The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

To-nig ht ( Saturday ) Mr . Albery ' s " Little Miss Muffet" will be produced at the Criterion . The comedy is an adaptation from the French . We shall notice this fully in another issue . M . Pianquette is himself translating his new comic opera " Rip Van Winkle " already announced in our columns to be brought out at the Royal Comedy about the end of September or commencement of October .

* * * The Globe is about to re-open with "Tlie Vicar of Bray , " as revised by Grundy . Bro . Toole ' s theatre must be added to the list of closed theatres . * * *

We think it possible some of our readers are spending their vacation in the neig hbourhood of Hastings , and as so few oi the London theatres are open , we call attention to the excellent style of recreation afforded by Mr . Gaze , assisted by his courteous manager , Mr . H . Turner , to the visitors to this pretty seaside resort at the laiu

new Gaiety Theatre . A vast sum ot money nas oeen out in the building , which is thoroughly abreast of the common sense and scientific requirements of the present day . It is built from the designs of local architects , in conjunction with Mr . Phipps , F . S . A ., of London , who was the architect of the Princess ' s and Comedy theatres , and in general appearance it resembles these houses closely . In it will compare very favourably with many of the

every way London theatres , though it must be remembered most of the latter are not of very recent date . The Gaiety , at Hastings , occupies a central position in the town , being close to the Albert Memorial , and in proximity to the chief hotels and boarding establishments . From every part of the house—from the " gods " to the stalls—a capital view ot

of the stao-e is obtained , without the necessity aougmg a head in front or standing up , to the indignation of those behind . It is said to be built to hold about 1500 persons . So many outlets are there , that a fire is almost set at defiance ; the whole place could easily be emptied in a couple of minutes . We were present on the opening night , and feel the calls for Mr . Gaze , the proprietor , were well deserved . In a fewhappily-chosen sentences he thanked the

company for their hearty appreciation of what he had provided for Hastings , and promised , as he has begun , to cater well for them . This being some weeks ago , we can endorse his promise , for he has brought here many of the best pieces of the day , played by excellent companies , as , for instance , " H . M . S . Pinafore , " " The Pirates ot Penzance ' " It ' s never too late to Mend , " " The Mascotte "" The Danites ; " and we are promised " Patience ; Mo'hf . nth and lhe

on the 4 th inst . ; "Cast Adrift , " on the ; Parvenu , " the latter , on the 25 th , by the London company , as played for so long this season at the Court 1 heatre . We have not given any detailed description of those pieces already performed , as by the time our notice is read in print the programme will have changed ; but we have said sufficient to show that Londoners need not fear the lack of amusement in the evenings here . Tragedy , comedy , and light opera are provided by Mr . Gaze , to suit all tastes .

At St . Leonard's , the " West-end" of Hastings , various entertainments are provided at the Royal Concert Hall , a building whose acoustic properties are perfect . Both vocal and instrumental concerts of the highest class are g iven from time to time . These are interwoven with theatrical rjerfoimancesas for instance the comic operas of " Genevieve de

, Brabant , " "La Fille de Madame Angot , " and "The Parvenu , " played before an audience who highly appreciated the acting of Mr . G . George and Miss Emily George , and which was worthy of an audience ten times its number . However , it is likely many of those did as we did , having been to the first performance , and delighted by it , we sent our friends the next evening . The operetta of " Maguerite "

occupied the stage during this week , and Mr . Irving Bishop gave two of his Thoug ht Readings . VVe were pleased to notice the clergy attended the performance of "The Parvenu . " Bro . the Rev . VV . H . Cave Browne-Cave , and Bro . the Rev . J . Puttiek , Chaplain of the Derwent Lodge , No . 41 , are now amongst the district clergy and two of the most popular .

