The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-23 00:00:00

.ffitlitt.

DRURY LANE.—Mr. Wallace's new opera, " Matilda
of Hungary," the unexpected postponement of which, a few
days ago, produced such a commotion in this theatre, was
performed last night (Mor.clay). " Matilda of Hun-
gary," as a drama, is, u usual, the work of Mr. Bunn,
and is nvither better nor worse than the general run of
the goods which issue from the Drury-lane manufactory. It
is one of thou things which at once show and deepen the
depression of the English musical stage, and render it
more and mire hopeless that any poet, worthy of the name,
will now I o'er that name by sysociatitig it with a branch of
literature which once boasted of the names of Metwitasio,
Quinault, Dryden, and Sheridan. Matilda of Hungary,
the heroine of the piece, is a queen of Bohemia, whose
husband, Ladislaus, is believed to have perished in battle
against the Turks; and the piece begin, during an insurrec-
tion of • part of the nobility who wish to seize the
throne which they hold to be vacant. The queen,
driven by the insurgents from her capital, seeks for refuge
among the mountains, where she is met by the first
minister, Count Magnus, who, availing himself of her
position, proposes himself as her husband ;—an offer
which she rejects with scorn. Whilst enraged at this
rejection, Count Magnus sees a young hunter, named
George Podiebrad, who bears an extraordinary resemblance
to the lost king Ladielnue, and persuades this young man to I
personate the king. Podiebrad, who has accidentally saved
the queen's life while hunting in the mountains, and be-
-001111, enamoured of her without knowing who she was,
now sees her at a distance, and, learning her rank, accepts I
I/agnus's proposal, not, of course, from ambition, but merely
that he may follow her, as he says, and know his fate ; while
the wily minister hopes to govern the kingdom by means of a
pliant tool. The return of the lost Ladislaus/ is proclaimed;
he makes a splendid entry into Prague, end is intro-
duced to the Quern, who, deceived by the resemblance, re-
ceives him with transport. Magnut proceeds to make use of
his tool, and presents hint documents to sign, appoint-
ing him (Magnus) commander of the forces, sole administra-
tor of the finances, and successor to the throne; but is
astounded to find himself treated by his late protig
with haughty contempt. The King and Queen meet
again; the Queen, on • second view, discovers
the cheat, and brands Podiebrad with the name of
impostor. An insurrection, meanwhile, instigated by Slag.
nus, breaks out, and the second set ends in confhsion, with.
, out any discovery of the secret. In the third act we find
that the false Ladislaus has, by his exploits in war, end con-
duct in peace, gained universal popularity. He re-
I turns in triumph from • victorious 'campaign; and
in a private interview with the Queen, announces
his intention, after some measures necessary for
the security of the kingdom, to give himself up to
punishment for his imposture, which he attributes to his
ove fur her. They are interrupted by the announcement
that a man, who had tired at the king in the procession, has
been seized, and confessed a previous similar attempt. This
man turns out to be Mathias, an innkeeper, who had
appeared at the outset ma a friend of the hunter
George Podiebrad, but had been corrupted by
Count Magnus, and had beeon:e an agent of his crimes.
It is proved that it was by the instigation of Magnus that he
had attempted the King's life; and the King banishes
Magnus for ever from Bohemia, while he dismisses
Mathias, with forgiveness and money, to his native mono-
taine. A tender scene ensues between Podiebrad and the
Queen, who recognises in him who now avows his love, the
youth who had saved her life among tl.e mountains. The
last scene is in the grand hall of state ; the Queen is on her
throne, and surrounded by her court and nobility, when
Magnus, supported by sundry malcontent nobles, rushes in
and proclaima,the King an imposter. AU is excitement and
consternation; when the Queen, rising, passes sentence of
death on Count Magnus fur having

" Dared to my Itralt, and near my heart, to bring,
With uninateh'd shame, Chia phantom of • king
Raving ordered the unworthy minister to be conveyed to
death, she turns to Podiebrad—
,. As for that slave, who on the throne
Usurped a place, he hoped to make his own,—
Lupton reef! down on thy headed knee,—
[Pootannanfaila et Me feet of tlor Qvuer.
And learn how sets like thine ma penkkad be
To him, the mviour of my crown, the able(
Whore !mesas valour gave my ealms rend,—
Worthy of him, and me, a prise I bring—
[Placing Orr diadem on file hood of PiIDILBILin, kneeling.
This diadem!--rise up l-110HENIIA'd KLMO!!!"
The whole ends with the following " Rondo," warbled by
the Quoen, and which is too good to be paused over:

