Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 30th December 1854, Edition 1 of 1, Page 1244, Untitled Article

Page 1244
Page 20
20 of 24

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Untitled Article

      rise from every part of the house at the story of the Three Rings , from outraged Protestants furious at the idea of any form of religion but their own being other than damnable heresy—the cries of " Atheism . " which would be flung at this vindication " of the ways of God to man" would surpass Exeter Hall ' s fervour against the Scarlet Woman . Yet here , in Berlin , the centre of a corrupt , pietistie reaction , the city of all Germany where hypocrisy is most petted and powerful , here Nathan der TPeise is not only perfornted on the stage of the King ' s own theatre , but greatly applauded by the Berlin public . Such a fact u gives pause . " It was very striking to me , an < l made me think , not favourably , of my own country . I should add that the pietists tried to suppress the continuance of this work on the stage . That they tried and failed , is a striking proof of the liberality in religious thought which exists in the German mind , and which no party can -uproot .

      Nathan der Weise was very beautifully put on the stage ; but I cannot say much of the acting . Saladin was represented by a gentleman with imperfect teeth and waddling gait . Picture to yourself Mr . Brown the Oilman in the Eastern Costume , and you will not be far wrong in your conception of the Berlin Saladin . Mrs . Brown going to a masquerade as the Pride of the Harem will with equal vividness represent Sittah . But I must say much in praise of Herr Doring ' s performance of Nathan : it -was very intelligent , beautifully spoken , ( especially the monologues and the story of the Three Rings ) and admirably represented the mild kindliness of the Jew . The objection to he made was to the conception not to the execution : it was too natural—in the vulgar sense of the word—that is to say , not natural as representing Nathan ' s nature , but the nature of an ordinary benevolence . Nathan is not simply a loving kindly man —he is a Jew in whom profound intelligence , acting on a noble nature , has raised that nature inta heroic eminence . The wise man one did not feel in Doring ' s personation , but rather a keen , astute , good humoured man .

      I saw Herr Doring play lago , and lost much of the estimation in which his Nathan had placed him . As r < tc / o ~ -&n& . indeed in all the characters I have seen Mm in—he showed decided talent , and some excellent qualities ; but the conception of lago was so utterly un-Shakspearian , so unworthy of a stage pretending to the rank of this theatre , that for some time I was puzzled . He makes lago a low comedy part , elicits laughter by buffoonery , and drags down that marvellous conception to the vulgarest level . No trace of Tago ' s bitter wit , superior cold intellect , " motiveless malignity , " rough exterior of honesty and soldatesque frankness ! In the great tempting scene , where it is not possible to > get a laugh , he was loud and . unintelligent , in striking contrast to Herr Bessoir , the Othello , "who was not loud enough , but was intelligent . Indeed , among all the actors

      herein Berlin , there is only Herr Dessoir in whom I recognise the intellect which can grasp a character ( as distinguished from the intellect which lays hold of a characteristic ) and present a whole . He has been charily gifted by Nature with the physical attributes which are demanded of the actor ; his figure is small , his features small , and his voice deficient in compass and modulation . But he is a real artist , who sets to woxk in an earnest spirit , and makes intellect supply the place of personal attractiveness . The reader perhaps remembers Herr Dessoir among the German troupe last year ( where , by the way , he was seen to great advantage ) , and I was very glad to see him on his own stage—at home , as it were . His performance of Marinelli in Emilia Galotti was a wonderful bit of finesse : the military courtier was represented with a mingled stiffness and servility very admirable ; his soliloquies excellent .

