The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-07-23 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE.

A grand musical performance, which the bills with much
propriety designated au "extraordinary performance," was
produced at this theatre last evening; it was entitled Dee
Friel:Au:7, or the )wrath Bullet. It is a literal transla-
tion from the celebrated Gentian opera composed by Carl
Maria Von %Veber. It has been dramatised by Rink, and
the English translator ie.Alr. Logan, who has evinced both
musical and poetical talent in his adaptation of it to the
English stage. The previous celebrity of the opera, e hich
has been performed in thirty different theatres on the sane
night in Germany : the celebrity too of the work, The
rules of Northetn Notions, from which it is taken,
tegetber with the assistance of a largely increased orchestra,
and the closing of the English Opera-huuse the night before,
gave "dreadful note of preparation," and attracted a nume-
rous and brilliant auditory. The story, as far as we could
catch it from the oltscuredeeelopement that the representa-
tion affords, is briefly this :—/Coe/o/p/. (Mr. Braham) and
Casper (Mr. Bennett) are both enamcured of .4gers (Miss
Noel) ; Rudolph is the favourite of the lady and her father.
Casper, however, obtains from the DCWIOX of a Forest
(Mr. T. P: Cooke) the power of direoting any bullets With
which he might fire fairly to the mark at which be aims ;
in consideration wl.ereof he ingages to surrender himself a
victim, or to procure a victim for the Demee after
the lapse of a certain period of tune. He is desirous
of making his rival Rudolph this victim, and endea-
vours to do so by trainferring this rawer of directing
the shots he might fire with accurate aim. Rudolph
is the more anxious to become what is termed " a
good shot," as a trial shut is about to take place,
which alludes to a custom . that prevailed in part of
Germany, that he who proved hinvcif the best shot'
was entitled to the rangership of the for.st, and to
demand in marriage the most beautiful woman iu the,
country. Notwithstandiug these blended attractions to!
yield to the suggestions of Casper, Reddish escapes the
snare, and the piece somewhat abruptly ends, by-Ruda/A.Ol
bullet, at the trial shot, being directed by the Demon'sl
power to the heart of Cospyr. He falls—the Demon ap-
pears in a cloud of sulphureous smoke, shower of fire, &c.,
and takes him away. A chorus is sung, the curtain falls,
and the audience is left to epojecture what they please as to
the destinin of the numerous draourtis prrsonte that arc
crowded into the piece. trove complete extravaganza—a
plot of equally romantic absurdity—a production composed
of incidents so extraordinary and so improbable was never,
perhaps, brought out at this or any other Theatre, except
a German one. That the fact of its being a legendary tale
of the North, and the circumstance of load allusions to the
superstitions and prejudice!! of the people, may render the
original piece popular in Germany, is not to be wondered at.
To us, however, its only redeeming quality is some really
beautiful music with which it is associated. Weber is un-
questionably a great musielin • there is a gay, joyous, and'
sparkling combination of sounds in his music, which please
the untutored car no less than they win the approval and
good opinion of the schetific. " liefore my eyes beheld
him" is really a piece which, in point of merit as a
musical composition, yields to no modern production
with which we are acquainted. ?dies Noel gave it sweetly,
but we could wish that her sweetness was sustained by
a corresponding depth and power. Biahatu was .elmiralile
throughout, and testifier! his sense of the merit of the
music, by heaving the rich variety of rounds with which it
abounds like a load from his breast. The effect with which
he gave the trio, " But does thy Heart forgive me" (with
Miss Noel and Miss Povey), could not be exceeded. "It
rose like a stream of rich perfuims upon the air." He was
no less powerful and impratseive in au introduced air in the
third act, " A %Vet, elland Life among the Hills," which was
as exquisite a piece of poetry and music as almost any in
the original piece. There was au incantation scene which
would be rendered much more doe-ming if it were con-
siderably
shortened. The piece was given out, with a very!
slight expression of disapprobation and a tumult of ap-
plause, for repetition (as we un lersteoll), until further.
notice. In short, fur the lovers ef the legitimate drama it
possesses few recoinmendatiens; to the lovers of music it
presents numberless attractions.

The Kentish Gazette of Tuesday says—" Yes:erday
morning Mr. Kean' the celebrated tragedian, pass ..d
through this city in his travelling chariot fur Londt,n, on
his return from Italy.
Madame Catttlani has generously contributed tztd. to
poor Mrs. Bland's subscription, and the Duchess of Ncr-
dm nava:nal has added ten guineas to her fornivr donation.

The trial of a Clni. Con. cause between a 't heatrical
Hero and a Ciric character of Lane notoriety is, we untkr-
stand, postponed fur the present by ►nutual consent.
"The leading dandy of the age," who fell into Ps in
Kensington Gardens, is on his way to Cheltenhani to drink
the waters.

The accident in kensing'nn Gatdens, to which we
nlhukd about ten days ago, arose from " the Man of
Fashion" having thrown a &ammo:ll—Morning raper.
We have heard that a Noble Lod and other gentlemen
of rare:, wh.:se names we are not permittid to toentlon,
will shortly proceed to Greer•, to supply the place of the
lamented livron.—Glohe and Trancllcr.

- --
The First Canto of t hide Hadel, published by Mr.
Murray, at his shop in Fleet-street, was a gratuitous pre-
sentation by Lord Byron to his friend air. D4ll.is, the,
brother of the Judge. We have understood Mr. Murray
gave Mr. Dallas ~out. for the first edition.