THE OPERA.

Evening Star, Issue 3457, 21 March 1874, Page 2

THE OPERA.

“ Satanella” was produced last night at the Princess 'Theatre to a crowded house, and proved one of' the most attractive operas that has yet been performed. Although many of the touching melodies with which this happy work of Balfe’s abounds are familiar to every pianist, and have been worked into our memories, by being arranged in every variety of form, from the ballad to the , dance or instrumental duet, the younger branches of families in Dunedin have had little opportunity of seeing this opera —it has not been played here for some years. The plot is founded upon one of those pretty German legends, beneath which so often lies a moral truth. Divested of the mystic surroundings, the legend is intended to show that no being, no matter what the surroundings, can be completely lost, who is capable of love. The heroine is Satanella, a slave to Arimanes, the chief of a company of evil spirits, by whom she is commanded to tempt Rupert, a wild and thoughtless prince, to perdition. In fulfilment of her commission she appears as his page, pours worldly wealth upon

him, and, changing her form to that of a beau-; tiful woman, haunts him in dreams, and ulti-, mately becomes so deeply in love with him as: to seek to marry him. When about to proceed to the altar, disguised as Delia, his foster sister: and intended bride, she is brought back to obedience by being apparently struck dead, and, being threatened with some terrible punishment by her infernal master, she swears to accomplish Rupert’s destruction. Delia having been carried off by pirates affords her the opportunity, through the anxiety of Rupert for her release, in order to obtain which he enters into a contract sealed with his own blood that his soul and body shall, within a given period, become the property of the Evil One. On the eve of his marriage with Delia Satanella claims the fulfilment of the bond, when love again triumphs, and regardless of the terrible doom which she believes waits her through the anger of Arimanes, she destroys the bond. From this terrible punishment she is saved by the simple, unaffected piety of Della, who presents her with a rosary and cross, with which she repels the demons, and rises to eternal bliss. From this brief sketch of the plot it is plain that numerous highly wrought situations occur. The scenic artist has abundant opportunity of producing i startling _ effects, and Mr Willis availed Himself of it. Several of the scenes were very beautiful, and loud calls were made for Mr Willis, who, however, was most probably absent, as he did not respond to them. The approbation thus expressed was well deserved; The orchestra was well up in its work, and the accompaniments and chorus, with slight exception in regard to the latter, were well given. The chief weight of the piece fell on Miss Alice May, as Satanella; Miss Howe, as Delia; Mr Rainford, as Arimanes ; Mr TFfollarp, as Prince Rupert; Mr Templeton, who “doubled ” in piratical characters; and Mr Vernon, as Hortensius. The Princess Stella, Miss Dambert, and some of the accessorial

characters, are allowed to slip quietly out of sight after marking out the plot and making rooip for the leading characters. We should not however, forget that they. fulfilled their aplpbinted task on the whole well, and that without them the splendid singing of Miss May, Messrs Rainford, Templeton, and we have no hesitation in adding Mr Hallam, would have been in vain. We are inclined to think one of our morning contemporaries; asks too much, that in every case first-class' acting should be ♦combined with high musical acquirements. It seems to us, that not only is there no necessary connection between the two, but that only in very rare instances are talents of acting and effective singing attained. The reason is ( obvious ; music cannot be cultivated without almost exclusive attention, although, no _ doubt it is allied to, and materially assists correct elocution. Accordingly, those who like Miss May, Julia Matthews, Madame Eseott and some others, Were gifted with both talents were rather the exceptions than the rule. We remember seeing Braham, Mario, Lablache, Grisi, and others of less note at Her Majesty’s theatre, and observing that those whose acquaintance with music, as a science, was the highest, were, as actors, the least effective. We merely put this forward in explanation of the fact that some of the actors and actresses last evenin'* lacked that elocutionary power that might have been gained had they only had one talent to cultivate. ■ We should be glad to see them equally able in both brancheAof the histrionic art, but we know enough of the difficulties of each not to expect more than average, human nature is capable of. Miss i>lay,'on these grounds is a wonder. She is equally effective as an actress as a vocalist. In the expression of the passions her conception is correct and usually faultless, both in dramatic power and musical effect. Last night she, was well supported, especially in the third and last acts, and the' consequence was that no one who was present went away otherwise than delighted with “Satanella.”

To-night, “The Lily of Killarney” will be repeated. On Monday, when the “ Rose of Castile ” will be reproduced, the Port people will have an opportunity of hearing the. opera, as the Q-olden Age has been laid on for a late trip.