Mrs. Siddons complained of the inferior measure of
applause that she obtained in the theatres of the provinces. At Drury
Lane her grand bursts of passion were received with prolonged cheering
and excitement, that gave her rest and breathing-time, and prepared
her for increased efforts. The playgoers of York were at one time so
lukewarm in their reception of popular players, that, at the instance
of Woodward, Tate Wilkinson, the manager, called on the chief patrons
of the theatre, and informed them that the actor was so mortified by
their coolness, that he could not play nearly so well in York as in
London, Dublin, and Edinburgh. The York audience benefited by the
remonstrance, and on Woodward's next appearance, greatly to his
delight, awarded him extraordinary applause.
The system of calling, or recalling, a favourite performer, which now
appears to be established in our theatres, is of foreign origin, and
was first instituted in London at the Italian Opera House. "It is the
highest ambition of the opera-singers,--like the Methodists--to have
a _call_" says Parke, the oboe-player, in his "Musical Memoirs,"
published in 1830; and he describes the opera season of 1824, when
Rossini was director and composer to the King's Theatre, and his wife,
Madame Colbran Rossini, appeared as _prima donna seria_; Madame Pasta
and Madame Catalani being also engaged for a limited number of nights.
Pages:
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553