The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-28 00:00:00

ITALIAN OPERA-HOUSE.

Last night the serious opera of dtello was again repeated
at this theatre, and received with a degree of enthusiasm
seldom exceeded. The Marquis Berio, who has fashioned
one of the most splendid creations of the British muse to an
opens. must have had no common effrontery, especially
when he seems from this effort to be totally unfitted even
for the humble work of translation. Shakspeare's Othello
set to music! There's an absurdity about it;—our associa-
tions are so destroyed, our recollections so puzzled and
astonished by it, that at the first mention of such a thing,
we scarcely know whether it is intended that we should be
considered as dunces or insane, to listen to it with an or-
dinary degree of patience. What ! the generosity, the love,
the jealousy of the noble Moor—the tenderness, the affec-
tion, the devotion of Desdemona—the cunning, the envy,
the duplicity of that arch-fiend logo all pictured in an
opera, and developed in song! Scarcely a man in his senses
would have dreamt of making such an attempt; mid yet
Rossini has succeeded to an extent greater than we ever
remember to have witnessed. The music of Melo is sin-
gularly characteristic, and richly deserving the study of
those gentlemen who compose operas for the other theatres.
'f he passion of the poet is generally diffust d through she
music : the strains of pity or of love subdue and thrill
us ; while the fire of rage burns on,—and the annoyance
of disappointment lingers in the severe and yet dirge..
like tones here put together by this eminent eompeem
The intensity of Othello's suffering is marked with a mas-
ter-hand ; and we derive from this performance a pleasure
only inferior to that afforded us by the unmatehr d plow-
ings of Kean. We have not, it is true, his eagle eye,
searching with a power of unmeasured capacity into the
treachery of his friend, while he still deceives him ; and
then lookine; inwardly on his own folly with a glance of
mixed tenderness and reproach. Weser not his convulsed
countenance indicating the storm of feeling. and the con-
flict of passions which rage within his bosom. Our sympa-
thies are unengaged for the fate of opera heroei and he.
roines, for they seldom exhibit passion : and the ext.res-
sion of music, though conveying sensations of pleasure or
of pain, of merriment or sadness, is unequal at all titres to
that of the human countenance, aided by the use of language.
We have not clearly articulated to us the gradual growth
of Othello's jealousy, until at last it choaks up his utterance;
nor that heart-rending regret so beautifully and so natu-
rally wound up in the little speech beginning " Farewell
the tranquil mind," and ending with Othello's occupa-
tion's gone." When Kean repeats this passage, there is no
sensitive mind but participates in his wrongs, and no
feeling heart that would not share the punishment which his
misplaced jealousy has heaped upon him. Othello then
stands in the most favourable view. He is too generous
to doubt the man he believes his friend, and yet too
fond of the gentle Desch-mune, not to receive with
trembling and anxiety the slightest breath which would
speak of her defection from him. His life, his hope, his
all is identified with her honour, and once that is tar-
nished—" Othello's occupation's gone." Hence we pity the
victim of lors's treachery, and while heaving a Bleb over
the fate of Desdemona, we cannot conceal the affection we
feel warmly circulating through us for her betrayer' de-
stroyer. Divested as Otelle is of those enchantments
which the great magician has so profusely spread around
the drama of that name, it is highly creditable to Rossini,
nay, we think it must be one of his proudest boasts, that
he has, from whatever causes, been induced to translate
Shakspeare into the eloquent language of "sweet sounds."
Shakspeare cannot suffer by any translator; for though
curtailed of all his fair proportion, by the unhallowed
knife of the Marquis Berio, sonic atonement is made
by the eloquence and excellence of Ressinfs mcdulations.
Rossini, if lie have read Shakspeare, must see his genius
for music ; and to do Rossini justice, lie seems in this case
to have r. paid the glory of British verse by the triumph 00.
Italian song. The principal attraction of the evening was
Madame Pasta, of whose first appearance and reception we
spoke with the praise she so eminently deserved. Mad ime
Pasta's style of singing may be properly called peculiar,
inasmuch as she seems to avoid that studied ornament
which is the characteristic of all our modern singers.
She is not as brilliant as Catalani, nor perhaps as melo•
dious as Fodor. She does not luxuriate in difficulty,
but she masters it without any visible exertion, and runs
