New-York tribune., 1879-06-11
OPERA AND DRAMA IN LONDON
A BRILLIANT SEASON IN PROSREss.

iFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRIBUSEJ
LONDON May 81 MIR. Mapeson has at last come
to the turn in his long unlucky lane. Both Madame
Nilsson and Madame Gerster have recovered from
their tedious illnesses, and Her Majesys Theatre Is
once more thronged with music-loving and 1ashion-
able audiences. Perhaps both Of them strained n
point to appear when they did, for neither was I'D
quite perfect voice. But Madame Gersters return
had been so often announced aud often post
poned that the public had begun to doubt whether
any promise could be relied on; the performance OF
the promise depending. in fact, on the
weather, which has been steadily vile. Ii was
no longer time to stand on ceremony. An unheard-
of innovation was resolved on. Madame Gerster, n
star of the first order actually made her rentree be-
fore London audience at the hoIght OF the season
in an afternoon performance. She sang IN " LUCIA
on Saturday. Afternoon though it was, the house
would have been crowded had the people felt sure
she would sing There was. nevertheless. good
and critical audience, and Madame Gerster had the
welcome she deserved Her throat was still in
rather delicate state but her voice grew frmer as
she sang and by the end of the first act her illness
was forgotten, and she stood higher than
ever with the critics 1t is her
Journey to the States which has developed her
powers, says one of them. There, where 1t is pos
sible to breathe pure air, her wonderful organ
has gained in power and in fiexibility. Whatever
the reason be- there is 10 doubt of the fact POSI-
bly, You Will remember that something like cabal
once existed in London against the Hungarian
prima donna There were critics who seemed re-
solved she should never dispute with Patti and
Nilsson the first OF even the second place But she
had the public with her, and. as has happened be-
fore. the critics presently came round TO
the side of tho public. The teachers submitted TO
be taught. Madame Gerster carried everything
| L.Nt taaIf nv
to her popularity than the impatience with which
her return was awaited. Her acting as well as her
vocalization has gained in variety and in power.
She has since appeared in the SOnnambula," and
with surer possession of her health has confirmed
the belief in her enhanced ability You hear COM
ment now and then on this that detail as I'M
perfect but Madame Gerster's place as one OF the
four great living artists in Italian operas disputed
by nobody.
Madame Nilsson's recovery is said, perhaps ma
lcjouslv TO have been hastened by an intimaton
that if her indisposition continued /" Faust" was
likely to be brought out with Miss Kellogg, who Is
now in London, as Mdrgherita. Be that as 1t may.
this great artist found herself able to sing. some
what Unexpectedly TO her admirers. on Tuesday.
Her reception by one of the most crowded and bril-
liant houses every seen in London was
enthusiastic, and there is a general agreement that,
spite of some traces of Illness she had seldom sung
or acted better. This is the gratifying because
there had been painful rumors that her long suf-
ferng from rheumatic fever had impaired her pbysi-
cal powers. The rumors had about much foun-
dation as gossip of that sort usually
has Madame Nilsson looked, if anything.
younger than ever. Her face has ali
its old charm; her acting the same originality of
conception and completeness of method; and the
outburst Of prolonged applause which compelled
her to repeat the jewel song showed well enough
what the house thought OF her singing. Madame
Trebelli was as good in Siebel, Sgnor Cam
panin's Faust left much TO be desired the
dramatic side, but sung with rs much finish
and vger as his hoarseness would permit; this and
some other defects being readily overlooked amid
the splendor of the general effect and the excellent
conducting of Sir Michael Costa. The Prince OF
Wales was present: SO were Mrs Langtry and many
other celebrities.
The mOuotOny of long runs of single piece is to
be broken up at the Lyceum. The Lady OF
Lyons" with all its faults, has proved successful
piece from the treasury point of view, and has
drawn full houses nightly. 1t is, nevertheless, to
take its place as one of half dozen plays which
are to be gwen in varying order. Hamlet" has
been played on Wednesday evenings and Saturday
afternoons. Mr. Irving gives fresh proof of his
astonishing physical vigor by acting Hamlet at
D. IN. and Claude MelROtte in the evening of
the same day. He to appear at short
intervals in Rchelieu,"" Eugene Aram," Louis
XI.," and "Charles l." All these plays have
had runs of their own at the Lyceum. Together
they compose a repertOry which may, for the lack
of better pass eptome of the modern poetic
DRAMA or of much of it as has much present pos
, session of the stage. 1t may be said that by his
selection of these PLAYS, Mr. Irving furnishes key
to his own dramatic preferences. You get a notion
Of Uhafh he M at ted tori i'm
poetic representation that is. Not that he any
body else. can regard such plays these with per-
feet conentment. But they are, perhaps all things
| considered, the best which be produced in the
present state of public TASTE by actor who does
not care to descend to the mere drawingr level
of the late Mr. RobersOns comedies, or to Mr.. H. j.
| Byrons pieces.
OF this last author it cannot be denied that he is
| both prolific and popular. His new piece at the
Vaudeville " The Girls" is already in its forteth
| night, produced after some 15OO successive repre-
sentations-or it may be more-of " Our Boys arun
| which the present play not likely. it may be
| hoped, to approach. / say it may be hoped, on
general principles. OF such merits The Girls
| may possess l can only testify from hearsay; not
having yet been able to overcome my reluctance to
| see the performance. 1t was very moderately
| praised on its production, which must be
| taken as evidence Inab lJ pretty
The rule here is to praise if You can. and all you
can ; 80 that if new comedy Is not landed to the
skies the inference is that the audience found it
barely supportable. Mr.. Thorne and Mr. james are
actors of merit in their kind, and Of kind which
the British playgoer delights in. Humor of much
breadth, and o certain ease, turning mostly on
carIcature of common social Weaknesses forms the
staple Of their talent. Such acting is amusing to
see once, and Mr. Byron is as capable as anybody
of supplying a vehicle for its exhibition. If it
were not For fear of giving pain TO the ad-