A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON. Feminine Facts, Fancies, and Frivolities.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 108, 27 June 1885, Page 6

A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON. Feminine Facts, Fancies, and Frivolities.

(BY ELISK.)

GoitiN a Thomas's NewOpera— "Nadeshda - j Mus Lanqtry— Txik Author of "Society ( m London :" Who. is it?— An BxtbaorDINAHY SUCCESS IN 8 WEEKS— AMUSING Gossip -Florence Warden's Nkw Story M A Princk ov Darkness "—Her other Works, London, April 23. We went toDrury Lane Theatre last Thursday to hear the new opera by Mr Goring Thomas, about which tho musical world is talking so much. I can't say I greatly en joyed myself, or that I thought the work particularly pleasing. Luckily the popularity of tueee "musicians of the future doesn't hold out long. This time last year Dr. Viliies Stanford was the hero of the hour, and everybody was praising his 11 Canterbury Pilgrims." Boosey, who bought the copyright of that opera for £1,500, put it up to auction the other day. There was only one bid-five pounds. "Nadeehda" is not, I am bound to say, such stuff as the " Canterbury Pilgrims.'' It contuins lyrics which, taken per se, are charming, and will doubtless bo heard in many drawing-rooms. A sardonic drinking song for the baritone, " Our Sires were Stout and Brave," a soprano air, "As When the Snowdrift in the Dell," and another, /« Oh I River, Dear River," may be instanced as examples. The scene of "Nadeshda" is laid in Russia, Prince Voldemar wad his brother Ivan are both in love with a serf girl on their estate, who has also an adorer in Ostap, a day labourer. Voldemar promises to give Ivan any possession of his he likes to ask for on his birthday. Ivan demands Nadeshda. Voldemar, however, has set the serf girl free in order that she might not be one of his possessions. Ivan, very angry, trios to abduct Nadeahda, but is stabbed by Ostap, who afterwards kills himsolf. Voldemar's mother makes a futile attempt to stop the Prince marrying the humble heroine, but is, of course, foiled, and all ends happily ! Mrs Langtry has, I am very glad to hear, achieved a genuine success as La iy Ormonde in "Peril' (jS t os Fatimes). We have not been to the Princes' yet, but they say her acting is clever, and her dresses something to envy and dream about. " Who wrote ' Society in London '?" is the quostion one hears asked everywhere just j now. The little volume has barely been out a fortnight, yet it has already reached a third edition, and is increasing in popularity daily. I certainly enjoyed reading it thoroughly. Women dearly love gossip, and thi3 is such capital gossip, goodnatured, and literally full of epigram. The author never scans mischievous. At times one comes across an allusion that smacks oi malico, but the ill-nature, if any, is so daintily wrapt up that even the objects themselves must be in doubt what to think. Take tho description of Mrs Gladstone, for example. Nothing could be better. Many will consider it a portrait ; even the ludy's friends may doubt whether tho pervading touch of satire was not involuntary. On one point all are protty well agreed. The author of "Society in London" is a man. The knowledge displayed of the cliques and sots into which society is broken up would havo been far moro oxacL if it had been a woman. Much of the book, too, is composed of the sort of stuff that men talk at their clubs. At least so Tom says. _ The criticisms are smoking - room criticisms, smart, but not always reliable. I have not road a good novel for an ago now. Edna Lyall's "Donovan" (six shillings) wa« the last I liked. " A Prince of Darkness," the story Florence Wordcn is contributing to the "World," promises to prove far the best thing she has done so far. I see from an interview in the London "Ago" that both her "Dog With a Bad Name " (recently issued in 3 vols.) and " A Vagrant Wife " now running through the "Family Herald"), were both written before "The Houso on the Marsh."