The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-16 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

The annual meeting of the proprietors of this national
establishment took place yesterday morning in the
saloon of the theatre. The proceedings appeared to ex-
cite very little interest, for of the 548 shareholders in the
institution, there were not above a dozen present, and
those were for the most part members of the committee.
Mr. B. B. Cabbell, M.P., in the absence of Lord Glen-
gall (who was prevented by indisposition from being
present), occupied the chair.
The following report was read by the Secretary, and
after a few words from Mr. WELLS, Mr. GRENFELL,
and others, it was unanimously agreed to :
" REPORT OF THE GENERAL CoMMITTEE TO THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY."

" The committee have again the satisfaction to meet
,heir constituents in general assembly, and although
.heir report will present a very summary statement of
the events of the past season, the Acts of Parliament
render it imperative that a detailed account should be
annually furnished to the assembly of proprietors by the
committee of the due exercise of the trust reposed in
them ; and if they are not prepared to report any great
improvement in the state of the funds of the concern, it
is some satisfaction to observe that the theatre has been
conducted by the lessee, during the past season, with a
corresponding degree of spirit and enterprise which
marked his efforts through the previous seasons of his
management. The committee are ready to acknowledge
the punctuality on the part of Mr. Bunn to discharge the
obligation under the terms of his agreement with them,
and the committee have thought it expedient to yield to
a solicitation of Mr. Bunn, to allow him to expend a
balance standing upon the rent account, amounting to
555/., on the decorations of the theatre fur the next
season, under the superintendence of the architect of the
committee, which outlay they trust will meet the sanc-
tion and confirmation of the general assembly. Still the
committee look in vain for a surplus of income sufficient
to discharge the accruing liabilities of the corporation,
as regards their long-standing bond debt, which, in more
prosperous times, they were enabled to reduce from
30,0001. to 6,0001. But the instalments of both principal
and interest have ceased to be made for the past ten
years. The time, however, has arrived when the com-
mittee submit to the proprietary, by whose outlay alone
the theatre bas been called into existence, whether some
measure should not be taken to improve their condition.
The committee have taken frequent opportunities to
suggest to the renters' trustees the inequitable position
of their body, as compared with the subscribers to the
present building. These efforts have been hitherto
ineffectual, and have at length determined the com-
mittee to bring the subject through their report to
this meeting. The committee are fully aware of
the obligation of the renters' trustees under the ex-
isting Acts of Parliament to claim, after the current
expenses of the year have been discharged, priority of
payment over the other class of creditors, and of the re-
ductions made by their body from time to time, in order
to obtain the income they now enjoy. Yet, whilst that
preference is proved to have been, at the time the
theatre was built, an inconsiderate basis, involving a
scale which, in the present state of theatrical property,
it is found impossible to comply with, the injustice of it
must continue apparent. In conformity with these
views, the committee are unwilling to believe that the
renters' trustees would be averse to an arrangement
whereby an application to Parliament might amend the
present Acts, which they (the trustees) contend deprive
them of the power to make any concession towards
meeting the views of the committee. If; therefore, at
the end of Mr. Bunn's term, the committee should find
all hopes of future benefit to the proprietors had passed
away, it will materially increase the difficulties to re-let
the theatre under circumstances so much at variance
with the interests they represent, whilst those of the
renters also, it must be recollected, are solely dependent
upon the theatre being kept open. In the year 1811 an
arrangement, under very embarrassing circumstances at
the time, was entered into with the renters' trustees to
pay over the nightly sum of 51. for every performance
under which they have received 1,1651. for the season
just ended, and it is the subsequent condition of that
agreement which the committee repudiate, in justice to
the bondholders and to the proprietors.
"The free-trade measures of the drama and legislative
enactments have reduced the annual income of the na-
tional theatres from ten thousand pounds to four; the
committee, therefore, suggest they have a strong claim
on Parliament, by proper appeal, and the concurrence
of a majority of the renters, to relieve the concern of an
accumulating debt, originating in the destruction of the
patent, by the powers granted by the Lord Chamberlain
by the recent Act of Parliament. The patent has been
considered by the renters' trustees a collateral security
for their annuity, but which, the committee submit, hav-
ing been rendered valueless, shows at once the fallacy of
charging the proprietors with a heavy arrear under it,
and it is with this view the committee intend, without
loss of time, to confer with the renters' trustees, and
come to some conclusive proposition whereon may rest
secure the rights of all parties on a more equitable foun-
dation than at present exists.
" The theatre is undergoing a gradual course of sub-
stantial repair, under the superintendence of the archi-
tect, whose report represents a necessary outlay of 9001.
The committee have, therefore, thought it expedient to
make a transfer of the balance stated in their last re-
port, amounting to 6891., on account of such repairs.
" The annual accounts now laid before the meeting,
and regularly audited by Major Naylor, represent the
amount of the standing debt on the concern to ba 7,5531
16s. sd. The ground landlord's, and all other claims
upon the theatre peculiar to the past season, have been
discharged, amounting to 4,0871.95. 4d.; and the balance
at the bankers', applicable to discharge the current
quarter's expenses, amounts to 582/. 10s. 3d."
The committee, sub-committee, and auditors having
been re-elected in accordance with the required forms,
and a vote of thanks having been conveyed to the chair-
man, the meeting separated.

