MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. TH HE most noteworthy event during the past month at Mrs. Morrison's Grand Opera | House was the appearance, for three nights, of a portion of the Max Strakosch Italian Opera Company, from New York. The operas presented were Gounod's "Faust," with Miss McCullough as Marguerite, and Mr. Tom Karl in the title rôle, "Il Trovatore," with the same lady as Leonora, and Sig. Brignoli as Manrico; and "Martha," with Mdlle. Martinez and Sig. Brignoli in the leading characters. The selection was well judged, at least as regards the popularity of the operas, and their adaptation to the powers of the company. There is no occasion for us to enter into detailed criticism of the capacities of artistes so well known to the Toronto public as Miss McCullough, Sig. Brignoli, Messrs. Tom Karl and G. Hall, and we shall content ourselves with a brief glance at each of the operas in turn. “Faust," | notwithstanding the undoubted excellence of much of the singing, was scarcely successful on the whole. The demerits of the representation were such as evinced either carelessness or haste in its preparation, rather than lack of ability in the performers. The scenical mounting was suggestive of a poverty of resource which certainly does not exist at this theatre. Faust's study, in the first act, was a nondescript sort of apartment, so entirely unlike the traditional mystically furnished Gothic chamber, that in "Il Trovatore" it did duty as a hall in the palace of Aliaferia; nor was the garden scene what it ought to have been. The prompter had an undue share of work, and the introduction of the band of the Tenth Royals in the March and Gloria, resulted in a good deal of confusion. But we are, perhaps, dwelling disproportionately upon defects, and it is with pleasure that we turn from them to speak of Miss McCullough's impersonation of Marguerite. Her acting was delicate, sympathetic, and, when occasion required, powerful. The same epithets fairly characterize her singing, and at the same time indicate a blending of the two which was one of the great merits of her performance. The third act, especially in the sixth scene, is the test portion of the role, as it is also that part of the opera which most nearly realizes on the stage the beautiful episode in the original Faust of Goethe. Miss McCullough did full justice to it. Her sweet and pensive rendering of the song, "C'era un re, un re di Thule," with its interposed recitative, was admirable, and in the aria "Ah! E' strano poter" the naïve coquetry of her acting fairly brought down the house. Her most successful duet was the "O silenzo, O mister" with Faust, in which Mr. Karl merited a large share of the applause with which it was received. His fine tenor voice, less rich than clear, but full and melodious, was heard to best advantage in the aria Salve dimora. As an actor he was satisfactory, but not equal to Mr. Hall, who threw great vigour into the part of Valentine, and was especially forcible in his passionate death-scene. Mr. Gottschalk sang well as Mephistopheles, and would have made a better impression had he not appealed so frequently to the prompter, with whom he occasionally entered into an improvised and sustained duet. "Il Trovatore" was in every respect the best rendered of the three operas, and was received with an enthusiasm which was especially elicited by the fine singing of Sig. Brignoli, deservedly a great favourite, in the part of Manrico. The effect of his beautiful tenor as it was first heard in the serenade from behind, Deserto sulla terra, was magical, and set the audience on the tiptoe of expectation for the gem of the opera, the Ah, che la morte duet. This was exquisitely sung, Miss McCullough also fully rising to the occasion. It is a matter of regret that a bell so singularly unmusical was chosen for the Miserere chorus. Miss Frida de Gebele, who, as Siebel in "Faust," had not given great promise, surprised the audience agreeably by her impersonation of Azucena, in which she displayed considerable dramatic power, and sang efficiently, although her voice is somewhat worn. Il balen was Mr. Hall's best number as the Conte di Luna. We have left ourselves but little space to speak of "Martha," which was the least satisfactory performance of the three from every point of view. The insufficient preparation, or want of care, whichever it may have been, noticeable in the production of "Faust," here became glaring, and detracted very greatly from the merits of the representation. Mdlle. Martinez, who took the part of Lady Henrietta, sang fairly, but her voice is not a pleasing one, being thin, inflexible, and far from strong, while her acting was constrained and unnatural. The aria Qui sola, virgin rosa ("The last Rose of Summer,”) although encored for its intrinsic beauty, was spoiled by her need of prompting; and this was incessantly audible throughout the opera. Aided by Miss de Gebele, who made a sprightly Nancy, Sig. Brignoli infused life into the performance by his singing, which was fully equal to that of the night before, and in some instances surpassed' it, as in the well-known M'appari tutt' amor, which was his best effort on either occasion. Facile princeps of the company in vocalization, Sig. Brig noli is in no sense an actor, contenting himself with measured posing and spasmodic gestures. The chorus was by no means strong in numbers, nor did it make amends by the disregard of time it manifested in "Martha," although it was brisk and spirited. The orchestra, led by Sig. de Novellis, was full and efficient, playing accurately and with delicacy throughout. The overture to the last opera may be selected as the most favourable specimen of its performance. As a whole, for reasons we have referred to and some others, the company left an impression of disappointed expectation, notwithstanding