The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-04 00:00:00

BOYA

OPERA

On Saturday night last, according to promise,
commenced Mr. Gye's second season of Italian
Opera since the erection of the magnificent arena,
the beauty and rapid completion of which sur-
prised London a little later than this time last
year. The period which precedes the Easter vaca-
tion is, in operatic affairs, proverbially interesting.
All excitement is usually in abeyance till Paris
has yielded its contingent of stars, and the opera
would muster .on the opening night rather as a
ceremonial observance—poure faire acte- de pre-
sence—than attracted by any lively anticipations-
of pleasure. In the present instance, however;
the first night of the_ season has proved an excep-
tion to the ordinary rule, the first appearance in.
London of the new and much-praised prima donna
from St. Petersburg, Mdlle. Lotti di Santa, invest-
ing the occasion.with an interest of no common
description. The perforinance of Verdi's now
hacknied opera of "Il Trovatore" would not,
under less remarkable circumstances, have attracted
so large and brilliant an audience as were assem-
bled to pronounce on the merits of the new singer.
Mdlle. Lctti's appearance is decidedly prepossess-
ing. She is young, her slim figure is graceful and
ladylike ire its bearing, and her features handsome
and capable pf varied expression. To come to the
point of importance, she possesses a soprano voice
of high range—fresh, pure, and brilliant in
quality; and although she has not attained great
agility of execution, her intonation is faultlessly
correct; and her command of varied expression
and tempered force are very considerable. Not-
withstanding the drawback of manifest nervous-
ness, the new singer acquitted herself in the aria
d'intrata in a manner which seemed atonce to satisfy
the audiencpilhat a valuable acquisition to Mr.
Gye's corps dretrtistes had been made, and a round
of hearty and general applause ratified, as it were,
the engagement, and sealed it with the seal of
public approval. In further token of favour, and
in accordance with a practice which is too warmly
demonstrative for this climate, the prima donna was
recalled in the intervals between each act. In the
last act M dile. Lotti showed herself equal to the
call which it makes on energy and power of impas-
sioned expression both of the singer and the actress
of Leonora ; and at the close of the performance she
had decidedly improved on the first impression of
her merits, favourable as that was, and on her final
, summons, at the fall of the curtain, the complete-
ness of her success was rendered obvious in the
emphatic warmth of the applause. Signor Debassini,
also newly engaged by Mr. Gye, though already
known to the London public as having appeared
'at Her Majesty's , Theatre, will not efface the
memory of that tuneful bone of contention, Graziani,
in the part of the Conte di Luna. He is, never-
theless, an artist of distinguished ability, although
his vocal powers are on the wane, and is perhaps,
from the greater breadth and energy of expression
which he throws into the part, a more appropriate
representative on the whole of the truculent and
ruthless rival of the Trovatore. Mr. Gye may
esteem himself fortunate .in having so efficient a
tenor to recur to, when stars are unpropitious, as
Signor Neri-Beraldi, win greatly advanced 'hiS
estimation by his performance of Manrico. He
has made marked proeTess since he was last heard
in London, his voice having acquired more power,
while he exhibits greater skill and freedom in
its management. In the air sung by the Trovatore
from his place of captivity, "Ah the la morte,"
Signor Beraldi obtained and fully deserved the
honour of an encore. The Azuceita of Madame
Nantier Didier was the same admirable combina-
tion ofvocal:ability and dramatic.skill, instinct with
the same thrilling truth to nature and captivating
with the same grace and skill of execution which
has contributed more especially to render this artist
one of the most prized members of Mr. Gye's com-
pany. For an opening night, to conclude as we
commenced, the performance on Saturday was an
unusually brilliant affair. The house was crowded,
the audience most fashionably composed, and every
auspicious token was afforded that the energetic
director of the Royal Italian Opera has a prosper-
ous season before him, and that he takes the field
where he is soon to meet a formidable rival (if we
may trust prearatory blasts and flourishes), assured
of a strong' array 'of patrons and supporters.
The Queen's box was occupied by Col. the Hon.
Sir C. B. Phipps and. Lady Phipps, Capt. Sayer
and Mrs. Sayer and Miss Sayer. Among the fa-.
shionable company present were his Excellencyr the
Ambassador of France and the Duchess de Malakoff,
the Duke and -Duchess of Wellington, the Mar-
chioness of Stafford, the Marquis of Bath, the Earl
of Carlisle, Earl Groivenor and Lady Constance
Grosvenor, the Earl of Dalkeith, Earl Cawdor, the
Earl and Countess of Bective, the Earl of Sefton,
Viscountess Melgund and the Hon. Misses Elliot,
Viscount Exmouth, Viscount Ranelagh, Lady
Brougham and Mrs. Spalding, Lady. Ernest Bruce,
Lady Panmure and Mr. Power, Lady Heslop, Lord
Adolphus Vane Tempest, M.P., Lord Ward, Count
Louis Corti, General the lion. H. Cavendish, Col.
the Hon. James Macdonald, Major the Hon. R.
Needham, Hon. Otway Toler, Hon. C. A. Murray,
Hon. C. `Spring Rice, Hon. Mrs. Ives, Lady Currie,
Sir Robert and Lady Emily Peel, Sir Charles
Russell, Sir George Wombwell, Sir George Army-
tage, Sir Charles Taylor, Sir William De Bathe,
Sir Alexander Bannerman, Sir William and Lady
Clay, Sir George Bowles and Miss Bowles, the
Right Hon. J. Whiteside, Admiral Ryder Burton,
Colonel Brownlow Knox, M.P., Colonel Bigge,
Colonel Meyrick, Colonel Airey, Colonel Mitchell,
Colonel Byng, and Major. Gage, Captain Vivian,
Captain Leyland, Captain Knox,Captain Clayton,
Captain Napier Sturt, Mr. Vansittart, M.P. Mr.
Gerard Sturt, M.P., Mr. Wickham, M.P., the Hon.
Misses Blake, Mr. Forbes Campbell, Mr. Theodore
Uzielli, Mr. Bonamy Dobree, Mr. -Norbury, Mr.
Henry Webster, Mr. Kennedy Erskine, Mr. and
Mrs. C. H. Howard, Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham,
Mr. Schuster, Mr. Mildmay, Mr. Duff Gordon, Mr
Law, Mr. Woodford, Captain Stanhope, &e.

