The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-20 00:00:00

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112A-TRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.

The new grand operatic.. spPctacl-, founded on the
grand opera, of Enfant Pro moue, which at this
moment is attracting all Paris to the Grand Opera, was
produced here last evening under Cass tide of Azad the
Plod' ;
and la.ghly as our expectatiors had been raised
by the reports of its mn and spindour, we
toast confess that those expe
ag
ctationsificence were moree, infinit ly
Pmote than realised by the reality. Never has there been
roduced on any stage a dramatic sp( ctaclo which
approach Azad, either for int .rest, for plot, or for
earn magnificence of scenery; the far-famed Jewess
t ot for one moment he compared to it, and Azaci
shltlcia ns a spectacle, if not unsurpassable, at least
difitherto unapproached. The scene is laid in Egypt
and time the time when Memphis was in all its splendour,
hendisen the descendants of Abraham were still
let tents in the desert. The scene of the first
thett laid in the tent of Reuben (Mr. Vandenhoff) in
,Le
,aesert. The scene is an accurate representation of
r interior of the dwelling in the desert of a rich and
Eavererfu seatriarch. The back ( f the tent is open, and
14 li
opeeign—, in the desert, as seen through this
r.st • g. Is a splendid and magnificent effect. The
buittliarch and his family engage in the evening worship,
sete„..lB son Az lel (Mr. J. Anderson), is abient. A zael soon
beh accompanied by a caravan of travellers, whom
pititi!u met in the desert; and to whom he offers the hes-
phi fly ~e
(N,'" "" father's tent. Among them are Ameno-
/4,,8,.,)u4r. Emery) and his sister Nate (Mrs. Walter
seriptlwho so lame the curiosity of Azael by their de-
to ...Lull of the wonders of Memphis, that he determines
'an th permission of his father to accompany the care-
Jeph„ ith er, which permission is, at the intercession of
fele (Miss F. Vining). the betrothed of Azael,
return ctantly granted, on his promise to. make a speedy
whisk Before his departure Jephtele gives him a scarf,
sewn" Promises always to retain. The act ends with the
and 11.41 of the caravan, forming a most picturesque
the Prnated procession, in which some real camels of
this uesart
and several horses are introduced. In
wu: set there is some pretty incidental music, which
111,..11crY delightfully sung by Miss Julia Bleaden.
greet after, and the chorus. The second act opens in the
ate "Noe of Memphis, and we see the arrival of A zael,
isithaVanied by Nefte, whose costume is resplendent
aeaeld, and who, it is evident, has obliterated all
trhee-
Prodi.aine° of Jephtele from the fickle heart of
t.ha4 The gates of the grand temple open, andd
Apia the
issu, s the sacred procession of the Ox-go
panda 1r
high
priest Bucbaris (Mr. Cooper)
.de.-
lake: front his worshippers fresh offerings, and Int'.
the Nile the necessity of a human sacrifice should
4101- "de not speedily rise. The beautiful
kid ees,
the sacred dancing girls, now enter,
14 venom the most graceful evolutions, and
Altreadlle Victorine Legrain) the chief of the
Piste! 1, Performs a pas de fascination, which so corn-
the Y fascinates Azael that she obtains from him even
eesuerfthoef Jephtele. Madlle. Victorine Legrain is
made're er de biie m ost exquisite. dancers who has ever
say
With aon the boards of Drury-lane, and this
and perfect recollection that Lucile Grahn
t ORB Lwra b'sbbri made their first appearance before an
are au audience on this stage •, her personal attractions
taose,a high order, and she has a buoyant elasticity of
le•coiXttts and a dashing broad style of execution,
P_aa anus 'alaled by the most perfect grace, that renders her
"sa 10clefaacination in every sense of the word. She
/01iiiptranlY supported by Madlle. Palser, a very
totioe",'"uY, who bids fair to attain to the very highest
'ltft,:a of her art, and by Madlle. Louise.
