The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-29 00:00:00

THE KING'S THVIrRE.

The patrons of this theatre experienced on SatUrdey
night another of those agreeable disappointments with
wench the Managers have been pleased so often to indulge
, them during the present season. Ifirciardrr e Zuraidc,
a second-rate Opera of Rimini, had been announce l for
performance, but the illness of !Umlaute Vestria and Sig-
nor Garcia, rendered it newt teary to find a substitute. Ca-
talani, with a promptitude at once grae•fal and honour-
able to her, proposed to repeat the part of Aristra, in
t'entatiett. This was "not in the bond,' hut it is another
of those many benevolent traits which are peculiar to this,
in every way, highly-gifted female. if Fanatic° is a sit-
perior production to Ricciardi. It is more original, 'spi-
rited, sparkling, and dramatic. It has nearly all the ex-
cellencies of German music, and much of the gaiety, bril-
liancy, case, and beauty of the 1 Mayer, the Wm-
LNter, was a German by birth, and spent a great part of
is life in Italy. The influence of a genial climate, and a
sunny sky, shed a grace, softness, and delicacy over the rug-
ged harshness of German s..ntinient. Hence it is that Mayer
is more able than any other northern musician (Mozart being
maxi exerHione major) to struggle with the supremacy of
the Italian artists. II Fanatic, is one of his highest comic !
operas ; it has a fair portion of humour, and a good deal
of that sort :ef expression which may he termed musical
wil. Ari.dsa is a character in which Madame Catalan:li
gained ninny years since a whule harvest of laurels. We
believe that she performed it more frequently than any
other, and certainly with greater success. It presents
occasions for the display of all lier great and peculiar
powers. Since her return to the London stage, she has
omitted some of the airs which once gave such great de-
light, and has replaced them with others from differ. at 1
composers. To this we certainly have more. than one
oljecrion • it ja an injustice to Mayer, both because it 1
breaks the utak), Attil tornastency of his composition, and I
because it institutes an immediate comparison, to •vhich he
had not made himself a party, and which might be inju-
rious to the fame of his opera. Madame Catalani, on Ss-
turosy, introduced Ombra ildfirata, bons the Opera of
Romeo e Jalietta, of Zingarelii land Oran, from La DlI llf a
el.l Lugo. They were both executed with her wonted pre-
cision, • ower, and beauty. The latter was singularly hap-
py, as being less highly ornamented with the cadences, di-
visions, and
.fiarimenti in which the genius of this lady so
much delights to revel. There was a weakens,' and deli-
cacy about it, which ehewed that Madame Catalani, in all
her accessions of energy, mastery, and execution, had Jon
nothing of few milder and sweeter graces for which iele was
formerly renowned. There is no passage in 11 Fanatico in
which Madame Catalani is more successful then in the
!tumorous duet with Don Feheo, "con p: urea." It is a
kind of musical trial between the composer and the singer, in
which all the difficulties of the science are assembleeL No-
thing could exce.d the facility, promptness, and vigour of
Madame Cstalani's execution, unless it were the comic hu-
mour and spirit with which she managed the dramatic part.
Altogether, her performence was equal to any that we
remember of this lady, and superior to that of any other.
We do rot perceive much change in h• r style, manner, or
power, since her former appearance here ; perhaps she has
gained precision and facility in the difficult parts of the
science, and her tones are even more powerful and gigantic
than they were. !ler step and march here become more state-
ly and queen-like. This might be supposed to arise from
her intimacy with Royalty on the Continent, if we did
not know that it is not in such circles grace and dignity are
always to he found. Madame Caradori Allen was obliged
to relinquish the airs and concerted pieces of Celestina, in
conseqlience of Indisposition. A printed apology was cir-
culated through the house, and the appearance of the lady
Lore but too cle:.r a testimony to its truth. Fortunately, '
her illness is one which will soon pass away, leaving
behind it, we trust, a pledge for her continuance in a
country where her musical talents' her gentle and un-
affected manners, and tier amiable disposition, have won
for her so many admirers and friends. Curioni has so
little to do in the opera that we are absolved from the
necessity of et iticising his performance. In the trio, Eternit
re:ti is trot.., his :ire manly voice and simplicity of exe-
cution appeared to great advantage. De Ilegnis, in Don
Felwo, is delightful. His humour is not unlike that of
Blanchard, only a little more extravagant in degree. His
instructions to the orchestra are given In the genuine spirit
of comic acting, and can scarcely be exceeded. As for
Signor Rosichi (we believe it was he who crud:eel for
Biscronia), we could not help reverting to the Act,
ar d for once in our lives (may the omen be averted) felt
;disposed to acknowledge that casts might occur which
cab. el for its application. In the course of the second act,
la gentleman (whose !tante we did not hear) perforined a
concerto on tbe violin with extraordinary skill. If this
difficult piece had been halt' an hoar, or even an hour,
shorter, it would have been completely successful; as it
: was, not a little censure was mingled with very general
applause. The opera itself went of with great appro-
bation.

ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE.