The Press.
London, England, 1855-05-05 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

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ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.
Bzwrnovzs's Fidilio was repeated on Thursday
evening, and, with the exception of an occasional
weakness in the chorus, we never remember to have
heard this opera better performed. Our opinion of
Mlle. Jenny Ney improves upon every hearing. She
has great power, clearness, and truth, and only lacks
more histrionic knowledge and energy to become an
excellent prima donna. Herr Formes and Signor
Tamberlik both sang and acted with consummate
effect, and Mlle. Marai filled the part of Marcellina
competently, making quite as much of it as possible :
her sweet voice and engaging manner secured her
an encore in the first aria, "Se it ver." But, what
shall we say of Mr. Costa's orchestra, that giant of
harmony ? We cannot praise it more highly than it
deserves : under his baton fortes and pianos are
really attended to, and each instrument occupies the
position and utters the quantum of sound intended
by the composer, and no more.
Her Majesty and the Royal Family, who were pre-
sent during the opera, appeared much gratified with
the performances, and, indeed, the quintetts " ll cor
e la mitt fe" (which was encored), and " 0 qual dover,"
and the trio " Fiagrata al risk" left no room for ad-
verse criticism. We cannot understand how critics
can condemn this opera for its want of situation—to
Us it appears full of dramatic opportunity, in one or
two instances equalling in intensity of interest any that
we can at present recal. Again, the recitat►ve is
throughout more colloquial than in many highly-
laudated works, and as for the length of the piece,
it consists of but two acts!
Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore will be performed
this evening, with Mlle. Bosio as Adina, Signor
Gardoni as Nemorino, and Signor Lablaehe as
Dulcarama.

SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—On Wednesday even-
ing Exeter-hall was crowded by the lovers of sacred
music, who thronged to hear Mendelssohn's Lobge•
sang and Mozart's Requiem ; and two more Leo-
roughly classical works, affording the completest
contrast possible, one to another, could hardly have
been selected. We think, however, that had their
ender of performance been reversed, the result would
have been more agreeable; the audience, cheered by
the inspiring strains of the "Song of Praise," would
have gone home less fatigued, and would have re-
tained a pleasanter remembrance altogether of the
occasion. Both works were meritoriously executed,
the Lobgesang especially ; in which the voices were
not quelled and crushed by the excessive power of
the orchestra, and in which, also, the chorus had
evidently been better trained, besides being fresher,
and having a more genial theme to work upon. The
Requiem, altogether, fell heavily on the ear of the
audience ; much of it was labored through rather
than sung ; the deafening blasts of the brass instru-
ments and the overpowering brays of the organ corn.
Lining their forces against anything like true enjoy-
ment of this great work. Must of us are acquainted
with the history of the Requiem. Mozart, a victim
to hypochondria, composed it whilst laboring under
a wasting illness, with his mind imbued by a firm
conviction that it was destined to prove his own
funeral dirge. In vain did wife and friends endeavour,
at times almost by coercion, to drive the brooding
evil from his mind: whenever remonstrated with he
only applied himself the more earnestly to his task ;
and ended it and his invaluable life almost simulta-
neously. On the day of his death, he and some
eminent performers, his friends, sang it, they stand-
ing round his bed: prostrate and expiring, he still
exerted himself to take a part. How touching an
instance of the " ruling passion strong in death "!
To hear these plaintive and melancholy strains
(filled as they are with the poetry of a dying genius),
beset with trombones, and screamed out by trebles
on the edge of the note, cannot but excite sorrow and
disappointment. The solo parts were admirably ex-
ecuted. Madame Clara Novello's thrilling voice was,
as usual, quite near enough to perfection for any
human singer—we can only conceive one of au
angelic choir surpassing her. To Mr. Sims Reeves,
too, we must pay a just tribute of praise. At a former
performance of the Lobgesang at the Harmonic
Union, in which he sang, we were compelled to cen-
sure hin for inattention, misappreciation of the com-
poser's intention, singing out of tune &c., but even
then we expressed our admiration of his excellent
reading of the recitative " Watchman, will the night
soon pass?" and on Wednesday evening hs sang,
not only that, but every thing else assigned to him,
MO conscientiously and well, that we felt more than
half inclined to pardon him his many tricks and fol-
lies, as a too indulgent public has already done. We
mention a few of the portions of each production
best executed. In the Lobgesang, the sintonia was
played as no orchestra but Mr. Costa's ever yet
plk ed it, while the vocal gems were the duet and
chorus, " I waited for the Lord," between Clara
Novello and Mrs. Locket', who at Sat sang Sat, bat