_Monday, May 15._--First Night of Italian-Opera Season no longer
exclusively Italian. A great deal, though not everything, in a good
start, so Sir DRURIOLANUS leads off with Warbling WAGNER'S _Lohengrin_,
Signor VIGNAS for first time being White Knight. Crowded House at
once takes to VIGNAS; applauds, and recalls him to bow before the
curtain. So, as the now popular song might have it,
"Tenor came and made us a bow-wow!"
Madame MELBA good as ever as _Elsa_, and Mlle. MEISSLINGER most
dramatic as Somebody Elser, _i.e., Ortruda_, the Intruder. Mons.
DUFRICHE'S style is exactly suited to the light and airy part of
_Federico di Telramondo_, while CASTELMARY is quite the gay _Enrico_.
Treat to see VASCHETTI as smiling Herald, with a lot to say for
somebody else, and pleasant to note that the last person in the
_dramatis personæ_ included in the cast of the Opera is "Conductor,
Signor MANCINELLI," who beats time, winning easily. BEVIGNANI conducts
_National Anthem_, and all conduct themselves loyally on the occasion.
Delightful, in _Lohengrin_, Act II., to observe how four players
of trumps, each with one trump in his hand,--quite a pleasant whist
party--(have they the other trumps up their sleeves?)--arouse the
guests in the early morning, and marvellous is the rapidity with which
all the gentlemen sleeping in the Castle are up and dressed in full
armour, freshly burnished,--"gents suit complete,"--within the space
of a couple of minutes!
General excellence of performance greatly assisted by Duke of TECK
enthusiastically beating time with his dexter band. Such auxiliary
conducting must be of unspeakable service to Signor MANCINELLI.
_Tuesday Night._--_Orfeo_, with GIULIA RAVOGLI charming as ever in
her representation of "_Orpheus_ with his _loot_,"--his "loot" being
_Eurydice_, who had become the private property of that infernal
monarch Pluto. Welcome to Mlle. BAUERMEISTER as the Meister of Cupid's
Bower, Cupid himself. _Cavalleria Rusticana_ to follow, with Madame
CALVÉ'S grand impersonation of the simple and sad _Santuzza_. Notably
good is VIGNAS as the Rustic Swell, with the comic-chorus name of
_Turiddu_. Beautiful _intermezzo_ heartily encored. The thanks of
Signors BEVIGNANI and MANCINELLI again due to the dexterous assistance
rendered to them by the Duke of TECK, who is evidently well up in the
Teck-nique of the musical craft. Crowded House. _Forecast of season_,
full of promise and performance.
[Illustration: Signor Vignas as Turiddu,--so called because he tells
Lola, "I should like _Turid-you_ of your husband." But he didn't.]
[Illustration: Santuzza, Madame Calvé. Grand tragédienne: gloomy as an
Operatic Calvé-nist.]
_Thursday.--Carmen._ Always "good BIZET-ness." But on this occasion
Madame CALVÉ being indisposed, Mlle. SIGRID ARNOLDSON appears as
heroine. A most captivating _Carmen_, but so deftly does she dissemble
her wickedness that the audience do not realise how heartless is this
artful little cigarette-maker. Mons. ALVAREZ a fine _Don José_. The
_premières danseuses_ lively and picturesque in Act II., with dresses
long and dance short; but in Last Act, when reverse of this is the
case, a pretty general feeling that skirts might have been longer, and
dance shorter. Chorus and Orchestra all that could be desired; absence
of the musical Duke much regretted.
_Friday._--First, GOUNOD'S charming burletta of _Philemon et Baucis_.
Mlle. SIGRID ARNOLDSON charming and childlike as _Baucis_--evidently
the classic original of Bo-peep--and Mons. PLANÇON excellent as
_Jupiter Amans_. At first afraid lest crowded house had expended
all its enthusiasm before quarter past ten, when _the_ event of the
evening was to come off. "Not a bit of it," says Sir DRURIOLANUS, who
knows his operatic public; "they've just warmed up for LEONCAVALLO'S
_Pagliacci_. LEONCAVALLO," he continues, "is the composer for my
money; and my advice is, LAY-ON-CAVALLO'S _Pagliacci_." So saying, the
Musical Manager lightly touches his nasal organ with the index finger
of his right hand, and, at the same time "winking the other eye," he
marches in a procession of one down the lobby and disappears.
Great as is the success to-night of new Opera, I feel sure that
_Cavalleria_, with its simple story, and its marvellous _intermezzo_,
is still at the head of the poll. Yet is _Pagliacci_ melodious and
dramatic. Madame MELBA at her best in _Nedda_, and the dramatic
power, specially of Signor DE LUCIA as _Canio_ and of Mons. ANCONA as
_Tonio_, would have carried the piece, as a piece, even without the
musical setting. To-night _De Lucia_ shows himself a great actor.
There were _encores_ in plenty. _Ancona Tonio_ interrupts the overture
in order to sing a prologue. This he does admirably, both vocally and
histrionically. But _cui bono_? It is as pointless as is nowadays the
prologue of CHRISTOPHER SLY to the _Taming of the Shrew_. It seems as
if LEONCAVALLO said to himself, "_Mascagni_ gave 'em a novelty in his
_intermezzo_; I'll give 'em something new in the shape of a prologue."
_Pagliacci_ and _Cavalleria_ will assist each other, and Sir
DRURIOLANUS is fortunate in being able to run two winners. The new
Opera is admirably rendered in every respect, and when Mr. RICHARD
GREEN, as the gallant young farmer, is matured--that is, has less
of the GREEN about him and more of the ripeness of artistic
perfection--there will not be a single fault to find with the
representation. To-night second Opera didn't end till just on
twelve. Too late; but the hospitable RULE'S in Maiden Lane is open to
exceptions for half an hour or so, and, "after the Opera is over," a
little supper _chez_ BAYLISS is a B(ay)lissful idea.
_Saturday.--Faust_ to finish. MELBA as _Marguerite_. First week augurs
well for the season.
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[Illustration: DELIGHTFUL!
_Smithson, having read and heard much of the pleasures of a Driving
Tour, determines to indulge in that luxury during his Whitsuntide
Holidays. He therefore engages a Trap, with a Horse that can "get over
the ground," and securing the services of an experienced Driver, he
sets forth._
_Smithson._ "A--A--ISN'T HE--A--A--HADN'T I BETTER HELP YOU TO PULL AT
HIM?" _Driver._ "PULL AT 'IM? WHY YER'D SET 'IM CRAZED! JIST YOU LET
ME KEEP 'IS 'EAD STRAIGHT. LOR BLESS YER, THERE AIN'T NO CAUSE TO BE
AFFEARED, AS LONG AS WE DON'T MEET NOTHING, AND THE GATES AIN'T SHUT
AT SPLINTERBONE CROSSING, JIST ROUND THE BEND!"]
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