthy of the first theatre in
Europe," have been crowned with success. First among
the operatic engagements we have that of the favourite
pupil of Meyerbeer, Jenny Lind, the first singer at
the present moment in the world, if report speaks true.
She will appear in the season of 1847, to much greater
advantage than she could have appeared during the
season of 1846, inasmuch as she will be supported by a
primo tenore, au advantage which she could not have
enjoyed last season. Signor- Fraschini, the great tenor
of Italy, and Signor Gardoni, the prime tenore of the
Italian Opera in Paris, arc both engaged. Gardoni
originally appeared at the Opera Consique, from whence
he was speedily transferred to the Academie Royale de
Musique, as the substitute for and the successor to Du-
prez. Since the retirement of Rubini from the stage, the
Italian operas of both Paris and London have, for reasons
into which it is now needless to inquire, been without a
prima tenore. Moriani was, when he passed the Alps,
merely a magnificent wreck, and Salvi just missed suc-
cess. Mario, the first of second tenors, was therefore
thrust into the position of primo tenore, and every effort
was made to prevent the English and French manage-
ments from engaging any other. At the commencement
of the present season an opera was produced at the Ita-
lian Theatre of Paris, the principal tenor part of which
was offered to Signor Mario. From physical inability
to sing the music, he very judiciously and very properly
declined it, and took the second tenor part, the music of
which he gave exquisitely. The music of the first tenor
part was cut down, and the part itself given to an un-
known man. The consequence of bringing out an opera
in this mutilated state was, as might have been
expected, a complete fiasco. The absolute necessity
of engaging a primo tenore, then, became manifest
to the manager, and accordingly a large sum was
paid to M. Leon Pellet, the manager of the
Academie, to break Gardoni's engagement with him,
and Gardoni was engaced for the Italian Opera, where
he made a most successful debtit, where he has appeared
almost every night since that debilt, and where every
appearance has been a perfect triumph. Mr. Lumley
has succeeded in securing the services of Signor Gar-
doni, who will appear the first night of the season in
Donizette's opera La Favorita, in which he will be sup-
ported by Signor Superchi, a distinguished Baritone
singer, who will also make his first appearance before
an English audience on that evening. We congratulate
Mr. Lumley on having secured the services of Signori,
Fraschini, and Gardoni. Should Rubini be inducd to
appear again upon the stage, Mr. Lumley may boast that
the three greatest tenors in the world are engaged at
her Majesty's Theatre. The delightful Madam Cas-
tellan, and the energetic Mademoiselle Sanchioli, are
re-engaged, and Madame Del Carmen Montenegro,
whose tame on the continent stands very high, will
make her deblit in the course of the season. Lablache,
the great, the inimitable, the unique, the only singer,
for whom it is and must ever be impossible to find a
substitute, remains with Mr. Lumley, as does Signor F.
Lablache, (the worthy son of a worthy sire); and that use-
ful actor and singer Signor Corelli ; in addition to these
Staudigl is engaged, and an engagement is pending with
Coletti, a first-rate singer and actor, who appeared here
some seasons since, and to whom the English people
owe some reparation for having suffered hini to be made
the victim of a disgraceful conspiracy. We congratulate
Mr. Lumley not only on the engagements which he has
made, lint in the engagements, from the necessity of
contracting i
orm
so we htiicmh
e p
, heas
past, an hasa been
infusion
ofnew b
relieved. Theld haso
blood
c tis,
that
been wanted at her Majesty's Theatre. It was,
" toujours Perdrix." We are perfectly aware of the
difficulties which Mr. Lumley would have had to en-
counter in any attempt he might have made to remedy
this. Fortunately for him those difficulties no
longer exist, and those parties whose jealousy of
young talent has hitherto prevented him from in-
troducing to the public the rising singers and the
rising composers of the continent, have, by voluntarily
seceding from his establishment, relieved him from -a
tyranny which must have been as irksome to himself as
it was injurious to the cause of sound musical science.
We shall not, we are glad to perceive, be confined to the
old repertoire of Grisi characters, as we have been for a
few seasons past. Meyerbeer is to come over to bring
out his chef creeuvre, The Camp of Silesia, the principal
characters in which will be sustained by Jenny Lind and
Fraschini, and he will also bring out his Robert le Diable,
for Gardoni. Verdi is engaged on a new opera for her
Majesty's Theatre, founded on " The Robbers of
Schiller." Rossini's Robert Bruce is also secured ; and,
to crown all, Mendellsolan Bartholdy has engaged to
compose an opera, founded on Shakspeare's " Tempest,"
in which Lablache will be the Prospero, Staudigl the
Caliban (those who remember his Polyphemus mayf orm
some idea of the rich treat which is in store fort hem),
Gardoni the Ferdinand, and Jenny Lind the Miranda
Balk, we are glad to find, resumes the baton of conductor,
and Tolbecque and Nadaud continue as the leaders of
the opera and the ballet respectively. The orchestra is
increased ix numerical force, and now numbers among
its members the elite of the orchestras of Europe ; and
the chorus, which has been selected from the theatres of
Italy, Germany, and England, consists of eighty per-
formers. There was, we understand, a rehearsal of
some chorusses on Tuesday last, when the superiority
of the new chorus over that of last season was manifest.