* * * At Brig hton Mrs . Nye Chart promises " Far from the Madding Crowd" at her theatre , to be played by the Globe company , including Mr . Charles Kelly and Mrs . Bernard Beere , which we noticed some months ago , when the comedy was in London . * * a

" Fra Diavolo the Second " is the title of a new burlesque by Mr . Denny , brought out at the Philharmonic on Monday last . « * * Bro . Henry Irving- re-opens the Lyceum to-night with the 131 st performance of " Romeo and Juliet . " # #

* Bro . Henry Irving related the following anecdote , which happened to him ten years ago . While passing , with Bro . Toole , through Stratford-on-Avon , he saw a rustic sitting on a fence . " That ' s Shakespeare ' s house , isn't it ? " pointing to the building . " Yes . Ever been there ? " "No . " "How long has he been dead ?"

"Don't know . " "Many people come here ? " "Yes , lots . " "Been to the house ? " "No ; never been to the house . " "What did he do ? " " Don ' t know . " " Brought uphere ? " "Yes . " " Didhewriteanythinglikethe ' Family Herald , ' or anything of that sort ? " "O , yes , he writ . " "What was it ? you must know . " "Well , " said the rustic , " I think he wrote for the Bible . "

# # # The other night in the dress circle of a west-end theatre Mr . Whistler sat next to a lady who would rro out , not only as soon as each act was finished , but as the play Was going on , The space between the rows of seats was

The Theatres.

very narrow , and the artist was accordingly subjected to much annoyance as she passed him . " Madam , " he said at length , in his sweetest tones , " I trust I do not incommode you by keeping my seat . "

Music

MUSIC

The great musical festival at Birmingham commenced on Tuesday , and so far as it has gone seems likely to prove a great success , embracing , as it did , no less than six novelties , of which Gounod ' s oratorio "Redemption , " and Sir J . Benedict's cantata

" Graziella , " are the most prominent . The public curiosity about the former may be judged from the fact that the number of tickets allotted in advance for Wednesday morning , when it was produced , was 2111 , including those for presidents and vice-presidents , as compared with 759 for the same morning three years ago .

s * * The arrangements on the opening and successive days were admirable , and Lord Windsor , the president , set an example in declining to allow encores , which might profitably be followed on other similar occasions . The audience , too , did their part well ; and when on Tuesday morning Bro . Sir Michael Costa , P . G . W ., took his place D n the platform , nearly every one was in his place .

By the way , Sir Michael must have been intensely gratified with the reception accorded him . It could not well have been more enthusiastic ; the demonstration of the public in his behalf being almost personal in its friendliness , while the band and chorus received him , if possible , more heartily still .

The proceedings commenced with " God Save the Queen , " as arranged by our respected brother , and gave the audience a foretaste of what they might expect during the Festival , the chorus being the best which Birmingham has produced for many years , and , in quality and balance , being fully equalled by the orchestra . After this appropriate prelude , Bro . Santley , as the Prophet , declaimed in his best style the opening recitative of

" Elijah . " The choruses went magnificently , and the solos , which in the first part were taken by Miss Anna Williams , Madame Trebelli , Mr . Lloyd , and Bro . Santley , and in the second by Mesdames Albani and Patey , with the same gentlemen , were each and all rendered in a manner which left nothing to bc desired , Bro . Santley , whose Prophet is , as it always has been , the perfection of oratorio singi ng especially distinguishing himself . * * «

M . Gounod s oratorio , " The Redemption " was produced on Wednesday under the personal direction of its gifted composer . There was an immense audience , fully capable of passing judgment on its merits , and we are entitled to assume that the long-continued applause which greeted the . great French musician at the conclusion of the performance was a verdict in favour of the new oratorio ,

which will be sustained on future occasions . It must be borne in mind that the production of a new work before so critical an audience as that assembled in the metropolis of the Midlands on the day in question , implies its subjection to about the severest ordeal that could be imposed , and to have passed this successfully is proof positive of its posses-ring merit of a very high order . To describe the oratorio

