The National Register. — London, England, 1814-02-06 00:00:00

THE NATIONA IMAMA rIC REGISTER. COVENT•GARDEN. - - - A new Opera, called The Farincr's Wire, Ara% ptoOtit•ed litesday night at this Theatre. A single pen (Mr. C. DinDlN's' furnished its plot and dialogue, whilst the abilities a no less that s:: composers were called forth to (rive it me• lofty.. This would have been sufficient to ter, ifs a less enter prisiog writer., for who wenild venture single-handed to con tend in favour r f sense, against a host of professors of sound Fortunately. boss ever, Mr. C. I)innit4 was not intimid:ited, anti II Pugh he did not infuse ranch oiiginality or. deep in terest into pie( e, )et be formed a I i p.eas.ng whole, tiasullied Ly any offensive pun, anti well stored with good sentiments which prey , tiled its degenerating into a mete vehicle for music, and reinleied the latter, as it ought to be rea sonable nudienc( s are expeeed, a subordinate thougli highl gratifying (lualification. The pkt Is not Complicated. Sir Chnries Courtly, x fashionable iihettine (JuNEs) has met with an accident in the neighbourhood of 11:riner Cor,fluzver'A AWCV iT house, and been received under its root by his Avit' M igs ST iPH ENs) dui ing the absence of her husband, who is gone to town to prosecute a suit for the recovery of an estate. The beauty of his hostess so far prevails over the unprincipled Baronet, as to make him attempt to reward her hospitality by .SC(11104)11. Ile is, hnwevcr. chnclit d ths.. course of his attentions and flattery by the arrival hkr, husband - who has succeeded in hi; law-suit, and gives atu- • ral festival to celehrate his tiiemph. Compelled to alter his plan, Sir Choy/us has recomse to stratagem and force, and, whilst Coevkl:cr is gone to purchase a present for his wife on her bitth-day, cart les off th , .. lady in such a manner, as to induct. a heiit f that site has voluntarily eloped. On•his return with the pie-cut intended f,.t his wife, Cbrnfruer re ceives this intelligence from Williams, the (mate, (CHAP MAN) and a sc env et:sues INLic!,,strilogly recalls to the mind the pathetic pas , ages of John Bki'l apd rich and Poo-. Corrji.,w( ,t 1,4 out in pm suit . with Robin, (1.7.1ERY) a coun- Shil/ie, (St Afsv.iti his bailiff, and after over taking Cuntl/ . /. , 'N cft vart ( Tos) on the road, finds his way to Courtly flail, shore the innoceuee of Mrs. Corn /I:n:1r is clearly proved with the assistance of the Baronet bitwelf, who s.addenly repentl. his conduct and resumes just I:(,:nourable :.etriments. There is a kiiid of underplot, which cons;sts of the love of Courdn's sister (Miss M T E ; an d Arm Coofiraw's brother, Captain Belton, (511.11. Aiji,), which tnigh' he left eta( without ac"rillieHt to the iate:est of the piece, did not such an omission rob it of some of i:s sweetest. mettdies. The parts of Barnard (INCLEDON J and Dr. Poth(r„ the village Apothecary (MAT . ttnrws) are also mere orentaental appendages, of no use NyllateVer in the progress or unfolding of the plot, but ren eleted pleasing by the excellence of their representatives. Yet, with all its exc'escencek, this Opera is not wanting in interest : the style is more correct and elevated than we should have erpveted nom the pen of Mr. IL N ; the delitiration of modern inditfetence to morality and of fa shionable seduction, is well contrasted with the manly vir tue, quick sensibikity, and Loire affection of the honest and unsophisticated farm( r, and there is much blunt nature in the rustic character of Rub ;/, which lobes nothing of its fore in the hands Em r nY. The part of Mrs. Cornflower, itveesting in itself, is rendered still more so by the manner in whi h it is performed by Miss STEPHENS. To superi , r 'ante at'd vocal abilities this young lady :Hos a cle.ir discrimination, a just and impressive delive ry, and a degree of