[Illustration: _Amonasro_ (_the Black King_). "I am your father. I've
kept myself dark so long that I've become quite black!"
_Aïda_ (_the White Maiden_). "Oh! go away, black man; don't come anigh
me!! You ought to be _Otello_ to-morrow night."
_Little Ravelli-Radames_ (_aside_). "No matter what colour, I love
her!!"]
[Illustration: Covent Garden Stars seen through the Harriscope.]
_Tuesday, July 14_.--Madame NORDICA is not at her best as _Aïda_. It
lacks colour--that is on the face and hands, where at least should
be shown some more "colourable pretence" for being the daughter of so
blackened a character as is her father _Amonasro_, played as a villain
of the deepest dye by M. DEVOYOD. When the celebrated march was
heard, the players didn't seem particularly strong in trumps, and the
trumpets giving a somewhat "uncertain sound,"--a trifle husky, as if
they'd caught cold,--somewhat marred the usually thrilling effect.
Gorgeous scene; and RAVELLI the Reliable as _Radames_ quite the
success of the evening. Mlle. GUERCIA as _Amneris_ seemed to have
made up after an old steel plate in a bygone Book of Beauty. Where
are those Books of Beauty now! And _The Keepsake_? Where the
pseudo-Byronic poetry and the short stories by Mrs. NAMBY and Mr.
PAMBY? But this is only a marginal note, not in the Operatic score.
Signor ABRAMOFF was a powerful _Ramphis_, his make-up suggesting
that his title would be more appropriately _Rumfiz_,--which would
be an excellent Egyptian name. Very good House, but still suffering
from reaction after Imperial visit, and not to recover itself till
to-morrow, _Wednesday_, when the House is crowded with a brilliant
audience to hear a brilliant performance of _Otello. The Grand Otello
Co. Covent Garden, Limited_. Thoroughly artistic performance of _Iago_
by M. MAUREL. His wicked "Credo" more diabolically malicious than
ever it was at the Lyceum; an uncanny but distinctly striking effect.
Then DRURIOLANUS ASTRONOMICUS gave us a scenic startler in the way
of imitation meteoric effect. 'Twas on this wise: of course, neither
DRURIOLANUS nor any other Manager can carry on an operatic season
without stars, and so they are here, a galaxy of 'em, up above, on
the "back cloth," as it is technically termed, shining brilliantly but
spasmodically, strange portents in the operatic sky. Pity Astronomer
Royal not here to see and note the fact. Next time _Otello_ is given,
if this atmospheric effect is to be repeated, the attendants in the
lobbies might be permitted to supply powerful telescopes at a small
fixed charge. But the greatest star of all is Madame ALBANI as
_Desdemona_; a triumph dramatically and operatically. Her song in the
last Act, the celebrated "_Willow Song_"--which of course no cricketer
ought to miss hearing--was most beautifully and touchingly rendered.
Those persons suffering from the heat of a crowded house, and dreading
the difficulty of finding their "keb or kerridge" in good time, and
who therefore quitted their seats before ALBANI sang the "_Willow
Song_," must, perforce, sing the old refrain, "_O Willow, we have
missed you!_" and go back for it whenever this Opera is played again.
M. JEAN DE RESZKÉ was not, perhaps, quite up to his usual form, or his
usual former self; but, for all that, he justified his responsibility
as one of the largest shareholders in the Grand Otello Company,
Limited. All things considered, and the last best thing being
invariably quite the best, _Otello, or Symphonies in Black and White_,
is about the biggest success of the season.
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