The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-17 00:00:00

CrWOPENCE

MUSIC.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT GARDEN.

The entertainments of last evening consisted of
the Samoan Lula, followed by the mooed and third sets of
Memoir/10. The former opera preeseted several novelties :
Millls. Linea Made ells in the character of AWOL, Mis
fllingworth as Lisa, sod Mr. Charles Adams ea Brim
Martorelle (who is favourably known as • assert
ginger) is an Englishwoman of Spanish perentere. She its
young and very haodsome, her beauty being decidedly of
the Spanish cast. She looked Bollini's most interesting
heroine to admiration, acted with grace and feeling, and sew
charmingly. Her voice is thin and deficiret is volume,
but. on the other hand, it is very deer and flexible, of in-
tensive oompaa, and well in tune. Her execution of the
divisions and timid presages with which the mask of the
part abounds was finished and Wilmot. Her fteriturs
were sometimes too cumbereat, and (espeeisill is the big
sir, " Ah non ensue," or " Do not minks," as oar &glib
version her it) we should have greatly redwood the mew
poser's own D 04036 to those substituted for them. But tide
is the prevailing custom, and she kept closer
to the text than many of her sisier.perfonnees
are in the habit of doing. Altogether her appease.'
sus very snoosseful, and she is capable of being a voluble
member of the company. Mr. Chutes &dean achieved •
signal triumph in the cLaracter of Elvin. He had bele,
at the outset of the lemon, and (we believe) against his own
wish, put into a part (Mauniello) le every way assailed to
him, and it was only now that he had an opportunity of
doing himself justice. His voice is prechsly the organ
fitted for the music of the part of Elvin*. It is written for
a tenor of the highest register, and so fall of perigee ia
the loftiest regions of the scale that almost every
performer of the part is obliged to have Is.
quset recourse to tranuceitien. Mr. Adams is
able to sing such parnages as the composer wrote
them. The effect of this wee menethoes most strik-
ing, as in the pasionate air "Ah, oft peso °ditch " Time
those high notes seemed the very my of grief and agony.
But this is only one of the beenties of Mr. Adams', singing
The fine quality of his voice, its sessions and sympathetic
power were equally apparent in every part of its
compass ; and the excellence of his voice ins not more re.
mukable than the truth and fervour of his expromios, and
the artistic purity of his style. His reception, by • fall
house, wee nothing less than enthusiastic. The applause,
which rang from every corner of the theatre,
gave unmistakeable proof of the universal feeling. The
management now know what Mr. Adams con do, and we
truss that they will keep his great powers in full exercise.
U they do not, it will be their misfortune as well as their
halt. We moat add that the little bet important put of
Use was exceedingly well acted by Miss Ellingworth, whe
promises to be • useful performer. This most charming
opine, which, performed ever so often, con sever beeper
backeeyed, went off exceedingly well, and evidently gave
the audience great delight.
The performance, which followed, of two acts of
Mouniello, was for the purposelof introducing • dolmens,
in the character of the hero. Mr. Coates, the performer Is
question, acquitted himself in such a meow as to make •
favourable impreislon, though bin aervamesse, and the
great diaedveotage of appearing is • /moment of an opera,
were neemearily much against him. The practice of 'Min
bits of operas is • bad one. It was eau carried to seek
• height at Her Majesty's Theatres to become an obsolete
OUISIIDO6 ; but we trust it will not become a custom at our
sew National Opers-hocue.