The National Register. — London, England, 1818-03-15 00:00:00

3fARCIIIS THE D1i.1.11.1. KING'S THEATRE. An Opera, called 11 Bar(iere di Sivigiia, was Torr.' formed on Tuesday night at this theatre, tbr the first Cone in this country. The plot is the same as the well known comedy of that name, by Leanmareltais, which limns a first part to Le Marioge de Figaro, and front which our play of the Spanish b,zrher was also taken. rite music. is 1w Rosiirti, .a young composer of extraor dinary merit, now living, who enjoys greet celebrity in all parts of the Continent. This opera is the first :pecltrat Of his composition which lets been sublnitted to the judgment of an Engish audience: taken as whole, perhaps, it beers marks of haste, and still more. of extravagance; but we are persuaded that.all persons ult.) have carried the suety of tnu , i. to the least degree et ft:Line:nein. mast have keen laid astonished b r the occasional touches of the variety and . origivaliv of ins style .1"1:! general character of It's siai's vuttiie is extrema ornament, the perfect reverse of what is called the simple style ; but his resources in that -ine, and the fertility of his invention, seem almost unlimited. It is possible that its etlect may lessen t y frequent rep-titiou ; the first impression, however, is delightful. The particular picas with which we were most struck were, a song by flo.viiir Glad. Fodor)— " L'isa race pore a;" another by Basitio (An.Trisatti). descriptive of. the etletts of caltnay, " La caionnio rui venbrello ; u quintett near the end of the first net.; and the latter part of a trio in the seconi, beginning with the words " Zitto, Zitto, piaav, piano." Teel new singer, Signor Garcia, is a g..cat master or his art, and plays with its: 'difficulties in a manner that is truly surprising. His voice is a pure tenor, somewhat on the • decline, but of great flexibility, strength, turd -compass. His style is the florid, and c7trried to a degree Which probably , has never been cxeeeded ; but his singing is the perfection of that style, and considered as a mere exhibition of art, cannot hut produce high gratification. l'o try Signor Garcia as a sentimental singer, would be to destroy his merits altogether. lie tli;laims that. school, we .apprehend, upon principle, and should be judged only by those laws on which he has formed himself. The character of Conn! Alsnaviw, which Signor Garcia percormed in this opera, requires a good actor as well as an accomplished singer.; in both re spects he did it complete justice. he piece was represented with great spirit through out ; tlie part of Burble, by Ambrugetti, deserved pe. culiar commendation we lave seem witnessed bettor . acting. • COVIIVF-0 A RDVN. On ThurSdaywas produced a stew Musical Play, eat ,titled Rob Roy Macgregor ; or, Auld Lang Syne, /banded on the novel of Nob Roy. The works of this Author arc so highly dramatic, the characters are so powerfully drawn, and the scenery and circumstances so interesting, that the leading incidents have always been transferred to the stage with the greatest effect. These exquisite .productions have not only given. use to a new ens in Novel writing, lnitin Opera writing also, promising to relieve it front its entire dependence on the music, by imparting great interest to the fable and cha racters. This •is the cause with thstresent, of which the following iS.II hasty sketch. •• The scene lies ia Scotland. durillg the time when Macgregor . and a.powerfal party, . acre .calleavouring to restore the Stuarts.— ** The house of Oslickstone and Co. Crane Ailey. Landon," (so tle. signated. by Mt. Own, their clerk) is described as being of immense consequence in the commercial world. but whose affairs are thrown into confusion from the ciresunstaace of Mr, Francis Osbaldistotte. (the ion) having e. greater inclination for poetry than trade, which occasions his father. to send him to his uncle, Lir Hildebrand. in Northumberland. and tu take his cousin. &Weigh Osbaldistone his place, who, in a short time, contrives to abscond with large sums of money belonging..to the house. and government papal. which lie seizes for the put pox of advancing the cause of the Stuarts. with whom he .is• conneetal. An the mean time, Frank has been gainini• the affections of Dia** Veron. who resides with-Sir Hihk kreed.tbeseby defeating the hopes of . .Rissiiieigliewhe bed been her suitor. play commences with the journey. of 09/111, talanchant) s junior partner of du. house, in pursuit Rashleigh. (Abbot) who ss welcomed to be in the I litildands. These particulars he commu. Alcides tu a travelling CUMpaown, who is souther then Rob.lll Mae lerer,r, ( Macre'idyl and in dose correspondence .with liushiees and the rebels.. !Sinclair) is also apprized a. his father's cut bar. :assment. and they proceed together to Glasgow. Arriving there, :le is told by a stranger, that it is nut safe for him to remain in Gist:. sow, and urg him to accompany him where .he .will meet with a urprise. lie oenoents. .and is conducted to, the „prison. where he .And.; Own, whe hod been arrestedwt.the secret instigation of fla.;‘- !:•is.i. , . Their conference is interrupted by Balk Jai (Lig. ttli) who comes to visit ttm••ess.whenreheknow. Be recognizes .11w , grevr, in the stranger, but on the score of relationship, /cc, de. ap p re k ul d bins. Ma. yregste.lht the entreaty of Diana i'sr '.on. (Nfiss,S•tepheos) who has power .over bbn in consequence. of • .heir ;twine: connexion with the Stuart., -.undertakes to procure time :estitution of Orboldistonc and Co.'s pat., if Fronk and the Aside lie will accompany him to the Highs. Before they . set out, • rank andlAnshleigh meet by accident. and fight. but are interrupt ed by Afnegriror, Who parts than. Auhleigh. incited by disap. pointed love and ambition. turns •rene . gade. and.b.ituws .A.raegresor . . on his arrival in the Highlands. who i s taken prisoner. by the King s troops,. but rftsavrards escapes while his clan, headed by Helen. his wife, (Mrs.Tgertea) gain a victory over another party. It will be proper to mention that Divia has concealed her father. Sir Irrderick Vernon. (Ex.:don) , until this period, when the treachery of Masi ifgr. who was posseasetl of the se:ret. tendered it necessary they should escape to the li s ighlisod•:. •ltssisleigh discovers them here also, owl lays a plan for their apprehension. which is fortunately ever:, heard by Deal, rl, CI c kelyt.ime of Arte reg.fr'x Jan. wbo.:e ;rigout • .ty had been of essential service on several occasions. A coordinglyi Sir Fracrick, his slaughter, and Frank, are apprehended together it a cave on charge of treason, but Macgregor and his clan rush in, disperse the soldiers, and Rashleifh is stabbed to the heart by Nat: zregor himself. The end is easily foreseen —The 0401distone_ pa. :nets arc restored—Frank and Diana are united. and Rob Rey 4ac ,l-; regor Caotrbeit is left in react tenon his native bill. TI-IF 'NATIONAL REGISTER. These, and subordinate incidents, form a most inte resting drama. It will be seen by those who have read the Novel, that-it -adheres as elasely as possible to the original plot—the most material alteratioa being in the character and manner; of Diuna•Verston, who is trans formed from a masculine, hunting-loving lady to what Miss-Stephens usually is. 'There is, however, a de gree of complexity in the• fable which will render it rather is:infused to those. Who arc not previously tiuniliar with the story. As an acting play, we think it supe rior to Gay kanuering, as possessing greater interest, and tan-ding an opportunity for the display of more patwercul acting ; in this respect, it receives the great est assists ice front the pertimmers. Macready's Iboli le9 is excellent ; it is forcible, nature!, and pleasing. Abbott has little to do in Bashlcigh, but that little is very good. Liston is quite at home in the Itai flit; luiventures iu the lligh!.mids arc irresistibly amus ing, and his favourite exclamation, " My consciente !" has freattently a most , ludicrous e!ket. We would re coutteend hint not to spoil the termination of .s beau tiful glee, " by setting on some quantity of barren spectators to Lug-IC—he doubtless remember's Hamlet's advice on those occasions. Mrs. N.Nrton's actin , i , needs no other praise or illustration, than the bare iriforma tion that lick): Maczregor is a bold, indignant, in jured woman, of the Meg Merrilies school. Miss Ste- Thetis, in D;anu Vernon, is pleesing, .and that is all required of her as an actress. Put her sioging is in deed beautiful. I ler most .suceessful tifihrts were the duet with Sinclair—"Tho' you leave me now in sor row," than which we have seldom heard any thing more delightful, and the air, " A Highland lad my love was born." &Alt were rapturously curered.