The Express.
London, England, 1858-12-21 00:00:00

MUSIC.

ROYAL !MUM OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN.

The theatre was opened last night by Mies
Louise Pyne and Mr. Harrison, the managers of the
Sagbah Opera company lately at Drnry-kne,
In
lib transformation from an Italian to an Raglish
Opera-how, the interior of the theatre has arbor-
gone some alterations. There are two time et open
hones, and the stalls, instead of occupying three-
berths of the pit, are confined to three or her rows
edj"ining the orchestra, ea in the English theatres.
Every part of the house was cleanly crowded, is
consequence of the announcement of the first per-
thrmanos of Belfe's new opera, called &Woe& ; or,
as Power of Lore.
This piece was said to be founded co Casotter's
tale Ls Ditado Ansosirear, but we find no maw
of that strange, licentious tale in the opera, which
es it seems to as is taken frees • piece which made a
esasiderable mike in Park some five-and.twenty
years ago, a sort of opera-ballet called Lis Tosastion,
of which the musk woe by Haldvy, end the heroine
was personated by Mdlle. Davereay, the dancer.
£ kind of female dews le mat epos earth by the
lama! powers for the purpose al tempting hewn
beings to their destreetion • but falling in love with
we of her intended victims her mind gradually be-
comes purified. and in place of doing evil ahe does
ell the good she can ; she thus baba the object of
M mission, and as a reward for her virtue is
pardoned and admitted to beam. This is
preewily the subject of ffatoselia, though the
plot w so mixed up with irrelevant matter,
sad rendered so amortised and incoherent, that it is
vary diMeult, and in moth scarcely worth while, to
follow its rambling course.
A certain Count Rupert is about to contract a
wring of interest with a Princess Stella, • haughty
merbsaring mamas, while he loves a amatry girl
abed LW& Daring the nuptial kedvitiss she
worries him so soma that he is OW to lam re-
agens to the gaming kW, wires he Issas all his
ppee~mmeerrions—en incsdeat very bog the epeakg of
Jfkiere to Diablo. There is an ell boosted tower,
all ',hat remains to his, to which be remote; sad
boas( some ancient cabalistic books, he begins
le amuse himself with one of them, la whieh
he finds • formals for raising the devil. He
isatattly puts it in practice, sad Ariamass, the
dusson-king, appears with the usual burly burly of
brander and lightning, followed by an attariast in
female shape. This is Satanella, who, ander the
lbw of a page, becomes Count Rapert's rowan, he
cif the while knowing her real climoster. ilatamolla
straightway falls in love with bar miter I sad, as
he is about to marry Lelia, her satenie rival deter-
mines to get her oat of the way, arid she is ward-
'ugly earned off by a band of pirates. Hark* bus
get rid of her, Satanella takes her place ea bite,
sad, concreted by a veil, sccompanua Rupert to
Wirth. But her presence profanes the holy Wa—
lks is struck by lightning, and disappears amid Sawa
She is next discovered in the Inform' abode of
Arimmes, who rates her roundly for her bask-
siding, and sends her back to earth os her promise
to behave better (that is to say, wares) in future.
The same then changes to Tunis, whither Lelia has
been brought by the pirates. Rupert has followed
bet disguised se a Oreek merchant, and of course
Satanella is not long in making her appearance.
Lelia is publicly sold in the slave market, sad is
about to be carried away by the purchaser while
Rupert is in despair, when Satanelle soddenly
stands at his elbow, and promisee, on the condition
of his making ewer his soul to her, to effect the
restoration of the damsel. The conveyance being
made in the form—namely, by signing
his name with blood—Lelia is restored
to Rupert by Batanella's power, and the
kvers depart homewards. In the last act
the seen is again the demon's tower; and Rupert's
marriage with Lelia is about to be celebrated at
midnight in the adjoining chapel. Rupert is alone,
laming on hie approaching happinees, when Bata-
Vella appears, shows him his bond, and claims its
fulfilment. All is confusion and dismay : Lelia,
after in vain praying to Satanella for mercy to her
lover, at length offers herself as the victim in his
stead. Satanelle, touched to the heart by this de-
vatioe, is inspired with similar feelings—with re-
knit* and hope of pardon from heaven. She
dismieses the lovers, and waits, alone, the fear-
ful arrival of the demon. He appears in
all his terrors ; but she is pardoned, gad
ascends to heaven, while the curtain fells
on the rage of the belled !leads. There is •
vast quantity of comic matter, which is of a pon-
derous kind, and has scarcely any connexion with
the subject. It dregs the piece to an inordinate
langth—no less than four hours and a half, and the
excision of a great portion of it would be highly ad-
vantageous.
The opera roontsks a great deal of very beautiful,
and some very iatillerentiinusio. Serena of the
airs sung Mies Lades ein the character of
Satenella, by Mr. Harrison that of Count Rupert,
and by Mime Rebecca limos in that of Lelia, are ex-
cellent. But most of them have the fault amid is
English operas—they have no relation to the oddest,
sad might, with equal propriety, have been stock
into any other piece. They are, in truth, written
with a view to the music-shop rather than the stage.
Among the beet of them are a sweet ballad, " Our
hearts are rot our own," sung by Miss Law the
recitative and air, " Ab me!" which begins the
second act, and was rung by Miss Louisa Pyles with
a singular combination of the most brilliant execu-
tion with the most pamionate expression; the ballad,
e Let not the world disdaining," sung by Mies
Louisa Pyne, witha fine obligato accompaniment on
ebe clarinet ; and another ballad, " An sogeila=
admirably sung by Mr. Harrison, with ren
obligate for the violin. The concerted pieces sad
shormes, of which many of the principal scenes cos-
Wt. are admirably emstructod, rich in harmony, and
fu'l of tire end dramatic effect. In short, we do not
think that any of Balfe's previous works contain
Sear music than is to be found in this nplltht
we cannot help fearing that the masseMS=
from the defects of the drama.

The performance was admirable in every respect.
Hies. Pyne oever exerted herself more strensenely
er with greater effect, and the same compliment may
tautly be paid to Mr. Harrison. Mies Meets Leese
will he an immense esquisition to the theatre; sal
so will Mr. W. though his part of Arbutus wee
extremely uegrateful. with respect to the innetesie
—the scenery, costumes, dances, and peneentr—
everything was equal to what we have been maw
tooled to at the loyal Italian. And the arciestra,
ender the direction of Mr. Mellon, most not be
Cedover—it is the beet we have ever heard in an
lish dente".