The National Register.
London, England, 1814-08-07 00:00:00

VIE-NATIONAL REGISTER,.

DRAMATIC RE,
TkitAVRE ROYAL, INcEVM.

IS TE R.

A new Operas Called " Frederick the Great ; -or, 'The Heart of a
gobliers' was performed, for the first time at this Theatre, last
Thursday. The dialogne is attributed to Mr. Arnold, and the music
tine composition of Mr. J. Cooke, the eminent singer lately
ittiptitted from Vithlin.
The plot of this Opera is taken from a French novel, by tire
Celebrated Pigault Le Brui', entitled, " Lei Barons dc Felsheim,
it is not devoid of interest, and for those who have not read the
Original, must possess the charm of novelty. Charles, Baron of
teisheim (Mt. Cooke) a young, unexperienced, but accomplished
acid gailatit Officer, hide de Camp to the King of Pritssia, has been
engaged with a friend in a broil at a gambling house, but has
sworn never to give way to hi' gaining propensity again. His friend,
tinder the supposed name of Theodore Dortman, is a young lady (Miss
Kelly) with whom he had fallen in love, and who, in order to study
his disposition, and guide his thoughtlessness, its5lllllCA the uniform
the name of her brother, Lieutenant Theodore Dorlsnan, and
tkithont being known in her real character, becomes his companion.
Renee arise most of the incidents of the piece. The King (Mr•
Raiymond) learning what has taken place at the gambling house,
trends Charles and the real Theodore Durtman, on the ere,of a battle,
to the state prison of Schweidnitz, the governor of which is uncle
to the latter, Thither they ate followed by the young Lady in
Is, stew character, in which she is not recognised either by her
Mode the governor (Mr. Penley ) or her cousin his daughter ( Mrs.
Oro.), which enables her to amuse herself for a considerable time,
St their ctpence, whilst endeavouring to plan the escape of the
prisoners: Means idle Frederick the Great, on his return from the
review, during which he had condemned the two young offenders
to captivity, receives a petition in their favonr, Hach tells him
That the /Won of Felsheim is of an older family than himself, and
the Aide de Camp, therefore, more illustrious than his master : that
Ste has acted wrong in punishing with so murk severity a first fault,
and asks him how he would like, after staking the fate of his
kingdom on a battle, and losing it, to be shit up in a fortress. It closes
4-rah mortises of friendship if he should behave better, and is signed,
prima, quarter master and conqueror of Pomerania. Astonished at
Steil an epistle, the philosophical monarch loses his temper, and orders
the author to be seized and shot, On a representation, however,

ttom his first Aid de camp, Adjutant General Doling, (Mr. Wallack)
tem &fates the writer to be an old veteran, who had served with
flue Baron's father, and di,thignished himself in the Pomeranian wars,
Ina who bad erred only damn!' affection for his young mister, ig-
norance of courtly phrases, and hhint originality of character, Fre-
derick Causes him to be brought before him. A conversation ensiics,

in which Branca displays his soul %lint as little reserve as in his let-

ter. and the King. convinced that he had no intention of offending,
tenth him also to Sehweidnitz with a letter for the Governor, with the

frintents of which lie is trot aeirainted. That fortress then becomes
the scene at action. Fired_ with military ardour, the .two prisoiiers
long to join the battle, on the eve of beingfought, in the hope of
conquering their p.irdon, by souse brilliant exploit. The honesty of
the Governor, and of the Porter (Liston), however, di•kats all their
attempts at escape. Brandra arrival increases their anxiety, and
'when they find that the letter he has brought appoints him to the

imnrnand of the citadel instead of the present Governor, they have
ie. &min of his showing them to carry their plan into execution.
But they also find him inflexible, for he now rejects as Governor,
what he lately advised when he thonght himself a prisoner. Profit-
ing by the indolent disposition of the porter, Stack, however, whom
the young ladies talk to 4cep, the officers procure the keys, and
escape. A battle is fonght, the life of the King is saved by two un-
known hussar•, to whom ho gives his scarf, promising to grant them.
any rewa►d they might 'ask, when they present it to him. The
young offirerS reigns) to their confinement with two standards which
they !foie taken. Dut they has• inert discovered. They are tried