— Sinclair sings " Auld hang sync," charmingly,. as, in deesl, be does the whole of tbe..airs entrusted to hint. Of the Music generally, we have only to observe, that the greater part consists of old and favourite Scottish Airs, and freauently the wortts of Bums. We by no meatus complain of this, either as rcg. . rds the poetry or the music, for in the present stue of both, ,it is tee to one but we gain considerably by the plan. .The ori ginal Music (chiefly Glees and Choruses) ie by Davy and Bishop. We were much pleased with the Finahe of the second act—" Tramp, tranw, o'er moss and and with the Clan's Lament, by the late Mr. Reeve.— The Overture is by Davy, and though we are ready to give it all deserved praise, yet it is certainly interior im effect, to that of Guy Mattnering. The air of Roy's Wife isn,,ouir. introduced, in our opinion, injudiciously, as it is afterwards sung twice during the play. The scenery is truly beautiful, especially the views in the Highlands, that of Glasgow /3ritlge, and the cave by moonlight. The principal defect of this play, is' its want of ori ariaalitv..--fts pretensions to public favour are built on Gay Mannering. We have the same kind of scenery, and the same kind of music. The incidents are of course different, but the style and conduct arc very similar. Both begin with a glee in a public house, and both end with a Scutoh.air tin a cave. Frank Osoaldistone walks in and out just .atler, the fashion of Harry Bertram—the Baillic's "my conscience!" steps into the.place of, " Prodigious! and Helen Macgregor, though not exactly a Meg Merrilies, once or twice re minds us very. stronzly.of the latter. We cannot help noticinr , that an appeal in Miss Stephens's verse of the chorus is made in the .singular number, recommending Ro6.Roy on the score of personal favours. This is not correct, either as respects the performer or the public, and ought not to have been introduced. The play would bear curtailment, especially. in the ..first.act, .which is 11Itla. ft/01(11V. ;WRIMOUTII, M.tectt morning Prince Leopold, accompanied by Dr. Stockmar, walked on Smalmouth Sand', the much favoured spat for the recre ation of out late deeply. regetted Princess Charlotte.— His Royal Highness afterwards crossed the ferry,. and proaecvka to 'Portland Beach, the late ccuuc of woeful disaster. 'file 'Prince occupied .sonie time in survey ing this extraordinary production of nature, which re sists the most furious tetnpests. .The summit and mag nitude of this great barrier excited the wonder and astonishment of his Ruyal Highness, :at its awful Up pcarance. .The Prince, on quitting the fern, return ed in his carriage, which was in waiting, and arrived at the King's Lodge at four o'clock. The Duke of Clarence visited Miss Wykeham on Sunday. sennignt, .at • Thane Park, and passed the greatest part of the day at the lady's mansion. On Friday the Duke went to Portstrouth, to see his young est. son put en board the Spartan frigate, as a midship man. The Princoss cf Wales has a cause in Chancery against Earl Liverpool and Count Munster, executors under the will bf the late Duke of Brunswick, her brother ; she totes them for tun promissory notes .of 15,0001.. each, drawn in 1814.,by t►he Dakt in her fa vour.; her executors have culled for an inspectiau of the notes. A Neapolitan Abbe Janelli, has discovered in the Royal library, at Naples, a manuscript of Dracontiam, a poet of the sth century. It contains ten soul] poems hitherto unknown, qon mythological subjects. DRURY-LANE FUND MEETING. 415 On Wednesday a numerous and most respectable company of Gentlemen met at the City of Loudon vent, and dined together, his Royal Highness the Duke of York in the Chair ; supported by the Earl of Essex, Lord Holland, &e. &c. The object of the Meeting was to countenance and supoort the Theatrical Fund of Drury Lane Theatre, originally instituted by Mr. Garrick, and the Members of which were incur prated by Act of ParlLlinent. We arc prevented by the overflow of important matter, from entering into a detail of the proceedings, which were most gratifying :from the genemus spirit of benevolence that w' mani. rested, and most delightful trout the•Teeelies that were delivered, as well as front the excellence of the musical treat. Mr. Kean, as Master and 1 reic - urer of the