The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-12 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

DON GIOVANNI.
(Prom, the Morning Post )
Last evening Mozart's operatic masterpiece was pro-
duced at the above theatre with extraordinary splendour,
and a cast including all the principal members of Mr.
Lumley's company. The ihouse was crowded to the
ceiling, and the performance was a perfect triumph from
first to last.
We will endeavour to describe its merits as far as our
limited time and space will permit.
It was a great blessing to be relieved in the overture
from those additional trombone and ophicleide accompa-
paninients to which our ears have been used of late years,
though by no means reconciled, and Sig. Bonetti deserves
the thanks of the musical world for his suppression
of these utterly unjustifiable innovations. The well-known
grand descending passage for the basses in the allegro,
followed, we might in a certain sense say answered, by
the light and careless phrases in the first violins, was no
longer " bound in brass," nor was, consequently, the
succeeding passage rendered almost ridiculous by an ex-
cess of contrast never dreirot of by any composer. Nei-
ther was the pure and healthy vigour of the unison violin
passages whick follow the leading theme impaired by the
brazen bellowing forth of unmeaning chords introduced
for no imaginable purpose but that of giving undue and
vulgar accent to comparatively insignificant portions of
the score. If the musical taste of the public be depraved,
such unnatural stimulants are certainly not calculated to
improve it. No man could possibly under-tand the ha-
lance of sound better than Mozart ; and bad trombones
been necessary here they were at band, and he would
have employed them. In the slow movement, the im-
portant crescendo and diminuendo requisite to give due
effect to those wonderful scale passages on the inverted
pedal D, the persistiverepetition of whichthrough all the
wild changes of harmony sounds like the relentless voice
of fate, were perfectly rendered. So, too, was that mys.
terioui but prophetically significant figure for the second
violins, where the first violins move above in syncopations.
In the allegro motto we were struck by the precision and
clearness with which the close imitations in the octave
between the stringed and wind instruments were deli-
vered, no less than by the sweetness and grace which
characterised the execution by the latter of the caressing
imitative phrases which immsdiately succeed the second
subject. Indeed the entire performance of this great com-
position merits our warmest eulogy. The fine air "Notte
e giorno faticar" introduced to our notice Signor Bellett'
in his new part of Leporello. We need scarcely say that

so accomplished an artist, to whom all styles of music,
from Handel to Verdi, are perfectly familiar, gave the
true reading of it. There was an air of pompous asur
nce and mock dignity about him which showed at once
• sow well he had studied the real meaning of this sone,
which, by the way, has been objectel to by certaiu fo-
reign critics as being too grand for the occasion. We
cannot agree with them. Leporello is here assuming
greatness ; his ideas are large, and their expression can
only become comic through the pecnliaridiosyncracy and
manner of the man. Mozart's music fully expresses the
Predominant idea of the valet who aspires to be a gentle-
man, and it is for the executant to give it a characteristic
colouring. " Voglio far 11 gentilumne e non voglio piu

servir" is the burthen of Leporello'B first air, as he is

waiting indignantly about in the dark fur his libertine
master, who is " dentro colla bells," and this sentiment
should pervade the entire conception, as it does with
Signor Belletti. The succeeding prodigiously fine and in.
tensely dramatic trio, "Non sperar se non in'uccidi,"
was sung with extraordinary fire and vigour by the re.
presentatives of Don Giovanni and Donna Amu (S:g.
Beneventano and IVldlle. Spezia), with Sig. Belletti.
There was an incisive kind of accent in the lady's voiee
quite appropriate to the situation and strongly marked
rhythm of the music. Sig. Beneventano struggled man-
fully to get away from his furious assailant, at the eau e
time judiciou-ly keeping his voice under, and suppressing
his rage as much as possible (for Don Giovanni wishes to
escape, quietly as he can), whilst the intelligent but un-
obtrusive acting of Sig. Belletti, as the now terrified Le-
porello, completed the dramatic picture. The next grand
scene, including the fight between Don Giovanni and
the Commendatore (Signor Vialetti) and the death of
the
,latter, was also done ample justice to by all
Patties concerned. The incomparable trio, "Ah soc-
%Tao," did not suffer, as some might imagine it would,
m the fact of Belletti's baritone voice being frequently
placed underneath the heavy bass of Vialetti, for Lepn.
rello's
pat; Consisting almost wholly of dotted and de-
taobed notee—being, in short, variant° nearly through-
out-7—whilet the Commendatore's notes are faintly gasped
forth as by a dying ma*, the difference of vocal timbre
was scarcely perceptible, and certainly exercised no da-
maging influence. The only part in this requiring deci-
sion and firmness of tone ie that of the
remorseless Dan
Giovanni—admirably truthful Mozart !—and as it lies
quite within the compass ei Signor BeOeventano's fine
voice, it came out with
.the best possible effect. The
fifth scene, which comprises the grand accompanied reci-
tative, "Ma qual mai,' and the duet, "Fuggi, cruddele
fuggi !" was particularly trying to Madlle. Spezia, as she
had here to contend with the perfectly fresh recollecti n
of another very great artist in the same character ; but
she passed most honourably through the ordeal. Rarely
indeed have the terrors', the despairing grief, the fierce
demand for vengeance tif the bereaved and heroic (4110_
ter of the murdered Comxnendatore been more vividly
or truthfully expressed. Madlle. Spezia was admirably
supported in the duet by Signor Giuglini as Ottavio, and
excepting that the allegro was taken a shade too fast,
this performance was irreproachable. The eighth scene
introduced Iladlle. Ortolani as Elvira, with the noble
air "Ah ! chi ml dice mai," which was sung with extra-
ordinary energy and accent, and excellentlyaccompsnied.
In this scene, too, came the universally-popular "Made-
mina it catalogo e questo," which was rendered by Sit -
nor Belletti with infinite spirit, most truthful expressicn
of the words. enl consumMate musical skill.
Whethe:. with respect to acting or singing
this was rea".6-ii f.,et-utte performance, worthy of the