Lis Jealous of Lia, discloses to Azael that
sad, la, nue of the most licentious of her racestop ,
to`u, convince him, procures for him admis-
!ft .tne orgies celebrated by the priests and Alm6sr,
iettri interior of the Temple of Isis. This scene of the
foe Lr_.ef the Temple of Isis stands unapproached
teree;"glnality and novelty of design, for pie-
nutieuess ;of grouping, for gorgeous magnificence
-"gs-up and of costume, and for brilliancy of effect.
k, sta,
I.arth,' ". represents a gorgeous eastern temple, such as
tasph;tilnight have imagined in his happiest moments of
-,e'nn• It is fitted from the floor to the roof with
~se,",it seats rising one above another, all occupied
re-,euers, priests, and dancing girls, on whom shine
atairCia of lights innumerable, which are reflected back
eosten,rncl the magnificent drinking-cups and gorgeous
eet3iocs of the revellers. The Alm6 perform a suc-
lad at lei elegant, voluptuous, and intoxicating dances,
length, overcome by the excitement, the revellers
ftleep.•;:eyar• Azael enters, and seizes his scarf from the
1" °' "at-'la, but is disturbed, seized, and condemned to
uuldaePhhatelehewo,
is being led to his doom he is recognised
Who
with his father, has come to seek him,
rises, i ,who,
condemned by the priests to be the human
• tb(eits•e• Raving rescued her from death, Assel
Ths to his fate and is thrown into the Nile.
ilindes;;;, "ne, in a rapture of enthusiasm, called Mr.
Vaadod hen at the conclusion of this act, and ap-
-144 tutu to the echo. In the third act we find
A.zsei
bas the
fished up from the river
gets
a camel driver, who has reduced him
4tere hey and who leaves him to perish in the desert.
ktlit "ic has a vision (admirably managed by a series of
4"
°jaws), in obedience to which he returns to
lektjather
~.e Wholnhe finds celebrating his harvest
lees,'
of he is forgiven and married to Jephtele. The
4tele:" the harvest home is most beautiful. At the
Jatei Ms, Inn all the performers were called on the stage,
,ett Anders() •d'tas he might well do, a sub-
b n Lad e 1 •
had do'asl
Ltench on.eiast, that while the management of the
Ititloe • it to taken twelve months to get up Azael,
*Wm. one. The house was crowded to

(From the Times.)
ate libretto of L'Enfant Prodigue recentlypr,o. dnecnesi,l,
4t the thet Grand Opera at Paris, and one of the
lett
ro.
dike e 'tench season, has been used for a spectacle A
d 1
ule pr ast night at Drury-lane, under the title I pzaies/
hs.-qeh:49.21. An opera-book without the music.
."142,1-I.a poor affair, but this is not the case with
tel t"e Prodigal. The opportunities for acting af-
ar,lgla° Ittr Vandenhoff, who
e,. -, .
nii A; 41.168 'Vining, who plays the prodigal's
plays the prodigal's betrothed;
14,t1a„14% Anderson, who plays the prodigal himself, are,
tieeo-", Lbat few, but the capacity of the subject for scenic
'Pet,l,ti is great, and no pains or expense b ve been
Itip -" °Y the manager to make it as grand spectaclea
gte4°'"ible. The story is simplicity itself, buta its pro-
Ltaelisrts etrongly marked, and at every stage an opp.or-
ie eih''. Viers for scenic effect. The portion of the piece
b'r°Po-11;°„4 the action takes place at Memphis is the mostthe
ragi.„-h-g• Probably there has never been seendohnatie
'l:lthaL stage such an effect as that of the grand F
theh
Neje- l'emple of Isis. A flight of steps, occupyingrlo top) is readth of the stage, and rising the
ery :°r°Pletely occupied with carousingnpeeaslo-nages in
of the satiety of position, and when these trona the effect
110tle r Nations suddenly fall asleep, a new vharrii.eiatynoi;
Ht° sseseka' Oelyalar se stage could give its full brilliancy
Zeoti "ne like this hand Mr. Anderson has well unehr-
tThlel atZt
~.7411 ~ gorgeous, but scarcely less pleating, the co
1-4114 I,t PresentationP of the prodigal's home —a a view of
Ilerse4 111 oelaoat " set.' it
not
othbe-
,s_llll4bt :444 even in the minutest detaAillsilithleertel
tl,-.44(11e-a
aPPrarance of slovenliness or neg ist. The
13" 4414010 re Lot only costly, but carefully studied, and
si.
h Mdlle.