      The Berlin stage is as unhappy in its jeunes-prcmiers as most stages are . Herr Liedckte is a good-looking man , with a pronunciation which scarifies a delicate ear , but of which few seem to take notice here . He played Oassio the other night , and I must do him the justice to say that it was the very worst Cassio I have ever seen . Indeed , the Berlin stage has little to boast of in its Shakspearian performances , The mise en sc&ne is singularly cold , and in many respects unworthy of a city which prides itself on appreciating Shakspeare . They want an English or French acting manager to show them how a piece should move . Apart from this , they take liberties with the text which are inconceivable . For

      example , will it be believed that the division into acts which Shakspeare has made in Hamlet is entirely set aside for a new one ; and that among the alterations , the famous graveyard scene , with its important scene of quarrel between Hamlet and Laertes , is entirely left out ? Hamlet enters , moralises , is informed by a messenger that Ophelia is to be buried , and is invited to attend the burialelsewhere" ! The Germans who really do love Shakspeare and study him , who are proud of their stage , and believe that Shalcspoare is played more by them than by us ( a mistake ) , have , it appears , no critics " troublesome" enough to point out such absurdities as these . The most critical of all nations leave the

      stage uncnticwed ! I have outrun my space , and must leave for some future occasion other things I had to say both of theatre and actors . You will be anxious to learn something of Johanna Wagner—and the tenor Formes , brother to our Formee , the shouted But I must balk your expectation by that exasperating phrase—( To ho ccntimicd . " ) Jj .

      Untitled Article

      MUSIC IN VIENNA . Vienna , December 19 , 1854 . Tina Opera-house hero lias at present lost its attraction . Mademoiselle La Grace has gono to Turin , whore bIio is to sing at the Theatre Koyul during the forthcoming carnival , nnd Mademoiselle TagHoni has winged her flight to Horlin , to enchant onco more with her magic foot the people of that capital , I am doubtful whether Mademoiselle I . a Grnco will create in Itnly so great a sensation as she created in Vlcnnn . It 5 a true that her dramatic conception , and her powers as a vooaliat , are of no ordinary character ; but , to my mind , she ia too ¦ unfinished a performer and singer to make any startling impvosskm on a people bo peculiarly fastidious as tho Italians in respect to excellence in all matters of « nuino art . Her voice , as you may have hoard , is a perfect mezzo soprano , ¦ and

      it is very good indeed from " / a to fa " but whenever she attempts to ascend , she is driven to force her voice and shriek . She cannot sustain her organ to the conclusion of a grand aria , and in Italy , where the Verdi mania prevails , Mademoiselle La Grace will find great obstacles to her EUccess . By the way the differences which have existed between Mademoiselle La Grace and the management here have been " amicably settled , " and she has entered into another engagement , -which is to last for eight years ! She is to receive tw enty thousand florins annually , and is to he allowed a furlough of four months in each year All those , who do not envy , congratulate Mademoiselle La Grace on her good fortune . The concert season began on the 26 th ult . Signor and Madame Marchesi ( whose names will be pleasingly remembered in London , where they so frequently appeared in musical circles both private and public for several y ears ) gave a great evening concert at the " Saale der Gesellschaft der Musik-Freunde "

      The room was crowded by the most fashionable persons in Vienna and lovers of singing . Signor Marchesi , whose wonderful baritone voice has been considerably cultivated since I listened to it some eighteen months ago , and who has evidently profited by his recent practice on the ItaliaTi stage , drew from the audience the most rapturous and spontaneous applause . In the aria from the opera Ezio , by Handel , and the aria of Mozart , JVon piit andria , he was encored and recalled . Madame Marchesi , whose unaffected style and sweetness of voice drew forth such admiration in England , warbled in her happiest vein , and delighted her hearers more than would many a singer of greater power and loftier pretensions . It is needless for me to speak at any length of the esteem in which Madame Marchesi is held in Vienna when I tell you that she has been recently appointed Professeur de Chant au Conservatoire . A few words about the orchestra , which was under the direction of Herr Hellmesberger . The overture of Cherubini ' s opera of Medea was admirably executed . ( How it reminded me of Mendelssohn ' s music !)