the generous support accorded it during its stay. Evadne employs her father's statue as a means to turn the King of Naples (Mr. J. K. Vernon) from his designs upon her, brought out some of her best qualities. In attempting Juliet on the night of her benefit, Miss Anderson did no more than pardonable ambition leads many young actresses to attempt, like herself, too soon. But she was unfortunate in eliciting comparisons with Miss Neilson, which was perhaps natural enough in Toronto, but none the less unfair. Dismissing altogether such a parallel view, and taking Miss Anderson's performance entirely on its own merits, we think it was too uneven to be called an unqualified success, though much in it was really admirable. As in all her other characters, she appeared to best advantage when delineating passionate emotion, and she did not evince so great a disposition to overdo it as had endangered the dignity of much of her previous tragedy. In the potion scene she rendered most naturally the quick leaping of an over-wrought imagination from terror to desperate resolution; working up to the climax through the various alternations of feeling, with a full grasp of the situation, and without the uncalculating abandonment of herself to its excitement that might have been feared in her. Not to harp upon the disadvantage at which she was placed by her voice and her mannerisms of speech, there was a monotony noticeable about much of the calmer portion of her acting which made it unsatisfactory. The only other parts which call for notice were Mr. Sambrook's Mercutio, Mr. Vernon's Friar Lawand Mr. Semblar's Apothecary—all meritorious performances. Miss Mary Anderson, the young American tragedienne, who made her first appearance on the Monday following, as Parthenia in "Ingomar," possesses among her advantages a striking stage presence and a beautiful face, with great mobility of expression. Her voice, on the other hand, is rather deep, and when at all raised, grows unpleasantly harsh. Her elocutionary training is less faulty than incomplete, overlaying a native roughness of enunciation only partially, and not yet sufficiently ingrained to remain with her at moments of excitement. Her Parthenia was a much more finished and quiet piece of acting than her Bianca in "Fazio." In both she evinced great emotional power, but in the latter there was more rein given to a tendency to rant, which is the besetting sin of inexperience, and the result of being too lavish of passion, instead of reserving it for passages of climax. It is to be hoped that an actress of Miss Anderson's intel-rence, ligence and promise will see the necessity of a little toning down in this respect, in which case we prophesy well for the future of her budding reputation. It is to be regretted that better support could not be found for her than was given by the company. "Ingomar" is a play which is continually in danger of taking the fatal step from the sublime to the ridiculous, if every detail of its representation be not on a level with its perilously high-pitched sentiment; and the gloom of "Fazio" is not best relieved by dismal incompetency in the minor characters. Mr. J. K. Vernon's Polydor in "Ingomar" deserves favourable exception from these remarks. Mr. Fitzgerald, although a most painstaking actor, has not the physical requirements for the title rôle, and his conception of it gave rather the impression of the taming of a repentant outlaw than of a noble barbarian. Sheil's antiquated and rather heavy tragedy of "Evadne, or the Statue," although it was dragged down almost to the level of melodrama by the stilted and stagey performance of the rest of the company, gave Miss Anderson opportunities for the display of some delicate and well-conceived acting in the leading part. The chief situation of the play, in which The other stars who played at this theatre during the month were Sir Randall Roberts and Mr. F. S. Chanfrau. The former appeared in "The Great Divorce Case," a farcical comedy in three acts, adapted from the French, which has been produced in Paris, London, New York, Boston, and other places, under half-a-dozen different names. It was very well put on the stage, and fairly well acted, the best played parts being Mrs. Graham (Mrs. Allen), Samuel Pilkie (Mr. Rogers), Weathersby Grandison (Mr. Hudson), and Mrs. Sharp (Miss Anderson). Of Sir Randall himself the best that can be said is that he is a moderately good amateur. Mr. Chanfrau, who appeared as Kit Redding in "Kit, the Arkansas Traveller," and Salem Scudder in the "Octoroon," is a natural and vigorous actor. His Salem Scudder was the best impersonation of that typical Yankee that we remember. Mr. McDowell's Shaughraun Company returned to Mr. French's Royal Opera House, and gave ten additional performances during the month. The plays selected were "Pique," "Clouds," and "Mary Warner." Pique" is an adaptation from "Her Lord and Master," a novel by Florence Marryat (Mrs. Ross-Church). 