Punch (99.1890)

July 5, lfciyO.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

5

THE OPERA-GOER'S DIARY.

Monday 23.—Operatic world all agog to hear, and to see, Le
Prophete. First appearance for many years. Great things expected
of Jean de Reszke as Jean of Lei/den, and Mile. Rtchapd as Fides.

Monday, June 23.
Jean de Eeszke as Jean of Leyden. Jeanne The Kisky as Sarah d'Arc.
Great expectations not disappointed. Scene in Cathedral magnifi-
cent as a spectacle. Bnt scene in Cathedral between Jean and his
unhappy mother still grander as acting. Le Prophete is remarkable
too, as being an Opera without Mile. Batjebmeisteb in it. Skating
scene, with a nice ballet, rather a frost. " Not sufficient go in it,"
observes veteran Opera-goer, with book in his hand, dated eighteen
hnndred and sixty something, containing a cast of characters which,
he says, though he doesn't show me the book, comprises the names
of Maeio, Gbisi, Viaedot-Gabcia, and Hebe Fobmes. A more
veterany veteran tells me that Gbisi and Viaedot never played
together in this, but that Gbisi succeeded Viaedot as Fides.

Even the veteran is pleased, and acknowledges that thirty .years ago
they couldn't have done it as they do now, barring the skating
scene, where, he insists upon it, the original "go" is wanting.
The fact is, we have long passed the days when "rinking"

i or off it. But what a jolly lot
these Anabaptists were! They en-
joyed themselves with their dancing-
girls and their picnicking on the ice.
Substitute General Booth for Jean of
Let/den, and the tambourine girls for
Palladino and the ballet, and then
you have a modern version of Le
Prophete.

Delightful to see M. Mieanda as
one of the three Anabaptists, Mathisen
(a good name in the city, with only a
letter changed), striking a sixteenth
century flint, for the purpose of
lighting a candle, but, fairing in the
attempt, compelled to destroy six-
teenth-century illusion, and employ,
in a sneaking kind of way, the
nineteenth - century match, which
Mile. Hichard as Fides,—not strikes only on its own box. Mile.
Boney Fides. JNtjovina, not so good here as in the

U4j.i„ t , , T Pwt of Marguerite, but there is very

little for a soprano to do. Jean reckless in the final drinking song.
«,tV01Ce °* P™"??8 Opeeaticus is heard at the wings. The
stage-manager s assistant is evidently nervous, and the curtain, after
once going up a little way and coming down again, ascends suddenly,
in spite of adjuration of Detjbiolanus to "Wait! wait!" No
niten, and in another moment Dbtjbiolantjs, calm, but with

Guildhall to do
wiien I shall be Lord
Mayor I d soon show 'em what's what. I'd have a coronation, or
investiture, scene to which this should be mere child's play "

Edot/abd m Reszke excellent as Zacharias-a. name chiefly
associated with one of Lieutenant Cole's characters, a Mawworm who
looks over the screen; andM. Montabiol good as a lighter-hearted
Anabaptist. A memorable revival.

Tuesday.—Les Huguenots. Return of Mile. Battebmeisteb after
one night's absence. Wednesday.— Carmen, as before.

Thursday.—Rigoletto, Fine house to hear this Opera. Le Prince
s'amuse. The Princess also. Mile. Melba excellent; should be
known as " Her Grace." M. Lassalle, not ideal Jester, physically,
but, vocally, never was Rigoletto better. Signor Yalebo a good Ducal
tenor: he scores a treble—(a thing to be done in whist and musio)
—i.e., treble encore for " La Donna e Mobile." Madame Scalchi,
of course, good as usual, and Signor Mibanda (why not Febdinand
Mibanda, and be thoroughly Shakspearian at once?) energetic as
Monterone. Febdinand Miranda always conscientious actor. Not
last, but quite the least, comes Mile. Baueeheistebsingee, as
Giovanna, without whom no Opera at Covent Garden can be
considered as really complete. This is the only defect on

Friday Night, in Le Prophete, which is given again and again—
no part for Mile. Bauebmeistebsingee. Every place in the House
taken. Profit here and Loss for those who can't get seats to hear it.
Great excitement to know whether Dbtjbiolant/s is elected Sheriff
or not. Early in the evening contradictory rumours in Lobby.
At last the numbers are up. Dbtjbiolantjs elected. Uncommonly
well he will look in his robes of office. Detjeiolantts Opeeaticus
Cottnti-Cotjnctlabitjs Shebiefus ! All hail!

/Saturday.—Cannot be present. Have telegraphed to Dettbio-
lantts,—"Dear Sheriff, cannot come; but don't close House; let
Opera go on as usual." I believe it did.

SARAH JEANNE AT HIS MAYERJESTY'S.
Saeah Jeanne of Arc. Saeah wrapt up in the visionary creation
is comparatively lost in the part; that is, until she comes out mag-
nificently in the last scene but one. Otherwise, except to look the

Sarah Jeanne explains symbolically to rude English solditr that he must
"hook it."

Martyr, and to languish, nothing much for Saeah to do. Cathedral
scene here rivals that at Covent Garden. Saeah wins and thrills
the audience: her voice soothes them in their most ruffled
humour, even after the audience has
been kept waiting nearly twenty-five
minutes between the Acts. Everyone
disappointed that the funeral pile does
not catch fire, and that the Curtain
does not descend on a sensational
scene, for which Captain Shaw and
his Merry Men would have to be in
attendance. The cast good all round,
bnt it's more of an Opera, or a
religious play, than a Melodrama.
Gounod's music not particularly
striking, and the March sounds fami-
liar. Saeah Jeanne holds the audi-
ence spell-bound to the end, rather by
what she doesn't than by what she <-.
does, except in the great soene already
mentioned. Jeanne d'Arc is to run
on till further notice, and then Madame
Saeah will appear in some of her
well-known parts, and take a tem-
porary farewell of the British Public. ^""fT
To those who have hitherto neglected Back Vlew of New Sarah Jeanne
opportunities of seeing Saeah Jeanne overcoat for race meetings,
let this notice be a warning, and let them in their thousands hurry
up to His Mayerjesty's._

"Can "Wobms See?"— Vide St. James's Gazette and Field.
Correspondent says worms do not shrink from candle-light, but
immediately withdraw under the glare of a bull's-eye lantern.
Evidently for exaot information, " Ask a Policeman." Also consult
Baron de Woems. He sees his way about well enough.