The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-20 00:00:00

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT.—The Philhar:
monic-hall was filled, on Tuesday evening, by an intelligent
and highly-respectable audience, attracted by a desire
to hear the performance of one of the society's shilling
oratorios. The principal feature of the programme WS
Haydn's sublime Oratorio of " The Creation ;" besides
which it also contained the Anthem composed by Att.
wood for the coronation of George IV. The principal
vocalists were Miss Stott, Mr. J. Robinson, and 31r;•
Armstrong; Mr. W. Sudlow conducted, and Mr. G. 'firs;
presided at the organ. The chorus consisted of the usual
vocalists who have with at tese concerts. The perfor,
mantes commenced h the Coronatiou Anthem, which
was executed indifferently, and fell "flat" upon the ears of
the audience. In singing the fine and expressive air,
" The marv'lous works behold," Miss Stott acquitted bet'
self in good style, and was warmly encored ; on repeating
themusic she appeared to have imbibed new vigour froluthe
applause, and sang with increased spirit and improved effect:
and in the trio, " Most beautiful appear," her execution and
vocal energy told well ; this piece was well executed, the
singers going well together and imparting varied expres-
sion and good feeling to the music. In the recitative,
" In splendour bright," despite the lack of accompaniment
Mr. Robinson made a most favourable impression, an
was deservedly applauded. The choral performances were
not equal to many of the prevous displays by the society'
there appeared a degree of carelessness in many points,-
and most of the choruses indicated inadequate rehearsal'
As a whole, Tuesday's concert was not equal to its prede-
cessors, a fact which we regret to record, as those chfap
and easily accessible performances of first-class musical
compositions must, if conducted in the style and with the
spirit by which they were characterised
at their commence-
ment, prove highly beneficial in disseminating a taste for
really excellent music ; but, to effect this, they must he
conducted in such a manner as to convey at least a reason'
able impression of the author's meaning and intentiq.-
We must except from this general censure Mr. Hirst s
management of the organ accompaniment, which 0;,..,e'4
judicious and tasteful, and displayed great dexterity.,
fingering and a knowledge of the instrument's Capabilitl;;
AMATEUR GLEE AND MA.DRIGA UNlON.—TbeigiC•
concert given by this society took place in Hime's
hall, Bold-street, on Friday evening, and was well atten,_ee,
The programme contained an excellent selection of Plev,cre•
suited to the-aim and talent of the society, and they ss
performed in a highly satisfactory style. The glees an
madrigals, in particular, being rendered with a precisct
and obvious intention which was highly creditable to r
performers, and to the skill and talent of their able. c'
ductor, Mr. Lidel. Mr. Percival presided at the piano-
forte ; and the solo performers were Misses
Santley ,
Williams, and Mr. Middleton and Mr. Charles Santl
The concert concluded with the " Anthem, lulu
as a whole, the performances went off well.
THE THEATRE-ROYAL, now converted into a Theatre
Francais, continues to offer its varied and pleasing at:
tractions, which we are glad to perceive are appreciated
by intelligent and fashionable, though, we regret to add,.
not overflowing audiences. On Wednesday evening, o'3.
three pieces were "Le Printemps," "Le Chevalier du
Guet," and "La Rue de, la Lune," and these were Pro"
duced and played in capital style to a numerous, discr"
minating and delighted audience, who testified their
ande
approbation by marked attention to the business of the
stage, and repeated and well-deserved applause. On Fri'
day the house was again a good one, and the audience,
were charmed by the elegant, easy, and natural manner el
the different performers, and the almost fastidious atop'
tion to artistic propriety, which predominated in every
departMent of the stage arrangements. The amusenten ,
on this occasion commenced with a slight piece, entitlel
" T.a Partie de Piquet," the plot of which is simple, indfbee
trifling, and the whole interest of the piece consists in L,t-
vraisemblance naiveté and perfectly easy developmenovt
the somewhat improbable incident on which tb,e Plias
turns, that of making a high-minded gentleman, who le
been involved in a trivial quarrel, fall into a sort of ""ded
merle sleep, on awakening out of which he is persua
the whole has been a dream. In this piece the Plot 101-
incidents were nothing, the aeting everything. It was
lowed by "Le Capitaine Roquefinette." This piece, whifet,
greatly superior to the preceding one in dramatic jute' 06
was also admirably acted ; and the perforVaLit
were concluded by the vaudeville of " Croque Pottle. .;,11
night the selection consisted of " La Collie Sensible,
„i es°
le Mauvais Sujet," and " Livre III." The charm at 'la
performances consists chiefly in the fine artistic keel' nd
which so clearly pervades every incident and scene, g
which is not less observable in the elimination of fee nth
or the indication of sentiment. The aim of this Fre ire
company of comedians is evidently to produce pleasnro.
