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Public Amusements.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE . The production of Lord Byron's " Manfred , " which took place at this theatre on Saturday evening , was regarded with great interest by every playgoer . Several weeks have been occupied in carrying out the stage preparations ; every possible appliance Avas brought into requisition . To render the representation leteas much musical ability as could be
convenientlobcomp , y tained was secured , iu order that tha title of ' - ' choral tragedy " might be fully sustained . Some of the foremost disciples of the scenic art were employed to impart a vividness to tho performance such as never could have been contemplated in the time of the noble author ; the services of the most prominent tragedian of the present day were engaged to give due imporanco to the declamation required in the embodiment of the
principal character ; a large amount of expenditure was incurred in rendering even the minor accessories valuable adjuncts to the general design ; and , in short , everything was done that experience and judgment could suggest to render "Manfred " effective and attractive . On the 20 th October , 1834—17 years after the poem was written—it was placed upon the stage of Covent Garden
Theatre under circumstances , in regard to accessories and details , precisely similar to those which the public are now invited to consider . The scenery was painted by Messrs . Grieve , one of whom has long been a coadjutor of Mr . W . Telbin , the present controller of that department at this theatre . Mr . T . Cooke was the leader of the band , and the piece was produced under the superintendence of Mr . Farley . The novelty of the production , the interesting associations connected with itand the pains
, which had been taken to produce an effective result , all combined to secure for the piece the suffrages of the public , and the performance was a decided success . Emboldened by this fact , Mr . Phelps and the present management of Druvy Lane have been induced , after the lapse of nearly 30 years , to clothe the production with qualities which the author insisted did not belong to it , and to bring it again forward in a dramatic shape .
The grand descriptions of the various aspects of nature with which the poet has enriched his work naturally afforded a powerful temptation to the directors of this noble theatre at a time when the scenic art may be said to have reached a state of
perfection it has never before attained , excepting in some of the more recent efforts of Mr . Stanfield's pencil , and hence it was quite excusable on the part of Messrs . Falconer and Cbatterton to make this attempt at reviving "Manfred" in the form of a gorgeous spectacle , assisted as they were by the co-operation of one fully capable of giving to that part of the performance Avhich appealed to the ear such an amount of power and weight as might properly be expected from passionate declamation .
Great praise is due to the present managers for the lavish manner in which they have called to their aid all the resources of their establishment , and if there were a few shortcomings the blame should certainly not be attributed to them . Mr . Phelps had manifestly thrown all his mental energy into the study of the character of Manfred , and when he came forward in the first scene he was gieeted with such prolonged expressions of enthusiasm from the most crowded auditory which has
been seen in this theatre for many years , that it was evidently believed he was" the right man in the right place . " As the play proceeded , Mr . Phelps showed that he had a complete mastery over his subject , and that he knew how to give impressive utterance to the waitings and musings of the misanthropic recluse , around i \ horn there is cast a shade of mystery so impenetrably dark and awe-inspiring as to seem incapable of
being appreciated or realised by mortals . Little need be said in reference to the other characters , considering that Manfred , as he has been properly described , " is , in reality , the only actor and sufferer on the scene , " but it must be stated that Mr . A . Rayncr played the small , but not ineffective part of the chamois hunter with much artistic care and judgment ; and Mr . Ryder , as the Abbot of St . Maurice ,
