The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-27 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA. COVENT OARDEN.

Discarding for a while Euglish opera, the director*
of the company last night produced a pantomime on a satin►
of almost unprecedented splendour. Reimer for weeks
past has been busy with report' of the gorgeous and gigantic
preparations on foot, and these rumours were verified to the
letter. Additional excitement and interest were imparted
to the occasion by the possibility of one of the main attest-
tions—tbe famous Donato—Dot being forthcoming. He was en-
gaged, it appears, some twelve mot ths back by Messrs. Camille
and Marnet, who " sub-let " him to Mr. Mortal, of the Can-
terbury and Oxford Music Halls. After having been for
many weeks past advertised to appear at Covent-earden, ast
injunction was applied for on Vi edmenday last to prevent his
doing so, and the matter stood over until yesterday. The
case was then further beard by Vice-Chancellor Kindenley,
at his private residence, and was for the present decided to
favour of the Opera, the injunction being refused on the
ground that the company should have been made party to
the suit. It will be again gone into on the 11th of January,
but in the meanwhile Douato is free to disport himself on
his " five " toes at Covent-garden. His career has bees an
extraordinary one, end fully justified the great interest
with which his dAtlt was looked forward to. Originally a
ballet dancer in Italy, he went to Spain and took to bull-
fighting, but being gored by a bull in a manner that name.
*Rated amputation of a leg, he again essayed his old pro-
(mien minus that important feature. Since then his suc-
cess has been enormous in the principal continental capitals,
and the enthusiasm with which his trcly marvellous per-
formance was greeted last tight renders it certain that hie
fortunes io England will be equally propitious. It Is
scarcely necessary to state that the hones was crowded in
every part, and soon after the doors were opened money
was tendered in vain for most of the unreserved
places. For a Biting-night audience there was
less than the usual amount of noise, and Beee-
diet's one-act spent, with whicii the performance com-
ineoced, was listened to with reasonable attention, although
at time.. the dialogue was rendered inaudible by shrill is-
terchuges of "compliments" from the boys that thronged
the greater part of the gallery. The subject of the panto-
mime is not by any means a uew one, Cinderella having ap-
peared on the stage in a great variety of forms. It is from
the pen of the " Ilrotheis Winn," under which humorous
appellation— we believe we are violating ne secret is saying
so—Mr. E. L. Blanchard, the most experienced of panto-
mime writers, cows:els his identity.
It was surely a mistake, however, to introduce Do-
nato so late in the evening, as it was nearl♦
midnight before he made his appearance. As be will
certainly take the town by storm, it will be advis.
able, we think, to arrange matters so as to enable him to
perform somewhat earlier. The exhibition is certainly
most marvellous, and not at all disagreeable, as might,
perhaps, have been expected. All unpleasant seems-
tious are et once removed by has wonderful activity
and grace. In fact, he appears far mote at home on
his otie leg than mauy people are on two. His execa-
tion of a dance, in which be entwines himself in, and oath-
votes himself from, the folds of a mantle, causing it to
revolve about him in fantastic shape', while he himself is
twirling mood with the rapidity of a faetotutu, quite
beggars all description. He likewise played on his castaoets
with wonderful skill, *tuning firmly and quite motionless
on his leg, and it was only alter battening off on the close of
Lis performance that he appeared to bow his acknow-
ledgments aided by a crutch. We believe the mom paid to
Donato for the engagement is an extravagant oue, bat
however large, it will certainly repay the company, as
"everybody" will make a point of seeing him.