548 THINGS THEATRICAL. 



It has been said, we think invidiously and unjustly, that in this 

 character she is little more than a copyist of Pasta. Do our brother 

 critics recollect for the moment that the language of nature, the ex- 

 pression of nature, must necessarily be the same in all essentials ? Is 

 it therefore wonderful, that even without having seen each other, two 

 great actresses, closely resembling each other, in their natural charac- 

 ters, and conformation of mind, should also resemble each other in the 

 delineation of an imaginary personage ? But there is one convincing 

 proof to us that the performance of Grisi, is original and not a copy. 

 A copyist imitates faults as well rs beauties. Now it cannot be con- 

 cealed that Pasta has her defects, some natural, others arising from the 

 peculiarity of her style. Now in all the copyists of Pasta that we have 

 ever heard, there is the same forcing of the voice, producing a degree 

 of huskiness, and the same unnatural intonation, which we must con- 

 sider as blemishes in the singing of this great artiste. But from these 

 La Grisi is free. As we do not believe Pasta to be a copyist, so do 

 we also believe that La Grisi is capable of originality of conception 

 and execution. Pasta has hitherto been the undisputed queen of the 

 musical drama, but she may have, she has a rival in La Grisi. 



Ivanhoff is a young man evidently of Russian extraction. His face 

 and person are decidedly tramontane ; and we could almost fancy that 

 his temporary residence in the southern climate of Europe had thawed 

 a voice which would for ever have remained frozen under the unge- 

 nial influence of his native skies. It is not, as had been supposed, a 

 tenor, but a species of voice usually applied to the Opera Buffa, 

 and adapted for a range of characters and style of music requiring 

 no great energy of passional expression, but demanding principally 

 a considerable compass and flexibility. 



He possesses taste and feeling, and having been a pupil of Nosari 

 has received the best instructions in his art. He has already profited 

 much, and if he devotes himself diligently to his professional studies 

 will prove an efficient representative of those characters now filled by 

 Jlubini. Of his articulation we must speak in the highest praise, and 

 he has the advantage of a firmness of voice, which the former great 

 artiste does not possess. 



Of Mrs. Seguin we speak with great pride and pleasure because she 

 is an Englishwoman, and an eleve of one of our English Institutions, 

 the Royal Academy. She appeared for the first time at the Italian 

 Opera as Jane Seymonr in Anna Bolena. Comparisons have been 

 drawn between her and Madame Caradori, but we will not enter in- 

 to them for two reasons. We admire Madame Caradori too much to 

 be thought for one moment to undervalue her merits ; and when there 

 is so great a disparity in the experience of the two rivals, a fair critic 

 will be under great difficulties how to form a correct judgment. But 

 we must compliment Mrs. Seguin, as well on the diligent study as on 

 the correct conception of her part. She sang with taste, energy, and, 

 above all, in very good tune. Will she forgive us for suggesting to 

 her that if she has forgotten the lessons of her former masters, she 

 would listen with advantage to the articulation of Ivanhoff. 