spoke the language set down for him with a natural earnestness , tempered by a purity of elocution , which materially enhanced the interest of tho few scenes in which he appeared . In the scenery Mr . Telbin has displayed a knowledge of Alpine passes and mountainous torrents which has formed a powerful aid to bis practised pencil . It cannot be truly said that this distinguished artist has never displayed his magic skill to greater advantage ; but lie has produced in this piece several effects which for magnitude and fairy-like beauty have seldom been surpassed . The cataract of Weinhach , in the second act , Avith the opalesque tints upon the waters and the expanse of
mountains in the distance , is an admirable instance of the wondrous results which are now achieved by a combination of the mechanic ' s art with that of the painter . As a contrast to the magnificent effects of Alpine scenery , so profusely illustrated by Mr . Telbin , should be mentioned "The Hall of Arimanes in the Nether AA orld , " painted by Messrs . Dansou and Sons . This picture represents Arimanes seated on his
throne—a globe of fire—surrounded by spirits with outstretched arras , and in attitudes which indicate their readiness to do homage to their great chief . The lyrical portion now claims our attention . Unhappily , however , our famous English glee writer , the genial composer of "Mynheer von Dunek , " "When the wind blows , " "The chough anci crow , " cue ! a hundred more such pleasant and musicianly pieceswas quite out of his element in the spirit-world
, where Gliick , Mozart , Weber , Mendelssohn , and Meyerbeer reign supreme . Sir Henry Bishop's waves of sound undulate gracefully , stirred by the impulse of his own genial nature , but they reflect no images of Lord Byron ' s grand poetry ; reveal nob even the faintest impressior . of his mysterious thoughts or lofty imaginings . A song , "' In the blue depth of the wateis , " added to the original score by Mr . Barnard , and tastefully sung by
Miss Poole , though tuneful and of a decidedly popular cut , is , if possible , less Byronic than Sir Henry ' s effusions ; hut we can speak favourably of Mr . Randegger ' s setting of " The Captive Usurper , " which is both characteristic and musicianly . This was expressively rendered by Miss Cicely Nott , who appeared some years ago with success at the concerts of the late M . Jullien . Miss Emma Heywood , who may be remembered as the contralto in " Once Too Often" produced at Drury-lane
, two or three seasons back , was heard to advantage in the solo " The ship sailed on , " and Mr . Swift distinguished himself honourably in the hymn of adoration , " Hail to Arimanes . " The management is also entitled to praise for having provided an efficient chorus , under the experienced direction of Mr . Beale .
HAYMABKET THEATRE . Sheridan ' s comedy of " The Rivals " was represented at this hous 1 : on AA ednesclay , chiefly for the purpose of introducing to a London audience Miss Suowdon , of the Brighton Theatre , who appeared as Mrs . Malaprop . There might possibly be a more comic , but there could not easily he a more comely , representative of the character . Indeed , Miss Snowdon's qualifications are expressly of that order which renders her ineligible
for the impersonation of such a part . A tall , stately figure , a handsome and expressive face , and a graceful and dignified deportment , are matters which , however estimable in themselves , and beneficial to their possessor , do not in this particular instance aid the dramatic illusion of the scene , or tend to realise one's idea of that " weather-beaten , old she-dragon , " who excited the horror of Captain Absolute . Miss Snowden is too young and too pretty to he accepted as an efficient exponent
of so formidable a character . The role is as little suited to her powers as to her appearance , and though she recited the text very glibly , and seemed to be blissfully unconscious of the havoc she was making in the English language , while ingeniously engaged in " the nice derangement of her epitaphs , " she failed to give adequate expression to the whimsical conceit , the fantastic drolleryand the roughhe-art y humour in which the
, , part abounds . She was received , however , with great favour ; and it is probable that she will prove attractive in characters in which the graces of her person and the refinement of her manner may be more consistently and more advantageously displayed .