' 'etoti —SP Which are important, and
,1144 wel:ll.6,J'egrain is the
work is a
principal figure, are hm
striking
'1 ~atei 1. d Altogether the whole _
1 mail P 'be •
4y
,-" 4peeineen of perfect stage production.
tiers -a",e(te since so grand a spectacle on so large. a
1t.41.," tueen presented to a London audience.
it is
illetti -43 nave nut seen the piece may imagine that ii
Mt II "able on religious grounds, it is bet just to states
it 40 eVOC w.
li. t for ,as subject more inoffensively handled. . a
h 74 a d g t°o French title, L'Enfant Prodigue, which
it'te4 ter'n,ite meaning,
there would be nothing about the._
-.4. S-. IlldiCZt f nce to a sacred subject. With
tiihseeibe'' 00nreierMe rereAnderson has nothing to do, and
'me atl4ll° intrinsic re.ason to connect the story told on
!e4ecird4gael Ittud entitled Azad the Prodigal, with anything.
dit:" elsewhere. At the conclusion a erow_dcru.
'444,4 buret into enthusiastic applause, and called M
Al' Who gratefully returned his acknowledgments.
ribs (From the Daily News.),
ling th,1:11,04 A.uber' new opera, L Enfant Prodigue,
°lts f 41N its 8
triumphant course, at the Grand Opera,
sh. 41.4jah_ . .
le7t‘ele,,, e_Q_ „the materials_ for the " new grand operatic
Ila nickiled A.aelthe Prodigal, produced at Drury-
ilielile 6t
1-ght• Mr. Anderson has done well to call it
I. e 4„a, e-0, for this r.
designation does not mislead the pub-
a" Plitt,",:age titles ver often do. People did not go to see
441:04
LiO Yitisit3ean
ni it
etereat,ria the myusic of an opera; they went to have
;infoed with a show, en d assuredly they w!,re
far as beautiful scenery, rich
,itit tellitliieeo and dresses, brilliant brilliant dancing, and i m pos-
-4Yth'eTt4x, were concerned, we have scarcely ever seen
;eettle-6 ,00 gorgeous and magnificent in an English
li-iii,el b.), The pricipal characters. were well acted;.
' J 4r. Anderson, his father by Mr. Vandenhoft,
Vr% - ' weir
441° Dlaala by Miss Fanny Vining. Some of the
taler 0 very effective, particularly the return of the
15t. th "9 witich
at °Nee • in
really pathetic. But the attraction
411 b e lea In its spectacular qualities; and the re:
41 to • excellence of the dancing must greatly e_ontori.--
lb:Ille victor%l4:4
success. The principal danseuse, Madem i
kite aine Legrai is a very charming performer,
iii c-ma Pet Leg rain, • tat her Majesty's
esti. ent to take a leading par Leese Ge• The house was crowded, and nothing could. be
‘4l.ree/I)..lrable than the manner in which the piece
`rad.
probe id . (From the Chronicle.)
1.c1; aPtatton as an operatic Apectacle of L'Enfant
ki -94 e at
audience to
req., traeted last night an overflowing
Itthity fl:. No small degree of public interest and cu-
e'e eXe-,;4 been previously excited, and the result of
il .1:4„714e1at Was decidedly successful. The subject
irliDle flea!'
Prodigue demands, of course, the broadest,
e.--re firessieltod Most massive treatment. The incidents
tl"ere W' but great and momentous, each forming, as it
eyl,`ue catastrophe of a stage of the drama. The
lite o „':)„t‘up, with great care and laudable attention to
t.„,.-`1 stti:irk discoveries. The costumes—the simple
111:te 1.11„ell a white ground always prevailing
0 weertricas from their faithful adherence to
0(4110 of colours and strange sculptured
Theth reeelnlY opened up by the excavations
its
peustleient Cities' of the Tigris and the Euphrates.
1 °lllSheik's tented home, with
114 Prireiti character of the
bli° t abpinVe groups of inhabitants, contrasts well with.
L'e reiea","fl'" splendour which ensues, as does the simhe-
„NlitiliC
marshyrael sung beneath the desert tent, with the Zoltliii„ music of the priestly processions and .
The rig strtthaa to which the circling Almees dance.
pries tag ..0f Isis, in the second act, the processions of
obit), sad neophytes, bearing symbols of Egyptian wor-
Vrelt „,,ae.,d attended by clouds of dancing girls, are all
ioorgie-m° effectively grouped and managed, while the
dine. strie in the temple is fine in the ex-
-1'045 Alie devotees, in their white flowing
frett
nteind festive chaplets, are grouped from the
teNiti; the
, stage up a series of steps or terraces,
Diller, 4ea by great vistas of massive Martin-like
4,tittig4nl Porticos. The whole of this scene is
Wtis 4 4,,w 4h great splendour, and, what is even better,
Alle 140.? °la for picturesre and energetic effect.
1 1i941e 044919 9 th 9 Lblid eg; is the mil*
_ __ ___ _