The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-11 00:00:00

HER TATAJESTr'S THEATRE.

Her Majesty's Theatre opened on Saturday evening
with Donizetti's opera of "Adelia," and a new ballet of
Perrot's, entitled "La Esmeralda." Mr. Lumley's in-
tention had been originally to have opened with Ilerold's
chef -d'auvre, " Zampa," but in consegnence of the un-
avoidable absence of Fornasari, who did not arrive until
Saturday night, "Adelia," with which the season opened
last year, was substitated, and Zainpa " will, we un-
derstand, be produced on Saturcloy next, on which occa-
sionFornasari will make his first appearance this season.
Madame Persiani and Signor Corelli, the new tenor, ap•
peered in " Adelia;" and arrangements have been made
for the - appearance of Mademoiselle Favanti be-
fore Easter. The new ballet is supported by
Carlotta Grisi, Adelaide Frasi, St. Leon, and
Perrot ; so that -Mr. Lumley commences this season
in the same spirit ed manner in which he commenced the
last, and does not wait until, after Easter, as his pre-
decessors have usually do-ee, before he commences the
season in earr,est. This spirited, and, let us add, honour-
able condue„ was, la.it year, amply rewarded by the
public patranage. Crowded houses every evening proved
that, not 'Ally on the part of the manager, but on the.
part of fae public also, the real as well as the nominal
epera 'season commenced at the beginning of March, and
we d.Oubt not but that similar satisfactory results will
foll.ow on the present occasion—that Mr.Lumley's exer-
tions will meet with their well-deserved reward—and
that, as he has proved himself to be the most spirited,
his patrons will prove to him that it is their determina-
.tion he shall be the most -Juccessful impresario that has
ever held sway over the destinies of her Majesty's Theatre.
The engagements for th e opera included Grisi, Persiani,
Fornasari, the two La'slaches, and Mario; and in addi-
tion, Mademoiselle F•avanti, Signor Corelli, who made a
successful debut on F,aturday evening, and Signor Felice,
are. engaged. The, ballet will be more strongly sup-
ported than it w'As even last season, eminent as that
season must ever be in the annals of her Majesty's
theatre. Fan'ay Elssler, Cerito, Carlotta Grim, Guy
Stephan, Adelaide Frasi, St. Leon, Coulon, and Perrot,
are already engaged, and we are delighted to hear that
" arrangements are pending with Taglioni, andthat there
is every probability that the services of this eminent
artiste will be secured for a limited number of represen-
tations." Signor Costa has resumed the baton of con-
ductor and director of the music, and Perrot is the
director of the ballet. The opera of " Adelia" was pro-
duced at the commencement of last season, and was
frequently repeated. Madame Persiani sustained on
Saturday her original character Adelia,
and we never remember to have seen her look better, or
to have heard her in better voice. Never has she exe-
cuted anything more brilliantly than she gave her
opening scene on Saturday evening. It was a chef-
d'auvre of brilliancy of execution and gracefal expres-
siveness and tenderness. The great tin.. ,44 tly;
evening, however, was the finale. Drivell34: ' tact
consequence of the condemnation of herldreii:A6.4l-•
covers her senses on finding that he has lai.en pardoned.;
and in. giving expression to the joy with which her heart
overflows, she exhibits a power and energy, a bril-
liancy of execution, and truthfulness and tenarness of
expression, that has never been surpassed. Her acting
throughout was beautifully pathetic, and never before
has she appeared to such advantage in the character of
Adelio. as she did on Saturday evening. She was
rapturously applauded throughout, and at the fall of' the
curtain, was led on by Corelli and F. Lablache, who
sustained the characters of Oliviero and Arnold°, and
was again most enthusiastically greeted by the audience.
