Star. — 1829-08-19 (London, England)

MADIMOISZLIX SONTAG'S CONCERT.-7Tbh distinguished vocalist commenced her promised Concert, at the Town-ball, Salford, on Thursday evening. She was assisted by her sister, Mademoiselle NINA SONTAG, Madame Dvizian and Signor Petit. From the statement which appeased in the Herald of Thursday last, it appears that Mt. Sweaty bad this favourite syren at an engagement at the Theatre, which alter the manner, and we presume upon the same prirscipa as her rejection of the offers made here by the Festival Committee, she declined accepting. We fear these circumstances bad the effect of injuring her audience. At the commencement of  the concert, and indeed at its conclusion, the room was nut more than half full, though the company was composed of many of the most opulent and respectable families of tbe town and neighbour. hood. Madame Sonara's principal excellence appears to be in the clear and rapid execution of the most difficult passages. Her per,formaoce of the variation of " Rhodo " called forth a most rapturous encore and excited the liveliest and most enthusiastic demonstrations of admiration which we ever remember to have heard in a concert room. Madame Dummy astonished the company by her performances on the piano forte; Signor Puns is too well known in. Manchester to require any notice. Minxes Rorat.—The company, amaagst other powerful accessions, has been this week strengthened by the talents of Mr. Kean. This eminent tragedian, whose occasional eccentricities are so amply redeemed by correct conception, impressive delivery, and startling bursts of genius,—together with the assumption of that truly convenatiooal style, in dialogue, which renders the illusion of the scene complete, and Identifies him with nature and propriety ; this great actor gave to the character of Blaylock, in which be appeared on Wednesday evening, scarcely less rifest than when he first broke forth, like a sun, upon the " darkness that might be felt," which then obscured the drama. It would be insulting to the taste of our readers, to point out the various beauties of this performance; but we cannot refrain from adverting to the consummate skill evinced throughout, in the preservation of the Jew's masterpassion—his hatred of the Christian. His love of gold, even is swallowed up by his thirst for vengeance ; but, when he finds it about to be satisfied, his savage exultation, subsides into that gloating delight, consequent upon nearness of acquisition ; and he seems to revel in the anticipation of bloody enjoyment. One point, however, made by Mr. Kean, we feel called upon to individualize, because it is a touch of nature which, like his admirable scene with Ophelia (in Hamlet) corrects the great Shakspeare himself. In the expressman of furious indignation against his daughter, for eloping with his diamonds and his deans, he says—" 1 would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels 111 her ear. Would die were !tensed at my foot, and the ducats In her coin !" But here Mr. Kean stiffen the father to triumph over the .kw, and pathetically adds—" Oh, no I not so, not so!" This interpolation is truly Shakspedal, in as much as it beautifully amimilates with nature. The author of the Merchant o f Vegas" makes Lady Macbeth recoil from the murder of Daman, eves in the hot and feverish height of her sanguinary  desires, because be " resembled her father as he slept ;' and in accordance with such a feeling, the Shylock of Kean in the midst of his passionate denouncement, remembers the affection which binds him to his child.—Mr. KLAN'S Richard, of Thursday, presented no feature of novelty; it was as finely delineated as ever, with the exception of some trifling physical deficiency, in the more impassioned sefoes. Ksam is still " Lord of the Lion heart and Eagle eft i" but his looks (and sometimes his manner) convince us that he is not quite so young as he was even ten years ago.—Great praise is due to the Management for the superior cast of the eintrtainmetits afforded for several weeks past ; but. if a continuance of such fare be desirable, the play-going public must be more frequently in attendance. Mr. Kean, however, has brought good houses.—Mintekester Advertiser.