Punch: Punch (100.1891)

April 18, 1891.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

189

OPERATIC NOTES.

The first night of the Mixed Italian Opera Season, 1891. We open
with Gluck's 0'feo, and, in a strong opera-glass, we drink to
Dbtjbiolanus Opebaticus, and say, "Here's G-luck t'yon!"
Nothing can begin the season better than the appearance of Giclia
and Sofia Ravogli—specially Gtoxia—-"There's
something 'bont Gitjlia So werry pecnlia'"—{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
0 pera seem heavy.
Mile. Gitjlia sang
and acted per-
fectly. Her ren-
dering 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

« Oh, I mustn't Catch the Speaker's Eye ! » ^ g $ 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 com-
mencement of another season, to Mile. Batjebmeisteb, appearing as
Cupid. To-morrow she will be Dame Maria ! Wonderful! "Time
cannot stale her infinite variety." How is it, 0 premiere 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,
L "the ladies and gen-
tlemen of the Chorus "
—bless em ! — repre-
senting most substan-
tially the " Shades of
the Blessed," who
appear to be Shades of
every colour. Gitjlia
Ravogli, however,
kept us entranced in
the ancient classic land
■where once we used to
wander. "ViveLem-
priere ! "

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 im-
lalking about Marguerite behind her .Back ; proved bv experience
or, "'Tails'out of School." _going ^ ^ the

same as ever. His new Marguerite does credit to his choice, for
Mile. Eames—(isn't she Miss Fames, 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 Qretchen, simple Hot 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 Drttbio-
lantjs had lent him his Sheriff's chain to wear, Signor Perotti
would have been perfect, that is from this point of view. M. Matjrel
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.

Great feature in Covent Garden this year is the decoration of the
Pit-tier Lobby. Dbtjbiolantjs, 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! bril-
liant ! dazzling!—too much so, in fact; several
glasses too much. So, after a couple
of nights' reflection, when the habitues
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 susceptibili-
ties of the Stall-keepers whose occu-
pation 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 1
us see ourselves as others see us," is a good ] WI J \ ,
practical motto for the loiterer in the lobby, as he ^^A, A
catches sight of himself, en passant, and wonders 56^"^S«^m>N \
who that chap is, whose face he has seen some- /;. * A,

where before, but whose name he can't for the fift^ ' ^

life of him recollect. The New Fau,!t> a

Thursday.—Carmen. Disappointed with Julia ™lxtuj? ?ftl;HeD17
Ravogli in this, though there are some fine bits p ? i¥_tl
of acting in it. Didn't care much about Sister 0 one
Soeia as Mickie the Maiden. M. Ltjbebt's Don Jose good but not
great; and M. Celli, who, in default of M. Deyoyod's not being able
to appear, took the part of Escamillo, was great, but not very good.
He was, however, well supported by Signor Randeggeb 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. Matjbel 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 Flsa 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 Memobiam.—As a tribute expressive of the high estimation in
which the late Mr. P. T. Babntjm 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 Pboligx Son."—The three-act pantomime play at the
Prince of Wales's has "caught on," as we predicted it would.
Manager Sedgeb thinks of temporarily adopting as his motto for
this theatre, " Speech is silvern, silence is golden."