The ballet department has always been perfection.
No theatre has ever been able to approach it for
completeness, and the ensuing season will, we imagine,
prove superior to its predecessors. Taglioni, Carlotta
Grisi, Cerite, and Lucile Grahn are re-engaged, and
Mademoiselle Caroline Rosati, from La Scala, at Milan,
who (if report speaks true) is worthy to be the com-
panion of the deeses de la dense, will make her debi2t on
the first night of the season in a new ballet, composed by
Paul Taglioni. The glories of the pas de quatre
and of the pas de deesses are to be renewed, and Perrot
has promised to eclipse those glories by the production of a
new pas which shall combine the talent of all—" La
Constellation." Henri Heine, the celebrated German poet
has undertaken to compose a grand ballet founded on
the Legends of Germany, and a noble and distinguished
poetess has honoured Mr. Lumley by giving him as-the
subject fur a novel and pictorial ballet—Egerta. Never
has so great an amount of talent been engaged together
during any one season at her Alajesty's Theatre, and
the season of 1847 will prove more decidedly then ever,
that Mr. Lumley may with truth boast that his is the
first lyrical and choerographic establishment in the world.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE AND
JENNY LIND.
In consequence of the name of Jenny Lind having
appeared in the programme of her Majesty's Theatre, Mr.
Bunn has addressed her a letter of which the following
is a copy :
"London, Jan. 23, 1847.
" Madame,—The manager of her Majesty's Theatre
has this day issued a programme of his season's arrange-
ments—a copy whereof I enclose you—at the head of
which you will find your own name. Although in
,
common with others, I have little faith in any pros-
pectus issued from that theatre, it is necessary I should
bring the circumstance to your knowledge. For my
own part, I do not believe you have signed any but a
conditional engagement with the manager of her Ma-
jesty's Theatre, deeming it impossible that an artiste of
such celebrity:and character could visit this country,
liable to the consequences of two attestelar d contracts, and
prepared to forfeit the one for the larger oiler, subse.
quently held out, in the other.
"As it is alleged that the proposed violation of your
engagement with me, is based upon your inability to
master the English language, I repeat the offer con-
tained in my letter of the '2oth of last March, that
You
sing in either German or Italian, and thus remove any
objections on your part to your appearance at Drury
lane Theatre. Drury-
lane
I have resolved to repudiate any offer of a
compro-
mise, not based on the important condition of your o
ebtti
in England taking place in this theatre ; as
enable me to keep faith with the public, as t, silence the
groundless representations resorted to by the friends of
her Majesty's Theatre.
" I therefore trust that, having got rid of all •
went, you will apprise me, by the first post, of the •
time I may expect you, to enable me to ma. preeise
make every
necessary preparation.
"I am, Madame, your very obedient servant,
"A. BUNN.
4, madame Jenny Lind, Vienna."

FATHER EUSTACE 9 A TALE OF THE JESUITS.
BY MRS. TROLLOPr _
_.,,
__The volumes before us, if Mrs.
ritteu anything else,
pe had never w
us
them-
selves be calculated to inspire with the greatest respect for
and. has unfolded the depth and the
her powers as a writer.
an of genius,
to be ao7hoemr
mind. e feel. convinced that ~ Father Ens-
farcaP will be sought for eagerlyn,
tind devoured, not only by
those who habitually indulge_i be reading of fiction, but by
p ns of education and enlarged understanding. Where-
thus strongly to the feelings of the
foerresoit should appeal
properly be it said, against that
whole public must beepplain d. the novel is directed
against the Jesuits, or, e stealing
guises, into the very bosom
unwholesome influence beneath a hundred forms,
clothed in a thousand sectarian
of society, which no one can deny to have existence Every
day affords some instance of a secession front the ranks of the
Church of England into those of the Catholic Church, and
nothing could occur more opportunely than the publication
of :" Father Eustace," which Is deqtined, we feel assured, to
penetrate far and near—to reach those to whom an essay or
other work might be addressed in vain,
M. Michelet has
principles which keep to-
endeavoured to make known the
to-
nether the institution of the Sacred Heart, but they have
never, perhaps, been brought so intimately into connexion
and contrast with the concerns of our own domestic hearths
as in the ably written pages of" Father Eustace." It is full
of s
wer."cenes depicted with
s. the most extraordinary felicity and
po—Sun

THE DESTITUTION IN THE RIGULANDS.—We are
glad to observe, by advertisement, that Mr. Wilson, the
favourite vocalist, has generously announced his intention to
give an entertainment on the songs peculiar to the High-
lauds of Scotland, in the Princess's Concert-room, on Tues-
day evening. The programme contains a choice selection,.
and, we doubt not, but those who feel for the misfortunes of
this brave and loyal people, will co-operate with Mr. Wilson
by their attendance, to listen to his matchless melody, and
their sympathy with th© cause.