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196
ANNALS OF THE
ziani ; Sheriffo, Kinni ; Lady Henrietta, Grisi ; Nancy,
Viardot Garcia.
Monday, nth.
" Marta," repeated.
Tuesday, i2th. "Trovatore."
Wednesday, 1 3th. "Macbeth."
Thursday, i4th.
"
Marta."
Saturday, i6th.
"
Marta," repeated. Grisi's benefit,
and last night of the engagement.
The first performance of " Macbeth " formed a special
feature during this engagement. This work contains
some of Verdi's best writing and scoring, but the absence
of a soprano part has prevented the Opera from be-
coming as popular as others by the same eminent com-
poser. Lady Macbeth is a mezzo-soprano indeed,
almost a contralto part and the interpretation was such as
might be expected from the musical and dramatic powers
of a Viardot. Her " make-up " was evidently formed on
that of Mrs. Siddons ; and in the bedroom scene the
likeness to the received portraits of the latter great
actress was very striking ; and some very old playgoers,
who had seen the sister of the great Kemble act the part
in Crow-street Theatre, gave evidence to this effect, and
were much struck with Viardot's magnificent perform-
ance, which was, indeed, a high Shakesperean study, well
worthy of witnessing, even if deprived
of the beautiful
music. Graziani, also, added much to his already great
reputation as a vocalist by his excellent reading, and, in
some parts, powerful efforts to do justice, in a histrionic
point of view, to the grand part of the great English poet,
as far as the crippled medium of a rather weak translation