The National Register.
London, England, 1815-11-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTEII.

76

DRAMATIC REGISTER.

COVENT-GA RD EN.

. Garrick's Opera of cymon was revived at this house
last Monday, in all the pomp of scenery, and with a 1
the charms of melody. To Dr. Arne's music, a tasteful
selection had been added by Mr. Bishop ; and the great
vocal abilities of Miss Stephens -and Miss Hughes, sup-
ported by those of Mr. l)uruset, Miss Matthews, Mrs.
Liston, and the Misses Burrell and M'Alpine, had been
called forth to give it effect. Denuded of extraneous aids,
the story of this Opera possesses but little-to excite either
interest or admiration. The days of enchantment may
furnish pictures to please the imagination, but few scenes
calculated to of the heart. That an unexperienced
youth, ctimon (Mr. Duruset), detained by the jealous
love of the enchantress Uiganda (Miss Hughes), should
sigh for liberty, and -when he has regained it, should sur-
render his hitherto insensible heart to the charms of a sim
ple shepherdess Sjikia (Miss Stephens); that Urganda
should be defeated by the more powerful enchanter Mer-
lin (Mr. Egerton), and that (qmon and Ligkia should ul-
timately prove a Prince and Princess in disguise, is in the
common run of fairy tales, and too trite to awaken inte-
rest. The under-plot, scarcely connected with the main
subject, is in itself but insignificant ; yet, with all its
faults, this Opera is one of the most attractive theatrical
representations that we have witnessed. This is due to
the complete crumble with which it has been produced.
*More beautiful and appropriate scenery has never rival-
led on the stage the varied landscapes of nature, and
greater abilities have seldom been marshalled to give life
and effect even to the most trifling parts.
The appearance of Miss Hughes and Miss Stephens for
the first time together in the same piece, has no doubt
also greatly contributed to increase its interest. Rivals iI
in excellence it is natural they should contend for the
prize of fame, and that this contention should excite some
sensation amongst the public. If we judged from the 1
quantity of applause bestowed on the fair candidates, and
the degree of enthusiasm displayed by their partkans.; we •
should immediately pronounce Miss Stephens the favou-
rite. After duly weighing their merits, however, we find
it difficult to give a decisive opinion. Like the characters ll
which they personate in this opera, is their style of singing
and the nature of their excellencies. Urganda, a
mighty Enchantress, indebted to art for all her spells and
delighting to display their power by the magnificence of
her creations, is a faithful type of her representative, Miss
Hughes. This lady possesses a strong and flexible,
though not very pleasing voice, with which, disdaining
the simplicity of nature, she produces the most exquisite
wonders of art; and in her is ornament, but executed
with so much ease, so much skill and so much taste,
as to make us forget its nature, and excuse its luxuriance.
Feeling and expression arc sacrificed to brilliancy, but
the delight of the ear is too great to let us Perceive the
unmoved frigidity of the heart.-4/via, on the contrary,
is the daughter of nature. In her all is simplicity, son- -
allay, and truth. All these qualities are found in her
representative, Mks Stephens. A melodious voice, whose
every note is fraught with feeling, and vies iu purity with
the clearest vibrations of the harmonica, an execution
full of ease, taste,
.and expression, unsurpassed in bril-
liancy when the occasion reciuiris it, but even then re-

NOV. 26.

taming an accent of sensibility which awakens all the
sympathies of the heart, a countenance beaming with the
reflected emotions of the soul, and an action simple and
graceful, are the excellencies which this young lady brings
into the scale to counterbalance the spells of her power-
ful rival. Between such claims we will not presume to
decide, other;•ise than by observing that nature always
pleases, whilst art does seldom more than astonish.
Mr. Duruset gave a most faithful and effective represen.
tation of the artless Ciimon, passing unconsciously from
insensibility to love, and assuming at once all the feelings
and energy of a man. His voice is strong and harmonious,
and his songs were executed with the purest taste, and the
truest expression.

Every subordinate part was ably sustained, and the bril.
liant success of this revived opera was not above its deserts.