The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-15 00:00:00

PART I.
Overture and selection from "Don Giovanni" Mozart.
Aria, Signor Belletti, " Madamina" ..
Duet, Madame Clara Novello and Signor
Vialetti, "La ei derem" ..
Aria, Signor Giuglini, "II mio tesoro"
Trio, Mdlle. Titiens, Signor Vialetti, and

Signor Belletti, " Ah ..
Aria, Madame Clara Novello, " Batti, batti"
Aria, Signor Badiali, " Deh vieni"
Quartet, Mdlle. Titiens, Madame Clara No-
vello, Signor Giuglini, and Signor Badiali,
" Non ti fidar"
Aria, Signor Badiali, " Fin ch'han dal ♦ino"
Aria, Mdlle. Titiens, " Non mi dir
Sestet, Mdlle, fitiens, Madame Clara No-

vello, Miss Dolby, Signor Giuglini, Signor
Badialdi, and Signor Belletti, " Soa, Sola"
Choral Fantasia, pianoforte, Miss Summer-
hayes

Beethoven.

PART 11.

Herold.

Overture (Zampa)
Song, Mrs. Clare Hepworth, " The Merry
bells," II. Smart.
Grand scena, Mr. Sims Reeves, " Through
the Yorests " (Der Freischutz) Weber.
Ballad, Miss Dolby, " Many a time and oft," Duggan.
Duet, Madame Clara Novello and Mr. Sims
Reeves, " E it sol del anima" (Rigolettb) Verdi.
Trio, Mrs. Clare Hepworth, Miss Lascelles,
and Mr. Montero Smith, "Memory," Leslie.
Duet, Madame Titiens and Signor Giuglini,
" Parigi o cara" (Traviata)
Quartet, Mrs. Clare Hepworth, Miss Dolby,
Mr. Montem Smith, and Mr. Thomas,
" May Song"
Song, Mr. Thomas, " I'm a roamer " Mendelssohn.
Quartet, Madame Clara Novello, Miss Dolby,
Mr. Sims Reeves, and Signor Belletti,
‘• L'Aspo" (Martha) Flotow.
God save the Queen.
The programme, although not a very lengthy
one, nor inordinately extended by encores, was
shortened of its fair proportions by the omission of
three pieces for which Mr. Sims Reeves had been
set down, viz., the air "Through the forests," fronil
Der Freischutz ; a duet with Clara Novello, from
Rigoletto ; and a quartett by Flotow. His absence
caused great disappointment, and no explanation
being given to the audience, a cry was raised for
the absentee, on which Mr. Dent, high sheriff, and
one of the stewards, ascended the orchestra, and an-
nounced that Mr. Reeves had written to express his
regret that he was unable to appear in his place in
consequence of a severe cold. This, however, did
not appear to satisfy the audience, who refused to
hear any other of the performers until Mr. Dent
again appeared and read the letter itself, in which
the first tenor said he had hoped when ho left him
to be able to sing that night, but that the wet
journey had increased his cold, and he regretted
his inability to appear in public that night, but
hoped to be sufficiently recovered to sing next morn-
ing. This was received with hisses and disappro-
bation, but the audience appeared reconciled, and
that there was no help for the disappointment,
though some of them had travelled out of South
Wales entirely to hear him.
The selection from "Don Giovanni," which forme&
the first part of the concert, was a well chosen one,
consisting of the choicest morceaux of that great
masterpiece. The first noticeable feature was the
duet " La ci darem," by Madame Clara Novello and
Signor Vialetti, which was immediately followed
by the delightful air, " Ii mio tesore," by Signor
Giuglini, in which his brilliant upper notes told
with astounding effect, although in the lighter
and more florid passages he lacked power and
purity of intonation. This is his first appearance
at Gloucester for some years, and perhaps he
hardly sustained the favourable impression which
he created here in the first instance ; never-
theless he was encored. The trio, "Ah tace,"
introducedto the Gloucester people the prima donna
of the evening concerts, Mdlle. Titiens, and the
primo basso, Belletti. The sensation created by
the lady among the dilettanti was great, though
perhaps hardly equal to the merits of an artiste
who bids fair to be a worthy successor to Grisi.
The " Batti, batti," by Madame Novello, was per-
fect, and was enthusiastically encored, but the lady
declined to repeat it. Signor Badiali's artistic de-
livery of the rattling air, "Fin ch'han dal vino,"
took his audience by storm, and drew down an
unanimous encore. In the air, "Non me dir "
Mdlle. Titiens ravished her audience, who appeared
now more fully to appreciate the talent and won-
derful'gifts of the fair cantatrice. The concluding
sestet of the Mozart selection, " Sola, sola," brought
together " all the talents" of the Italian Opera,
besides Madame Novello and Miss Dolby. Beeth-
oven's choral fantasia followed the selection, and
introduced to notice a youthful pianiste, Miss Cecilia
Summerhayes, who, under the tutelage of her
patron saint, has accomplished wonderful things on
her stubborn instrument. The task was, however,
too great for so young an aspirant, but she acquit-
ted herself in a highly creditable manner. The
beautiful composition had also full justice done to
it by the choralbody.
The second part of the concert having been cur-
tailed by the absence of Mr. Sims Reeves, the prin-
cipal noticeable features in it were the English
songs—Miss Dolby's pathetic delivery of Duggan's
ballad, "When the music is still," which greatly
pleased, and Mr. Thomas's song " I'm a roamer."
This was capitally rendered, but the accompani-
ments were too loud, so that the voice was barely
distinguishable in the lower parts at the end of the
room. The concert was brought to a close with
the National Anthem at eleven o'clock, and about
one half of the company remained for two or three
hours longer to participate in the dances which
always follow the first concert at Gloucester.
This morning, although the weather was still
cold, there was no rain, and the doors of the cathe-
dral were besieged nearly an hour before the time
appointed for opening them. The attraction this
morning was Mendelssohn's masterpiece—" Elijah,"
which, as was anticipated, drew a large attendance.
The floor of the nave was again very quickly filled,
as also were the &isles, the gallery being more than
theee parts full. The oratorio commenced punc-
tually at half-past eleven, and a great feature in it
was that, with the exception of the usual interval
of twenty minutes, there was no break in the
whole performance. It has been customary to
encore some of the principal airs, such as the
tenor song, "If with all your hearts," and the
contralto " Oh, rest in the Lord." The trio,
"Lift thine eyes," has always had a sort of pre-
scriptive right to an encore, but in this morn-
ing's performance the continuity of dramatic
interest in the oratorio was unbroken. This is
an example of good faith which we could wish to
see more generally followed. Usually it has been
the custom for the bishop, the dean, or the chair-
man of the stewards to rise in his seat after one of
these morceaux and signal to the conductor to re-
peat it, but to their credit be it said, the officials,
both lay and clerical, allowed of ne interruption to
the steady progress of the oratorio, which was al-

