The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-05 00:00:00

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THE ROYAL ITALIAN6FiRA " Ercani "
was performed at Covent-garden on Saturday evening. We
had been led, fur some time past, to expect that the next
novelty at this theatre would be the " Nimes di Figaro" of
Mozart ; but, in place of one of the masterpieces of the
greatest of dramatic composers, we have got a repetition,
with new performers, of one of the feeblest productions of
the present degenerate Italian school. This is not the kind
of management the public has bad reason to expect. We
were promised the greatest works of the lyrical drama, per-
formed in the completest manner. To the manner of per-
formance, during the season, we have had, on the whole,
little to object. But the selection of operas has been no im-
provement whatever on that which has been so often made
matter of reproach in the management of her Majesty's
Theatre. Indeed, Covent.garden Ins confined itself entirely
to the old worn-out riperlotre of the Haymarket, with the
single exception of the, " Italian in Algieri," one of the
poorest of Rossini's pieces, which turned out all but a total
failure. Of Mozart, the only opera produced has been " Don
Giovanni," a piece which has been performed at her Ma-
jesty's Theatre several times (very season fur many years
past. The lesson is now drawing so near its close, that the
public are in a condition to judge how far the promises made
at its commencement have been fulfilled. It is quite evi-
dent, not merely that th'y have not, but that they can-
not now be fulfilled ; no time remains for their accomplish
" Reliant " having been already performed at Loth houses
previous to this last performahce on Saturday, we have had
more occasions than we desired of expressing our opinion of
its merits, or rather its demerits; and we elnid not, there-
fore, say another word upon the subject. Its second produc-
tion at Covent Garden had two novel features—the &Lel of
Steffauoni in the character of Elrira, and the appear-
ance of Mdlle. Alboni in that of Don Carlos. Mdlle. Stet-
fanoni is a performer of merit, but without any striking cha-
racteristic either as an actress or a singer. Her appearance
is pleasing ; her action if, intelligent, though deficient in the
tragic power necessary for some of the situations ; her voice
is good ; her execution, on the whole, satisfactory ; and her
style that of a cultivated musician. She is, in short, • per-
former very capable of doing justice to a good: part not de-
manding the highest trestle genius, and to music possessed
of intrinsic excellence. But she is not • Oriel, to convert a
feeble outline into a powerful picture, and to clothe a trite
melody with charms not its own ; hence, it was injudicious,
we think, to bring her forward in this character. She was
mach applauded, however, and her reception was deci-
dedly favourable. Mdlle. Alboni's tall and somewhat mas-
culine figure and deportment, were well suited to the part
of Don Carlos; her male attire was picturesque and becom-
ing, and she looked the Spanish cavalier admirably. The
music, which properly belongs to • baritone, sung by her an
octave higher, was not unsuitable to her deep contralto voice,
and was executed with consummate beauty and excellent
effect. As to the fine orchestra and chorus of this theatre,
their powers are thrown away upon Verdi's unnonous
psalmody and noisy accompaniments.
THE CAMBRIDGE INSTALLATION ODE,--The Ode,
written by Mr. Wordsworth, the poet-laureat, and set to
music by Mr. Walmisley, the professor of music at Cam-
bridge, which is to be performed to-morrow as part of the
ceremonial of the installation of H.R.H. Prince Albert, as
Chancellor of tho University of Cambridge, was rehearsed on
Saturday morning at the lisnover-equare Rooms. It was
more like a public performance than a rehearsal; the great
room being completely filled with auditors, and all the per-
formers, principal ringers, band, and chorus, being present.
The solos were sung by Miss Birch, Mime Dolby, lir. Lackey,
and Mr. Phillips; the orchestra contained the dire of oar
intrzutneutwlieds, and the chorus was atrong and etlsctive.
The poem (from which, previous to its performance, we
cannot make any extracts) possesses considerable beauty, and
handles with felicity the vicious topics of courtly compli-
ment which obviously present themeelves on such an *eva-
sion, though the execution of such • task is rather cut of the
way of the author of "The Excursion." As an ode written
expressly to be set to music, it labours under the objection
of not being at all lyrical, In ord.. to write with effect a
poem for such a purpose, it is neceessry that the poet shall
have in view, and be able to form, at least a general con-
ception of the musical form which it is to assume ; that cer-
tain stanzasshall be written with a view to declamation, others
to melodious snug, and others to choral harmony. But of all
this Mr. Wordsworth does not appear to have had the
slightest ides ; and the composer, when he set about his
teak, seems to have pieced it off into a number of lengths,
making one a recitative, another an air, a third • quartet, mid
• fourth a chorus, almost at random, there being nothing
in the vanes tneinselve• to guide his choice. Such being
the difficulties Mr. Walmisley has had to encounter,
he is entitled to great praise for the manner in
which, we will not say he has conquered, but con-
tended with them. As might be expected, he is most
sateessfel in hie choruses, and least happy in his airs. It is
established as a principle in music, deduced from the practice
of every great composer, that an air must be the vehicle of a
sentiment or passion couched in the fewest and simplest
word., which are dwelt upon and reiterated by the musician
with various shades of expression, their force and pathos
being eahareed by every recurrence. A long narrative, or
series of reflections, is wholly unfit to be made the subject of
an air. The lecture bestowed on the royal chancellor, on
the duties of his high office, in some twenty or thirty grave
and solid lines, will not be the mom imaressive from being
delivered in smooth sing-song through: the lips of Him
Dolby. All such airs must necessarily cold, incoherent.
and tedious no composer can make them otherwise. The
choruses, supposed to speak the collective sentiments of a
body, are morn manageable, and some of them are treated
with great ability and power. The chorus, in parttcuieslar,
" War is mercy, glory, fame ;" that which accompan the
soprano solo," A guardian angel fluttered;" and the grand
choral beide, we are convinced, will produce a very great
effect in the Senate House of Cambridge. There is,
also, • quartet far the principal singers, in
hie mantle's sunniest fold," which is full of beautiful har-
mony. The whole composition does great honour to the
talent, of of
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pdisurtienguandishrated Clar..4biemiaingridge -Profemova reoftaMousioimi

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