Volume 100 / Act 3 — OPERATIC NOTES.
Reading edition
"Oh, I mustn't Catch the Speaker's Eye!"
The first night of the Mixed Italian Opera Season, 1891. We open with GLÜCK's Orféo, and, in a strong opera-glass, we drink to DRURIOLANUS OPERATICUS, and say, "Here's G-luck t'you!" Nothing can begin the season better than the appearance of GIULIA and SOFIA RAVOGLI—specially GIULIA—"There's something 'bout GIULIA So werry peculia'"—(Old Song)—in this short Opera, that is to say, an Opera which should be short were it not for the "waits" between the Scenes and Acts, which, as it is in the nature of weights to do, must always make even the lightest Opera seem heavy. Mlle. GIULIA sang and acted perfectly. Her rendering of the last song was most pathetic. This delicious melody the audience would have had over and over again, not in merry mood, for we are never merry in the hearing of such sweet music, but in appreciative sympathy with the woes of Orpheus so sweetly expressed. The lines in Bombastes rise in my memory:—
"So ORPHEUS sang of old, or poets lie, And—"
On consideration, however, I will not quote the remainder, but will say simply that we were all charmed. Welcome, at the commencement of another season, to Mlle. BAUERMEISTER, appearing as Cupid. To-morrow she will be Dame Marta! Wonderful! "Time cannot stale her infinite variety." How is it, O première danseuse, my pretty pretty Polly Hop-kino PALLADINO, Principal Shade among all these Happy but Shady characters, that thou didst not choose a classic dance in keeping with the character of the music and of the ideal—I distinctly emphasise "ideal"—surroundings? What oughtest thou to represent in the Elysian Fields? A Salvationised "Dancing Girl," without bonnet and tambourine? Nay, not so; but rather the very spirit of classic grace and elegance, moving rhythmically to melodious measure. In such a Scene as this ought to be, we want as much idealism as your graceful art can lend, otherwise we are only among our old friends, "the ladies and gentlemen of the Chorus"—bless em!—representing most substantially the "Shades of the Blessed," who appear to be Shades of every colour. GIULIA RAVOGLI, however, kept us entranced in the ancient classic land where once we used to wander. "Vive Lemprière!"
Talking about Marguerite behind her Back; or, "'Tails' out of School."
Second Night.—Faust, with a new Marguerite, Gay dog, Faust. How many Marguerites have there been even in my time! Same old story. Faust not a whit improved by experience—going on just the same as ever. His new Marguerite does credit to his choice, for Mlle. EAMES—(isn't she Miss EAMES, and neither Mademoiselle nor Signora? And doesn't she hail from Columbia?—but no matter)—is a sweet-looking Marguerite, with a voice as true as is her heart to Faust. A genuine Gretchen, simple not brilliant. Brilliancy she leaves to property diamonds, but awakes enthusiasm, by her judicious acting over the inert body of Valentine, when she attempts no sudden Colwell-Hatchney shriek, always so perilous. Signor PEROTTI looked as Faust might have done, had he been elected an Alderman of the City of London and acted up to the character. If DRURIOLANUS had lent him his Sheriff's chain to wear, Signor PEROTTI would have been perfect, that is from this point of view. M. MAUREL excellent as Mephisto in a new suit of clothes. He appears now as "The Gentleman in Grey"—rather suggestive of his having become a Volunteer, and a member, of course, of "the Devil's Own." Imagine Mephistopheles re-dressed at last! On both nights Signor MANCINELLI, the Conductor, seemed pleased, and that's something.
The New Faust, a mixture of Henry the Eighth and Colonel N——th.
Great feature in Covent Garden this year is the decoration of the Pit-tier Lobby. DRURIOLANUS, feeling happy at the Opera prospects, and rejoicing in a full subscription, said to the Committee, "Gentlemen, let's have 'glasses round'!" Some officious person, hearing this, mistook the meaning of the great Chief, and straightway ran off and ordered looking-glasses all round for the Lobby! Grand effect! brilliant! dazzling!—too much so, in fact; several glasses too much. So, after a couple of nights' reflection, when the habitués came on Thursday, behold, two or three of the aristocratic mirrors or Peer-glasses had disappeared, the hat-pegs of former times had been restored, the wounded susceptibilities of the Stall-keepers whose occupation was partly gone, were healed, and where gloom was spreading, wreathed smiles once more prevailed. Even now these Opera-glasses are rather too powerful. Still, "let us see ourselves as others see us," is a good practical motto for the loiterer in the lobby, as he catches sight of himself, en passant, and wonders who that chap is, whose face he has seen somewhere before, but whose name he can't for the life of him recollect.
Thursday.—Carmen. Disappointed with JULIA RAVOGLI in this, though there are some fine bits of acting in it. Didn't care much about Sister SOFIA as Mickie the Maiden, M. LUBERT's Don José good but not great; and M. CELLI, who, in default of M. DEVOYOD's not being able to appear, took the part of Escamillo, was great, but not very good. He was, however, well supported by Signor RANDEGGER and the Orchestra, and considering the difficulties he had to struggle with, including an apology in the bills, he came out of it safely.
Saturday.—Re-appearance of the great DE RESZKE Brothers, JOHN and NED (what's JOHN without an 'ed?) in Lohengrin. Admirable. JULIA RAVOGLI excellent as Ortruda, and M. MAUREL equally so as Freddy. But why did he "feather his skull," like the Jolly Young Waterman, in so remarkable a style? However, his Freddy is a feather in his cap with which he ought to be satisfied. Miss EAMES as Elsa even better than as Marguerite. Crammed house. "Friends in front" more than satisfied. Good start.
SONGS OF THE UN-SENTIMENTALIST.
THE EARLY GREEN PEA.
Oh, the early green pea! the early green pea! Is the dish of all dishes to set before me! You may tell me of salmon caught fresh from the Tay, The beauties of plump white spring chicken display, The strawberry ripened three months before date— All these and much else you may set on my plate! But of them, no not one, stirs such rapture in me As the sweet, mellow taste of the Early Green Pea! Oh, the early green pea, the pea of my taste, Must be gently assisted, not forced in hot haste, Lest the flavour it yield prove delusive and flat, In no way suggesting the young Marrowfat! But if it do this, oh what more could I wish, Than to see a young duckling form part of the dish! So with such a banquet spread out before me, Can you ask why I worship the Early Green Pea!
IN MEMORIAM.—As a tribute expressive of the high estimation in which the late Mr. P.T. BARNUM was held in England, why not endow a "Barnum Exhibition" at one of the Colleges of either University? We have "Smith's Prizeman," why not "Barnum Exhibitioner"?
"THE PRODIGY SON."—The three-act pantomime play at the Prince of Wales's has "caught on," as we predicted it would. Manager SEDGER thinks of temporarily adopting as his motto for this theatre, "Speech is silvern, silence is golden."