THE ITALIAN OPERA at COVENT-
GARDEN THEATRE.
c(Fromhonicie
of AugustrtheChronicle.)
In the Morning2l we announced,
on authority, the project of an
Italian opera to be given
at Covent-garden Theatre early in 1847, and the en-
gagement of Mr. Costa as musical director and con-
ductor.
It was not our intention to have referred again to the
plans of the capitalists who have undertaken this specu-
lation until a full prospectus was in readiness ; but as
certain contradictions have been given to our statement,
and as it has been circulated most industriously, either
in the language of menace or in the accents of despair,
that nothing had been really done, it is right that our
readers should be informed precisely of the progress
made in this affair, so important for art, so promising
for artists, and so valuable for the general interests of
the public.
We do not propose to enter into any controversy with
our contemporaries. We presume that monopoly in
matters of art is regarded by the enlightened amateur
as fatal as in the commercial transactions of this world.
Competition must benefit the public, and as " free trade"
is now uppermost in the drama, we see no reason why
it should not exist in music. Let the rival managers
fight their own battles, it will be for critics to watch re-
sults in the race for superiority—" Chacun pour soi, et
l'art pour tout."
The vocalists already engaged for Covent-garden
Theatre are as follow :
Primi Soprani Mdme. Grisi.

„ Persian ia.
„ Stefanoni.
„ Ronconi.
Primi Contralti
„ Angri.
Primi Tenori
„ Salvi.

• Lavin.
79 Perez.
Primi Bassi Baritoni „ Tamburini.
)9 Ronconi.;
„ Speck.
„ Polonini.
Primi Bassi Profondi Marini.
~ Selva.
„ Corradi.
„ Alba.

Primi Bassi Comici.... „ Rovere.
Ley.
Secondi Donne Mdme. Piombanti.
gm
Secondi Tenori
If Alberti.
„ Morelli.
„ Lopez.'
We deem it necessary to explain that the majority of
the engagements signed by the artists named above have

Secondi Bassi

LONDON, WEDNESDAY

been ph,ccci in our hands as a verification of the use
new mai.re of their names.. To guard against any m.
conception hereafter. we will also mention that althour
the condit;ons with Tamburini had been agreed to, tl
final ratificr,tion from St. Petersburgh could not Le r.
ceived from h;m in Paris before the lath. We belie)
that the name of Madame Pauline Garcia Viardot (tI
sister of Klalibran) will be added to this formidab
troupe ; and we are authorised to state that negotiatior
with other artists are pending, to appear between 184
and 1849.

Rubin' has been offerod carte blanche, but has writte
that his farewell of the sto.ge has been final, or he wool,
not have hesitated to appeor at Covent-garden Theatr
with his attached friend and maestro, Costa. The repor
of Rubini's engagement at any other establishment i
without any foundation.
The designs for the alterations And embellishments o
Covent-garden Theatre are now nearly ready, and thi
process of decoration and renovation, on a scale of un
precedented splendour, mill commence in December, a
soon as M. Jullien has completed his last promenade
concerts in that noble edifice, the space in which ha:
been of late years much circumscriued as regards that
portion devoted to the audience.
M. Costa has selected eighty instrumentalists for I
band, end sixty singers for the chorus, whose engage-
ments for three years have all been signed. The orches-
tra will be the finest in the world, nearly all the players
having been under M. Costa's baton for many years at
her Majesty's Theatre. The patriarch Lindley had
wished to retire, but on hearing of Costa's nomination,
joined him instanttr.
In our announcement of August 21 we divided the
singers engaged into three classes:-
Ist, Artists of European fame now in this country.
2d, Artists of European fame who have visited this
country, but are no longer here.
30, Artists of European fame, who have never ap-
peared in this country at all.
Grisi and Mario are in the first category; Persiani,
Ronconi, Tamburini, and Madame Viardot are in the
second ; Salvi, Marini, Rovere, Ley, Stefanoni, Lavia,
Perez, Speck, Polonini, Corradi, Selva, and Alba, apper-
tain to our last division. Of the genius and abilities of
the artists in the two first categories amateurs are aware,
but of the distinguished talents that have yet to appear
the treat in store is yet little suspected.
Enough has been stated to prove that the undertaking
at Covent-garden Theatre will be one of the most me-
morable epochs in lyrical art in this country.

EVENII4O, SEPTElvinnit 4,A46.