The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-12 00:00:00

FRENCH THEATRICAL S.

ITALIAN OPERA.—The new tenor Mongini proves
to be an old friend, since he sang in Paris some ten
or twelve years past with some success, and during
his long absence from our boards his fame has been
increasing, slowly and surely as that of Marcellus,
in those ruder climes where people prefer the lion's
part, as it is nothing but roaring. Railway en-
gineers can make their engines rush about with
lightning speed, but they are puzzled to contro
them ; an effectual break is the great difficulty
with them as with Mongiui, for when he lets loose
his lungs and opens the floodgates of his voice there
is no holding them. And this voice is powerfull
rather than pleasing ; it lacks the impassioned ten-
derness so essential to a tenor; it ranges from
Tamberlick's ut diese, which he fires off with
great effect with his other big guns and rockets
in the pyrotechnic " Pira," down to the very
confines of the basso. It would be desirable for
him to leave his brazen helm in the coulisses, for the
Parisians have been so accustomed to see Mangin in
his brass helmet that they detect a family likeness
to him in Mongini. Mlle. Krauss's Leonora and
Mlle. Grossi's Azucena were admirable. They had to
struggle against our reminiscences of Grisi and Al-
boni, and they prevailed. Poor Cresci had to
struggle against his obesity, but he did not prevail.
It is unfortunate for one who looks so very
like a whale to sing "Il balen." The success of the
" Trovatore " was complete, and must convince the
Impressario of the possibility of dispensing with
Mlle. Patti when harsh necessity imposes the
privation. This, however, will ceaso to exist
shortly, for the versatile Prima Donna is studying
the roles of Leonora and Desdemona. We shall
be curious to see how Pasquale's Norina will
acquit herself in " Otello" and the " Trovatore."
May we be permitted to hope that no mischievous
consellors will suggest her to deck her brows with the
chaplet of Belliui's Druidess.
MENUS PLAISIRS.—There aro but few amongst
us who ever expected to find themselves in this
transpontino playhouse which shoulders the Sor-
bonne and the Cluny Museum, yet its walls now
fail to contain, scarcely to keep out, the crowd
which flocks to sec Anthony. Still fewer are there
amongst us who fought their way to the Porte-St.-
Martin in 1831 to greet Antony on his first appearance,
yet those few do not forget Mme. Dorval's " Je suis
une femme perdue," or her still finer " Vous voyez
ctte femme, c'est sa maitresse ;" or when her injured
husband burst open the door and Bocage drew the
poignard from her breast —" Elle m a rdsiste, je
l'ai assassinde." In those days there were giants on
the earth. Is it that we grow older or become
blase, or how is it that the actors tear their passions
to tatters without moving us, leaving us high and
dry upon the beach gaping like oysters when the
tide goes down ? Who shall ever forget that
memorable evening when Alexandre Dumas came
forth into the foyer in green coat, of the very cut
of those curious fossil garments which you may see
on the backs of Count Mole and M. Dupin in the
great picture at Versailles, where Louis Philippe
sits amidst his counsellors. And the public
ovation was vented in a form most disagreeable
to him, since his enthusiastic admirers tore his
coat to shreds that they might possess a souvenir of
the author of Antony. Many lustres have shed their
light upon Dumas' head since those days, yet there
he sat again in his loge, and was again ready with
his tears when Mlle. Duverger handed into his
baignoire a huge bouquet, the floral tribute of a
venerable Muscovite's appreciation of her rare
abilities. For Mlle. Duverger has here proved
herself to be a great artist ; simple, yet sublime, in
the sublime passages of the play, and they are neither
few nor far between, and with the good taste which
is inherent to a Parisienne she left in their ecrins
those gems which have so often dazzled us. La-
ferricre's Antony we might have thought excellent
had he not been preceded by Bocage. The theatre
is crowded nightly.
Age has not impaired Rossini'sgallantry. He has
presented a corbaille to Mdlle. Marie Battu, filled
with choice flowers, and enhanced the value of the
gracious gift by being his 'own commissionaire on
the occasion.

" The Grande Duchesse of Gerolsteiu" is about
to abdicate in favour of Madame Tautin, after a
reign of unparalleled brilliancy. Madame Schnei-
der's absence will not be eternal as her charms ;
however, we may hope to see her return shortly
to the Varietea, where she has so long reigned
supreme, for she is already on very bad terms
with the manager of the Chatelet, and inflicted a
severe scolding upon him three days past be-
cause he was absent at the last rehearsal of
" Gulliver." She wrote that "une artiste de sa valeur,
was entitled to more respect. If Mine. Schneider
be bent on teaching theatrical managers good man-
ners, she has a difficult task before her ; for these
petty tyrants, dressed in their little brief authority,
ekings and princesses bow befor them, and
bringe stage
themselves to believe in their right divine to
s
govern wrong.
The " Jolie Fille de Perth" was announced at the
Lyrique for Wednesday last. On driving up to the
theatre through the plunging rain, we found that
M. Ca.rvalho had again fooled his public. The
ajfiehe coolly announced that the Fair Maid of
Peith would not be played. He has just substi-
tuted Massy for Michot in Romeo's role, but no
protest will be raised against this change, for the
new Lyrique tenor sings his duet with Mme. Car-
valho with more than Michot's sweetness, and with
m uch more feeling.

M. de Lesseps states that the new Suez Canal
loan has been subscribed, and that the water route to India
will be completed in 1870.
A PLANTATION PREACHER.—The Bishop of
Tennessee is reported to havo told the following story at
the recent Church Congress. Ho said :—'• I was visiting
a plantation, and the bell was rung, when the negroes, num-
bering some 500, gathered in the parlours and piazza of the
house, belonging, unfortunately for himself, to a bachelor.
After reading a chapter to them I preached, and said that
I would hold a service the next day to baptize such as
should be presented. I baptized between 70 and 80, and
after a service I fell into a conversation with 'Uncle Toney,'
a plantation preacher. I asked him about various Christian
doctrines, and finally said, And what about the resurrec-
tion ?' With a very solemn face ho replied, You see,
master, ointment is eintment." Yes.' Well, you see,
dero is a speritual body, and dis here body made out of
dus'.' Yes.' Well, you see, when de angel Gabriel comes
down from heaben, and goin' up and down tha riber Jor-
dan, a-blowiu' of his trumpet and do birds of heaben
singin', and de bolls of heaben ringin', and de milk and de
honey rainen down on all do hills of heaben, he will bring
do speritual body wid him down from heaben, and take dis
here body up out of do dus', and tak tho ointment and rub
it on, den stick togedder—and dare dey is.'"
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF TIIE METROPOLIS.—The
Home Secretary having fixed the sth of November to re-
ceive a deputation on this important question, it has been
resolved by the 3letropolitan Municipal Association to hold
a conference of vestrymen of London, to consider the bills
Introduced by Mr. J. S. Mill, M.P., in the Vestry-hall of
St. James's, Westminster, on Monday, the 4th of Novem-
ber, the vestry having kindly granted the use of the hall
for that object.