Fund, explained its nature and its plLsent state. ire: did this em an Address of the mint graceful ,ca sive eloquence. Indeed we do nut remember to have heard a speech more apt to the purpose, or more taste ful, both in the eemposiLion and delivery. It was etidently drawn from hint also on the instant, as the Royal Duke coupled his name unexpectedly with that of tile Fund they were assembled to support. Mr. Kean paid elegant and respectful compliments to his Royal Highness---and to the numerous company who had ho- Jawed the Corporation "ith their presence ; and he concluded with bearing his warm testimony of praise to the admirable manner in which his excellent friend and predecessor, Mr. Bannister, as Master mid Treasurer a the. Fund, had exerted his high talents in its support. Mr. Bannister's health .wa.idrank with acclamations, •and in .a .short speech he returned thanks. Ile had spent the pleasantest years cf his life on the stag c, and in quitting it, he had felt sincere pleasure in resigning into the hands of Mr. Kean the placa which hs had so luug held in the conduct of the Fund. lie admired the talents of Mr. Kean, which were truly original ; and though that Gentleman had with reason deplored the &lien condition of the Fund, he was surehe might now, from the experience of that day, exclaim with his usual emphusis.— .. Now is the winter of our diseowents " Mule glorious summer by the Sun of York" The day was spent with the utmost conviviality, and the subscription amounted to 10001. IMPROMPTU, On bearing that the Admission of a celebrated Critic, named " PETt.a." was stopped at Drury !Aim, by Order of My. ,P. Moony. " Have they," cried Tom, withsouse surprise, Thrust Peter from the *lour? Frani Drury's Scenes, ir they are win, They'll thrust one Peter4f*re." • One clumgein -the Admiralty has, we We've,' been .long settled, _and report now speaks of another. It is rumoured-that both Vice Admirals-Sir 'Joseph Yorke and Sir George Hope are. to retire.; and that Rear Ad.. moral Sir George Cockburn and Sir Gerry Hotham are •to be their successors. The appointment of Sir George Cockburn to the Admiralty is an appointment that meets with universal approbation. .Friday, the 6th inst. Mr. St. George .wasdispatched . to-Swdden, with the Prince Regentivautswer to. the letters notifying the death of KingtCharle6.2Clll., Se also with new credentials for Lord Strangferd, as Mi. nister to the present King, Charles John. Mr. Eng.. strum, the Swedish Charge d'Affaires, has taken the oath of alleiiimice to the new King.ofnll the Swedes and Norwegtans.at present in London. Near 20,0001. has bean sobseribed in aid of the views 1 of • the• Society fur promoting the enlargement and building of Churches and Chapels ; among the sub• scribers are, the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, for 10001. ; the Bishop of Durham 5001. ; Rev. C. Dawbeny, Archdeacon of Sarum, 5001. ; Hoare, Esq. 3001. ; Duke of Northumberland, 5001; and the Countess Dowager of Rosse, 5001. The Bishop of Oxford will hold, the course of the ensuing summer, the Visitations and Confirmations in the Diocese of Durham, fot the Prelate of that Sec. His Lordship will also • consecrate the new churches and chapels erected by ~the• Cuveraurs.ef Greenwieh Haspitail, in Northumberland, ,under thevi..ct, cf; Par. Bement - fur the division of the .I'..ectely of ...iar.oubtirn. A number of. the . French specimens of Vienna per. celaine have lately been received by the Ambassador, as presents Nut. the Enipetur to the Queen and the Prince Regent, which have been exhibaed to a select few of the fashionuble world, at the hotir.e of Prince Fsteehazy. They will form a splcudid addition to the 'Royal China I?cpeskuries at Frogmore and Brigh. ton. Some of the specimens were intended for the late Princess Charlotte ; and, we undeustand, some difficulty has .occurred in point of Court diquettc, how they are new to be disposed of. In the will of the late Wm. Kennedy Cmufurd, of (Te to n, i). dated 7th 1814., and proved at Doctors' Cain:eons on the sth inst. is =Mined ale. gacy in the •fhllowing words : ewe to the Chaim:llot of the It xelequer. in trust,: for the na tion. Cie scm of one hundred pounds. anti hope every man wilj contribute in proportion to his property.' The effects arc sworn under 14,0001. John Tale sop, luercha*,:of Briatql,.ia the ea„Autos,