The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-08 00:00:00

EVENING,

DRURY LANE THEATRE.
1.,e opts, ale Sicilian Bride, tii; annoureemen t
of winch raised much expectation in the muaical world,
was produced on Saturday night. The appearance,
after so long an interval, of a great work by the first
English dramatic composer of the day, is, indeee ,an
occurrence of singular interest. A house, consequently
densely crowded in every part, attested ;he importance
justly attached to the production of this opera; and the
acclamations with which Mr. Balfe was greeted on
taking his place in the orchestra showed the sense en-
tertained by the public of his character and reputation.
They were renewed with equal vehemence between
the acts, and again when the curtain finally descended.
The opera itself commanded the plaudits that echoed
throughout the house on the intrinsic grounds of a good
story, characteristic music, satisfactory executancy, and
beautiful decoration.

The scene is laid in Sicily, during the.domination of
Charles of Anjou. The first act deals with the clan-
destine loves of Rodolpho and Bianca, the son and
daughter of the rival houses of Sangenaro and An-
dre.nzi, which being discovered are likely to thid iu a
collisi.m of the two factions, thOugh the domestic irri-
tation of the two houses is terminated by the sud-
den appeal of the elder Andreazzi, who cone-
•sels the oblivion of their personal quarrels
and the concentration of their power agatust the
common enemy, under whose despotic xule they live.
The bargain is sealed by the immediate union of the
lovers, which takes place in a chapel is the vicinity.
The project of throwing off the yoke of France is then
discussed, and Bianca, under the dictation of her father,
writes down upon a paper the names of this conspirators
principally concerned in the political movement, and
their plans of action, the act closing with patriotic,
though cautions, shoats on the part of the Sicilian nobles
and their retainers, and the pious appeals of all on be-
half of the young couple. In the second act the Mar-
quis of Montluc, the French Governor of Sicily, lets us
into the secret that he is enamoured of Bianca. Rather