CRYSTAL PALACE . Monday was a great day at the Crystal Palace ; the two railway companies from Dover to London , in connection with their steam-boat services to Dover and Folkestone , ran day excursion trains to the Crystal Palace , which enabled them to see the building and the grounds in their autumnal glory . Every preparation was made by the directors for the welcome of their
French visitors , even to the rather questionable taste of hoisting the French flag on the rosary ; and Blondin performed , and the " ghosts" appeared , and the fountains played . The enjoyment of the day rose to enthusiasm when the Prince of Wales , the King of the Greeks , and their respective suites appeared on the ground , and appeared fully to appreciate the interest of the scene . There were about 10 , 000 persons present .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Public Amusements.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE . The production of Lord Byron's " Manfred , " which took place at this theatre on Saturday evening , was regarded with great interest by every playgoer . Several weeks have been occupied in carrying out the stage preparations ; every possible appliance Avas brought into requisition . To render the representation leteas much musical ability as could be
convenientlobcomp , y tained was secured , iu order that tha title of ' - ' choral tragedy " might be fully sustained . Some of the foremost disciples of the scenic art were employed to impart a vividness to tho performance such as never could have been contemplated in the time of the noble author ; the services of the most prominent tragedian of the present day were engaged to give due imporanco to the declamation required in the embodiment of the
principal character ; a large amount of expenditure was incurred in rendering even the minor accessories valuable adjuncts to the general design ; and , in short , everything was done that experience and judgment could suggest to render "Manfred " effective and attractive . On the 20 th October , 1834—17 years after the poem was written—it was placed upon the stage of Covent Garden
Theatre under circumstances , in regard to accessories and details , precisely similar to those which the public are now invited to consider . The scenery was painted by Messrs . Grieve , one of whom has long been a coadjutor of Mr . W . Telbin , the present controller of that department at this theatre . Mr . T . Cooke was the leader of the band , and the piece was produced under the superintendence of Mr . Farley . The novelty of the production , the interesting associations connected with itand the pains
, which had been taken to produce an effective result , all combined to secure for the piece the suffrages of the public , and the performance was a decided success . Emboldened by this fact , Mr . Phelps and the present management of Druvy Lane have been induced , after the lapse of nearly 30 years , to clothe the production with qualities which the author insisted did not belong to it , and to bring it again forward in a dramatic shape .
The grand descriptions of the various aspects of nature with which the poet has enriched his work naturally afforded a powerful temptation to the directors of this noble theatre at a time when the scenic art may be said to have reached a state of
perfection it has never before attained , excepting in some of the more recent efforts of Mr . Stanfield's pencil , and hence it was quite excusable on the part of Messrs . Falconer and Cbatterton to make this attempt at reviving "Manfred" in the form of a gorgeous spectacle , assisted as they were by the co-operation of one fully capable of giving to that part of the performance Avhich appealed to the ear such an amount of power and weight as might properly be expected from passionate declamation .
Great praise is due to the present managers for the lavish manner in which they have called to their aid all the resources of their establishment , and if there were a few shortcomings the blame should certainly not be attributed to them . Mr . Phelps had manifestly thrown all his mental energy into the study of the character of Manfred , and when he came forward in the first scene he was gieeted with such prolonged expressions of enthusiasm from the most crowded auditory which has
been seen in this theatre for many years , that it was evidently believed he was" the right man in the right place . " As the play proceeded , Mr . Phelps showed that he had a complete mastery over his subject , and that he knew how to give impressive utterance to the waitings and musings of the misanthropic recluse , around i \ horn there is cast a shade of mystery so impenetrably dark and awe-inspiring as to seem incapable of
being appreciated or realised by mortals . Little need be said in reference to the other characters , considering that Manfred , as he has been properly described , " is , in reality , the only actor and sufferer on the scene , " but it must be stated that Mr . A . Rayncr played the small , but not ineffective part of the chamois hunter with much artistic care and judgment ; and Mr . Ryder , as the Abbot of St . Maurice ,
