_Tuesday, May_ 19.--With pleasant recollections of MARIE ROZE and
BARTON McGUCKIN, and, as I think, a Mr. SCOBELL playing the swaggering
relative, I went to see _Manon_, at Covent Garden, Miss SIBYL
SANDERSON being the Heroine, and M. VAN DYCK the Hero.
[Illustration: _M. Van Dyck des Grieux et Mlle. Manon Sanderson._
(_Ensemble._) "Nous irons au Guildhall!"
_M. Van D._ "Voilà la voiture du Lor' Maire, grace à M. Le Sheriff
Druriolanus."
_Manon_. "Comme il est gentil! Je n'attendais qu'un '_Van_.'"]
The new _prima donna_ has everything in her favour, and very soon she
was in favour with the audience, but not in such high favour as was
the tenor with the artistic name, who, fairly taking the audience by
assault, constituted himself, _pro tem._, the man in possession of the
ear of the House. He is a success; as a young master bearing the name
of so distinguished an Old Master should be. [_Query_, would it be
rude to say to a really good Van Dyck, "You go and be hung!" Perhaps
the learned Editor of _Musical Notes and Queries_ will reply. Of
course much depends on the frame.] As for the new soprano SIBYL--more
power to her organ! Her acting was good, but not great, and what
ought to be her song _par excellence_ went for nothing, or, at least,
it could have been bought very cheap. There is far more dialogue in
_Manon_ than a Covent Garden audience is accustomed to, and this
superfluity is resented by those who come for the singing, and who, if
any talking is to be done, like to do it themselves. The three young
ladies who go about together as a perpetual trio, suggest the notion
of a light and airy version, feminine gender, of the three Anabaptists
in the _Prophète_. M. ISNARDON as _Des Grieux, père_, a character
that might be operatically nearly related to _Germont, père_, in _La
Traviata_, was impressively dramatic, but decidedly disappointing in
his one great song, which ought to be a certain _encore_. It may be
true that an opera intended for a small stage does not stand a fair
chance of success on a large one, and _vice versâ_, as no doubt the
LORD MAYOR's coach provided by DRURIOLANUS SHERIFFUS for the occasion
would look absurd on the stage of the Opéra Comique, while here when
it comes round to the gate to fetch _Des Grieux_, it creates as
great a sensation as ever it would do in the Strand on the Ninth of
November, even with the Sheriff inside it.
[Illustration: Rehearsing for an amateur performance of the Christy
Minstrels, under the direction of Count Four-in-a-bar. "Now then,
Gentlemen, all together!"]
_Wednesday._--Speaking as an opera-goer of some thirty years' sitting,
I am inclined to assert that the performance last Wednesday of _Les
Huguenots_ beats the record, as will be allowed by all whose memory
runneth not to the contrary, "nevertheless" and "notwithstanding"
being included. Except MARIO, as _Raoul_, and some add, except DORUS
GRAS as the Queen, never was seen and heard so fine a performance as
is this to-night; and this deponent witnesseth that no such _ensemble_
has ever been seen for this really grand Opera. Strange to hear sweet
little _Manon_ one night, and the next these overpowering _Huguenots_.
It is well worth the while, in _Mr. Punch's_ pages, to record this
exceptionally brilliant cast. First, Madame ALBANI for the heroine
_Valentina_, superb alike in singing and in acting; GIULIA RAVOGLI as
_Urbano_, the page, a memorable page in operatic history; _Conte di
San Bris_, by M. LASSALLE, not to be bettered, as may be also said of
Signor MIRANDA (by kind permission of SHAKSPEARE's _Tempest_, probably
a descendant) as _De Retz_, afterwards converted, and appearing as _Il
Padre Basso_, Superior of a Theatrical Order, one of the exceptional
Orders admitted after seven. Then M. MAUREL, with his highly _Maurel_
tone, cannot be beaten as the high-minded _Conte de Nevers_; and
EDOUARD DE RESZKÉ, taken altogether--and there's a lot of him--is
quite the best _Marcello_ that has been heard and seen for some
considerable time. Herr FORMES and MABINI were the rugged Huguenot
soldier to the life, but they weren't the Harmonious Blacksmith
that NED DE RESZKÉ is. JEAN DE RESZKÉ methinks lacketh impassioned
tenderness in the great duet scene, where ALBANI is inimitable;
otherwise JEAN is a gallant _Raoul_. _Ensemble_ as already said,
which term includes chorus, _mise-en-scène_, and orchestra under
the energetic rule of Signor BEVIGNANI, simply perfect. Those who
this season miss seeing _Les Huguenots_ with this unexampled cast,
will be justly upbraided by their children and grandchildren. Mr.
COVENT-GARDENIA HALL with the Gladstone flower in his button-hole,
almost weeps to think that his much-loved leader is unable to come
from Dollis Hill and bestow his liberal praise upon _Les Huguenots_.
DRURIOLANUS may well beam upon the crammed house, viewing a portion of
it with his nose over the ledge of the stall gangway portal; well may
he smile, hum the melodies to himself (what better audience can he
have for the performance!) expand in full bloom and speak joyously
out of the very fulness of his heart and pocket; nay, for the moment
he may even look upon the sheriffship and all its glory as a mere
vanity of vanities, in comparison with the proud position of being
DRURIOLANUS OPERATICUS MAGNIFICISSIMUS, who has given opera-goers
this new and rare edition of _Les Huguenots_. The gloved hand and
the lorgnette of H.R.H. are visible in the omnibus-box, where our
music-loving Prince is happily congratulating himself on another
little FIFE being added to the harmonious Royal Band, while the
loyal public is mightily pleased thus to have it proved to ocular
demonstration, that the subtle villain, Influenza, has been baulked in
his traitorous attempt on the Royal Personage, and they sincerely hope
that the insidious poisoner, being thus arrested in his course, may,
with all his treacherous _bacilli_, be for ever banished this happy
and generally healthy realm.
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