MOW 'FAUST' WAS BOOMED.

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 529, 9 February 1889, Page 20

MOW 'FAUST' WAS BOOMED.

A LESSON FOE THEATRICAL MANAGERS. Coionel Mapleson's memoirs are just now the ialk of Lcmdon. Here is one »tory worth leading : - • In 1803 Colonel Mapleson produced in London Gounod's> ' Faust,' and paid the composer .£IOO to superintend the work. But the eccentric Frenchman did not reach London until nearly 7 o'clock on the night of the production, and all that the manager heard from him was a demand for a good pit box in the centre of the house. The story of that production is one of absorbing and curious nterest. _ j One afternoon, a few days before the time fixed | for the production of the opera, continues the | narrator, I looked in upon Mr Nugent at the box ; office, ar.d asked how the sale was going on. I 1 Very badly, indeed,' he repliod. Only £'i 0 worth of seats had been tak^n ! This j presaged a dismal failure, and I had set my mind on a brilliant success. 1 told Mr Nugent that I had decided to give ' Faust ' four nights in sue- j cession. He thought I must be mad, and assured me that one night would be more than enough, and that to persist in offering to the public a "work in which it took no interest was a deplorable mistake. I told him that not only should the opera be played four nichts in succession, but that for the first three not one seat should be sold beyond those already disposed of. That there might be no mistake I had all the remaining tickets for the three nights in question put away in carpet bags, which I took home with me that 1 might disibute them far and wide. At last, after a prodigious outlay in envelopes, and postage stamps nearly the whole mass of tickets for three nights bad been carefully given asvay. I advertised in the Time? that in consequence of t* death in the family, two stalls secured for the first representation of ' Faust' — the opera which was exciting so much interest that all places for the first three representations had been bought up— could be had at 25 shillings each, a Pmall advance on the box office price. The stalls thus liberally offered were on sale at the shop of Mr Phillips, a jeweller in Cockspur-street, and I told MrPhillips that if he succeeded in selling them I would present him with three for the use of his own family. He sold them three times over, and a like success was achieved by Mr 'Baxter, the stationer, in the &ame street. Meanwhile demands had been made at the boxoffice ior plwces, and when the would-be purchisers were told that every thing was gone they went away and lopeated it to their friends, who, in their turn came to see whether it was really impossible to obtain seat 3 for the first performance of an opera which wna beginning&to be

seriously talked about. As the time of production drew near these inquiries multiplied. ' If not for the first night, there surely must be places for the second,' was the cry. ' No ; everything was sold,' was the one answer at the office. The first representation took place June 11th, 1863, and the work was received with applause if not with enthusiasm. I had arranged for Gounod to be called ; and he appeared several times on the stage, much to the annoyance of Arditi (the conductor, to whom the credit of a good ensemble and a fine performance generally was duo. The opinions expressed by several distinguished amateurs as to the merits of the work were amusing. The late Lord Dudley said that the only striking numbers were the Old Men's Chorus and the Soldiers' March, which was going a step beyond Mr Gyc, who had seen nothing m it but the Soldiers' March. . . Another noble lord, when I asked him what ho thought of 'Faust,' replied: Bfi c This demand is most premature How am 1 to answer you until I have talked with my friends and read the criticisms in the morning papers r The second night the opera was more warmly received, and after the third performance the paying public, burning with a desire to see a work from which they had hitherto been debarred, hhed the theatre night after night. It is interesting to remember that the case tor that engagement comprised Titiena as Mavghorita, Giuglini as Faust, Trcbelli as Siebol, Gassier as Mephistopheles and Santley as Valentine. Patti sang Margherita for the first time on .Tune 7, 186f5.

— 'Do you enjoy good health, Mr« Gorgan I"' ' Faith Oi does that same whin Oi have it, but it's divil a little Oi have to enjoy at all.' —If it were the fashion for men to wear bustles they wouldn't know how to sit clown. Another evidence of woman's superiority. —'I hope there will be no begging letters in Heaven,'' said an Arch Hill lady who dispenses : royal ' bounties to the poor. ' Then go to the other place,' said her friend, ' where they will be burned before they reach you.' —The Aged Keason.— Daughter : ' Jut mamma, I would rather be a young 1 man's slave than an old man's darling.' Mamma : 'My child, I was an old man's darling. Take my advice and follow my example. The other will come in the course of time.' —Just Able to Tell the Policeman. —Mrs H jolignn •• ' Arran, Pat, is that yerself or your ghost Fwhat's ailin' year' Mr H. : 'Sure Oi fell ov the scaffold twenty fate hoi.srh.' Mrs 11. : ' Wuz ye 1 /, bad hurtedr' Mr H. : Dado Oi wuz ; Oiwir/ijust able to tell the placeman that Oi wuz onsi^^blo.' _-Couii)any to tea : Mistress (to newly-hired domestic .in.-; tout from ould Oireland) : ' Bridget, you have forgotten to put a spoon lor the stewed pears.' ,-,-,, Bridget : ' Sure, mum, Oi thought ye would mill 'em out be the tails, and so Oi did.' —He (cautiously)— ' What would you do, Fannie, if I were to kiss you ':' Fannie—' Nothing, Harry. What would there be for me to dor You could attend to it, couldn't your' —Lady — ' Hammocks, please.' Dealer— ' Yes'm ; something strong enough for two ' Lady— ' No ; strong enough for one. I'vo been married for three months.' — Not a Bad Idea: Johnny : : Tommy, let's put our pennt :stogether and buy ma a nice birthday present.' Tommy: 'AH right.' 1 What shall it be r' 'X think wo had better get her a panned slipper.'