The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-04-13 00:00:00

1 7'l'; Tr:
THEATRE&

We were never more astonished at the appear.tuce
of Oils house than on Saturday evening.

" Dark was the sighs—NW lied the stem;"
hot the incleteletscy of the weather diet not prevent
e moat splendid company from *remolding at this
temple of taste and Not • single box was
untenanted, and the pit was filled even to the over-
of "fop's row." Homes opera of It
arbiere di :turiglii was admirably performed, and
Ant otf, as it. hits uniformly done *ince its nitro-
election beet; with extrrordinary eclat. Signor
Coact*, as Count Alwardwa, Signor N•I.DI, its
figura. and Madame FODOR. as Rouse. were moat
Nippy in the representation of their respective chip.
teeter. mod were honoured with the constant ap-
plause of the audience.
After the opera. a new ballet, entitled, La Fee
Crgele, competed by M. FAY'S% was performed.
This feint-it* wag nit very destmetly told. 'netted
of requeinting the audienee with the incidents on
which it wes hooded, through the medians of
aeries, recourse wee bad to • variety of serells—outs
of them nearly as long a a bill in Cimmery—.
which, being tar removed from the audience, it was
impoisible to decipher. As fir as we could under-
stood the story is was this:— A certaiu Prince. on
the point of marriage with a beautiful nymph, is
suddenly deprived of his bride by the switchinetions
of • fairy band. He is inconsolable for. his
loss—and, after many entitlement adventures, is
betrothed to the ugly fairy. Urgele. He retires
to her eottage—wnd, when accosted by his got..
gnu-faced taste, is about to fly from her in
disgust—when, 'soddenly, her features change to
those of the hit one he was on the point
of espousing—the cottage sinks to the ground—a
palace rises—sad a splendid company appear ready
to calibrate the marriage of the caution Prince
with his lovely mistrees—.who appears to hare
metemetphiwied herself for the purpose of trying
the strength of his passion.
Much good doming is displayed in the course of
this ballet. The general arrangement is pleasing
—the movements ale testsfol--oud great friicy is
_
Mt.

evinced in the grampiag sif the jtgiraates.
and BAPTISTS were much and deservedly
admired, in a variety of dances. But no part if the
performance pleusii 05 so highly as a pas.de-den:
by Mr. Ostia Ilitx, and, we. believe, Madame
La BUXOM. It was • fine Specimen of all
that is graceful in attitude--of that is ele.
lint, and, at She setae time, agile sod vigor.
ons in motion. The opsaimi of the pse.de-derx
would afford an admirable study for a painter.
This dance was most raptillrously applauded. In the
movement with which the billet commences, Mr.
OSCAR BYRN'S talents were also eminently conspi-
cuous. We are happy that so fine an uportunity
was afforded to this excellent Artist for the display
of his talents--wad, we trust, that the applause
which wow showered on his perfortuance, on this oc-
.

elision, will shew to the Manager the propriety of
bringing him forward, as often as possible, in situ-
ations where his genius may base full *cops for its
developenient.
The ballet was received• with mach applause.

COVENT-GA !DM

Mr. ARNOLD'S operatic romance of The Desire
Bridge was performed, for the first time at this
theatre, ou Saturday night. The dramatic works of
Mr. ARnOLD are very numerous, and, fur the most
part, they have been ruceesrful. He has, like the
great body of modern dramatists, acquired the
happy knack of hitting on powerful stage situations,
which, aided by gond music, good acting, and well-
painted scenery, seldom fail topless. an audience—
whether jtnisly or not we mean not to discuss at pre-
sent. There is not one of this Gentlemen's produc-
tions mere remarkable for the species of skill to
which we hate alluded—nor is there one of them, we
believe, that has been more frequently performed—
than that which was represented on Saturday night.
Many of the airs, we particularly speak of those
composed by Mr. BRARAM, have become popular
favourites—and we hare rarely attended a public con.
4 'rt. or a private musical party, where the songs.—
•• 71w' lore it warm restestik," and, 16 Is there a
heart that never hied," were not heard with pleasure.
Mr. BRANA.II, on this cccasion„ appeared as emit
Belino, the character *hick he supported, when the
opera was oisginally performed. at the Lyceum.
We need not describe the reception winch this great
ornament of the musical profession met with.
Those wbe have heard hire--those who have any love
for vocal excellence—will readily conceive that the
greeting which Marked his entrance war enthusiastic.
e HMI' heard Mr. BRAHAM with greater plea-
sure—and his delicious attains have often delighted
our hearts. The power, the melody, the richness
at his voice..-the -correctness of his judgment—
auil the purity of his taste—were never sheen more
conNicuously than in his execution of the music
• • e"aala the character of Coast Beliao—nsic
tt.
„hid, ju.:tfy ranks amongst his most happy efforts as
a cmnpuser.. The encores were numerous. Not too
numerous fur a lover or baraton7—but rather too
t,rquelit, we think, fir the individual whoa, talents
subjected him to so severe a proof of approba-
lion. Those songs in the opera, from the exe-
cut!on of witich we derive the greatest pleasure—
and others, t finch appear to us of minor importance
—"vote exerted. Amongst the airs which were
most &Hein ii.tv swig, and which were must re-
Leslie-tidy *lauded, rr Fanegl sketch," was de-
cal:4lly the finest effort. Mr. Beausw sang this
sir with go fat passion and great pathos. Misr
Stretivis"' spewed, for the first time, as the
csioditi Mira/chic She did not seen, to be in
riants—bet her apparent lassitude edited well with
isliido she asseined. She suog,as
she alwr)a does, sweetly and expressively. Ihe
'Asian% on lig, composed by Mr. Bssuor, was
introduced by Miss SltellEtre, and was encored :
Ilit• a, my child, thy little heart
II 44400 (weir the ;mac of sorrow ;
sleep shall !trullr halm import,
A. j Muesli 4:41,04....4 wake to-marrow.
llkst ! our. fear lest harm brink thee,
free thy atother ware beside thee!
Atii.is eau calm a parent's sigh,
I ,trugasi awe and joy a stranger;
WI t ran alas a mother's eye,
%4atelung o'er her child in danger ?
Rata! mit few lest harm hell& (bee,
F..r thy mother wakes InAnde thee!"
it al a 11$00by though encored, went off