The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-06 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

L'Elisird'A more, performed for the ftrat time this
season, drew a crowded audience to Covent-garden last
night. This opera is one of the most beautiful works of its
class. It is now generally regarded as the chef d'oeuvre
of Donisetti, who, though the author of so many lyrical
tragedies, had a genius essentially comic. His best operas
were comic operas, and his best comic opera was the Elia&
d'Amore. Don Pasquale is by no means equal to it, not-
withstanding the vogue given to that piece by the
inimitable acting of Lablache in the character of its hero.
We are inclined to go so far as to say that the Elixir
d'Amore is the finest opera buffo that has been produced
on any stage since the Barbiere. The Eliaw approaches,
if it does not equal, that unrivalled work in the gaiety
of the subject, the cleverness of the plot, and the never-
fading freshness of the music. It is indeed delicious ;
and, see it as often as you will, it is impossible to be-
come weary of it. Never since it was written,
we are convinced, boa it been so well performed

as it now is on the Covent•garden stage. There never,
surety, has been such an Attica as Adelina Patti. One
would suppose that the character was made for her and she
for the character. Her beauty, her rustic grace and co-
quetry, her sparkling looks, her light and brilliant yob's,
all seem combined to form DonizettPs heroine, and no one
else. In like manner there never has been such a Nemo-
niuo as Mario; and his aspect, manner, and exquisitely
melodious singing are the very beau. idea/ of the peasant
youth, -as much as they were twenty yews ago. Then,
there is ROllCOl2i. whose personation of Doctor Dulcamara,
the " Cheap John," is a piece of Italian comedy which
even Lablache himself was unable to equaL Add to these
Faure as the gay and gallant militaire, and there is " •
play fitted" as this little piece clan scarcely ever have been
fitted before. The audience were delighted ,from begin-
ning to end, and their laughter was as loud, hearty, and
incessant as their applause.

Drama.

PRINCESS'S

On Monday night Mr. Charles Kean appeared as
Louis XL, in Casimir Delavingne's play of that name,
one of the most, if not the most successful character he
has ever personated. How far he has copied Ligier, the
French actor for whom this very effective stage part was
specially written, it is impossible for us to say, but the
performance is in every respect remarkable. The mixture
of cunning, humour, cruelty, piety, superstition, and
cowardice has never been more forcibly pourtrayed. Every
tone and gesture is a study for actors, and the face of the
despicable King reminds us of one of Dore's villanous
countenances in the Colas.' Drolatiques. What with the
dotard monarchs of burlesque, and the vile monarchs of
tragedy and melodrama, royalty has a hard time of it on
the stage, in spite of my Lord Chamberlain. Mrs. Kean
appeared in the small part of Marthe, and the other
characters, of small importance,were carefully represented.
The English version of the play used is the one written for
Mr. Kean by Mr. Boucicault. The playbills ought not to
announce the drama as Shakespeare's.