THE 'HE dramatic world of London is busy enough just now. Seldom, indeed, do we find such a round of attractive pieces at the principal theatres as are to be seen at present.

At the Princesses there is the famous " Rip Van Winkle," with Mr. Jefferson acting the part of the hero as superbly as ever. It is indeed a pleasure to have got this magnificent actor back among us, and no one should lose the opportunity of witnessing one of the most picturesque and finished performances that have ever been given in this country.

At the Gaiety, too, we are greeted with the sight of a well-known face and the sounds of a familiar voice, Mr. Toole has returned from his American tour as full of fun as ever, and the roars of laughter which greet him in his well-known characters of Simmons, in the "Spitalfields' Weaver," his finest part, by the way; Harry Coke, in "Off the Line;" and Spriggins, in "Ici on Parle Français," which he has probably played over two thousand times, show that he has lost none of his hold upon the theatre-going public. True, there is nothing new to see, but it is always well worth seeing; and it is quite possible that Mr. Toole might be able to hold the Gaiety stage with the very same pieces until this time next year.

At the Prince of Wales's we are treated to an admirable performance of Messrs. Charles Reade's and Tom Taylor's "Masks and Faces," another old favourite; the chief feature in which is Mrs. Bancroft's charming rendering of the part of Peg Woffington. With all the memories of a brilliant predecessor to contend with, Mrs. Bancroft makes such a very decided success of the part that it may be written down as one of her very best efforts. There is all the delicacy and refinement which her long experience as an actress of high-class comedy has given her, and all the old fun and vivacity which distinguished the Marie Wilton of the Strand. Mr. Bancroft's performance of Triplet, the shabby broken gentleman, a part which has hitherto been associated almost exclusively with the name of Mr. Benjamin Webster, has made an advance in his art, of which one would hardly have believed him capable. Mr. Bancroft has never yet made a mistake in his choice of a character, but in the parts in which he has hitherto been principally famous, he has always been felt rather to have been emphasizing, and at times exaggerating his own individual characteristics than pourtraying a distinct and separate character, as if in fact the parts were written up to Mr. Bancroft, rather than that Mr. Bancroft was accommodating himself to the part. But in "Masks and Faces there can be no doubt of the assumption any more than that

it is one of the most finished and conscientious character. Equally good in their way, though the characters are to a certain extent subordinate, are the Mabel Vane of Miss Ellen Terry and the Sir Charles Pomander of Mr. Charles Coghlan. On the whole, we may congratulate Mrs. Bancroft on having pitched upon a piece which appears so exactly to suit the powers of her very clever and carefully assorted company.

Mr. Henry Irving's "Macbeth" still continues to attract crowds to the Lyceum. We have already expressed our opinion about this remarkable performance, and do not see any reason to alter it. That "everybody," to use the usual phrase, would run to see it, was of course to be expected; and no doubt Mr. Irving has many admirers who would set down every part he attempted as a success, simply because he attempted it. But we cannot believe that Mr. Irving's permanent fame-whatever that may be supposed to be-will rest upon his Shakesperian assumptions. As an actor of melodramatic parts, he was undeniably in the very front rank; and the sooner he returns to them the better, we venture to predict, will it be for his reputation.

A benefit performance of "The School for Scandal," which has taken place since we last wrote, was chiefly remarkable for the performance of the part of Lazy Teazle by Miss Emily Fowler. We have already had occasion to speak of the marked rise this lady has made in her art; and the performance to which we are alluding showed that she may be counted upon for doing something even much better than anything she has hitherto attempted.

Occupying as they do so distinct a position of rivalry to the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, it was only to be expected that the authorities at the Alexandra Palace would do their best to find some adequate counter-attraction to Mr. Mann's famous winter Saturday Concerts. They have shown the very truest wisdom in declining a competition with the Sydenham concerts, which would only have savoured of plagiarism, and provoked that comparison which is proverbially odious; and have decided to look for their chief attraction in another direction from that in which Mr. Manns has found for so many years the very highest form of entertainment for his patrons. The chief features of the Saturday Concerts at the Alexandra Palace are to be the revival of such forgotten works as may worthily be brought to light again, and the devotion of a certain section of the programme to music of a miscellaneous or popular character. The wisdom of the latter arrangement is self-evident; it enlarges to an extent impossible under the Crystal Palace arrangement the area of the probable patrons of the concerts, and at