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

_
On Saturday evening a new three-act comedy,
by Mr. :Stirling Coyne, entitled " Everybody's
Friend," was produced at this theatre, and met
with decided success. ' The plot is exceedingly
simple, and turns mainly on the inconveniences
that may arise when family men with family re-
sponsibilities mind other folk's business rather
than their own. Mr. Featherley (Mr. Charles
Mathews) has a charming. -wife (Mrs. Charles
Mathews), who has a strong sense of her domestic
duties, and likes to be taken. occasionally to Chis-
wick, but so completely is he absorbed in
the affairs of , his _friends • that he cannot
spare a moment to lighten her cares or
to increase her —pleasures. His male friend,
Icebrook (Mr. Compton), is deeply in love
with a lair widow, Mrs. Swandown (Miss Rey-
nolds), and, being too bashful to. speak his own
mind, is greatly in need of some good soul who
will speak it for him. Then his female friend, Mrs.
De Boots (Mrs. Wilkins), wife to Maior Wellington
De Boots-KMr. Buckstone) owns a beautiful infant,
the result of his former clandestine marriage, and
wants some kind adviser who will instruct herhow
to provide for the cherub without the knowledge
of her husband. With these delicate matters on
hand, Mr. Featherley has enough to do, but he goes
throu,gh his labours manfully. Finding that Major
De Boots, in spite of a blustering exterior, is
really ,a poltroon, he bullies him into taking charge
of the infant, which he pretends is his own, the
offspring of a secret amour, and thus provides
it with a • home beneath its_ mother's
'Leahithr that Mrs. Swandown is fond of
zoological curiosities, he fUrnishes himself with a
fine Angola eat, and, assuming the name of Bangles,
calls upon the widow, asserting that he has just
arrived. from the African coast laden with the precious
gift. A position is thus obtained which may be
worked for Icebrook's benefit. A little eXplana-
tion, of course, frees Featherley, from the suspicions
brought upon him by his officious conduct, and
renders him immaculate in the eyes of his wife and
friends. However,' he stands in need not only of
exculpation; but of reform, and this is brought
about by. Mrs. Swandown, ' who counsels Mrs.
Featherley to.exert her fascinating as well as her
useful powers, and, instead of being contented with
the character of a domestic drudge; to essay the
effect of a little gaiety. The young wife astounds
her negligent husband by suddenly giving a ball,
and dazzles him by the beauty of -her appear-
ance in full dress, while Icebrook makes violent
love to her; in accordance with the widow's
instructions, and thus to other. stimulants adds the
sting of jealousy. , At last Yeatherly finds himself
coaxed and driven into domeStie felicity,. and re•
solves to abandon his universal friendship. Feather-
iev, played with admirable " nonchalance"' by Mr.
Charles Mathews ; Mrs. Charles;Mathews, as the
sighing, neglected wife • Mrs. Wilkins, as the hand-
some and paitly Mrs. Major Do Boots, a " superior
woman;" Mr. Buekstone, as the Major himself,
completely under the " superiar woman's" thumb,
ready to bully, and still mew prompt to be inti-
midated ; Mr. CatiTtoat, as the awkwardly bashful
man ; Miss Reynolos, who gave .point and sparkle
to gvelar• word she spoke, made up a most agreeable
society. The .dialOgue was smart;fluent, and preg-
nant with shrewd remarks ; the characters were
well defined ; a fonndoiion was apparently laid for
a story thAt onld be carried on within the hca4i..
elavii4 of strict eoniedy, and be atnusinß withal.
Iluekstone announced the piece 44 repetition
every night during the engwewent of -Mr. and
Mrs. C. MattheWst