Punch, Or The London Charivari | Page 9

Land, as RUDYARD KIPLING would say, "is quite another story!"
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COUNSEL'S MOTTO (_objected to in the Committee Rooms_).--"Absence makes the fees grow stronger."
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[Illustration: NOT CAUGHT YET!
MASTER LONDON-COUNTY-COUNCIL. "IF I CAN ONLY GET NEAR ENOUGH!!!"]
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OPERATIC NOTES.
[Illustration: "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!_"
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: 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