spoke the language set down for him with a natural earnestness , tempered by a purity of elocution , which materially enhanced the interest of tho few scenes in which he appeared . In the scenery Mr . Telbin has displayed a knowledge of Alpine passes and mountainous torrents which has formed a powerful aid to bis practised pencil . It cannot be truly said that this distinguished artist has never displayed his magic skill to greater advantage ; but lie has produced in this piece several effects which for magnitude and fairy-like beauty have seldom been surpassed . The cataract of Weinhach , in the second act , Avith the opalesque tints upon the waters and the expanse of
mountains in the distance , is an admirable instance of the wondrous results which are now achieved by a combination of the mechanic ' s art with that of the painter . As a contrast to the magnificent effects of Alpine scenery , so profusely illustrated by Mr . Telbin , should be mentioned "The Hall of Arimanes in the Nether AA orld , " painted by Messrs . Dansou and Sons . This picture represents Arimanes seated on his
throne—a globe of fire—surrounded by spirits with outstretched arras , and in attitudes which indicate their readiness to do homage to their great chief . The lyrical portion now claims our attention . Unhappily , however , our famous English glee writer , the genial composer of "Mynheer von Dunek , " "When the wind blows , " "The chough anci crow , " cue ! a hundred more such pleasant and musicianly pieceswas quite out of his element in the spirit-world
, where Gliick , Mozart , Weber , Mendelssohn , and Meyerbeer reign supreme . Sir Henry Bishop's waves of sound undulate gracefully , stirred by the impulse of his own genial nature , but they reflect no images of Lord Byron ' s grand poetry ; reveal nob even the faintest impressior . of his mysterious thoughts or lofty imaginings . A song , "' In the blue depth of the wateis , " added to the original score by Mr . Barnard , and tastefully sung by
Miss Poole , though tuneful and of a decidedly popular cut , is , if possible , less Byronic than Sir Henry ' s effusions ; hut we can speak favourably of Mr . Randegger ' s setting of " The Captive Usurper , " which is both characteristic and musicianly . This was expressively rendered by Miss Cicely Nott , who appeared some years ago with success at the concerts of the late M . Jullien . Miss Emma Heywood , who may be remembered as the contralto in " Once Too Often" produced at Drury-lane
, two or three seasons back , was heard to advantage in the solo " The ship sailed on , " and Mr . Swift distinguished himself honourably in the hymn of adoration , " Hail to Arimanes . " The management is also entitled to praise for having provided an efficient chorus , under the experienced direction of Mr . Beale .
HAYMABKET THEATRE . Sheridan ' s comedy of " The Rivals " was represented at this hous 1 : on AA ednesclay , chiefly for the purpose of introducing to a London audience Miss Suowdon , of the Brighton Theatre , who appeared as Mrs . Malaprop . There might possibly be a more comic , but there could not easily he a more comely , representative of the character . Indeed , Miss Snowdon's qualifications are expressly of that order which renders her ineligible
for the impersonation of such a part . A tall , stately figure , a handsome and expressive face , and a graceful and dignified deportment , are matters which , however estimable in themselves , and beneficial to their possessor , do not in this particular instance aid the dramatic illusion of the scene , or tend to realise one's idea of that " weather-beaten , old she-dragon , " who excited the horror of Captain Absolute . Miss Snowden is too young and too pretty to he accepted as an efficient exponent
of so formidable a character . The role is as little suited to her powers as to her appearance , and though she recited the text very glibly , and seemed to be blissfully unconscious of the havoc she was making in the English language , while ingeniously engaged in " the nice derangement of her epitaphs , " she failed to give adequate expression to the whimsical conceit , the fantastic drolleryand the roughhe-art y humour in which the
, , part abounds . She was received , however , with great favour ; and it is probable that she will prove attractive in characters in which the graces of her person and the refinement of her manner may be more consistently and more advantageously displayed .
CRYSTAL PALACE . Monday was a great day at the Crystal Palace ; the two railway companies from Dover to London , in connection with their steam-boat services to Dover and Folkestone , ran day excursion trains to the Crystal Palace , which enabled them to see the building and the grounds in their autumnal glory . Every preparation was made by the directors for the welcome of their
French visitors , even to the rather questionable taste of hoisting the French flag on the rosary ; and Blondin performed , and the " ghosts" appeared , and the fountains played . The enjoyment of the day rose to enthusiasm when the Prince of Wales , the King of the Greeks , and their respective suites appeared on the ground , and appeared fully to appreciate the interest of the scene . There were about 10 , 000 persons present .