One gentle heart
Which we belies*,
With us to smile,
NVith us to grieve,
While worldly shoe
Round ns may pall,
Wieldetb a charm
Dearer than ell

Such is the story of this opera, which we have taken some
pains to relate, accurately though briefly—not because, in
itself, it is worth the trouble, but because it is a fair speci-
men of what passes current in England as the grand serious
opera, the lyrical tragedy, the highest branch of the musical
drama. As to the treatment of this story—the spoken prose
and warbled poetry—anybody can form a complete idea
of it who has read "The Meld of Artois," "The Bob..
mian Girl," " The Crusaders," " The Bondman," and
the other masterpieces from the same prolific pen.
" Matilda of Hungary," in short, is sa good es any of its pre-
cursors ; it is as rational and consistent in its plot and inci-
dents as gramatical and polished in its diction, as original
' and vigorous in its poetry, as any of them ; and, if they
have been successful, it is equally entitled to be so. We
cannot help regretting, however, to see our composers em-
ployed upon works which every true musician must feel to
be unworthy of his genius. Their excuse is. that
they must take such pieces or none ; and this state of
things will continue among us till some composer
shall appear among us, sufficiently great in art, and high in
position, to maim tnd the assistance of dramatic genius
worthy of his own. There is no want, wo believe, of both
kinds of talent in England ; but till they are brought into
co-operation, we shall not have an English opera deserving
of the name. Of Mr. Vincent Wallace's talents we enter-
tain, and have expressed, a high opinioa ; and we think that,
in composing his first opera, " Yaritana," a clumsy rifaci-
meat° of a popular French play, from which every spark of
spirit and gaiety was struck out to make room for endless
scenes of dawdlusu sing-song, he showed those talents under
still greater disadvantages than at present; and, in both
eases, he has acquitted himself of his task in a manner which
does him much credit. "Matilda of Hungary " contains a
great deal of music possessing the gencial charactoistics
of his previous work a pleasing, a popular strain of
melody, not dictingubhed by novelty of idea, but calcu•
lated to excite attention by its easy flow, its vivacity,
and, sometimes, its tender and even passionate expression ;
ingenious and effective combinations of harmony in the
concerted music ; and graceful and fanciful instrumentation.
The overture was a failure; it was a pol pourri of themes
taktn from the opera, clever in its separate parts, but, as
a whole, incoherent and unsatisfactory. The opening
chorus was effective ; and the song in the first scene, " The
prophet his standard was rearing," was so well sung by Mr.
NVeiss as to be encored ; as was the ballad, " It was a form,"
sung soon afterwards by Harrison in the character of
Podiebrad. The second act moved rather heavily, none of
the music appearing to produce a strong impression,
except a round fur hr. voices intermixed with
chorus. " There is in regal power a charm," a very masterly
piece of vocal harmony. The third set opened with a re-
citative and air, " These halls, of revels once the scene," one
of the prettiest things in the opera, which was so sweetly and
gracefully sung by Miss Imam, in the little part
of Laha, as to produce an unanimous encore. The
character of the Queen was performed by Miss Romer,
who sang the music of the part (though some of it tried her
voice very severely) with grvot power and brilliancy. She,
too, of coUGC, sung several of those ballads which, being
made to sell ion the music shops, have nothing earthly to do
with the subject of the opera. Of these, the most pleasing
and sue-talent wax, " In that devotion which we
I breathe," introduced ja the third act. Donald, who

was Count Magnus, was well received, though we cannot I
remember anything in his part that made the .lightest
impression on us. On the whole, the performers acquitted
themselves well. There was no room whatever for
the display of dramatic talent ; bat, as timers,
both Miss Romer and Mr. Harrison were more
than usually successful. We must add that the
magnificent and beautiful manner in which the pitoe
was brought upon the stage deserves the highest praise.
Some of the scenery was exquisite ; and the concluding scene
was one of the most gorgeous spectacles we have ever wit-
neesed in a theatre. At the falling of the curtain the trine'
honours were pail to the principal performers, the composer,
and the poet-manager.