THE OPERA.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1856, 3 February 1880, Page 3

THE OPERA.

The performance last night of the " Lily of Xillarney " and the seeond act of " Luoia," the net proceeds of which are to be given over to the Irish limine Fund, wis in most respeots a great success. In a monetary point of view the amount taken must have quite realised the expectations of its energetic promoter Profibs ir Hughes, who exercised his influence with the different bodies with a result which testified itself in a splendid house. The drees circle, although not crowded, was comfortably lull, hut the stalls and pit were closely picked. In an artistic point of view there was not much that could be found fault with. Here and there a weakness was evident in the vocal parts, but some of this may be laid to the orchestra's account, for the playing was undeniably heavy, especially in the trios and quartettes. Founded upon Griffin's novel " The Collegian, " or " Colleen Bawn," the " Lily of Killarney " is a mixture of good music with a very foolish libretto, and it does seem surprising how the composer, who afterwards gave to tho 'world his treatment of a most sublime and lofty subject in his Oratorio of St. Peter, should have associated music with a plot of such a trifling character. No doubt we mty find fault wi h many a libretto in the same way ; but of the operas that are the most in v >gue, we doubt much if there is one which runs so much in one vein, and has so little of lofty sentiment about it. It is perhaps a pity that the libretto is not in Italian, as very few would then understand anything about it, whioh would be just as well. Madime Hersee us the " Colleen Bawn," was very suece.-sf ul in her soli, but the fault before mentioned, the orchestra being too heavy in the concerted pieces, prevented her making so marked an effect there. The romance "In my wild mountain valley " to a thoroughly Irish melody, was delightfully given, and the same must be said of the soli pieces in the quartette following. In the air "I'm alone " she was loudly applauded, but not allowed to finish it before tne demand for the repetition was made. I». the acting of the character she was irreproachable. Miss Lambert, as Ann Chute, managed well in the air and duet, " The eye of love is keen," considering the difficulty of the instrumentation in its peculiar catchy time, but the finish in the duet with Hardreua was very effective. Her chief success rests with the air at the commencement of the last act, and here she was loudly applauded, to which she responded by repeatihg it. Mrs Fox was deserving of praise for her impersonation of Mrs Cregan, and she made the success of the duet " No blot." Mr Beaumont, in Hardress, has been seldom heard in better voice. He gave the duet " I come, I come," with Danny Mann, where both sing together, in capital style ; but the ballad " Eily Mavourneen," was his crowning sucoess, and he had to repeat it. Mr Johnston, in " It is a charming girl I love," and " Xour slumbers," drew forth approbation, but his appearance with Etly above water, with no breath left to sing, was the signal for a storm of applause. Mr Templeton's Danny Mann, one who, despite a certain amount of abuse, clings too faithfully to his master, is one of his best characters, and he was rewarded with an encore in the air " The Colleen B >wn." Mr Howell, in the character of Father Tom, was, as he always is, particularly good, and Mr Levison as Mr Oorrigan, gave a very good impersonation of that obsequious and graspingly ambitious personage. Of the concerted musio the hunting chorus was by far the best, the voices being well together from first to last. The second act of Lucia was splendidly rendered, the seatette even gaining by comparison with that on the former occasion, and that is saying a great deal. The last note taken by Signora Coy in this was D flUt in alt, and with as great purity as if it had been the A. The finale was one of the grandest of the season, Signor Coy and Signor Verdi, whom the music in this act specially suits, being heard to great advantage. The public seemed thoroughly to appreciate the fact that they had full value for their money upon this occasion. We are pleased to see " Aida" is to be repeated, and the success that attended its last representation should ensure a like success to-night.