the scale with precision and remarkable clearness of
articulation. Her voice is tolerably flexible, decidedly
round, and of considerable compass; but not equally
powerful in her upper and lower notes. She never for-
sakes her subject to hunt after ornament—while the ores-
ment she does use seems to he past, and necessarily part, of
the melody itself. This is a rare qualification, and evi-
dr ntly the result of profound science and refined taste.
Madame Pasta's style may, in coieradistinction to that of
Caudell, Miss Paton, and, we may aav, all the principal
artists of this day, be called easy anti 'unambitious. In
almost every other singer you can tell the particular note,
whence they start to make a flourish, and display ostenta-
tiously what they conceive to be their astonishing faculty • in
M. Pasta you have the author's meaning conveyed so forcibly
as to arrest your judgment, and lead your feelings captive.
There were passages in her Desdensuna which spoke is
melting tenderness to the soul, and awoke the most un-
adulterated compulsion. The simplicity of her style
greatly aided the effect of a part which is certainly no
masterpiece of our immortal hard's; while her chiding of
the Moor exhibited a combination of energy and affection
not to be found in any but the first-rate performers—per-
formers who bring science as well as genius to their labo-
rious occupations. Madame Pasta is not only a singer of
the highest eminence, chaste in her style, and powerful in
her exprssion, but also an actress of considerable merit.
She treads the stage well, seems thoroughly acquainted
with the useful and necessary art of by-play, and erects
by attitude all that song, however sweetly and seentifi-
cally given, cannot produce. Perhaps she uses her heads
too much, but in the ensemble we have had no such i'eirne
Donna for many years. Her person is prepossessing, her eye
intelligent and dark, and her bust not unlike that of Marie
Antoinette, which Burke has almost immortalized, and Lord
Byron has not thought it beneath him to filch from him,
and render into verse. We sincerely congratulate Mr. Ron
nelli on the splendid acquisition of Madame Pasta. Her first
song, the air of which is taken from La Donna del Logo,
was a sure precursor of her suet e, from the manner in
which it was given; and it cannot aid a little to her fame
to say, that in the hands of Madame Catalani the beet
judges considered it a failure: that lady's redundancy of
ornament completely spoiled its effect. The song in the
third act, Aasisa a pie, was a delicious more-eats, though
not encored; and there was a fervency and sweetness in
the air, Deh cansa o ciel, which (deepite of the thaw-
back of not being accompanied by this gifted vocalist
on the harp) could not tail to call for a re petition.—
Garcia's Otello was even more thin we expected, con-
sidering the mutilations and distortions of the part com-
mitted by the Marquis Berio. He has left us nothing of
the high honour, the intense love, the warm generosity, of
the noble Moor—a man whose very colour heightens cur
admiration of his qualities. He is shorn entirely of his
splendor, and is only left to play the paling lover, who,
dezeived by his mistrem, becomes her sudden and wire-
lentil% executioner. What was left to Garcia he per-
formed well, and nothing more cook! be expected fricia
him. Ile evidently laboured under severe indisposition,
but still acquitted himself like a mutter of his sit: he has
no equal at this day. Porto was in excellent voice, and
sustained his part, at the conclusion of the first act, wit::
great power and spirit. But the whole effect is dreadfulle
marred by the thin and reedy tones of Hewes: if Curie' i
were well enough he should have sustained the part, sad
then our satisfaction would have beets complete. A Mons.
Ferdinand appeared in the Divertiesement for the first
time, and obtained some applause. He is small in person,
but elastic in his movements : he is more agile than
Albert, but not so quick as Vestris. We honestly confess
we are not sufficiently skilled in what the French now call
Curographie' to discuss the excellence of his designs or the
perfection of hisfirouetler and we are therefore compelled
to drop the subject. The house was crowded in every
part, and the boxes were filled with an array of fashion,
beauty, and title, which forcibly reminded us of some of
the brightest nights at this theatre. We hope they may
continue • and that the active and meritorious exertions of
Signor Benelli may meet that reward which Englishmen
never deny to merit, from whatever quarter it may come.
Palmam qai mend! feral.

Madame Caradori's benefit is likely to prove an over-
flow ; and we trust that, during the remainder of *e
'season, Mr. Ilenelli may reap that harvest which bib
exertions merit.