The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-02-01 00:00:00

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DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

The Oratorio season commenced at this bottle nn
Satarday evening. The selection of music was ex.
tremely tasteful—and the performers displayed great
rierllence in their several departments. Madame
Grassi BELLoctit, the prima down of the
it Opera, was heard with peculiar *Misr action.
she arrived a little after the appointed hour--snot
owe disapprobation WAS expensed in ca,,,,que,,e,
of the delay occasioned by her absence—but the
moment she essayed her powers, previous disaii.
pointormt was lost in present admiration—owl
the anger of the most impatient part of the
audience was soothed and softened by slime's as
delicious, perhaps, as were ever breathed fr
human lips. !Umlaute Bestocht was ram
rousts. encored its the caratinn, " Di Mirk barn
it cor," a composition of Rossini. which she sang
with stifinne trate. Signor AMBROGETTI did out
appear at ease in this theatre ; he did nut exert, at
least not successfully, those powers which have so
often pleased us at the Opera-house. He sang the
air," Nua pin andrai," from MOZART'S opera,
" Le Nuz3e di Figaro, tolerably well—hut with
less force and expression than NIMBI war wont
to impart to it. Thu is, pernaps, one of the worst
Italian series that coeld be selected for • mixed
audience. From the nature of the subject, the
actor ought to predominate over the singer—sod
those who are not aware that the song is addressed
to the pretty, but dangerous page, Cheruhino, by
DDT who dreads his amorous disposition, not under-
standing the reason of the varied action and intona-
tion of the pei former, are apt to condemn that as
ridicules', which is strictly correct. To this want
of knowledge we attribute the disapprobation which
Signor itesaorisTrt received on Saturday even-
Mg. Mrs. SALMON. the most exquisite of oratorio
singers, was loudly applauded throughout the
"veiling. She was encored in the beautiful air,
front the oratorio of The Messiah, " Rejoice
greatly."' which she executed iu a style of the most
surpassing sweetness and delicacy. She was also
o scored in the oirlasicholy air—" My lodging is
on the cold ground," which she sang with new va-
riation.. We were pleased with the variations in the
second movement—those which followed wholly
destroyed the beauty and simplicity of the original
sm. Miss GOODALL is much improved, both in
voice, taste. . science. She sang elitist expres-
sively Mr. BISHOP'S prrtty air, '6 Observe you yon
neglected flouir," which was all but encored. Mr.
T. Cools, in the absence of Mr. PENE, under-
took the airs originally marked nut fur that Gentle-
matt. which he executed greatly to his credit, and
not less to the satisfaction of the audience.
Between the first aid second act, Mr. J. H. R.
MUTT, iaventur of the patent sostenente piano forte,
performed a fantasia on that instrument. The
sostenente piano, so called, we suppose, from the
facility which it iitl'ards to the player of dwelling
on a note, ad libitum, is a very ilig s iostru-
ment—comhirtiog the qualities of the ordinary plain.
forte, with those of the violin and organ. Mr.
Morn's fantasia, in the coarse of which he iii-
trodoced the popular liisli air of " Peggy of
Derby," was greatly applauded. Hetweeii the
second and third acts, Mr. LINDLEY performed a
soli,, on the violoncello—from which instrument be
drew forth tones as suit and delicious as those pro.
duced by the ablest hand. from the finest violin.
His perGumance was received with the most eittliu.
swine applause.
The exertions of Sir GEORGE SMART. under
whose direction the Oratorios at this Theatre are
got up, will, we have no doubt, be crowned with
complete success.—The house was, on this occasion,
exceedingly full—and the display of fashion and
loveliness in the dress circle was equal, if not supe-
rior, to any thing which we have witnessed at
former Oratorios.