The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-02 00:00:00

KING'S THEATRE.

Signor Rossini has now crowned his hopes and fulfilled'
his promise to the British public. Saturday night presented
him to the admirers of the Italian Opera, in his station at
the piano-forte, as presiding over the fullest and most corn-
petent theatrical band in London, and directing, for the!
thinl time in this country, the execution of the music of
%chitin'. After the ample and unreserved expression of
our sentiments respecting this admirable production, we
could have little more to offer on the subject of its merits,
were we even disposed to prolong our remarks, that could
be either new or important. lf, however cordially the
piece was received on the first night of its performance, its
second and third representations have been witnessed with
increased gratification by as polite and tasteful audiences as
ever graced the Opera-house ; we are to impute the pleas-
ing and honourable circumstance, partly, perhaps, to the
successive discovery of beauties not so obvious as they have
since been rendered by more practised and perfect per-
formers ; but still more by the reiterated appeals of its
various eauties, and the mellowed and improved style of
the scenic exertions. These, the more finished singing, the
heightened acting, the emphatic declamation, the impas-
sioned personation, the enforced vocal and histrionic por-
traiture of those intense sensations, the excitement of which
in the audience by infection, was primarily the object of the
poet, and secondly of the musician ; these have gradually
imparted to thegeneral colouring of the drama a more ardent
glow—the performers, if not inure zealous, are now more
confident, than we could, expect to find theni on Saturday
week; if their second performance announced their pro-
gress towards perfection, the third exhibited then) arrayed
ir) all the glory of practio d and realised excellence. In
the Zelniira of Madame Rossini, and the //o of Signor',
Garcia, the afflicted daughter and affectionate wife, and
the tender husband and faithful subject and
were presented to us in the genuine traits of nature; the
Polidori of Placci pictured the poignant sufferings of an
aged and venerable sovereign, driven from his throne, and
compelled to a fearful concealment, by the barbarity of
an unprovoked enemy seeking his crown and his life; and'
the Antemore of Cunoni set before us all the savage vehe-
mence of an atrocious and unfeeling usurper, cruelly taking
advantage of that royal and pitiable distress which ought
to have awakened his commiseration and extorted his good
ofliecs. These and the Earide of Franceschi, were re-1
presented on Saturday night with a truth and a force that
were felt and acknowledged by every spectator; while the
appeals to the ear, vying with those made to the eye,
threw over the picture a strength and grace that left
nothing to be wished for by the most observant
and fastidious of the cognoscenti. Aladame Rossini
made the must of her various pcwers. Iler attitudes
and motions were striking; her tones and accents were
clear, and her divisions and emphases neat, free, and
pointed. Garcia never sung nor acted with more spirit and
propriety. Placci's voice and manner merited all the ap-
plause they obtained ; Curioui was no less personally than
vocally excellent ; and (though last, not least in love)
Madam Vistris did all that her charming voice, appropri-
ate acting, and much too important parts allotted to their
distinguished talents, would permit. The result of this
highly-polished anti almost perfect performance, was the
exquisite gratification of a most respectable and judicious
' audience, anti, no doubt, a sincere satisfaction and delight
to theji s: y-celebrated colnuLser.