at any length until one has become more familiar with its numbers were unwise , and a few words , in passing , must suffice for the present . The great excellence of " The Redemption" lies in its orchestral and choral mnsic , which , having been thoroughly mastered by band and chorus , were given with an effect which , in some cases , was little shoit

of magnificent . The solo numbers are less conspicuous , but as they were entrusted to such capable artistes as Mesdames Albani , Patey , and Marie Roze , and Messrs . Lloyd and Santley , Signor Foli , and Messrs . King and Cummings , it will be easily imagined that they were rendered with great ability . The morning ' s receipts , including thc collection at the doors , amounted to over £ 2781 .

* * In the evening the third novelty of the Festival was produced , in the shape of Dr . Gaul ' s cantata " Thc Holy City , " on which , likely , a most Haltering verdict was passed . The soloists were Miss Anna Williams , Mesdames Trebelli and Patey , Mr . Maas and Mr . King , who , one and all acquitted themselves most satisfactorily , while band and chorus did full jtstice to Dr . Gaul ' s music .

* «• ¦ * Thus was inaugurated , under Bro . Sir Michael Costa ' s direction—and he conducted as of old , and as no other musician can conduct—the great musical fete of Birmingham , the result of the morning being that a thousand pounds found its way into the coffers of the

General Hospital , for which splendid charity the Festival exists . * * * The great event of the opening day was the performance in the evening of Sir J . Benedict's new cant . ita , "Graziella , " the libretto being written by Mr . Henry Hersee . « * *

The cantata is in three parts and has live "dramatis person .-e "—Graziella , the heroine , a fishcrmaiden ( soprano ); Abbess ( contralto ); Renzo , a young fisherman ( tenor ); Atonao , a young Venetian noble ( baritone ) ; and Gennaro , Graziella ' s father ( bass ); these personages being

represented by Madame Mane Roze , Madame Patey , Mr . Lloyd , Mr . King , and Mr . Campion . Like all that Sir J . Benedict writes , "Graziella" is admirable , if somewhat unequal . But with such artistes and such an orchestra and chorus , even music far inferior to this would have gone well , and the applause bestowed upon Sir Julius at the close was of the heartiest .

* * This was the first part of the evening ' s programme , the second consisting of a miscellaneous selection , conspicuous among which were Mr . F . Cowen ' s " Language of the Flowers , " " Deeper and Deeper Still , " well sung by Mr . Maas , and the overture to " Benvenuto Cellini . "

Science And Art.

SCIENCE AND ART .

Dr . Siemens commenced his innugiir . il address on VVednesday last , at the meeting at Southampton of the British Association , by a graceful allusion to th . e loss sustained by the world of science through the death of Charles Darwin , whose bold conceptions , patient labour , and genial mind , made him a type of unsurpassed excellence . After which he discussed at great length the

question of electric lighting , and expressed ! iis belief that , though lighting by electricity might be introduced into public buildings and the houses of the wealthy , gas would hold its own , and that its consumption would even increase in time , as it is more generally adopted for heating purposes in lieu of coal . Moreover , while the cost of the coal that is used in making gas is about £ * ,, 400 , 000 a vear , the

by-products derived from it are worth £ 8 , 370 , 000 , or close on £ 3 > ooo , ooo more than the cost . He pointed out that experiments made in Paris , showed that gas could be manufactured at a much cheaper rate than at present , while its value as a fuel is far greater than that of coal , and it could be made still more efficient in that capacity , with certain improvements in making it . He further noted

that gas engines working at high temperatures are theoretically twice as efficient as steam engines , as the best of the latter yield in mechanical effect only one seventh part of the heat energy residing in thc fuel consumer , whereas in the best gas engines the efficiency amounts to one-fourth . Hence the gas engine conduces most favourably to the

attainment of maximum results , and it might reasonably be expected that the difficulties still in the way of their application on a large scale , will gradually be removed . Certainly , the advent of such an engine , and of the dynamomachine , would mark a new era of material progress , at least erjual to that produced by the introduction of steam power in the early part of the present century .