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the same time allows those who care only for high-class music to dispense altogether with the popular element which so many find distasteful at Sydenham and yet are compelled to tolerate. As an earnest of what may be expected in the way of revivals, Handel's "Esther" was given at the opening concert, which took place on Saturday, November 6. A better selection could hardly have been made, since "Esther" not only possesses several features of interest peculiar to itself, but also served admirably to display to the best advantage the powers of the musical forces, choral and instrumental, which Mr. Weist Hill so ably directs. Not the least among the many claims which "Esther" has upon our attention, is the fact that it was the first of that magnificent series of oratorios which have given to their great composer undying fame. It was the first gush of the stream that gave us the "Israel," "Judas," Samson," and a host of other colossal works, culminating in the "Messiah." And yet how singular has been its fate. Written originally in 1720, when Handel held the position of organist or "chapel-master" to his magnificent patron the Duke of Chandos at Cannons, for a small and select circle of friends, it was not performed publicly until some years later; and after having been given only a very few times, has been since the year 1757 shelved as a complete work, until only the other day. So many are the beauties of the work, and so thoroughly characteristic are they of the composer's very best style, that it is hardly possible to understand how it has been, and it undoubtedly has been, among the least-known of all Handel's oratorios. The overture which, for many years, has been played at the annual festival of the Sons of the Clergy at St. Paul's, has been really the only familiar number in the whole work. However, now it has once been resuscitated, we may hope that it may often be heard, and there will be no doubt about the popularity either of the lovely airs with which it abounds, or the choruses, which, though less frequent than in most of Handel's subsequent oratorios, are among the most effective he ever wrote. The performance at the Alexandra Palace was worthy the occasion. It was evident that the very greatest pains had been taken with the rehearsals, and the result was that both band and chorus were well up in their respective parts. The soloists were Mademoiselle Nouver, an English lady hitherto unknown in our concert rooms, though her clear soprano voice renders her a decided acquisition, Miss Enriquez, Mr. Howell, Mr. Wadmore, and Mr. Vernon Rigby. Mr. Weist Hill conducted the performance most carefully and zealously.

Meanwhile, at the Crystal Palace, Mr. Manns has got through about half of his ante-Christmas series, and the chief attraction he offers to his patrons continues to be the playing of his unrivalled orchestra. This season, moreover, it appears to be a prominent feature of Mr. Manns's arrangement to familiarize his audience with the most favourable specimens of modern music which have

not hitherto been heard in this country. Thus we have had a programme overture by Herr Volkmann, entitled Richard III., and supposed to depict, musically, the chief scenes in Shakespeare's play of that name; and a symphony, somewhat eccentric in form but abounding in passages of great beauty, by Joachim Raff, together with other pieces of minor importance by Chopin, Liszt, and other composers.

Mr. Chappell commenced his eighteenth season of Monday Popular Concerts on November 8, and found his patrons as numerous and enthusiastic as ever. Two only of his usual string quartette were present, namely, Messrs. L. Rico and Zerbini; the first violin being in the hands of Herr Wilhelmj, whom one sees gladly in a position so much more worthy of him than that which he has been occupying lately; while Herr Daubert was a thoroughly efficient substitute for Signor Piatti; and Madame Essipoff appeared as the solo pianiste. With such a large proportion-for Mr. Chappell-of fresh faces, the presence of Sir Julius Benedict, who has for so many years given his valuable aid at these concerts, was doubly welcome. His accompaniments to the vocal music were as faultless as ever. Most of the pieces given at the opening concert were well-known favourites -the only novelty being a trio for the pianoforte and strings, written by Herr Bargiel, half-brother of Madame Schumann. This work had, as must always be the case at the Monday "Pops," the greatest possible advantage; but it cannot be said to have been a great success: it is ambitious without being effective. The vocalist was Mr. William Shakespeare, a former pupil of the Royal Academy of Music, who has already done some good work, both as a

pianist and as a composer. He possesses a tenor voice of

much sweetness, and sings with considerable taste and skill. The first of the Saturday afternoon concerts—an institution which only a few years ago branched off from the parent tree-was given on the Saturday following the first Monday concert. At subsequent concerts Signor Pezze has taken the violoncello, and Madlle. Anna Meklig has been the pianiste.

Mr. Walter Bache gave his annual pianoforte recital on Monday, November 1, at St. James's Hall, assisted by Mrs. Beesley, whose first performance last season at a concert given by her instructor, Dr. Hans von Bülow, created such a marked sensation, and Herr Wilhelmj.

Our remaining items of musical news must be briefly summarized. The Promenade Concerts at Covent Garden will have terminated before this meets the eyes of our subscribers, and the house will be given over to Mr. Rice for his Christmas Pantomime. Mr. Carter's series of Oratorio performances at the Albert Hall are going on with a fair amount of success; but up to this time the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society has made no sign. We hear, however, that they are proposing to give a grand concert on December 20, at which Mesdames Nilsson and Trebelli will assist.