best days of the classic Italian opera. In the ninth
scene Madlie. Piccolomini was the centre of attrac-
tion. As the gifted little artist came tripping upon
the stage to the joyous strains of " Giovinette the
fate all'amore," the house resounded with enthusiastic
applause. Never was there a warmer welcome ; and thus
encouraged, the "cara bambina" proceeded to discharge
her onerous duties with a sort of anxious confidence,
with which the audience appeared to sympathise com-
pletely. Signor Corsi, too, made his first entree here as
Masetto ; and his execution of the delightful, and drama-
tically important air " Ho Capito," which had hitherto
been omitted, displayed his histrionic powers to the best
advantage. The rendering of the piece by the band was,
for the most part, worthy of unqualified eulogy ; but we
must call signor Bonetti's attention to a passage in the
bars immediately preceding the words " Cavalier voi
siete," where the first violins have the notes G, F sharp,
D, but in which the D should have been played an octave
higher. The mistake is probably in the score, but itshould
be corrected, as it seriously damages the melodic con-
struction of the passage, and makes it sound almost ugly.
Mdlle. Piccolomini's triumphs began with the duet, "La
ci darem" (rapturously encored), and terminated only
with her part. Never, in our recollection, has the air
" Batti, batti," been so intellectually sung. The entire
reading of the song was perfectly original, and delightful
as it was new. Nothing short of genius of the highest
order could have conceived such a novel rendering of an
air which is as familiar as household words, and scorned
the long established traditions of the stage with such
boldness and triumphant success. The " Batti, batti,"
we need scarcely add, was rapturously re-demanded, and
so was likewise Mdlle. Piccolomini's simply beautiful
execution of " Vedrai• carino," which, so far as our re-
collection reaches, has never been surpassed. The very
late hour at which the opera terminated precludes the
possibility of our now giving the detailed account of the
rest of the performance, but we may state generally that
Mdlle. Spezia again distinguished herself most honorably
in the magnificent recitative " Don Ottavio son morta,"
and the air "Or sai she l'onore ;" that Mdlle. Ortolani
sang the restored air, " Ah fuggi it traditor" as she did
the "Mi tradi quell' alma ingrate," most admirably,
and was, in short, altogether the very best Elvira we
have ever seen on the Anglo-Italian stage ; and that
siece the palmy days of Tambarini we have not met with
so efficient a representative of Dan Giovanni as Signor
Beneventano.
Signor Balletti's "Leporello," too, may be classed
amongst the best of the best ' • and the music of " Don
Ottavio " has rarely been so beautifully sung as it was
last night by Signor Giuglini, whose rendering of the
restored air, "Dally sun pace," and the universally
popular "II mio tesoro," entitles him to the highest
eulogy, and would have been " perfect perfection ' but
for certain needless and reprehensible changes which he
unhappily thought fit to make in the musical text of the
latter piece. "II mio tesoro" was, nevertheless, en-
cored unanimously ' • and, indeed, the compliment, con-
sidered merely with reference to the beautiful execution
of the singer, was fully deserved. The chorus " Viva
la liberta,' splendidly sung by all the principal singers,
with the choristers of her Majesty's Theatre, was like-
wise redemanded with acclamation. Signor Vialetti's
fine voice and impressive style gave all due effect to the
terrible denunciations of Don Giovanni's ghostly visitor
in the last scene, and the co-operation of so excellent an
artist as Signor Corsi in the small but important part of
Masetto contributed largely to the general effect of all
the scenes in which be was concerned.
The opera is splendidly put upon the stage. All the
scenery, dresses, and decorations are entirely new, and
by some of the first artists of the day. The ball-room
scene surpasses in magnificence anything of the kind we
bave ever seen even at her Majesty's Theatre. With a
c impliment to Signor Bonetti for the reverential care
and musicianly skill with which he conducted this in-
comparable opera, we must close our present notice.
The principal performers were enthusiastically called
before the curtain at the termination of each act, and at
the end of the opera a general demand was made for
Signor Bonetti, who then also appeared.
The following list of various casts of "Don Giovanni"
will doubtless interest our musical readers :