The Express.
London, England, 1855-07-21 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Yesterday we briefly noticed the triumphant pro-
duction of the Moils du Nord, and we have now to maka a few
remarks on the music of this oper►, and it performance, at
Covent Garden.

Without going back to Meyerheer's early Italian style,
which he entirely abandoned when be composed Robert k
Diable, we may observe that the Etoile du Nord, while it
possesses the general features of the style which he then
adopted, differs from that piece, and its successors, the
Hypos** and the Prophet., in this respect, that, wLi.e
they belong to the grand serious opera, the Etoile du Ncrd
fa essentially a comic opera, written for the Pension henna
specially appropriated to this branch of the musical
stage. The Opera Cosigns has always been exempted
from the laws imposed upon the grand lyrical drama,
one of which is that the whole piece shall be clothed in
musical language. In writing the Etoiis du Nord, there-
fore, the:French dramatist, Monsieur Scribe, put the chief
part of the dialogue, in which the business of the piece is
carried on, into plain prose, to be spoken, not oubg, the
composer's labours being applied to those passages of a more
poetical character, which the powers of expression, or de.
saiptioo, are brought into play. On the Italian stage, how-
ever, no such exemption is ever admitted ; the lightest and
most familiar chit-chat, as well as the most impassioned
poetry, being uniformly thrown into the form of recitative.
In its adaptation to the Italian stage, consequently, the
Moils du Nord has been much charged hi character. Scribe's
easy, rapid French peen has been changed into Italian verse,
and this, again, has been united by the composer (forced to
yield to the exigency of the ease) to tecitatives accompat.ied
in the modern fashion (for the old simple manner of accom
paying recitative is exploded) by the whole iastrument- of
the orchestra. Meyertner's compliance with this necessity
has wetly injured the dramatic afoot of his opera. It has
lengthened the performance by en hour at least, rendered
the action slow and heavy, and deprived the dialogue of its
point and spirit, making it, indeed, unintelligible withoat
the help of the libretto. For this, of course, the composer
is not to blame, for his recitatives are admirably written;
nor is any halt to be found with the Italian adapter, Signor
Maggion‘ whose venion is remarkably correct and elegant.
To speak in the lauguege of the day, the fault lies in the
system, which we should be glad to see changed; for why
should not Italian performers learn to speak withoot slug.
ing, as well as German, French, or Eoglish mass? At
all event, they recitatives must be curtailed, for the per-
formance on Thursday night lasted till almost one in the

- _
morning.
The Moils du Nord is essentially a comic opera, hot it
also contains much that is grand, romantic, and interestiug.
It thus has more variety of effect and expression than any
of Meyerbeer's previous operas. It abounds in melody ; now
gay, light, end airy—now tender, sentimental, and pathetic ;
while, in the grander passes's, it displays the eorapOser's
great powers of choral and orchestral combinatim. As
specimens of Meyerbeer's gay and comic vein, we
may refer to the air and chores in the opening
scene, in which Mennonite, the pastryoook, is sell.
ing his savoury warm to the surrounding vii.
lagers; and to the scene in the second sot, where Peter
end his companion are carousing with the taro vivandieres,
use of the most animated end delightful things in the whole
opera ; and to the quaint duet between Catherine and the
little country girl, Prascovis, who is crying at the thoughts
of her sweetheart going for a soldier. For melodies of an
elevated and pathetiecharacter, we may cite the beautiful
peariv wag by Catherine, in the finale to the first act,
and the fine monologue in which Peter lamest. the loss of
the object of his love. And, as a grand oombination el
shoed and orchestral harmony, the finale to the second act,
where the troop. prepare to march .gaiaat the enemy, is
a counterpart to the . griming of the capture'," In Guil-
iano Tell.
All the music of this opera is extremely difficult. Meyer-
beer gees beyond all his predecessors in the free par of the
abroadlo male, of unexpected modulation., and enharmonic
transitions, as the means of producing effect. Such things,
Imperfectly ed, seem crude, Sarah, and anomie, ;
but, la listening to this opera on Thursday night, we were
surprised to find how War, smooth, and flowing they were,
when given with ease and precision by the admirable par.
formers of this theatre.
Of the perforate., it is impossible to speak too highly.
The characters are numerous, but the strength er the
theatre is sufficient for them all, and there is not one the h
iftedsquetely supported. Mdl.. BOSSO'S singing, in thorns.
meter of Catherine, is a marvel and brilliant esecuttLg.
sides being full el grace, beauty, and expression. Mlle.
as Prawns, acts with engaging seams eat likli
great sweetness. Formes, as Peter,
es ale. Imo
abeir
and energy, but in the softie, passag net
smooth and subdued ; and Oardoni -(for whom ea at as
Inset airs in the Opera has been expressly written) se
she/minty as ever. The parts of the two
which it quire first-rate performers, were arimirere
tallied by Madame Radendorff and Madlle. I
sad the se in which they star was oneTtke merji
elective in the opera. The !south__ lag parts naked ew,rT
balm from Laratak Zalsar, Taglisith Polaatak ..a
Alb ; aad there sea be se dealt that age Batik Ai Nord
Ithe Diva bane se atagaillanady petheamal at ultimata' fa
• Zama as at our Royal Itallaa Opera.

ST. PAUL AND ST. BARNADAIL—The Wogs of I
Westerto• v. Liddell sad Bsel I. Liddell ert Awl for the
11411 sad MN at DOW Chtuaaas.