emotions, by presenting to the mind delicate discrito,
tion and nicely-balanced distinctions, rather than ?they
contrasts and broadly-marked effects. In doing this at
are eminently successful. Every actor and actress 17ted,
home innand apparently identified with the part Pr,ese
The dialogue is given with unhesitating precisileefill
natural ease; the carriage of the performers is Sut the
and unconstrained, and the action flows throngia"by any
scene without interruption, nor is it ever disturhe:oacter-
excess of vehemence; polish-and sweetness are the Td be well
istics of these dramatic representations, and it scorn would
if some of our resident heroes of the sock:and hu6.7d„erfect
condescend to take alessonfromthe subdue dtolle 'tars Of
accuracy of dialogue exhibited by these flitting ,!,..,eibr
our theatrical hemisphere. While on the subject 01n.
or cometary influence, it cannot be out of place to cu
gratulate our playgoing and operatic amateurs Oil th 3
un,..
the con .
probable extent of gratification they will meet in courseo'
•0. Our enterprising Ou enterprising manager and lesser;fir.
Mr. Copeland, has announced that negotiations are col
the performance of Italian Operas of the
hf7gthfeosrt souringea Liverpool ; and a rumour, bearing con:,
siderable marks of authenticity, asserts that we shall hale
a German company also, while the same veracious authority
hints at a probable arrangement with Grisi and Maria- k
AT THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, during the past sce,,ei;
we have had a succession of representations of ghat
significantly called the legitimate drama—the "
Shore"
ie
benefit.
exception constitutingattractionF rtlitdea
Friday,
back," "The Stranger," " The Lady of Lyons," and "
leading
whenacg,
referre
poiisfe
the
s eoLfo
co eachrci..aasinoteltli
tiE
to being the , a yoin
performance of Miss Fanny Wallacb, style
lady of no inconsiderable histrionic talent. In her
_ot
of acting she is generally natural, and her elocution
unfrequently rises to a point of great excellence ;
and
pathetic declamation being accompanied by grace/It!, The
expressive action.. Her personation of Pauline in eivea
Lady of Lyons" was in its leading features well cowl, in
and cleverl executed—a little, it might be, over 1.0_11270ea
the courtship scene where Melnotte, as the as,' this,
Prince of Como, describes his imaginary palace ; hil'eation
if any fault, was amply atoned for by her fine delin s
of the struggle between affection and pride in the
_r_efo'
where lifeizzotte, having revealed the fraud he has ,1403,
tised on her, declares his intention of leaving here
,il"iast
free. Her delineation of' a similar struggle i;„,..nth•
scene between filial duty .acid connubial love Was aln_.',/ote
fully and cleverly rendered. Mrs. T. Walton as Javy, ",.„01
Dec
was pleasing and effective ; and lo.t":ijaa
we have seen Mr. F. L. Villiers to greater advant.ating
in Glaris, it would be doing him injustice to ormo
that he did the little required of him well and une s.'"e`rfor.
tionsly ; similar remarks are likewise due to VII_ }_ronrite
mance of Mr. Lunt as Dunzas. Last night the tavnt
and veteran Vandenhoff commenced a short engf!geft' be
at this theatre, and was well received. TotiFilad
appears as Jacques, and to-morrow as Cato, on Our
as Richelieu, on Friday as the Stranger, and 011, „
day as Zanga. He is, it will be seen, accompanied P*7
amiable and talented daughter. ,

TUB NIAGARA. was recently run ashore on the coast
+, of
Wexford. A few weeks since she was sold as a svi.e,.,et on
Mr. Levingston, of this town, for a small sum; ,
Wednesday last she was floated, and found to be so
injured that she is expected daily in the Mersey.