THE OPERA.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 56, 11 December 1871, Page 3

THE OPERA.

This music crept, by me upon, the tenters ; Allaying both their fur// and my passion, With its sweet air. —Shakespeare. When the name of “ Norma ” is even mentioned, there arises in each one’s mind the name of Grisi, and why this should he the case is somewhat strange, as though for years amongst the opera-goers of London, Paris, indeed of the Old World, there was but one “ Norma,” and that ‘•Norma ” Grisi ; still I question if one out or every hundred people taken at random from amongst those who attend opera on the Thames ever even caught sight of the great Grisi. The intimate connection between the names “ Norma” and Grisi then must arise from the fact that though, as I have said, not one in every hundred of us saw her, the fame she acquired in this part was so great that it has penetrated quite outside the mere opera world. 1, however, would not have said anything of the connection between Grisi aud “ Norma ” were it not that whilst I am quite content that the connection should exist 1 would deprecate that which I heard a good deal of on Saturday afternoon and night, the throwing of Grisi at my head, as it were, by those amateur critics amongst us, who have suddenly developed in lovers of opera. I was being continually informed throughout the afternoon by these gentlemen (who, I am happy to say, are but an insignificant minority of the community) that they were afraid “ Norma wouldn’t go down,” that “No one could do Norma like Grisi, you know,” and finally “ Whilst Signora Zenoni was playing and singing the part, in a manner, to my mind which did her infinite credit, that “ You should have heard Grisi my hoy.” Now it so happens that I have heard Grisi, my boy,” and at the risk of being accounted no judge, I am bound to say that, with the exception of the voice. Lucy Escott’s Norma was as good a performance. Pursue me as a heretic if you will, that is my opinion. Lucy Escott’s acting was superb. Now, lam not about to enter the lists on behalf of Signora Zenoni by making any comparison between her performance and that other singer’s. I will take her acting in singing as Norma “ per se,” and doing so, I am certain I but reecho the opinions of all who were in the Royal on Saturday night, when I say, that it was a performance such as might well inspire admiration. That it should have been so is the more pleasing to me, as from her very excellent rendering of Lucrczia Borgia, I anticipated that she would not be wanting in the more forcible parts of the character of the Druid priestess. Nor was she; her denunciation of Pollio was magnificently rendered, whilst in the more pathetic scenes, she displayed an amount of feeling that awoke quite a sympathetic regard in the audience. In the well-known “ Casta Diva,” Signora Zenoni sang with a power and evidently due appreciation of the sacred nature of the air that lent peculiar dignity to this portion of the opera. Signora Cortesi was Adalgisa, and was also no small acquisition. She lias her voice, though it be not a very powerful one, under complete control, and she uses it to the very best advantage. In the grand duet at the end of the third act, Signoras Zenoni and Cortesi were more enthusiastically applauded and encored than have any artistes since the company have been here, and the sameina scarcely lesser degree with the duett in the second act. Signor Rosnati sang the words allotted to Pollio very sweetly, and it is unnecessary to say that Signor Dondi as Oroveso made a highly dignified and majestic High Priest. Permit me to congratulate myself and all who like operas upon the announcement made previously to the rising of the curtain in the second act, that Signors C'agli and Pompei’s Company would remain amongst us for another week, aud present even a better programme than that with which they have already favored us. Incledon.