0. d,

The opening air in the second part, "Hear ye,
Israel," was delivered by Clara Novello all her
old ravishment, and the succeeding chorea}, " Be not
afraid," was grand in the extreme. Miss Dolby was'
highly effective in her delivery of tYie queen's de-
nunciation, " The gods do so to me ;" and the
answer of the people, "He she:ll perish," with
the succeeding chorus, " Woe to him," were
highly dramatic. The angelic trio, " Lift
thine eyes," was perfect ir, the hands of Ma-
dame Novello, Mrs. Hepworth, and Miss Dolby,
the three voices blending together in di-
vine harmony ; nor was the effect marred by
the repetition of the trio according to common cus-
tom, but was followrid without intermission by
the next chorus, .‘ We watching over Israel." Miss
Dolby sang the air, ".0 rest in the Lord," in
that perfect go'Jd taste which is peculiar to her,
and in a voice, to which there is no equal. In the
quartet awl. chorus " Holy, holy," the magnificent
voice of Novello pealed out above the rest like a
clarion . This was a most impressive performance, ,
and evidently told upon the audience, who remained
stadding while it was being sung. In the chorus
descriptive of the prophet's ascent to heaven, the
ascent was musically and faithfully depicted; and
1 the concluding words, " He went by a whirlwind
to heaven," were ovepowering. Of the choruses
generally we may speak in unqualified terms of
praise. We may especially cite the Baal choruses
and the choruses descriptive of the rushing of the
" mighty wind," the appearances of the sea, the
earthquake, and the fire, with the beautifully
placed passages coming in immediate contrast,
" And after the fire came a still small voice." In
fine, the performance was one of the grandest and
most perfect we have ever listened to, and gave
unqualifid satisfaction to all who had the privilege
of hearing it.
The collection at the doors in aid of the charity
amounted to ..£157 11s. 11d. The sum received
yesterday included the munificent gift of £5O by
J. C. Dent, high sheriff of the county.