The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-21 00:00:00

KIN GS THEATRE.

• •
In consegnence of this evening being Whiatun Eve, the
performances at the Opera were transferred to last night.
Notwithstanding the change, and in spite of the fascina-
tions of Epsom, the house was brilliantly and numerously
attended, to witness the first representation of Semiramide
during the present season. This opera is one of the latest,
hut certahrly not one of the best of Rossini's compositions:
It is superior to the Semiramide of' Portognlto, in which
Catalani soine•years ago obtained so much reputation, but
it has no claims to he ranked amongst the capi d'opera of
the great Apollo of the day. The subject. as every school-
boy knows, is deeply tragic, and singularly fitted for a se-
rious opera, and we may say (what can rarely be said with
justice), that the post of the theatre-(or rather Signor
Rossi, who is attached to the professional mite of Rossini,)
has risen considerably above the standard of Italian opera-
wrights, both as to the language and the management of the
plot. As this titiera has already been wrformed four or .
five times, (during Madame Pasta's visit,) we arc spared
the necessity of giving any abstract of the story. It bears
a slight resemblance to ifamlet, and, in the bands of
Shakspeare, might have been wrought op into a touching
and tremendous sublimity. Mamame Pima' was the Se-
miramis, and, of course, was admirable. Her classic sim-
plicity, dignity, majesty, and pathos, left a deep impres-
sion on the recollection, and her vocal efforts wire of •the
Most exalted kind. • Idcr acting admirably kept pace with
her singing. In thescene which closes the second act, (where
the shade of Ninas appears,) it was scarcely possiGle for
the must accomplished actor to have exceeded her in im-
pressiveness. We cannot avoid 'noticing the manifest
amelioration of • Pasta's voice ; muck of its former huski-
ness and crudeness has disappeared, and its peculiar ful.
news and body are very delightful and unalloyed. Garcia
• was !diem's, an unimportant character, useless to • the
plot, and below the powers of ibis skilful and distinguished
artist. The little be had to do was done with his usual
grace and emphatic stye of expression. Remorini, in
Aster, pleased the audience by the unostentatiousness of
his manner, and the science of his execution. • Madame
Vestris, as ArSUCCS, we cannot largely praise. This lady,
on her entre, was slightly hissed, in consequence of Mr.
Ayrten's (the stage-manager) representation on Tuesday
last that she was the cause of the non-performan:e of this
opera on that night. . This gentleman was obliged (to use
an expressive phrase) to " eat his own words," and, after
a short speech and a few tears, Madame Vestris was allowed
to proceed with her part. It was whispered about the
theatre that the lady had not sbewn, during the last week,
quite so much docility to theEntreprenrar as (all things
considered) she ought to have done. This may be so or
not, without our carin,o, much about it. A word or two
more of the opera. The music of Semiramide is not much
unlike the general cast of Rossini's pieces. It is deficient
in new melodies : it is very singular in its harmonic com-
binations, and excessively ,noisy, in the re,moduction of
ideas more or less borrowed from the former operas of Ros-
sini : it is fully as conspicuous as any of his later writings.
In the article of melody the composer appears to.have slept
on his former laurels.. still, in spite of its being defective
in point of melody' some of the scenes are composed with-
great dramatic erect, and rainy of the harmonies are dis-
tinguished by very original conceptions. Altogether, it is
not of a high order of composition, and yet it has parts
which none but a first-rate genius could have produced.
Altogether it went off with considerable eclat.

Md.TORITY 4YD MINORITY
OX THE SECOND READING or THZ CATHOLIC RICLIZT
1111.1..—HAT 17.

MAJORITY.

Duke of York Lord Mansfield
Lord Clutne.ellor Orford
Lord Privy Seal Lonadale
Duke of Rickmond Harewood
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Porset Beauchamp
ewcastle Falmouth
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Marquis of Worcetter Stanhope
Salisbury Sheffield
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Exeter Viscount Sydney
Northampton Sidmoutb
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Lothian Lorton
Earl of Pembroke Lord De Clifford
Shaftesbury De la &ouch
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Scarborough Hawke
A yleaford Boston
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Macclesfield VI alsingham
Pomfret Rodney.
Home Montagu
Radnor Kenyan
Bathurst Rolle
.ibergavenny Stuart (Earl Mo.
Strange ray)
Rigby Salteraford (Earl
Liverpool r Courtowo)
Rochfort Bolton
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Itlayo Carbery
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O'Neill Arden
Lord Powis Gambier
Charleville Colchestcr
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Duke of Clarence of Gordon) ley
Lord Coventry Lord Tyrone (Mar- Lord Newburgh
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Earl Ferrer* Lord Wodehoust Lord Itihbleadale
Lord Manners Earl l'oulett Lord Forrester
Earl Harcourt Earl Nelson Earl Plymouth
Earl of Errol Bishop of Waterford Lord Glenlyona
Lard Loftus (Marti. llishoo of Carlisle Duke of Marlborough
Ely) Lord Fisherwick Duke of Alancliester
Lord Rivers (Marquis Donegal) Earl Howe
Earl Manvers Earl Chichester Lord Douglas (Earl
I Lord St. Helens Bishop of Durham Morton)
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GI sagow) Lord (tort
Earl Kellie Doke ofGordon(3lar- Lord Braybreok pair-
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Duke of Sussex Earl Grosvenor Viscount Cliefden
Lord President Ilchester Down
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Marq. of lianadown Caleden den
Bute Rosalyn Ring
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Downshire ( l oa ford Foley
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Earl of Ear: alinto Dundee
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Suffolk Somers Auckland
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Bristol Clare Ellenborough
t 'owper Lauderdsle Abercromby
..
Fitawilliam Breadal bane Lynedoch
Hard .icke Aberdeen Betsey •
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Oxford Torrington Napier
Spencer Dudley & Ward Bishop of Norwich
Clarendon Melville
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of
;3tr,ine t mont
Belhaven
land
dke of Hamilton
Churchill
Earl
M
learnarraOronisues
Earl Elgin L arl (:ranard Earl Carysfort
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Marquis of stafford Marquis of Headfort Earl Relmore
Duke of Somerset Lord Erskine Earl Harrington
I),ike of Bedford 'Viscount Melbourne Earl De La 'Vane
Viscount Anson Bishop of Rochester Earl Grenville
Lord Clinton lord Owydyr Earl Candi*
Lord Ducie Earl Beaborough Earl of DuelPrighanks
Lord Carrington Lord Crewe shire
Moard liill rquis of TweedaleEarl illesinton Lord Alvanley
L Earl IValdegrave

LordClanbrassi:l( tot
of linden)
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A boync)
Ravensworth
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(1i fliird
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l'enshur.t
Archbishop of Canter.
burr
1 ork
Arnieittli
Bishop of London
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Ely
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Down
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