      On the 3 rd instant took place the first of the four grand concerts given every year in Vienna by the Gesellschaft der SJusik-Freunde , in Redoutensaale , under the direction of Herr Hellmesberger . There was a symphonic of Schumann ' s , I am not disposed to put much faith in my own judgment in such a matter , but it strikes me very forcibly that Schumann ' s music gives much stronger evidence of talent and knowledge than of originality . The execution of the symphonie was certainly good . On this occasion Mademoiselle Adela Cornet ( who is a daughter of the manager of the Opera ) made her di ' uut , and sang an aria from the opera of Eurydnte . Mademoiselle Cornet , whose beautiful face and graceful figure prepossessed the spectators the moment she appeared , has a sweet voice , and she sang well ; but whether her vocal powers , which I am constrained to say are , at present , somewhat limited , will ever sufficiently expand to win her a niche in the temple of fame , is a matter upon which I should be sorry to hazard any opinion . She has my most fervent hopes , in common with those of hundreds .

      Herr Hellmesberger and Herr Heisler performed a duet-concertante ( on the violin and viola ) by Mozart , with orchestra accompaniment . Only those who listened to their performance can form any idea of the exquisite skill which was displayed by the eminent artists by whom it was undertaken . Hellmesberger introduced a cadence which enraptured every soul present . It was an idea of Ms own—and I question whether any man in the world could copy it . An overture of the opera liienzi , by R * Wagner , closed this magnificent Concert . The audience , ( and its taste could not be disputed ) did not receive the overture with that rapture which bespeaks unqualified satisfaction , and the circumstance led me to believe more definitely than ever that the music of Schumann and Wagner is not , atid will not ha popular in Vienna .

      On the 8 th instant a morning Concert was given by Herr Boclet . I was not present , but I hear the entertainment was well attended . On the same evening we had the first of the subscription soirees of the Quai-tet't Productionen given by the Herren Hellmesberger , Durst , Heisler and Sclilesinger . Two quartettsone by Hadyn and the other by Beethoven , were produced with immense effect ; but the great novelty of the entertainment was a trio by C . Eckart , Hdfossern , and Kapellmeister ( violin , violiucello , and piano ) . Although the composition of this piece bore so strong a resemblance to Mendelssohn ' s music as to rob it of the high claim to originality , nevertheless the warmth of the reception it met with bespoke its intrinsic merit . Eckart , the composer , himself presided at the piano .

      On the 9 th instant Signor and Madame Marchesi gave a second entertainment . The room , as on the first occasion , was crowded by the leading personages in Vienna . The programme was attractive , and the performance of both Signor and Madame Marchesi was excellent on this occasion . Miss Louisa Cellini , a young lady of English birth and parentage , made her debut , and was received with immense dclat . Miss Cellini , who has studied for some time past under Madame Marchesi , lias an extremely beautiful soprano voice , which has been carefully cultivated , and I should not bo at all surprised to find our fair compatriot taking ere long a distinguished place amongst the concert singers of the day . She is already engaged to sing at Leipsic , during the next month , at a scries of concerts . By the way , in noticing the last performance of Signor and Madame Marches ) , I ought not to omit to mention a very great hit njade by the former in rendering the famous aria in Acts and Galatea of Handel in German . Since Herr Staud'gl no one in all Germany has ever attempted to sing this difficult piece of music . It is thought by persons here well capable of forming' ft sound opinion , that Marches ! is as classical a singer as were Labluche , Tamburini , and Staudigl , in their day .

      Untitled Article

      Whs do not pretend to have seen all tho pantomimes , this Christmas , / toy more than we claim to have devoured all tho turkeys that have been set bofcro us ; but we have conformed to both those institutions , with , we trust , a becoiMing respect for tlio established order of things . And—partly out of our own experience , partly from report on which wo may trustingly depend—wo propose now to spculc of the pantomimes . At DRUIIY LANE , There ia a great deal to bo Bean , and some of it worth tho seeing . The manager ' s intention to get » a much into four hours as poasiblo is apparent » n the very nrnmo of his Christmas-piece , which is a nnmo of multitude , eigniryjng many . If Jack and Jill , and Harlequin King Mustard , or Four-and-UocnUj Black birds Jlahcd in a Pie , docs not convoy an impression of unlimited truatm

      Untitled Article

      ri-IEATKES—THE PANTOMIMES

      Untitled Article

      1244 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 30, 1854, page 1244, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2071/page/20/