The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-18 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE-FRENCH

PLAYS.

The saints have combined to afford us amusement—
St. James's and St. Stephen's open on the same night
for the post Paschal season, but while St. Stephen's only
gives us the dull old tragi comedy of Coercion, St.
James's gives us the new Vaudeville with a new actress,
a new actor, and the rentree of an old favourite. Com-
mend us therefore to the Mitchell in preference to the
Peel management. St. James last night was to the
full as edifying as St. Stephen, and infinitely more
entertaining. Lafont made his rentree here last evening
in the Vaudeville of Fleur de Genet, in which he sus
tained the character of Felix Durochen. The scene is
laid in La Vend 44 where we find a certain Mon. Ray-
mond, alias Comte de Lisieux, alias Fleur de Genet
Rhoz,vil) a hybrid between a brigand and a noble,
" A perfect felon, yet but half a knight,"
lying perdu in a village hostlery awaiting intelligence from
a chateau in the neighbourhood ; which chateau is in-
habited by a rich manufacturer, who has hopes of be-
coming Monsieur le Marquis ; his daughter, Adele,
and a certain Senora Gonzales, a Spanish royalist
and friend, and director of the family, who has certain
designs upon M. Le Marquis that is to be, and who is
moreover a political agent, having intimate relation with
Fleur de Genet. At this place Felix, who is a
litterateur estime, the hero feuilleton, arrives and meets
with his friend Raymond. He is on a tour in search of
the romantic and picturesque, and is desperately in love
with a fair incognita, whom he has seen at the
Theatre Francais. On his arrival at the Inn
he learns, to his surprise, that his friend
Raymond is the celebrated Vendean Chieftan,
discovers that he is carrying on a secret correspondence
with the Senora Gonzales and her protector, the manu-
facturer and would-be noble, residing in the neighbour-
hood, and that the daughter of the said manufacturer is
his own fair incognita. An alarm is given, and Fleur
de Genet finds himself in danger of arrest. He imme-
diately possesses himself of the passport of Felix,
leaving his own and his baggage behind him, and con-
sequently leaving Felix to be arrested in his
stead. But instead of arrest, Felix receives a
letter, offering him, in his character of Raymond,
refuge in the castle ; he accepts the invitation, and uses
his time so well that he ingratiates himsolfcompletely into
the good graces of Adele, while the fact of his being
a Count secures the consent of her father, who is anxious
above all things for an alliance with nobility. In the
meantime the real Raymond arrives at the chateau, hut
he finds it a difficult matter to make out his personal
identity. Felix, who has possession of his passports and
baggage, is by no means disposed to resign the honours
which have been forced upon him. The Senora Gonzales
is seen approaching, who is personally acquainted with
Raymond,and he trusts to her evidence for vindicating his
claims, but unfortunately f ,r him the Senora Gonzales has
obtained admission to the confidence of the manufacturer
and would-be noble, and also to that of Raymond under
false pretences. She is not a lady of noble birth, but is
recognised by Felix as a Madrid actress, who has been
employed in political intrigues. A hint from Felix S 3
to her real station settles the question as between him
and Raymond, and to the honour of the latter she ad-
dresses Felix as the real Count de Lisieux. "M. Pincette,
a huissier, a sort of modern French Dogberry, admirably
acted by M. Tourtois, who made his Milt last evening,
and who in eccentric characters will be a great
acquisition to the corps draniatique of the St. James's, now
enters, and demands Mr. Raymond. They both answer;
he still goes on with his questions for the purpose of
satisfying himself as to the identity, and both the real
and sham Raymond answer as it were in chorus.
"There are two," exclaims the utterly confounded
Pincette, "I want but one, and I want to arrest him on
account of an overdue bill." "It is my friend,"
instantly exclaims each. " There were two Ray-
a:muds just now," exclaims Pincette, utterly
confounded, "and now there is not one." At
length all is rectified, the manufacture having been
ref used the title of Marquis of which he was ambitious,
becomes a hater of aristocracy and an admirer of talent,
and bestowes his daughter upon Felix. The Count is
arrested, but has three days given him to leave France.
He talks of sacrificing his wife to his principles, but at
length takes refuge in the diligence, which will whirl
him out of danger within the three days, while the
Spanish lady accepts his offer of accompanying him, not
liking to live too near the neighbourhood of Felix, who
is intimately acquainted with her antecedents in Madrid.
Lafont, whose Felix was perfection, was called for at the
conclusion, and Fleur de Genet will, in the theatrical as
in the natural world, be, no doubt an evergreen. It was
preceded by the. one act vaudeville of Mademoiselle
.1 ichon, in which Mademoiselle Juliette Raoul, a pupil of
Mademoiselle Jenny Vertpre, made her debizt. This
young lady does honour to her mistress. We could re-
cognise in her style of acting all the espiegle points for
which Jenny Vertpre was so celebrated. She is worthy
to have been the pupil of Jenny Vertpre, and will become,
no doubt, a great favourite. The performances con-
cluded with fiche d' Amour, the original of the Lend
me Five Shillings of the Haymarket, in which M. Leon
Baisse sustained the part of the hero with great humour
and vivacity. The house was crowded.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
The chef d'oeuvre of Mozart, the Shakspere of music, was
performed here on Thursday evening, and, as is always the
case when the opera affiche announces 11 Don Giovanni,
crowds of real lovers of music were assembled at the en-
trances long before the doors were opened. The opera
itself will always draw a crowded audience, and when
the cast is as stronr, as it was on Thursday it is perhaps
the greatest musical treat in the world. With Grisi as
Donna Anna, Castellan as Zerlina, Sanchioli as Elvira,
Fornasari as the Don, Lablache as Leporello, and Mario as
Ottavio, it is a perfect performance of the most perfect opera
in the world. The novelty of the evening was the Elvira
of Sanchioli. It is the best we have ever seen. She
makes a character of that which has been too often re-
garded as a subordinate part, and in the far-famed trio
she was magnificent. The habitués of the opera have
looked forward with some curiosity to the produc
don of 11 Don Giovanni, as the crowning test of Balfe's
abilities as a conductor. It is from the variety of its music,
the various and delicate shades of expression which it
is necessary to give to the orchestral accompaniments—
in short, from its very perfection as a whole, the most
difficult opera to conduct in the world. Balfe on Thursday
night achieved a perfect triumph; every delicacy of ex-
pression, every light and shade of thought and feeling in
music was perfectly given. It was evident not only that
he had studied, but that he had mastered the score, that
he had made it so completely its own that he was enabled
to elaborate all its marvellous effects by means of
the wonderful orchestra which he has at his command,
and which on Thursday night he had so completely in
hand that it seemed as one vast instrument of harmony.
Balfe's manner ofconducting this opera on Thursday leaves
nothing to be desired. It has fixed him firmly in his
seat. The ballet of Catarina followed, and, albeit, there
was no incidental divertissement between the opera and
the ballet, none of the variety which has hitherto been
the characteristic of the " long Thursdays," yet the
house was crowded in every part.