Punch: Punch (17.1849)

Mr. Pips

^ Thursday, August 16,1849.—This Afternoon, about four of the Clock,
did walk in Regent Street, with much Delight. In the Evening
to the Queen's House in the Haymarket, to hear Mozart his famous
Opera "Le Nozzedi Figaro" and Sontag in Susanna, which she
do act mighty skittish, and with the prettiest sidelong Looks, but
the most graceful and like a Lady, and do trip the Stage the
daintiest, and make the nicest Curtsies, and sing the sweetest that
methinks I ever did hear or see: and to think that Mb, Vceux-
boys should tell me she do it as well now as he did see her twenty
Years ago! Pretty, to hear her sing " Venite, inginocckiatevi," where
she do make Chepibino kneel down on the Cushion before the
Countess, and put him on a Girl's Cap, and pat his Chin andEace. Also
aer singing of " SuW Aria," with Pakodi, the Countess, dictating the
Letter to her; and Pakodi did sing well too, and the mingling of their
Voices very musicall. Likewise that jolly blooming she-BACCHtrs
Alboni, who was Cherubino, with her passionate fine singing of " Non
so piu" and "Voi che sajyete," and all her singing, did delight me much;
and she did play a Stripling of a Page_ in Love to the very Life.
Belletti did mightily take me with his Knaveries, in Figaro, and
singing of " Non piu andrai," which is a most lively and martial Song ;
and the Grand March very brave as well, and did make my Heart leap,
and me almost to jump out of my Seat. Colletti, too, the Count, did
content me much, and to the utmost in " Crudel! perche finora." Bui;
then to hear Lablache, what a great Thing he do make out of so small
a Part as Bartolo, with his Voice in the Concert-Pieces heard above all
the rest, and thundering out "La Vendetta" like a musicall Stentob ;
and his undertaking of little Characters to make an Opera perfect is
very magnanimous ; and Mb,. Wagstaefe do well say that he Ingentes

his Diary.

Animos ingenti in Pectore versat," and have as much Brains as Body.
Mighty droll to hear the Quartett, with each Singer in Turn holding
the Voice on the word " Io," called for three times, and the Singers
each Time spinning "Jo" out longer, whereat great Laughter: and the
Performers laughing as much as the Audience. Wonderful how still
all the House was while Sontag was a singing of " Deh! vieni non
tardar" and the Bravas and Clapping of Hands when she had ended;
and what did as much as anything please me in her Singing was to hear
how she did stick to the Text, and not, like a vulgar silly prima Donna,
disfigure noble Musique by ridiculous Flourishes. The House extra-
ordinary full, though the Season over; and to compare the fine Pore-
heads and Paces of an Audience come to hear good Musique with the
insignificant Looks of mere common Opera-Goers! Methinks I could
never hear Figaro often enough; the Overture being such pretty
Piddling, and all the Musique so beautiful, and heavenly almost, with
several of the Airs as innocent and angelicall as Hymns; but_ to think
that all these Pearls are strung on so vile a Thread ; the Intrigues and
Trickery between a Count and Countess, with a Waiting-Woman, a
Page, and a Lackey: a Story that do seem to have been hatched in a
Servants' Hall! The Ballet after the Opera pretty, and a Scene of
Skating on the Ice, very natural, did end with the Skaters pelting each
other with Snowballs, and look pleasant and cool this hot Weather.
Home to Supper, it being late, though, walking up the Haymarket, did
sorely long for stewed Oysters. Telling my Wite of the Opera, did
speak of Susanna boxing Figaro his Ears, and let out that I could have
been glad to have her box mine too, which my Wife did say she could
do as well if I pleased; but I said I had rather not, and so, whistling
" Non piu andrai" rather small, to Bed.