The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-20 00:00:00

IIER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 19.
The Queen drove out yesterday • afternoon,
accompanied by Princess Beatrice.
Her Majesty, accompanied by Princess Louise
and the Countess of Flanders, drove out this nloru'
ing in a carriage and four.

ROYAL OPERA, COVENT GARDEN.

The production of Offenbach's celebrated operatie,
extravaganza, the " Grand Duchess of Gerolstem,
has resulted in a complete success, a circumstance
that was fully to be expected, when the light yet
highly effective music, the humour of the plot, the
dresses, the splendid scenery, and 0'
reputation of each of the artists selected to sub:
tam the prominent parts, were for one woment
taken into consideration. Another matter that
made success almost certain was the
fact that the_
opera had been performed at many theatres abroad,
at each of which its reception was 111°:
enthusiastic. The plot of the extravaganza'
though somewhat complicated, is told as follows •
The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein is a young Poten-
tate, with a strong will. The government of her
duchy has been in the hands of Baron Puck, her
preceptor, and General Boon), her commander,ll"
chief, but since she has completed her 19th year she
has shown a restlessness of disposition which leads
those gentlemen to believe that their power is draw'
ing to its close. A Prince named Paul is therefore
selected for her husband, as a harmless diversion for
ner mind but he fails to make an impression, and
the Countess declares war with a neighbouring
state as a form of amusement. The Ductless' in
reviewing her troops, is arrested by the sight 0f
Fritz, a strapping young private, to whose sweet-
heart, Wanda, General Boom has taken a fanel.
Urged by a feeling for which she cannot ac-
count, the Duchess promotes Fritz to the suc-
cessive grades of corporal, sergeant, lieutenant'
and captain in the space of a few loiniltes'
and when in the last capacity he condemns as ab-
surd the plans of General Boom, and is put down
with the remark that no one save a commanding
officer and a noble is entitled to a voice in the Cotol
cil, the Grand Duchess at once promotes him- to
a generalship, makes him a baron, and declares
her commander-in-chief, the portentousplume beluga
removed from the head of the enraged and
astounded General Boom to adorn the bat °f
the ex-private Fritz. General Fritz return 3
victorious from the field, and is graciously re-
ceived by the Grand Duchess, who then makes le"
to him, but the young warrior's affections are on-
movably fixed upon Wanda. Boom, Puck, and ,
Paul conspire against his life, and they are joined
by the Grand Duchess herself, whom his love for
Wanda has infuriated with jealousy. The straogo
story ends with the marriage of Wanda and
Fritz, who is precipitated downwards through be
whole series of military grades till he once mere
finds himself a private, while the Duchess declare?
her readiness to accept Prince Paul for a husband'
The part of the Grand Duchess introduces Ml's
Julia Mathews to the metropolitan stage, and /ve,,
cannot refrain from at once congratulating i"" ,
young lady on her arrival in London. She possesses
a pleasing voice, of good compass, appears a good
musician, is fully up to stage business, 3°d
altogether a young lady who will be found
great acquisition to the operatic talent of London'
Her singing is full of life and interest, and we may
point to her execution of the song of the regiment
and the SaLre Song as good specimens of her Olen;
Harrison as Fritz has a part that just suit?
him, and makes a capital rustic commander ins s
chief. The music allotted to the character is
not of a very taxing nature, so lie get 0
through it evenly and well. Mr. Anesley
makes a good pompous General Boom, and 3". i.
Stoyle infuses humour and spirit into the part °f
Prince Paul. The translation of the original into
English has been effected by Mr. Charles Demme
very well indeed, but it would not have detracte
at all from the work had he discarded some 0f the
original words, which done into English bee°,
vulgarisms. The opera has been beautifabf,
put upon the stage, and doubtless will attract 01'
houses until Mr. Russell, the spirited lessee, pro-
duces his Christmas pantomine.

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