The Press.
London, England, 1853-05-21 00:00:00

tly puma.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.
Iv the tales which travellers tell respecting the
degraded state of the musical art in Italy be not
eredited, the reputation that Verdi there enjoys
as a composer of the highest order should sittßee to
establish the fact, and convince any impartial ob-
server. It is with sincere sorrow that we express

SATURDAY,

our deliberate opinion that the musical art in Italy,
which, though it never attained the same perfection
as the sister arts of painting and sculpture, has
nevertheless long survived their decay, will, at
no distant period, prove a reproach rather than a
glory to that nation, whose soil in times gone by was
termed the land of sang.

Verdi's opera, Rigoletto, produced on Saturday last,
has proved a complete failure. A work so devoid of
all merit it has seldom been our misfortune to hear;
and nothing but the array of talent engaged in the
representation, or possibly the indulgence which an
English audience invariably accords to a foreign
author, could have prevented its unequivocal con.
damnation. The most ardent admirers of the mo-
dern Italian school could scarce pronounce the work
inditterent. With the exception of a melody sung
several times by Signor Mario in the last act, and a
quartet (the only concerted piece in the opera), the
music contains no distinguishable feature. The first
of these compositions is not by any means original,
and the last depends in a great measure for its effect
upon the unisonous roaring of the four voices, which,
though it may excite enthusiasm in an Italian
audience, falls lifeless upon the ears of the frequenters
of Covent Garden. The instrumentation is noisy and
barren ; and certain thefts, both from Mozart's ghost
music and more modern composers, are obvious.
The singing was excessively good. lionconi was
very great in the arduous and ditfieult part of Rigo-
letto ; and Mario and Mlle. Bosio received loud and
well-deserved applause. Such poor music leaves but
little for the orchestra to execute ; but a word of
commendation is due to Mr. Lucas for his etfective
performance of the violoncello obligate in the second
act, which is written in a difficult key, and is by no
means easy of execution. Mr. Beverley's fira:, ap-
pearance as the scene-painter at this theatre natu-
rally excited much interest. Two moonlight scenes,
Rigoletto's house and garden, in the first act, and the
banks of the Mincio, in the last act, were well worthy
of his reputation. As, however, we admit Mr. Beverly's
superiority to all other scenic artists, we may be
excused inquiring how a Grecian Doric portico could
possibly find its way to a cinque cento facade
tn a via elect& in Moans. This defective combina-
tion must be the result of some oversight, and should
be remedied. The scene in the palace in the second
act is very faulty. Independently of the • actual
execution, which is by no means good, the decora-
tion is French, in the rococo taste, and two centuries
later than the period in which the action of the opera
is laid. .

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

To attempt to unravel the plot of the new comedy
called The Mousetrap is a task we would not willingly
indict upon ourselves or our readers. A number of
persons, at least three of whom might be entirely
suppressed without being missed, wander in and out of
a handsomely-furnished room, entertaining each other,
if no one else, with very harmless conversation, with-
out uny apparent motive beyond the description of
the conduct of a certain Captain Smith towards his
natural child, which natural child eventually turns
out to be somebody else's. The language seldom
rises above agreeable commonplace, except when in
the mouths of the young lovers it breaks out in the
author's old vein, in passioniate and poetic imagery
curiously out of keeping with the rest of the com-
position. The two gipsies, mother and daughter,
the one still, like Autolycus, "a picker up of un
considered trities," the other reclaimed into a lady's
maid, both speak a language strangely untrue in
ears familiar with Epsom and Ascot. Au original
and humorous sketch of an old man-of-war's man
turned Quaker, interlarding the peaceful phrases of
the Friends " with the intensifying metaphors of the
cockpit," was amusing enough in the hands of Mr.
Buckstone, although the intention of the author was
somewhat sacrificed to the development of the pecu-
liar mannerisms of the actor.
But why Mousetrap? At intervals during the piece
a scientific nobleman of feeble intelligence appears,
carrying a newly-invented mousetrap in various
stages of completion. We presume there is some
symbolical connection in the author's mind between
the mechanism of the trap and the moral perplexi-
ties of the principal personage of the drama ; but at'
this we are by no means certain. The high Ned.,
power of the author, so apparent in his former pro-
ductions, appears better fitted for the illustration of
the romantic and ideal than of every-day reality.
The scene was arranged with great taste and ele-
gance, and the dresses generally appropriate; but we
must protest against Mr. Bitekstone's hat with a
brim as broad as a 100-table, and Mr. Tillatry's nan-
keen pantaloons with Hessian boots reaching to the
knees.
As Mr. Buckstone is at the head of one of the first
theatres in London, we wonbl implore him to show
some respect for his profession, and not allow the
walls of the metropolis to be plastered with such
vulgar and contemptible placards as " Have you seen
the Fighting Quaker ?" and see Braid imitate
Kean," Lc., te. lirood sense and right feeling ought

MAY 21, 1853.

to prevent tho, imitation of a brother actor and ma-
nager ttio matter how greet his peculiarities or el.
surdities) front being hell out as tut inducement to
the public to visit a theatre.

PRIN CESS'S THEATRE.
Fnox the reception which Mr. 'f. P. Cooke inet
with at the Princess's Theatre on Mondai, it would
seem that the creation of the British sailor,
has still charms for a London audience. Mr. t'is,e's
performance, considering his time of life. was very
remarkable. and the agility which he displayed in the
popular hornpipe was perfectly wonderful. As 111 r.
Kean is said to pride himself upon the correctness of
his costumes, he would do well to enlist in his ger-
%lee a more respectable end sohlierlike body of
marines. 'l'he "jollies" in Blaek-recd Susan far more
resembled the rug-headed kentes and gallowglamses
who ahound in Macbeth than nent and well-dressed
British soldiers. and their grotesque appearance
wore
than once caused laughter when the attention of the
audience should have been absorbed in the
serious interest of the piece.

LYCEUM.
A NEW play, The Lateyero, wag proatteed at this
theatre on Thursday last, but owing to the prey; of
mutter we utuat defer our notice till itt:t week.