The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-26 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

The performances last evening were for the benefit of
Fanny Elssler ; and, as might be expected, the house
was crowded in every part long before the rising of the
certain. The opera was La Gazza Ladra, with Grisi as
Ninetta, Favanti as Pippo, Fornasari as Fernando (Ni-
netta's father), and Lablache as the Podesta. Of the
Ninetta of Grisi it is unnecessary to speak. Who
has not seen—who has not admired—this most
perfect specimen of domestic tragedy? Equally un-
necessary is it to speak of the Podesta of Lablache ;
the simple announcement of the fact that Lablache per-
sonated that worthy magistrate is sufficient to assure
every one that the Podesta was the most humourous and
laughter-moving of Dogberries. Mademoiselle Favanti
appeared for the first time in the character of Pippo,
and we sincerely congratulate her on her success in the.
part. She is gradually acquiring more confidence in her
powers, and consequently that occasional incorrectness
of intonation of which some of our contemporaries have
complained, is rapidly disappearing ; in fact last
night, nothing of the sort could be discovered.
Her Pippo was an admirable performance, both as re-
garded acting and singing. She was deservedly encored
in the exquisite morceau in the second act " Pegno ado-
rate," and, encouraged by the applause which she re-
ceived, she repeated it even more effectively than she
had given it in the first instance. In the duet which
folloves, " Mi cadono le lagrime," her fine contralto tones
told admirably, and formed a most effective support to
Grisi. Of the Ferdinand of Fornasari, it is impossible:
to speak in terms of too high praise. Never were the
agonies of a father more pathetically depicted ; in the
scene in the last act, in which he breaks from the,
soldiers to take a parting embrace from his daughter,
his acting was heart-rending. Not only is he the best
Ferdinand on the stage ; but we are inclined to believe
that Ferdinand is his best character—at all events, it is
entitled to rar;k with his Belisario and his Loustalot.
We have rnentioneJ one encore ; the only other encore
of the night VMS the eacfluisite trio in the first act, " Oh !
Nume benefice," tvhich was beautifully given by Grisi,
Fornasari, and Lablache. Favanti, Fornasari, and
Lablache were called for at the fall of the curtain, and
received with the usual honours. Between the acts of
the opera we had the divertissement of Un Bal sous
Louis X. 117., in which Elssler and Cerito danced the
minuet de la tour, Elssler personating the preux Che-
valier, and Cerito looking bewitchingly prudish in her
powder and hoop, as a dame of the seventeenth century.
After the opera Cerito danced the Gitana, as she
alone can dance it, and was of course encored ; and then
came the new divertissement La Paysanne Grande Dame.,
in which the acting of Fanny Elssler, as the peasant girl
suddenly transformed into the fine lady, was the most
arch and espiegle that can be imagined. The scene
in
which, dressed for the first time in grand costume, she
runs round the room, looking over her shoulder and
admiring her train, is one of the richest things that can
be imagined. Her pas with M. St. Leon and Made-
moiselle Plunkett and Barville was wonderful; she outdid
herself in her performance of those rapid steps—feet-
twinklings they may be justly called—for which she is
so celebrated. She was encored, as a matter of course,
and the stage, for a moment, assumed the appearance of
a parterre, from the number of bouquets that were
showered down upon her. The divertissement, how-
ever, flags towards the close, and requires some judicious
pruning. The audience became very impatient at the
commencement of the ballabile in the last scene. The ap-
pearance of Fanny Elssler, however, in a very picturesque
national costume, completely restored them to good
humour, and her pas La Bearnoise brought the diver-
tissement to a triumphant conclusion. The greater part
of the audience, which was a very fashionable one, re-
mained until the conclusion of the performances.