Signor Corelli, who made his debut on this occasion, is a
tenor singer of great promise. His voice, which
mixed voice, is firm and good, and of a very agre-eable
quality. His style is very agreeable, and he is the_ hat
second tenor that we have had at the Opera for years. The
new ballet " La Esmeralda," is founded on Victor Hugo's
celebrated romance " Notre Dame de Paris." Perrot,
however, in composing his ballet, has taken considerable
liberties with his original, particularly in the denouement,
as will appear from the following outline of the plot. It
should be. premised that the ballet is in five tableaux.
The first tableau is the Cours des Miracles, the haunt of
the beggars of Paris in the days of Louis XL The
Truands are assembled there wider Clopin (Gourret),
t'neir king. The lame throw aside their crutches, the
blind remove the patches from their eyes and recover
their sight ; all is confusion and revelry, and a charac-
teristic valse is danced by the coryphecs. Pierre Grin-
goire (Perrot), an unfortunate pennyless poet, who has
lost his way, wanders into the'Cours des Miracles. He
is seized, plundered of his hat and wallet, brought before
Clopin, and sentenced to be hanged, unless some one of
the women will respite him by marrying him. He be-
seeches each of the females present to take pity on him,
but after having examined him, they unanimously reject
li'Ls addresses. The pantomime of Perrot throughout
this scene was admirable, his grotesque exhibition
of terror was extremely ludicrous, and his expression of
joy on recovering his poem from the fellow who had
stolen his wallet, was a genuine touch of nature. Poor
Gringoire has the rope round his neck when the attention
of all is directed to Esmeralda, who comes bounding
in, a thing of life and light. She is Gringoire's better
angel, and at once consents to save his life by marrying
him. Then came La Tuiandaisi, acharacteristic pas, most
gracefully executed by Carlotta Grisi and Perrot. She
was loudly applauded, and a bolero movement which she
executed with the utmost precision and elegance, was
rapturously encored. The Truands retire, and Claude
Frollo (Gosselin), attended by Quasimodo, the hunch-
back (Coulon), enter, and attempt to carry off Esme-
ralda. She is rescued by Phcebus de Chatennpes (St.
Leon)who enters at the head of his archers. Frollo escapes,
but Quasimodo is taken, Esmeralda looks at her de-
liverer, the handsome Phcebus, and is at once in love
avith_him. At her intercession he releases Quasimodo,
-who retires slowly, with his gaze still rivetted on his
1 young benefactress. The Captain now makes Esmeralda
' aunderstand that he requires a recompense for acceding to
her wishes ; but she recoils from him, and flies, casting
on him a tender glance. The second tableau is a small
vaulted chamber, with a little couch, a table, and a chair,
the only furniture. Esmeralda enters, sad and melan-
choly, and shortly after Gringoire, who presses his arm
round her waist. She flies him, and he pursues her,
but when on the point of securing her, the blade of a
poignard glitters before his eyes. Esmeralda informs him
that pity alone had induced her to take him for a
husband, that he may become her companion,
and accompany her in her street dances, if he
wishes, but no more. He consents ; they prac-
tice a dance, and he retires with an air of re-
signation. Esmeralda throws herself upon her couch,
and Frollo enters the chamber. Quasimodo stays on
the threshold, Frollo kneels, and implores her to listen
to his passion, but she tells him that she loves Phcebus.
In bis jealous rage, Frollo rushes on her; she shrinks at
his feet, and implores his pity. Frollo turns for a mo-
ment, when Esmeralda escapes through a secret en-
tranca, The third tableau is in the garden of the Hotel
Gondelaurier, with the preparations for: the marriage
of Fleur de Lys and Phcebus. Fleur de Lys (Made-
moiselle Adelaide Frasi) enters, accompanied by her
bridesmaids; and in this scene is introduced the Pus des
Fleurs by Mademoiselle Frasi, supported by Mdlles.
