THE ENGLISH OPERA.
WHEN Mr. HENRY PHILLIPS withdrew abruptly from the English Opera-house, which he and some other performers had opened under the management of Mr. BALFE for their mutual interests, be alleged as his reason, in a letter to the Times, that the part of Ombrastro, in Mr. BALM'S opera of Keolanthe, was utterly unsuited to him. This public explanation of his defection has produced a statement from Mr. BALFE, with the correspondence which had passed on the subject between the two : and if all is told in Mr. BALFE'S pamphlet, it seems that Mr PHILLIPS'S motives are very different from those he avowed. There is a lady in the case. Before the opening of the theatre, Mr. Purr-- LIPS went to Dublin, to fulfil an engagement ; promising to return in time for the rehearsal of Keolanthe. While there, in a letter to Mr. BALFE, speaking of the part of Ombrastro, he said, "The more I sing the songs, the better I like them." His dislike to the part had not yet been conceived He was still at Dublin, when he received a letter from Mr. BALFE, of which the following is the substance, set down from memory ; no copy of the original having been kept- " My dear Phillips—I have arranged with Mr. Arnold, and I think that we shall have an excellent season. I am doing all in my power to get the patronage of her Majesty. We shall open positively, as settled between us, on Saturday March 6th ; and we shall get on with the rehearsals as well as we can without you until Wednesday the 3d of March, when of course you will be with us as greed upon. I have now a little matter to consult you about; and that is, several persons have made very ill-natured remarks on hearing that I had en- gaged Miss —. Some said, I suppose you could not get Mr. P. without her : and one or two said, that if she came on the English Opera stage, they would hiss her off. Now I wish to know how you feel upon the subject. I will do exactly as you direct, but let me have your answer immediately. "Yours truly, M. W. BAr.s.n." Here is Mr. Printros's reply ; the peculiarly emphatic typography being in accordance with the underscorings of the original— "13th February 1841. 12, Nassau Street, Dublin. " My dear Balfe—For what purpose is this sad persecution still persisted in? I am extremely sorry that I ever asked you to engage her, but having done so, am the more grieved at the result, especially when I see so many women patronized, run after, indeed almost worshipped, with not one-tenth of her VIRTUE or MIND, and here on the mere suspicion that an intimacy exists, do they but see the prospect of a wreck, and all pains are taken to sink the noble vessel farther under. I will not farther comment upon this unfortunate trans- action. For me now to join you is of course quite out of the question ! not be- cause she is not there, but that I would not upon any account have her know the cause that must be assigned, did I enter on the speculation alone after what has passed. I do heartily wish you success for all our sakes, and hoping still to see happier days and more congenial feelings, "I am, most cordially and sincerely yours, H. Pei-maps. "The part shall be returned tomorrow, or next day.
"Oh, Balfe, I admire your countrymen. I never yet sang before so intelli- gent and enthusiastic an audience.
" M. W. Balfe, Esq., 61, Conduit Street, Regent Street, London."
Mr. BALFE wrote again, saying that he had literally meant merely to ask Mr. Parm.res's advice upon a question which had been suggested by the inquiries of others ; disavowing any intention of retreating from the engagement that had been proposed for the lady ; and hoping that the matter had not been mentioned to her. Mr. Pstruzos replied-
" 17th February 1841. 12, Nassau Street, Dublin.
"My dear Balfe—I wrote on the instant to Miss — and you may imagine the result. I am fully sensible of your intended kindness to her, but a thousand pounds a week would not tempt her to enter the theatre. Now so far con are rid of her.
"-The music and part were returned yesterday before your letter arrived, I having in a rage acceded to Mr. Caleraft's request to lengthen my engagement here, if given leave of absence from Exeter Hall on the 5th. The only way that I see now to get over this difficulty is to let Stretton play the part at first, and I will take it, if you like, when I come to town, or remain ready for your second opera, but on these conditions, that you give me IMMEDIATELY the names and addresses of those infernal and cowardly scoundrels that have so valiantly threatened to hiss this poor girl off the stage ; or, if a woman, show her to me, that I may wring from her black and withered heart the white blood that festers there. And may the eternal curse of God light from this hour on their heads, and blast their fiiture prospects of life, as they have tried to wither this poor ungending girl's. " Their names and addresses, if you are a man, Balfe, do not withhold them from me, and you shall see bow a man can meet them.
"If it is necessary that you make some apology for my absence, I feel as- sured you will do nothing unconnected with the truth, to injure "Yours most sincerely, H. Parmrs. " P.S If you doubt the fact of my having protracted my engagement here, at the request of Mr. Calcraft, be will himself write to you to that effect : he is a gentleman and a man of honour, and would not tell a falsehood.
"Tied I not been prevented being with you by my engagement here, I could not have appeared at first without making the wound even deeper than it is. There is a singular fatality in my life. I never yet set my seal on any building or person but it came to pass—you will witness it in this instance ere long This just curse will I breathe, please God, at the altar of St. Andrew's, next Sunday.
"M. W. Balfe, Esq., 61, Conduit Street, Regent Street, London."
From this time Mr. PHILLIPS made every excuse to avoid fulfilling his engagement : he said that he had extended his engagement with the Dublin manager, in a rage ; and then he sent a surgeon's certifi- cate, stating that he was too ill with inflammation on the chest, in con- sequence of a fall, to travel or sing. Suspecting his sincerity, Mr. BALFE sent his solicitor by express to Dublin. The man of law arrived on Wednesday evening the 3d March, the very day that Mr. PHILLIPS ought to have been in London ; and on repairing straight to the theatre, be found the soi-disant sick man on the stage singing in full vigour. The lawyer brought the truant back ; and Mr. PHILLIPS at length joined company on the 8th March, in perfect voice, notwith- standing his fall. He frequently, however, evinced much discontent ; refused to play in a new opera by MACFARREN, which he himself bad recommended.; at length raised a difficulty about the part of Ombrastro ; and finally refused to play it on the 6th April.
The evasion of PHILLIPS has not only affected his own character, but, we fear, introduced embarrassment into the arrangements of the theatre for the season. It has removed BAUM from the orchestra to the stage, which he had quitted; and it hinders or mars the presentation of new operas. This week, a whimsical trifle, //Paddy Whack in Italia, a sort of operatic farce, written and composed by SAMUEL LOVER, has been per- formed several times, in the place of Keolanthe. It is full of jokes, puns, disguises, surprises ; with a pleasant sprinkling of light music, and some employment for everybody. A young actress and singer, Miss WAL- STEIN, made a favourable impression on her first appearance ; and at the fall of the curtain, LOVER, laughing, was led on or dragged on by BALFE.
Another new piece, of which the name is not yet announced, is by an amateur authoress and composer, Mrs. MABERLY ; who presents it to Madame BALFE on the occasion of her benefit.
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