The Press.
London, England, 1858-12-25 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA.

Tiu new season of the Pyne and Harrison manage-
ment was inaugurated on Monday evening with the
production of a " new and of iginal " opera, entitled
Satanella, or the Power of Love, the libretto of which,
founded on a French ballet, Le Diable Amoureux, is
by Messrs. A. Harris and Falconer, and the music
by Mr. Balfe. The principal characters were sus-
tained by Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Susan Pyne, Miss
Isaacs, Mr. W. Harrison, Mr. H. Corti, Mr. St.
Albyn, and Mr. Weiss, whilst a numerous and
efficient band were ably directed by Mr. Alfred
Mellon.
None can be more anxious than ourselves that
this new and arduous undertaking should succeed,
and if candour compel us to make certain obser-
vations, not perhaps of the most flattering descrip-
tion, they must not be taken as demonstrations of a
hostile feeling, but rather as evidences of a genuine
desire that the management of the Royal E nglish Opera
should, while there is yet time, modify and improve
their general arrangements in such a manner and
to such an extent as may satisfy the just re-
quirements of the musical public, and insure the
permanent establishment of a National Opera worthy
of this great country.
Now, not only does the present Covent-garden coin-
pany require many changes and additions before it
can be said to represent fully the executive °pert& c
resources of this country, but works of a loftier cha-
racter and larger purpose must likewise be given
before those who are acquainted with musical
England's greatest creative ability can admit that all
that could he done has been accomplished. We are
not calling in question the talents or popularity of
Mr. Balfe, who, although he has done nothing
towards the foundation of a genuine National Opera,
and cannot certainly in any way be regarded as its
representative, is a clever and genial follower of the
light and tuneful molern Italian and French schools ;
but would simply state that the evident leaning of the
Pyne and Harrison management to works of a super
ficial, and decidedly foreign, and not even the highest
foreign, character, agrees but ill with their national
professions, whilst it unquestionably implies either
that our composers are incapable of producing, or
our public of appreciating, anything of loftier aim and
greater originality.
We should not be understood to make any per-
sonal and invidious remarks upon the composer of
The Bohemian Girl, when we state our objection to
the school to which Mr. Balfe belongs being upheld
as the model of excellence, to which all British com-
posers must conform, if they would hope for encou-
ragement from the management of " The Royal
English Opera," or success with the public. Mr.
Balfe's music, fJr the most part tun !fat, fancifully
and brilliantly instrumental, and eminently theatri-
cal, pleases the public very much, and will doubtless
continue to do so, especially whilst no other is
brought forward ; but still, as we have already ob-
served, it does not by any moans illustrate the pre.
sent state of musical creative art in this country, and
the constant performance of it uy the Pyne and Har-
rison management, to the exclusion of all other
English composers, excepting Mr. Vincent Wallace,
who belongs to the Balfe school, and imitates his
Hibernian contemporary and countryman not a little,
is not only unjust to many men of undoubted talent,
but incompatible with the broad principle; upon
which a National Opera should be conducted, and to
some extent a libel upon our musical capability and
taste.

We must, therefore, upon national grounds, recom •
mend a change of system to the Pyne and Harrison
management, which as yet can scarcely be said to
adequately represent the operatic talent of this
country either in composition or performance.

Mr. Balfe's new opera of Satanella, produce l with
success on Monday evening, is in his usual fluent
and tuneful style—neither better nor worse than most