_Monday_ memorable for MELBA. Never sang better than as
mad-as-a-hatter heroine of DONIZETTI'S _Lucia di Lammermoor_.
Three hearty, deafening, unanimous encores for the brilliant
fireworky Hanwellian vocalisation in LUCY'S (not "H.
W. LUCY'S," of the _D. N._, but Miss LUCIA'S) great
_de lunatico inquirendo_ scena. After encore, inevitable gigantic
basket of flowers handed up to triumphant cantatrice by Beaming
BEVIGNANI and talented assistants in orchestra. Conductor and
musicians ought not to be used as agents for delivery of bouquets to
_prime donne_. If somebody among audience wishes to publicly present
singer with floral testimonial, why not let that Somebody step forward
(as the person in church who would "forbid the banns" is invited to do)
and hand it to her himself on a stick? Or if he be in some other part
of the house, DULCISSIMUS DRURIOLANUS would himself introduce
him and his basket of flowers on to, and off, the stage. The encores
and the floral testimonial quite turned mad heroine's head.
[Illustration: alvé à la "'Ria."]
That is, so turned it round again that she became quite sane and
chatted amicably with two or three of the leading chorus "up stage"
until it suddenly occurred to her that she must go mad again, which she
did at once, most effectively. After this "_Fra poco_," the swan-like
(if swan a tenor) death-song of _Edgardo_, cannot go for its value
unless sung by a most popular and highly-gifted tenor. So it stands
to the credit of Signor DASH-MY-VIGNAS that, in this, he was
enthusiastically applauded, and soon after "laid him down and dee'd"
in the midst of an admiring and more-or-less sympathetic Chorus.
Great opera for Chorus giving expression to their feelings. How they
cry or laugh, and point and gesticulate and threaten and sympathise
as guests in low dresses without anything distinctively Scotch about
them, except in the case of one lady over whose shoulder I fancy I
detected a tartan scarf of clannish pattern. _Normanno_, played by, I
think, IGINIO CORSI (which name, in compliment to the national
Scotch liquor, ought to have been changed to "IWISKIO CORSI"),
bore remarkable resemblance to Markis o' SALISBURY. I do
not remember ever having seen or heard Lord SALISBURY as
a vocalist. To be remembered as _The_ MELBA Night of the
Season--up to now.
_Wednesday._--CALVÉ as _Carmen_ simply perfect. That is
all I have to say; like the Raven (not _Barnaby Rudge's_, but
EDGAR A. POE'S), I announce "Only this, and Nothing More."
And ALVAREZ as _José_, "Gentleman JOE," who does
not drive, but is driven to madness, first-rate; in last scene,
struggle and assassination most thrilling, dramatically: even
stall-by-the-season'd opera-goers holding breath, and clutching at
backs of seats. Audience, ordinarily indifferent to fate of heroine
in last act, wait till bitter end. They only quit when quite sure
_Carmen_ cannot possibly sing any more. Madame MELBA,
who, "_by request of the Management_"--how modestly is this put,
O DRURIOLANUS OPERATICUS!--"_has kindly consented to play
Michaela_," exceeded the terms of her amiable contract, as she not only
"played" _Michaela_, but sang the music superbly, her singing being
faultless, which her "playing" was not. Mossoo ALBERS rather
out of it as _Escamillo_, and _Toréador_ was not an Encoreador, whereat
_Toréador non contento_. All the principals sang in French, "knowing
the language," but clever Chorus stuck to Italian. _Benissimo!_
BEVIGNANI beaming, and beating time. House crowded; elections
and political parties disturb not the harmony of Covent Garden. Yet
"last week but one" announced, and end in view. WAGSTAFF,
seeing CALVÉ in first act with scarf or belt round waist,
suggests riddle, "Why is CALVÉ a perfect _Carmen?_" Before
you can break away from him, without damage to your button-hole,
he answers, "Because she plays the part with _a-band-on_." _Exit_
WAGSTAFF.
_Friday._--_Pagliacci._--A new _Nedda_ in Mlle. ZÉLIE DE
LUSSAN. _Nedda_ is rather a Loose'un, and Mlle. ZÉLIE
is as good a _Nedda_ as you can get "when t'other dear charmer's
away." Then to follow, CALVÉ in _Calvé-'lleria Rusticana_
admirably dramatic. Can't believe this Magdalenish saint-like woman can
possibly be that deuce of a young woman, _Carmen_, of t'other night.
But "_F[oe]mina varium et mutabile_ (also _cantabile_) _semper_." All
the others good as ever, specially GIULIA RAVOGLI, as the gay
_Lo-la-li-ety_.
* * * * *