| Main Performers | The Court and Lyric Theatre,
Gioconda Ballet
Signorina Roda (Italia)
Mr Alfred Harriss - organ |
| Set List | 'Aida - Grand March', Puccini (Gioconda Ballet),
Music for Dancing (Corelli Windeatt's Band),
Reminiscences of Shakespear plays (The Court and Lyric Theatre) |
| Performance Notes | Fancy dress (evening dress or uniform optional).
"FRIENDS OF ITALY
AT THE ALBERT HALL.
The Albert Hall took on a likeness to Venice last night, when the 'Friends of Italy' held their Venetian Ball. St. Mark's, the Rialto, and the Bridge of Sighs were recalled by scenery which shut out as much as possible of the more familiar features of the building. High Venetian masts contributed to the illusion, and coloured palli round the circle of the floor half convinced the observer (if he were gifted with some small power of fancy) that it would be as easy to tie up a gondola here as on the Grand Canal.
But the Venice which the 'Friends of Italy' aimed at portraying was not the modern resort of tourists; it was rather the Venice of history and romance, the Venice which held 'the gorgeous East in fee'. Miss Edith Craig was mistress and Mr Nugent Monck master of a pageant representing the Doge's Procession, in which Italian officers of the present day became senator, standard-bearers, and trumpeters of the old Venetian Republic, Colonel Headley Birt the Doge, Lady Muir Meckenzie the Dogaressa, while Countess of Westmorland led a fair company of Ambassadors' ladies. The great victory over the Turk - not of the 20th but of the 16th century - was celebrated by the presence of the conqueror of Lepanto, and memories of famous battles earlier even than that were revived by living Italians. Christopher Columbus made yet another discovery - this time of the 'jazz' - while Dante force a smile, Beatrice forgot to be grave and La Giaconda to remain enigmatic.
It was sometimes difficult to distinguish between Malatestas and Sforzas, and the d'Estes also were apt to be puzzling. Ludooico Sforza, sometime Duke of Milan, was undeniably there, however, as were the Duke of Ferrara and Beatrice d'Este. Cesare Borgia was received by the gathering more amicably than might have been expected; but possibly heats had been softened by his inglorious death in Spain, or the exertions of historical 'whitewashers'. Machiavelli, too, was welcome, in spite of a recent notorious attempt to carry his theories to their bitter end. Bandello and Ariosto, both of whom had a share in Shakespeare, directly or indirectly, looked as though they had come to claim it.
The Queen of Cyprus (Mrs Hope Nicholson) came in a gown of old brocade copied from a famous picture. Vittoria Colonna (Lady Townsend) was garbed more grandly than we see her in some fanciful pictures. Lucrezia Borgia (Mlle. Dormeuil) made a striking figure in art as in life.
The drama, of Italy and England, was conspicuous in various arranged groups. The Court and Lyric Theatres contributed reminiscences of several of Shakespeare's plays, to which the Italy of old, normally if not actually, supplied the scene and the characters. When dancing began, under a temporary ceiling of Italy's green, white, and red, the scene was a very fair copy of the colour and life of the Italian Renaissance."
(The Times, 15 May 1919) |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1919/33) |