66 66 The adaptation purports to have been written by Mr. Daly of the Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York; but if report speaks truly that gentleman is not the author of any of the plays which pass under his name. Be the adapter who he may, however, the drama is a most admirable one; in fact we exaggerate nothing when we class it as the strongest play of the purely modern type that we ever remember to have seen. The dramas which will best bear comparison with it are "The Big Bonanza " and "The Two Orphans." The former, however, is merely a society" play, and “The Two Orphans " is almost altogether sensational. Pique" combines the merits of both; it has all the brilliancy of dialogue of "The Big Bonanza," and very much of the thrilling dramatic interest of "The Two Orphans ;" and it is stronger in character-drawing and altogether more natural and realistic than either. Good, however, as the play is, the acting of Mr. McDowell's fine company was quite equal to it. It was, in fact, throughout the best acted play we have seen in Toronto since the Fifth Avenue Company appeared here in "The Big Bonanza." Pique," however, is a more difficult play to act, and taxes the resources of a company more severely. Indeed one of the most remarkable things about it is the large number of admirably drawn and thoroughly individualized characters it brings prominently on the stage. Foremost among them, as the one in whom the interest centres, is Mabel Renfrew, a haughty belle who, out of "pique," marries one man while in love with another. It is a very arduous part, but it was acted throughout with great and unflagging power by Miss Weaver. Whether as the cold and scornful beauty of the earlier acts, or in the emotional scenes of the later, this fine actress was equally admirable. Miss Weaver has youth on her side, and we see no reason 66 why, with study and hard work, she should not rise to the top of her profession as an emotional actress. Her principal defects are a trifling lack of genuine feeling in pathetic passages, and a certain "throatiness," or want of clearness in her voice, and an occasional over-rapidity of utterance, which slightly mar her otherwise excellent elocution. Next in importance among the characters is Matthew Standish, a fine specimen of the rigid but noble old Puritan of New England. It was played to perfection by Mr. Neil Warner. On a level with these two in naturalness and delicacy of drawing is Mary Standish, the “angel of the Puritan home-gentle, patient, and loving. For this part Miss Reeves's beautiful voice, her clear and pure elocution, and her singularly graceful figure fitted her admirably, and she acted it exquisitely. The beautiful language put into her mouth seemed to gain an added beauty from her simple and unforced utterance of it. Another remarkable character, remarkably well-played, was Raitch (Miss Newcombe), a wild, harum-scarum, Topsylike servant girl. We have not space to notice the other characters in detail. To name all that were well acted would be to go over almost the whole list: suffice it to say that Mr. McDowell was earnest and manly as Captain Standish; Mr. Chippendale, natural and forcible as Doctor Gossit; Messrs. Chester and Selwyn, extremely amusing as Sammy Dympie and Thorsby Gill, the college chums, fresh from Harvard; Miss Thompson, genuinely realistic as Aunt Dorothy, the Puritan old maid; and Messrs. Thompson and Gwynette exceedingly humorous and picturesque as the two ruffians, Ragmoney Fim and Padder, his mate. Well as these two gentlemen acted, however, the play would have gained by their absence from the last scene, where they were absurdly out of place. LITERARY NOTES. us copies of the following works :-" Darwiniana Essays and Reviews pertaining to Darwinism," by Asa Gray; and "The Universal Metric System," by Alfred Colin, M.E. We have received a copy of a work entitled "The Cares of the World," written by John Webster Hancock, LL.B., Barrister-at-Law, formerly well-known in Toronto, but now of Liverpool, England. The work is published by James Speirs, London. An English Edition of "The Catacombs of Rome," by the Rev. W. H. Withrow, M.A., is announced for early publication by Messrs. Hodder & Stoughton. vanic and Medicated Baths given to Ladies. Office--272 Jarvis Street, Toronto. CANADIAN BILLIARDS. One of our illustrations this WHSTONE (late H. B. Williams), Furnishing Under week is the billiard exhibit of Riley and May in the Canadian Court of the Philadelphia Exhibition, the taste and good workmanship of which have been much admired, and judging by the favourable notices from several of the taker. (Agent for FISK'S METALLIC CASES.) 193 Yonge Street, Toronto. press correspondents, the Canadian Billiard Table compares GRANDE DECOUVERTE DU DR. JA ADOREMIER, favourably with the tables of numerous other makers there exhibited from different parts of the world. Riley and May have been a long time established at Toronto as manufacturers of billiard tables, also importers and dealers in everything appertaining to the noble game of billiards, and are celebrated for the first-class quality of everything they send out, also for introducing novelties and improvements in the billiard line, the latest of which is their patent levelling attachment for billiard tables, and a new style of dining and billiard table which is giving great satisfaction, being arranged to present the correct height either for dining or playing on. When placed in position it can be altered to either purpose in one minute. To those who would have billiard rooms in their dwellings, could they spare the space which the ordinary billiard table requires, the combined dining and billiard table is recommended. Many who heretofore have been denied the pleasure can now play billiards. Without taking more space than the ordinary dining table, it may be used as a dining table, a library table, or a billiard table.-Canadian Illustrated News. Anti-Cholerique et Anti-Diarrhique, Anti-Dyspeptique, Restaurateur du Sang, aussi Restaurateur de la Chevelure. A vendre en gros et en détail. MONTREAL: RUE BONSECOURS, Nos. 46 & 48. PRINTING PRESSES FROM $1.350. SEND 10 CTS.TO WWW.Y.EDWARDS,36 CHURCH SENEW YORK. IT IS TO YOUR INTEREST TO READ EVERY WORD OF THIS. The "WEBSTER" Sewing Machine. 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The No. 5"Webster," on iron stand, with walnut table and cover, extension table, richly-finished drawers in maple, pearled head, and complete set of silver-plated attachments.-855. Machines shipped by express or freight on receipt of amount by Order or Draft, made payable to The Canada Sewing Machine Co., Hamilton, or to C. R. SMITH, Sec'y and Manager. HUNTER, ROSE & Co., PRINTERS, TORONTO. |