The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-02-19 00:00:00

OPERA HOUSE.

This Theatre presented, on Saturday night, all
the appearance of Covent-Garden, during the late
popular commotions at that place. The Opera of
La Soissesso wan hissed throughout. The dnap-
etabaiers of the audience was priiicipally directed
againet Medium Cnlh,ii, who, whenever she ap.
peered, was saluted with groans and whistles, and
cries of tt off!" and .other noises and recta-
matious of the O.P: school. Of the *well 11111111bcr
of Ladies present, several left the Theatre. Ears
attuned to the delicate airs of halloo melodies,
could ill bear the horrid and discordant din, which '
continued the whole ef the night, to the conclusion
of the Ballet, when it burst out into ar tuul tumult'
and riot. We have more than once noticed the pre-
railing discontent which has marked the perturb.' of
the season, since its commencement at tins House,
occasioned by the growl iniscauduct of that miser-
able Mausger, Mr. Taylor. Season lifter season
has the bolero Opera, uuderthe auspices and direc-
tion of that was,, been falling tuns decay ; but, on
the opening of the present season, it rapeseed to
have reached the last stage of imperfection. The
pieces brought out were wretched. The magical
departmeut was worthy of the pieces ; and. al-
though Veraris and Deithayes, as dancers, possess
merit, their carnotite were inefficient, from the want
of taste and genius in the constriction of the bal-
lets. Here was the true and only canoe of the
growing discontent on the part of the public. It
was a just cause, and Mr. Taylor was well aware
of it. He could loot expect that there was to be no
end to the patience of his subscribers, and that ha
would be antlered to draw such immense sums from
them iu subscriptions, withoue say adequate return.
They were accordingly assured in puffs and para-
graphs, in the Newspapers devoted to his service,
that pieces of extmiordivary merit were in prepara-
tion—that artists of extraordinary merit, and par-
ticularly a first-rate singer, from Rotterdam, we
suppose a Dutch Lady, were engaged. and might
be soon expected to make their appearaoce ; and,
to crown all, they antionneed the arrival of Madame
Catalani. to resume her place. In the mean
time • system of espiostsaire was established within
doors. The British subjects, who dated to express
their disapprobation in the Italian- Theatre, were
marked mad proscribed, and a plan, thus form--
ed. to exclude all freedom of thought, and
independence of principle, from the Theatre, by
ctsriverting it into a receptacle for tits patient slaves
of the Manager. In the proscribed list.the extent of
which is said to be coireiderable. was the Pere/fusee.
an inmate in the family of the Duke of Queensberry.
one of the most liberal Patrons of the Theatre.
This Gentleman, who hat Ii en previously upon the
free list, presented hisitell as amid, but was re-
fused admittance, and informed that his name
eras erased from the books. 'flies disappointed,
he procured the Duke of Qweentberry's ticket,
but that also was dishonoured. l e thee' offered
money, but with no better succese. The mighty
dictator of the Opera-House had placed hem on the
proscribed list, and, neither lore or money, sou-
; let or charm, could mitigate hi, sentence, or
tempt time faithful door-keeper to violate the
positive instractions of his master. A siege of
this sort could not have been so long maintain-
ed without attracting notice. Among those who
happosed. to arrive. while it was going for-
ward, were Sir Godfrey Vi'tbster, and several
other men of hellion. who soon became se-
quainter' with the binry. They were, at the seine
tune, apprized of the extent of the proscription,
end told, that it aver Lord Yarmouth should offer
himself, he would be refused admittance. The
knowledge of such eurineirsue, insolent, and in:o.
lerable conduct, on the part of this iniscrahle.
ungrateful Manager. who owed every thing tt the
public favour. soon found its way in', the inte-
terior. and in proportion as it became diffused, the
discontent increased, until it broke out, as we have
stated, in absolute tumult and confusion. The
Manager W;l4 repeatedly called for, but no Manager
appeared. The Pit, full of indignation, rose. and.
clearing the ()rehears. darted upon the stage.where
a posse of 300 gentlemen were *non assembled.—
Mr. Weil, the Trecturer. stood forward to answer
for the absent and invisible Manager ; and, as a pa-
nacea, assured the audience, that Madame Catalani
should be immediately engaged. Now. mark
the. insolence of this promise.-edt reams, then.
that Mr. Taylor thought that all the discontent,
rind all the disapprobation expressed since the
mencement of the 'mean. would have horn
avoided by engaging Madame Catalani. The
audience received this overture with becoming
spirit. Madame Catalani ought to have been en-
gaged, from the beginning, upon the most liberal
terms that the Theatre could afford, and her
transcendent merits entitled her to. That was her
proper place. But the spokesman, ow the part
of the audience. answered, that it had ceased to
be a question about Madame Catalani. That of-
fence was now ithsorbed in u much more important
question; the public were insulted by a gross and
arbitrary act of partial exelueien ; Ned the public
must have redress. An orator, on the pert of the
invisible Manager, we believe, Colon(' O'Kelly, re-
plied, that the Opera-House was a Subscription-
Tneatre, and not one to which the public had ad-
Initialler promiscuously ; and, of course, that the
Maritger was at liberty to exclude such part of the
public as he thought proper. This attempt of jus-
tification only Mereseed the storm. It is. indeed,
ridiculous to contend, that a place of amusement,
conducted us the Italian o,eera has been for nearly
twenty sear (the late Opera-House was, we believe.
homed dowu in 17ri9) as a place of ausetesueos,
where the pee& have paid their money at the door,
and been admitted without risecrimination, precisely
in the way orCovent-garden and Drury-laue,should
now, for the first tune, plead the prieueguiae ajrim:,
coucerir ; and, above all thiags, that the Meaner
should dare, not only to reduce the audience to a
.elect csmnsittee, but to a select commutate,' of his
own choosing, to tie exclossoa of some of his most
generous friends and liberal patrons. Much end
warm altercate)°, of course. ensued; and Mr. Reed
was given to uudeatand, that nothing but a com-
mete and satisfactory public apology, and promise
of r !dress for the grove injury sustained, would sn-
,,sfy the public, sad this %idiom delay. Here again
'he frends of the invieible Manager interfered.
urging, that Mr. Reed, as an egret without in-
stroctione, and °illy coraioG forward on the spur of

the occasion, in the atinanitiallie abode* of the Maa
hager, could not enter into aynitive undertaking
for his employer. This argument was not without
effect, and it was accordiskgly agreed that Mr. Reed
should couvey to Mr. Taylor the asatimeots of the
public ; which were, that he moat make a full
and public apology, for the and stowar.:
rentable insult offered to the purir before tomor—
row night, accompanied, at the same time, with
a satisfactory assurance of reform cud senendineutw
And with that assurance ou the part of Dir. Rued.
uproar relaxed its violence, and the pattiei began
to separate. To-morrow night is, of course, looked
fothard to with great anxiety. We hope to be able
twannounce, by that time, that Catalans is engaged
on liberal terms, that other shins of OW Dent are
shortly to make their appearance; for, as one swallow
does not make a summer, the public, who pay Of
bo profusely to Mr. Taylor, ought not
to he ratistied with one great actress; and, above *,
all, that Mr. Taylor has made a full and public
apolo4y. correspouding with the gross, andacioaab
anAt scauthslum. insult which this miserable ingrate
hos given to the public.