nairct which throws an inexpressible Ti REGISTER. FEB. O. charm over all her acting. Even Were it possible f..r her vocal powers to she would cotoinue to delit2hr the Fithiic to parts where artless feeling and delicacy of expression are re ‘!uired. In an her song.: she display ed au union of Aill and no tut a! melody which drew down the most rapt urous applause repeated encores; Her Polacca and -Bravura were particularly beimtirul. SINCLAIR sang some pretty airs with ;teat eae cud s%eetlitss. Ile wis encored in that of Love has Eves," which is, indeed, one of tie most p4a , in;; melodies contained in this opera Miss MATTilliws did justice to her part, though scarcely recovet ed from her late it I nest ; and I L DON, M T T F W 5, and I..TsToNt 'coder , d their characters impottant srite of the non-entity :o which the Author seemed to have condemned them. Variety rot ins the chief (+a; actei istie of the music of this Opera. The number of composers entrloed cusuird it :hat qualitielition; whilst it deprived it of that marked unity of ctyle, which, in every at t, is &crowd 73 perfection. There is much elegance and pleasing, o 'tav throughout, hat the most socecssful songs a: e those of Mes•rs r Ls"':e nd B;snoP. These gentlemen have not been p,uil.y of imita tion, and in their search after novelty have not wandered at of the path of tree lastc. tc;:cioit,n with :;Mich The l'oribrr's Wire ‘‘.:-e , honow-ed, mgrs have hcet; in t 4.::tif• log to the author as well a. , the e,.mi...sers, v.h: sc .e , :ut.ition not likely to sutler 110111 the appearance of successful a troduction. on :\tonti.uv nt,r. per‘onated Gloster, in M c h ar d th e TH r ,l. B u t ‘vIR-ther the remembrance of Coot( E, in a character which he had made paiticularly his own, too forcibly intruded epou our memory, or Mr K EM BT. it's qualifications were not exaetly ;,!iited to the pat t, his performance, thow , b it tlisp:ayed occ.e.ional CNCellence, yet failed on tie whole in point of effect. t:ad the d e liberate malignity and cold hypocrisy the usto per, but his subse quent foe and inivetuosity were but faintly given. On F idaV Bight i' 4 ll AKt it's Tragedy of .11ClifIC Ca!Sar was revived, and a richer ti eat wa3 never °tic-led to the ad mirers of the drama. Mr. Tcrtny had been ennoutv - el to play Cassius, aid from the specimen this gentleman has already given of his talents, he no doubt would have done justice to the part. In the evening - , however, the public were a.,:, , ree:bly surprised to foul th it their (al/multi" Vot:sc; had returned from Manchester, to resume the character ter whin] stamped his Canto two years ago as a pet former of the very tirst eminence. Ale. K M tn.!. in Brutus, and CoN tti Vin Alarl, Antrum, . whiist the subordinate pat is wet e I.ustained by such men as I'A WCt:Tr, ABBOTT, and EGER TON, Coined a collection of histrionic genius and abditie , , which perhaps no other theatre iu the wfmd could surpass., The effect was fully commensurate with the cause, and it would be dill - 1(1dt to decide whether more excellence was displayed on O'e stage, •than delight experienced by the au ditor( c. Lath of ti.e Once heroes of the night was greeted wilt repeated bor,ts of approbation, and emulalon and suc cess created and cnereated each other. We have no !omit for furtlo.r ‘'e•:lds in this parr, but, as the same play will he repea.erl oext week, we hope we shall be able to take a more partieular view 0f a performance which_ does the greatest credit to the British stage. llMimi c 2 DRURY-LANE,, Mr. KHAN eOllll/111CS to increase in deserved popularity.. He has now four time's rli►r n the part of SAylock, and notwitligteinding this ft•c(pient repetitiOn, has not ceased to draw crowdethouses. We wish, how evcr, that he would appear in some other character, sin cc his extpusive„ The cluart.,..4 note, if frefittentl: - . re- 4