142 ltbflitTrE.
In a new version of La Ellie de P-irare, produced last Thursday at the Olympic with the title Daddy Hardarre, Mr. Robson has a ant worthy of himself. Valuable as ho is to the establishment as a comic actor, it is not in farces of the ordinary stamp that his true genius is revealed. While he has to deal with characters whose peculiarities lie on the surface, he may find many competitors ; but when he has to dive deep and. discover an internal nature of which outward contortions arts the mere exponents, he is alone in his task. Other actors make points, but he goes to the source of points ; and hence his details are infinite. To exploiter him (as the French would say) to the utmost, the parts assigned to him should involve a series of pscychological problems. The more exceptional the idiosyneracy he was called upon to depict, the bettor it would answer the purpose. If the various qualities to be exhibited were not absolutely incompatible with each other, his fine instinct would at once detect the key-note of them all, and the result of his efforts would be harmonious in every part.
The remark made by Mr. Ruskin in his early days with respect to the late Mr. Turner's pictures, that the spectator should merely regard them as so many vehicles of instruction, and not presume to judge the works of a master whose knowledge of nature must exceed that of every possible critic,—this remark, or something like it, may be recalled to mind by Mr. Robson's powerful delineation of the rustic miser in the now piece. He has actually become for the time the person he assumes to be ; and so naturally do his details result from the transformation, that we have no more right to judge of them from any theoretic point of view than to criticize the gestures of a man who is really in a passion. If you want to see a miser now chuckling over a bargain—now driven to the depths of despair because his beloved treasure is snatched from him, and withal endowed with a vein of paternal affection that runs athwart his ruling passion—there stands the person required, on the Olympic stage. Possibly you may not like him ; possibly lau may not accord with youridealistic notions ; the school of art to which the impersonation belongs may not be to your taste. With all this Mr. Robson has nothing to do. He has received an order to convert himself into a miser, and the order has been faithfully executed.
PARISIAN THEATRICALS.
At the Ambigu-Comiquo, there is a new drama by MM. Anicet Bourgeois and Dennery, entitled L'ilrettyle. A wealthy merchant has one son who is illegitimate, and another who is legitimate merely; without natural tie. The illegitimately natural is worthily disposed, but is plunged into misfortune by the wickedness of the non-naturally legitimate, and also by a sudden access of blindness that checks him in his career as an artist. Virtue triumphs at last, with the aid of a little hunch-backed doctor, who watches over the other personages as a sort of providence, and concludes his surveillance by shooting the non-naturally legitimate in a duel, and restoring the illegitimately natural to his father's arm&
MUSICAL GOSSIP.
This has been a week of some musical activity. The chief entertainments have been—the first of the annual series of concerts given by the Royal Academy of Music for the exhibition of the pupils ; several chamber concerts, given by individual artists ; and Israel in Egypt at Exeter Hall. The Academy concert was attended by Prince Albert and several other members of the Royal Family, a number of people of rank and fashion, and a host of professional notabilities. The concert was very satisfactory, and some of the young performers are likely to be heard of hereafter. On this occasion there was no specimen of attainment in composition.
Miss Arabella Goddard's soir6e, on Wednesday, was crowded with amateurs, all delighted with this young lady's powers, and with the light she throws upon the darkness of the pianoforte music of Beethoven's latter days. Another great pianist, Herr Pinter, has begun a series of similar concerts at Willis's Rooms. The first, injudiciously fixed on the same evening with Miss Goddard's, was nevertheless well attended. The novelty it presented was a masterly quintet for the piano arid windinstruments, composed by M. Pauer himself. In connexion with the Sacred Harmonic Society's performance of Israel in Egypt, we desire to call attention to the excellence of the libretto now published by the Society. It contains an analysis of the Oratorio, written by Mr. G. A. Maefarren ; an Essay of great interest, and a valuable contribution to our musical literature.
Mr. Gyp has announced that the Royal Italian Opera will open at the Lyceum Theatre on the 14th of April—the same night with the opening of Her Majesty's Theatre. He has not as yet put forth any programme.
Among the expected arrivals in the beginning of next month are Madame Viardot and Madame Schumann. Liszt is likewise talked of; but his /sliming seems doubtful. Mademoiselle Piccolomini has gone on a short professional tour in Italy, before she comes to London. 'When, with his orchestra, is going to enliven the phlegmatic Hollandesswith his waltzes and polkas.
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