« * * Dr . Siemens also referred to the recent Solar Eclipse Expedition , from which it has been discovered that there are different temperature levels in the Solar atmosphere . Further , the constitution of the corona has now the possibility of being determined , and it is found to shine with its own light . On resuming his seat , the president was warmly applauded .

On Thursday , the different sections met for the first time , when Lord Rayleigh in the Mathematical Section , summed up the results obtained in recent years in important branches of physics . Sir Richard Temple presided over the Geographical Section , which was numerously attended , and in which Lieutenant G . T . Temple , R . N ., read a paper on " The Arctic Campaign of 1 SS 2 . "

Mr . Robert Hthcridge , Palaeontologist lo the Geological Survey , in his address to the Geological Section , confined his attention chiefly to the geology of Hampshire and Sussex . Professor Boyd Dawkins delivered an address on thc " Present Phase of the Antiquity of Man ; " Dr . Gamgee , Brackenbury Professor of Physiology in Owen ' s College , Manchester , addressed the Biological Section on

the growth of our knowledge on the function of secretions , before which , however , he made special eulogistic reference to the late Charles Darwin and Professor Balfour . Professor Livin eng addressed the Chemical Section ; and Professor Leone Levi , in that of Economics and Statistics , read a paper on " The State of Crime in England , Scotland , and Ireland ; " while Professor Schuster gave a preliminary

account of results obtained during the late total eclipse in Egypt in the Mathematical Section . In the afternoon , the Mayor and Mayoress received the members in the Audit Office , and in the evening there was a soiree at the Hartley Institution , the rooms and galleries being illuminated by the electric light . » # * On Friday there was a large attendance in the

Economic Section , to hear an address from Mr . Sclater-Booth , M . P ., on local Government in rural districts , which he treated in a non-political manner , and for which , on the motion of Lord Mount-Temple , a vote of thanks was accorded to the right honourable gentleman . Subsequently , in the same section , Mr . G . Baden-Powell read a paper on the revenue derived from the taxation of alcohol . In the

Mechanical Section , Mr . J . Clarke Hawkshaw read a very interesting paper on the Channel Tunnel , in which he discussed the merits of the rival schemes , coming to the conclusion that the best route for the tunnel was a direct line from Fan Hole to Sangatte , as it afforded the shortest sea tunnel , with as short a land tunnel as by any other line ; a greater thickness of chalk ; thc best termination for

effectting junctions with our existing railways ; and a termination giving greater facilities for defence at less cost than elsewhere . Later , a discussion followed on the question , in the course of which Sir F . Bramwell and Sir J . Hawkshaw expressed themselves in favour of a Channel Tunnel , while Sir VV . Armstrong thought the national aspect ofthe question ought not to be

pooh-poohed , and that any national advantages we possessed from an insular position should be jealously guarded . He thought the objections to the sea passage between France and England might be overcome by the construction of larger vessels . In the evening Sir William Thompson delivered a popular lecture on tides .

Saturday was given up almost to pleasure , only two of the sections meeting , in one of which—the Economic Science and Statistics Section—Bro . Hyde Clarke , I ' . S . S ., delivered an address on " Some Influences Affecting the Progress of our Shipping and Carrying Trade , " and was followed by Bro . C . Pfoundes , with a paper entitled "Our Sailors , for Defence and Commerce , at Home and Abroad . " In the evening Dr . Evans , F . R . S ., delivered lecture

a to the working classes in the Victoria bkating Rink , on " Unwritten History : how to read it . " As regards the other proceedings , several excursions were made , one by steamer to Alum Bay and the Needles , and another into thc New Forest . Some three hundred took part in a garden party at Netley Abbey and Hosoital , while others visited Winchester , staying lpno- enough to inspect the Cathedral , the College , the County Hall , and other buildings of interest ,