by a Court Martial, and sentenced to perpetual -inipri.oinent i„ire
fortress of Spandau. The King arrives Morin-Mend atSchweiJoi.zt
and is about to confirm the sentence, where Matilda Olive Kelly) 40.
knimledges that she had represented her brother, and, vs ith her c".,*
sin and Brandt, implores the nionarcies cleuses.cy. Aster much re.
sistance he curtails the period of imprisonment to five ys iris. t:e.
two hussars who have saved his li.e ire .then intronne, d, but it„.ir
faces 'are concealed by their helmets They rtsent d pet.slat.
in behalf of the priso:•ers, Which is rejected ; ss,:) she 'tut%) v
themselves, and the Baron of Felshcins and Ihcoaore Hartman
known. The King orders the hussars, ho toxin sus ~,assn,
advance: all tic spectators are -struck with te,lor and thi-k
young men on the eve of being shot, when telaxing the severit, . f
his features Frederick appoints the Baron, Major, anu Theoacr.--,
Captain,
Such is the plot of this Cpers, which presents many scenes idpes
riot in interest, and even in Ptyle , to must composstious thi, ,;a
hire. The characters arc well delineated, and their variciy prco.:ce
a pleasing effect. The excellent manner in which they w • it' per-
sonated may also have added to tl,eir piondnence. laircett. in
the blrust seteran, Mis. Kelly, in her %am sety of chard, tel aid
Mr. Raymond in. Frederick the 'treat, di-played consinninate abi-
lities. The latter was more than usually chaste in his actin:4 will
without any hoisterousno.s, gave due toice to Isis reproaches, awl
maintained, sinimpairell, the calm majesty of kings.

The music, by Mr: Cooke, fixes him at once in au elevated rank
amongst British composers. It possesses all the requisites of bar.
moil!. It joins simplicity with science and taste with novelty.
Toe overture combines those qualities in au eminent degree, and the
airs and duets are not mere variations of former tunes, but spring
from a mind rich in original motives sad capable of giving
them the most powerful or delieate effect, as occasion may requite.
The manner in which these were execnied does equal honour
to the:singer as to the composer. Encored in almost every sinnt,
and In the grand duet in the last act, Mr. Cooke awl Mr. Pyne
surpassed themselves. The Most brilliant success crowned such
merit, end Frederick the Great is now greeted every Hight by
crowded audiences with as much applause. as his sucee.sor lately
was during the short abode which he made in this country.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—We understand a complete
renewal of the painting is now going on th►oughout the
house, and the stage pillars are shaking tpost abominably.—
Great changes are likewise mentioned amongst the perform-
ers, some of which the public will be sorry to hear, but to
what extent seems uncertain. One thing, however, seems
certain--Jiean remains, and—" slat for tuna domus."

The Princess of Wales arrived at her house near Worth-
incon Tuesday night, and the next evening she walked to
Worthing, accompanied by her Lady in Waiting and attend-
ants. Chairs were immediately placed on the beach, where
her Royal Highness sat near two hours.---In the letter which
the Princess has written to the Earl of Liverpool, requesting
permission to reside abroad, her' Royal Highness is repre-
sented to state. that she has met nothing but mortification
and misery since she set her foot in the Island, asssuaged
only by the affectionate protection she received from his Ma-
jesty, to the last hour of his mental intelligence. Deprived
of his countenance the had no tie left, but her daughter, and
her society she was no longer pertnitted to enjoy. In her
letter she offers to resign the Rangership of Greenwich Park
in favour of the Princess Chat lotte. She wishes to keep her
apartments in Kensington Palace for a short time, and there
is one or two other requests, *bleb will be all complied
with.

The Jason frigate, the Hon. Capt. King, sailed from the
Downs on Wednesday morning, at four o'clock, for Worthing,
to be in attendance on the Princesi of \Vales, and, as it is
understood to convey her Royal Highness to sonic continen-
tal port.

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