[Illustration]
"Oh, TODGERS'S could do it when it chose! mind that." AUGUSTUS
DRURIOLANUS can "do it," too, when he chooses, mind that, and his
production of _Les Huguenots_ on Monday the 11th was a convincing proof
of this assertion. The _mise-en-scene_ was as perfect as if the Opera
had been a brand new one. The costumes were gorgeous, the scenes
brilliant, and the _jeu de scene_ original and artistic.
Monsieur MAUREL was an ideal _Count de Nevers_, a chevalier _sans peur
et sans reproche_. Miss ENGLE won all hearts as _Marguerite de Valois_.
"_Non 'Engle' sed 'Angel,'_" as the POPE didn't say.
The Page was rather weak, but made up in action and archness--the
archness was not confined to the eyes, but was also strikingly exhibited
in another feature--for whatever might have been lacking vocally; and
then of course there were the two brothers, JEAN and EDOUARD DE RESZKE,
always ready to come to the resky. We stopped till the end, and
congratulated ourselves on having heard the very last of the _Huguenots_
for the first time in our chequered career. We saw Signor FOLI, as
_Marcel_, perform a marriage ceremony between _Valentine_ and _Raoul_,
from which fact we gathered that the _Count de Nevers_ must have been
shot, otherwise _Valentine_ would be a bigamist; and, in fact, the moral
position of the three parties would be an extremely unpleasant one, in
view of their hurried departure from this wicked world, which the
muskets of the soldiers, executing the victims and the dramatist's
design at the same time, compel them to make. The band and choruses were
excellent.
At the Garden, on Tuesday the 12th, the new Opera, _La Vita per lo
Czar_, was produced and placed on the stage by Signor LAGO, as if it had
been brought out at the beginning of the season instead of the finish.
An eccentric Opera. The first Act fresh as the newly-painted scenery:
full of life, colour, and melody. It started well with a chorus which
was unanimously and enthusiastically encored. Mme. ALBANI was never in
better voice. GAYARRE and DEVOYOD were excellent. The First Act was an
undeniable success, and everybody was happy.
Then came the Second Act, all chorus, hops, and Poles. No ALBANI, no
GAYARRE, no DEVOYOD. Music pretty, but as TOBY in the Essence of
Parliament puts it, "Business done. None." Curtain down: people a bit
scared. Not accustomed to an Act without Principals. Evidently such an
Unprincipal'd Act must be wrong. Act Third revived all hopes. ALBANI the
bride, GAYARRE the bridegroom, SCALCHI the best boy, DEVOYOD the best
boy's father, a venerable grey-headed peasant, the very reverse of the
mild old gent in LEECH'S picture who was represented by the 'Bus cad as
"a cussin' and a swearin' like hanythink," inasmuch as he is always
either blessing somebody, uttering patriotic sentiments about the CZAR,
or down on his hands and knees with his nose in the dust saying, or
rather singing, his prayers.
Third Act pleases everybody, raises our hopes, and then in the Fourth
Act we discover, to our amazement, that we are only to see SCALCHI once
again, that we have bidden farewell for ever to ALBANI and GAYARRE, and
that the remainder of the Opera is to be carried on right up to the end
by the heavy father, a chorus of Poles,--all acting well, and not a
stick amongst them,--and a transparency representing the Coronation of
the CZAR. And though the absence of ALBANI, SCALCHI, and GAYARRE made
everyone's heart grow fonder, though we all missed them, yet we "pitied
the sorrows of the poor old man," admired his acting and singing in a
most difficult situation, and agreed with everybody that this strange
Opera was a decided success. The Second scene of the last Act might be
curtailed with advantage. This is speaking only dramatically; perhaps on
a second hearing we should change our opinion.
However, so ends the Covent Garden Opera Season; it has finished
first,--a good first.
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The New Silver Coinage will be re-named, until it is re-called, "The
Silber-Goschen."
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