The National Register.
London, England, 1823-05-12 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

On Thursday night, a new Opera, called eta r
CR The /1/aid y Milan, was perfitrined, for the first
time. The Theatre was must fashionably and nu-
merously attended, and the general expectation,
%ilicit had been very high, we are happy to say, suf-
fered no abatement in any respect.
The story of the Opera, which is the production
of Mr. 1-loward Payne, is ecrtainly.of too serious a
' , east tut the eflitrts of the performers reconciled us
in a great measure. to this departure from the proper
of the musical drama. The daughter of a pea-
sant has been induced to leave her father's house by
"'her attachment-'to a Nobleman, who, however, finds
it nacossaty to promise marriage before she cos-
bents, and afterwards fails in persuading her to be
his, on fashionable terms. When he proposes these
terms, she exhibits so much horror that he is obliged
to sct two of his domestics to watch- her motions,
and prevent her escape from his house. One of
those domestics is a lively girl, who, for the purpose
of keeping herself awake, in the room next to that
in which the heroine of the story is confined, sings
merrily, and does other things to the great amuse-
ment of.the audience, but at last falls fast asleep.

Clad, then issues from her room, leaps from the
window, and flies towards her fatlttr's house, where
she soon becomes reconciled to her mother. It is,
however, a more difficult matter to approach her
latiter, and she is therefore introduced to him veiled,
as a disobedient child, who seeks from him advice,
us to the means of procuring pardon. This scene is
indeed a powerful one, and Mr. Fawcett, who
played the tether, gave a picture of parental feeling
that, would have redeemed a multitude of errors
much greater than any in th 3 piece. The Opera
ends with the marriage of clan and the Nobleman,
who had put her virtue to the .test,, and who is
mere delighted at the,defeat which. his dishonoura-
ble proposals sustained than at the vietory which he
heal gained over her heart.
These are the materials upon which, together with
a little 'assistance finny the introduction of two or
three sprightly characters, who have no immediate
connexion with the story, the writer has founded
his Opera. The incidents are. wall .menaged, and
the catastrophe is powerful/. Miss M. Tree per-
homed the character. ef Clani with. great success—
indeed, there is scarcely a part in the range which.
she bits been accustomed to undertake, in which she
exhibited her command over the feelings more effec-
tually. '['here were sevientl touches of dramatic
skill in the early passages of the piece; but in the
reconciliation scene, in whirl Miss Tree and Mr.
Fawcett had the best opportunity of proving their
rank above the rest of those engaged in the piece,
there was scarcely a dry eye in the house.
The Music is in some parts beautiful. It is by
Bishop, with the exception of the National Airs, as
the bills say. A few songs are assigned to Miss M..
Tzee, but they are never made to interfere with the '
business of the scene, and they are mostly simple
and taelanchuly. They could not have been sung
more delightfully. Miss Love sang and played with
great spirit, and was encored in a song describing
the mischievous character of love..
'1 he other characters, which are extremely subor-
dinate, were. played witk propriety; and there were
two excellent glees in the piece, which were sung
with great taste, and will, no doubt, become warm
favourites of the public.
The Duke of Gloucester sat in a private box., and
seemed highly pleased at the Opera, which was given
out cur repetition by Mr. Fawcett anahlsethe loudest
applause.

ACCIDENT AND EXTUAORDINARY EfiCAPC.—The
Superb steam-pocket, from Glasgow on her way to
Liverpool, about two o'clock on Saturday morning,
was encountered by the Majjeqic, from Liverpool to
Glasgow. The bow of the Superb was completely
stove in, to the water's edge; fortunately the sea
was uncommonly calm, and the numerous passen-
gers were safely remove(' on•hourd the Majestic, and
conveyed to the Isle of Man.
Rendezvous houses were on Mo•lday opened on
Tower-hill, for the reception of able and ordinary
seamen, for eleven ships of the.line, fun frigates,
eix sloops of war, and two cutters...
The Garrick library, which before thu stile had
been estimated as worth 1,2001., on amount of the
autographs of Mr. Garrick, and other celebrated
persons of his time, absolutely sold for upwards of
2,0001.
On Friday night, Mr. Smith, the King's messen-
ger, arrived in towwwith despatches front Spain.
We regret to learn, that by .the hill of a tree near
New Brunswick, Alr. Mathews, the comedian, re-
caved some injury, and Mr. Price, the manager of
the Park Theatre, had his leg broken. These gen-
tlemen were on their way from Philadelphia to Val.
timore, in a private carriage.
YARMOUTH, MAY 8.--Arrived in the Roads his
Majesty's frigate Scringapatam, and sailed again for
Leith, to take on beard Sir B. Bloomfield, Bart.
for Sweden.