DEN:marrows have been affably received and sent on their way
rejoicing with a delusive joy; memorials, as ever, have "received most attentive consideration;" petitions have been presented, questions asked, statements made, and attention drawn in both Houses; the odium theologicum, suffering tinder a perfect embarras de rkhesses, in the shape of Clemr Relief, Essays and Reviews, and the Revised Code, has been agreeably refreshed and stimulated by contact with an odium almost as strong as itself—charges of "bigotry" and "profanity" have been made with equal good will; but the mover of all the disturbance has quietly carried out his object, and for the first time the half-dozen "Royal" Theatres are open during Passion Week. The controversy was violent, as might be expected, but the opponents of the change were never able to satisfactorily dispose of two very stubborn facts—firstly, that people were not compelled to go to any place of amusement during Passion Week ; and, secondly, that while the restriction now abolished virtually imposed a two per cent, income tax upon the salaries of the hundreds dependent upon the "Royal" theatres, and deprived the public of all high-class performances, it only served to create a rich harvest for the favoured individuals who had secured the services of a "Miraculous Stoeckl," " flying man," a "female Blondin," or a performance such as "The Nerves," from which the only lesson to be derived is that the verdict pronounced in the Windham case was a sound one.
However, the change is un fait accompli, and the Royal Italian Opera has shared in the enfranchisement. In the course of the week, Verdi and Donizetti have each been represented by one of his favourite operas- On Tuesday, a re- presentation of ./1 Trovatore was the occasion for two debuts, one of them being important in the highest degree. Mr. Santley, who, I believe, was recently offered a three years' engagement at a well-known music hall, on terms that might well have caused him to hesitate, has wisely determined to persevere in the "Excelsior" path, and on Tuesday he made his first appearance on the Italian stage in Lon&n as II Conte di Luna. It is only nemisary to say that he was greeted with a reception the warmth of which was fully justified by his sub- sequent performance no less than by his previous reputation; that he was encored in "U buten," that he sang and acted his very best, and that England is at length represented in the first rank of the strongest operatic company in Europe. With regard to Mdlle. Gordosa, who was introduced to an English public as Leonora, it must be said that the tact that recognized the attractions of a Patti was strangely at fault in entrusting a Gordosa with a rode which challenges such comparisons as that of Leonora. This lady, who is English by birth and patronymic, is said to have left the English concert-room for the continental Italian stage under the assumed name of "Gordosa," and to have returned to this country fired with the ambition of becoming a Covent Garden prima donna, and it is hard to say whether she made the greatest mistake in going or returning. On the English stage her powers of acting, combined with what merits her vocalism possesses, would have ultimately raised her to a position in reality preferable to that of a prima donna in third-rate companies, and, having imbibed all the faults of the modern third-rate Italian school, she again erred in being induced to aim at a position from which the harshness of her upper notes and defects in execution must preclude her. The audience on Tuesday night were well-disposed towards the debutante, but notwithstanding her powerful acting in the prison scene and elsewhere, and the occasional beauties of her singing when high notes were not much required, the faults I have alluded to rendered the success of the debut more than doubtful. In making Mdlle. Gordosa a soprano nature spoilt a good contralto, and distracted attention from her merits as an actress.
I cannot leave Tuesday night's performance without alluding to the glorious "tit de poitrine" with which the house rang at the close of .hianrico's "Da quells pira." As if to prove the unimpaired vigour of his voice Tarnberlik even surpassed himself, both in the fire with which he gave the whole of the move- ment, and the magnificent quality of the high notes lie introduced. On Thursday night La Favorite was the opera, the part of Leonora di Guzman being taken by Madame Csillag, that of Fernando by Signor Neri- Baraldi, and that of Alphonse IX. by M. Faure, while Signor Nanni, a new basso, represented the monk Baldassare. Signor Heald possesses the advantages of a rich and powerful bass voice and a fine and commanding figure, but his personation of the priest was faulty in one or two respects. In the scene where he reads the Papal bull, for example, and excommunicates Alphonso IX., his delivery of the dread sentence was more like that of a private curse, and was wanting in the stern judicial dignity assumed by ecclesiastics on such occasions. Still, however, we shall be glad to hear more of Signor Nanni. Madame Csillag was a superb Leonora, and Signor Neri-Baraldi, who undertook to suppity the place of Signor Gu-doni, rose to the occasion, and though his acting was\ occasionally deficient in power, his singing won him constant applause and • loud encore in the lovely air " Spiritio gentif." The mise en scMe was the earn as last season, and the performance in all respects similar. Mr. Mapleson naturally wishes to make a hit at the very commencement of the season, and Semiramide is announced for May 1st, the Thursday following .\ the day of opening. The Sisters M trchisio will appear in their favourite \ characters of Semiramide and Arsace; Signor La Terza, in England at least a novas homo, will make his debut as Oroe, and Signor Allesandro Bettini, who has recently been gaining a great reputation at Sc. Petersburg, is to fill the part of /drew, and that of Amur will he entrusted to the well-known baritone, Signor Gassier. A debut of some interest will also take place at Her Majesty's on the opening night, when Signor Girabioni, for whom the part of Renato was originally composed, will appear for the first time in England in that character. Altogether, if the promised revivals of Oberon, Le Nozzi di Figaro, and Der Freyschutz are to be effectively carried out, Mr. Mapleson has as fair prospects for the season as his rival at Covent Garden. The real battle-ground between the two will be the revival at both houses of Roberto il Diavolo. The name of Signor Vialetti, however, whose personification of Bertram has become almost essential to the representation of Meyerbeer's chef-d'auvre, does not appear in either prospectus. This eminent basso, I believe, has just.arrived in Paris, after fulfilling with great éclat an engagement at Moscow, and it may certainly be hoped that either Mr. (lye or Mr. Mapleson will succeed in obtaining his services. The usual Passion-week performance of the Messiah by the National Choral Society took place on Monday, but I ant compelled by want of space to defer a few remarks on the subject until next week.
AMATEUR.
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