Circus, was destroyed by fire August 12, 1805; and Covent Garden was burnt down September 20, 1808—the firc being supposed to have been caused by a piece of wadding from a gun fired during the performance of Pizarro. It was, of course, a tremendous conflagration, and unfortunately resulted in loss of life, besides the loss of many original scores of Handel, Arne, and other eminent composers, together with Handel's organ. Plans for a new theatre were soon got out, and Mr. Smirke (afterwards Sir Robert, to whom we owe the beautiful British Museum, and the General Post Office) was the architect. The first stone was laid, with much Masonic pomp, on the 31st of December, 1808, by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, and a distinguished circle of guests, being present. The weather was unpropitious, but immense crowds of people were present; and it is curious to learn, as showing the defective police of the time, that "The Horse Guards patrolled the streets, and several of the Volunteer Corps did duty on the occasion." Within two months from the above date, Drury Lane Theatre was totally destroyed by fire. On the 24th of February, about 11 p.m., it was discovered, and it did not take long before the whole was in a blaze; not for want of precautions, for it seems they had adopted the best accepted preventitives of a great theatrical conflagration known to modern architects, viz., an iron curtain, and a huge reservoir of water on the top of the building-the latter being DRURY LANE BURNT. 137 described as 66 a mere bucket full to the volume of fire on which it fell, and had no visible effect in damping it," which may be comforting for modern playgoers to remember. Nor was it long in burning; by 5 a.m. the flames were completely subdued "-that is, there was nothing left to burn. Very little was saved, only a bureau and some looking-glasses, from Mrs. Jordan's dressingroom, and the "Treasury" books and some papers. Sheridan took his loss, outwardly, with great sang froid, one anecdote affirming that, on a remark being made to him that it was a wonder he could bear to witness the destruction of his property, he replied, "Why! where can a man warm himself better than at his own fire-side?" However, by his energy, he soon found temporary premises for his company, and, having obtained a special license from the Lord Chamberlain, he took the Lyceum and opened it on the 25th of September, or, within a week of the fire. CHAPTER XL. The O. P. Riots-Causes of--Madame Catalani-Kemble's refutation of chargesOpening of the theatre, and commencement of the riots-O. P. medals, &c."The house that Jack built "-A committee of examination-Their reportA reconciliation dinner-Acceptation of a compromise-"We are satisfied "Theatre re-opens-Re-commencement of riots-The proprietors yield, and the riots end. W E now come to the celebrated O. P. Riots, which find no parallel in our theatrical history, and which would require at least two thick volumes to exhaust. Never was there anything so senseless; never could people have been more persistently foolish; they would listen to no reason; they denied, or pooh-poohed, every fact. O. P. represents "Old Prices," and, as the management of the new theatre had raised the price of their entertainment, as they had a perfect right to do, these people demanded that only the old prices should be charged for admission. It was in vain that it was pointed out that very early notice was given of the intended rise, as indeed MADAME CATALANI. 139 it was, directly after the destruction of the fire-vide Morning Post, September 24, 1808: "The Managers, we understand, intend to raise the price of admission, when they open at the Opera to 7s. for the boxes, and to 4s. for the pit. The admission for the galleries to remain as before. Much clamour has already been excited against this innovation, but we think unjustly." Had this been the only grumble, probably no more would have been heard of it, but all sorts of rumours got about-That the proprietors, of whom Kemble was one (and, except on the stage, he was not popular), would make a handsome profit out of the insurance, and sale of old materials; that the increased number of private boxes, with their ante-rooms, were built for the special purpose of serving as places of assignation for a debauched aristocracy; and, therefore, a virtuous public ought to rise in its wrath against them. And last, but not least, they tried to enlist patriotic feelings into the question, and appealed to the passions of the mob-(remember we were at war with the French, and the ignorant public could not discriminate much between the nationality of foreigners) as to whether it was fair to pay such enormous nightly sums to a foreigner-which sums were partly the cause of the rise in price-when native talent was going unappreciated. This foreigner was Madame Angelica Catalani, a lady who was born at Sinigaglia, in 1779. At the early age of twelve, when at the convent of St. Lucia, at Gubbio, her beautiful voice was remarkable, and when she left the convent, at the age of fifteen, she was compelled to get a living on the stage, owing to her father's ruin. At sixteen, she made her début at Venice, in an opera by Nasolini; and she afterwards sang at Florence, at La Scala in Milan, at Trieste, Rome, and Naples. Her fame got her an engagement at Lisbon, where she married M. MADAME CATALANI. Valabrègue, a French officer went to Madrid, thence to Paris, she came to London, where she speedily became the rage. According to one biographer (Fétis), she gained immense sums here; but I much doubt his accuracy. He says: "In a single theatrical season which did not last more than four months, she gained about 180,000 francs (£7,200), which included her benefit. Besides that, she gained, in the same time, about 60,000 francs (£2,400) by soirées and private concerts. They gave her as much. as 200 guineas for singing at Drury Lane, or Covent Garden God save the King,' and Rule, Britannia,' ' |