Ferdinand and Barville. Mademoiselle Adelaide Frasi
possesses beautiful and expressive features, and a fault-
less form—her style of dancing is exceedingly graceful
and elegant; she aims at uniting the beauties of
the Taglioni and the Elssler school. In this she
succeeded wonderfully, and her transitions from the one
style to the other were admirable. She was rapturously
applauded, and her debut was most successful. This
was followed by a pas de trois by Mdlles. Scheffre,
Plunkett, and M. St. Leon, in which St. Leon exhibited
some of those astonishing tours de face which he alone
can execute. Esmeralda, who has come to dance, in
honour of the wedding, recognises Phoebus ; he ap-
proaches, she extends her hand to him, he presses it
with fervour, and, forgetting in her beauty the occasion
of the presence of his bride, he prays her to dance with
him. Then follows the Pas de Esmeralda, exquisitely
danced by Carlotta Grisi and Perrot. Fleur de Lys re•
preaches him with his conduct, and is borne away fainti.
Gringoire protects Esmeralda from the fury of tie
guests, and leads her off, followed by Phcebus. The
fourth tableau is an apartment in a cabaret, with a
window opening upon the river. Clopin now enters
with a torch in his hand, followed by Frollo, who draws
from his breast the poignard of Esmeralda ; he hears a
noise upon the stairs, and immediately conceals himself.
Phoebus and Esmeralda appear. He tells her of his pas-
sion and his love • but, taking a piece of down from his
plume, she breathes upon it, and, as it floats away, tells
him that such are his oaths. At last she allows him to
draw her towards a bench ; she kneels at his feet, and
contemplates him with passionate admiration. Frollo
springs forward with the poignard in his hand, and as
Phcebus draws the young Bohemian into a neighbour-
ing chamber, a blow and groans are heard, then the fall
of a body, and Frollo rushes out madly, followed by
Esmeralda, who sinks fainting with terror on the
floor. A crowd enters the cabaret, among
them Clopin. A murder has been committed,
and Esmeralda is denounced as the criminal ;
They then seize and carry her away, in spite of her pro-
testations and her tears. The fifth and last tableau is on
the banks of the Seine ; a prison to the right, the tower
of Notre Dame in the distance. Esmeralda is conducted
to the prison by an escort of archers, preceded by Frollo.
Gringoire enters ; he pauses before one of the grates of
the prison, terror-stricken at hearing judgment pro-
nounced upon her. He then addresses the people, who
are about to break out into tumult, when the procession
of the Roi des Fous appears. Quasimodo enters, borne
upon the shoulders of the Truands. The doors of the
prison open, and the archers appear, conducting Esme-
ralda to execution. The cortege pauses, that she may
bid Gringoire adieu. Phcebus is seen amongst the crowd,
and Esmeralda faints at the sight. Flinging himself on
his knees beside her, he declares her innocent, and points
out Frollo as the assassin. By degrees Esmeralda, re-
, covers her senses. She sees Phcebus at her feet, offering
her his hand and heart. But the happiness of the two
lovers drives Frollo to madness. He rushes on Efflhe-
ralda With the intention of stabbing her -, but his arm is
arrested by Quasimodo, who tears the dagger from his
hand, and plunges it into his breast. Thus ends the ballet.
At the close of the ballet Carlotta Grisi was called for
and received with the most enthusiastic plaudits, which
she had well earned, not only by her excellent dancing,
but by the beautifully expressive pantomime of her acting.
Her acting in the:last scene wag perfection. The music, by
Signor Puigni, was pretty and appropriate, and the raise
en scene was perfect. The dioramic effect introduced in
the opening scene was exceedingly beautiful, and the gar-
dens of the Hotel Gondelaurie exhibited a perfect Para-
dise. Nothing could exceed the brilliant splendour of
this scene, or the elegance, of the costumes of the white-
robed houris, who danced the pus des fleurs. The last
scene, too, was exceedingly picturesque. The success
of the ballet was complete, and "La Esmeralda" is one
more to be added to the list of triumphs achieved by
Perrot as a composer of ballet. The House was very
fashionably attended, and was crowded—circumstances,
neither of which are of frequent occurrence on an open-
ing night.

Dr. Turner and Mr. Adderley had interviews pith
Lord Stanley ou §aturday, at the Coloniil-Acc.