than, as he says, " brave the anguish which consumes
his breast," he employs a necromancer, Sabel:ice, to
provide him with a drug by means of which he may
compass and secure his victim. Taking advantage of a
few which brings within his domains all the prin-
cipal Sicilian nobility, Bianca drinks the potion, and
is enticed into a kiosk, where she falls asleep under
the influence of the narcotic. The Marquis, who is
watching her, is startled at seeing her rise in her sleep.
Listening to the words which fall dreamingly from her
lips he learns the dangers with which the French are
menaced, the poor girl, with continued unconsciousness,
seating herself mechanically at a table, and writing down
upon .a scroll the words which she had written the night
before at the dictation of her father. This situation,
which constitutes the finale of the act, is obviously re-
plete with fine dramatic effect; and this impression was
wholly realised on Saturday night. Nothing could be
more exciting; the interest of the moment receiving con-
siderable augmentation from the struggles of Sirena, an
humble friend of Bianca, with the Marquis, who, yearn.
ing to hear all that the unfortunate somnambulist has
to communicate, threatens to stab Sirens, who fore-
sees the peril likely to happen to the Sicilian cause, and
strives madly to awaken the unconscious betrayer of the
secret.
The opening of the third act, in which Montluc
stealthily invades the nuptial sanctuary of Bianca, who
repulses him with fierce and violent rage, and is only
protected by the arrival of her husband, is of little con-
sequence as regards the dramatic progress, but it affords
a capital vocal point—a good test of the genius of the
composer. as well as of the vigour and ability of the
artists. In the succeeding scene, the conspirators who
are assembled at the place of rendezvous, a cavern, the
workshop of a rough and unkempt armourer
named Pietro, are surprised, amid their glowing
apostrophes to liberty and their oaths of mu-
tual fidelity, by the sudden appearance in the
back-ground of the French soldiery, headed by
Montluc, who holds the paper in his hand written by
Bianca in her moment of somnambulism. Rodolphe,
groaning with horror, recognises the writing of his wife,
but receives upon his own head the furious taunts of the
Sicilians, who brand him as a traitor and a perjurer;
while Bianca, in an agonref grief, fruitlessly endeavours
to repress their indignation by wildly proclaiming his
innocence.
The fourth act opens with an interview between the
wretched couple. Bianca listens with terror and amaze-
ment to the infuriate words of Rodolphe, who charges
her with the crime, the consequence of which, to save
her life and honour, he has taken upon himself, though
her passionate tenderness touches his heart and checks
the transports of anger which goad and madden him.
But the denouement is at hand. A masked stranger in-
forms them of the defeat of the French soldiery. It is
Montlue who speaks. He comes to disburden his con-
science—to disclose the mystery which shrouds the scroll,
and has entailed misery and suspicion upon the" Sicilian
Bride;" and the opera terminates with a scenic tableau
depicting the departure of the French fleet from the now
emancipated land.
The several performers exerted themselves admirably
and successfully. Mr. Sims Reeves Caine out splen-
didly, and Miss Crichton, Miss P. Horton, Miss Isaacs,
and Mr. Whitworth did ample justice to the parts re-
spectively allotted to them. The ballads introduced in
the opera are just those sweet and telling songs that
might be expected from Mr. Balte. The Sicilian Bride
will prove to be the greatest hit that has been made at
old Drury for a long day, and we are glad that Mr.
Bunn's exertions have at last been crowned by an une-
quivocal and signal triumph. It will be perceived from
the subjoined notices, that we do not stand alone in the
favourable opinion we entertain of this splendid opera.
(From the Times.)
The opera was placed upon the stage in a liberal and
efficient style. The scenery was beautiful, the costumes
and appointments appropriate, the supernumeraries
abundant and well trained. In short, no efforts were
spared to insure success; and not to speak of the fre-
quent applause and encores, if the final incidents of the
performance—an unanimous call for Mr. Baife, who came
forward and was enthusiastically cheered; a summons for
the principal artists; and another for Mr. Bann, who,
after the applause had subsided, expressed his gratitude
to the audience in a short and emphatic speech—if these
incidents may be presumed to constitute success, the
opera of the Sicilian Bride must be chronicled as per-
fectly :successful.
(From the Morning Post.)
Mr. Balfe has been here even more than ordinarily
successful in his ballads. " Sweet Spirit of my
Thoughts," and " When we Recal the Happy Scenes,
sting by. Mr. Reeves; '‘ Like a Dream that Fieeteth,"
and "Friendship and Love," by Miss Isaacs; 6: 'Tie
Mine to Weep," by Miss Crichton; and `i The Sorrows
of the Heart," by Mr. Whitworth, are compositions
which will not only prove most acceptable to the
general public, but which also include many
novel and ingenious points of orchestration and
chromatic harmony, worthy the attention of the
most cultivated musician. Amongst the best con-
certed pieces may be cited the duets "In the
Silence of Night," and " Here on my Knees," sung
by Mr. Reeves and Miss Crichton; the trio " The Se-
cret now is Solved," sung by Mr. Whitworth, Mr.
Reeves, and Miss Crichton; the air and chorus " Forge,
forge," by Miss Horton, &c.; the unaccompanied chorus
" Gather, gather," the duet, " Reply as Briefly as you
Can," by Mr. Whitworth, and Mr. Drayton; the ar-
mourers' chorus " Strike, strike," and the last move-
ments of the finale to the third act. The performance
was excellent. Mr. Reeves, who was in fine voice, sang
and acted magnificently; Messrs. Whitworth and Dray-
ton were highly efficient in their respective parts; Miss
Horton's charming contralto and intelligent acting con-
tributed greatly to the general effect ; and Miss Crichton
displayed an amount of passionate energy which fairly
took us by surprise. We were well pleased to discover in
her this valuable quality, but it is our duty to caution her
against exaggeration—for excess of emotion, or over-
anxiety to give effect to her conceptions, completely
marred her performance of Saturday evening
on several occasions. The little part of Serino,
was gracefully acted and snug by Miss
Isaias; and the band and chorus did their
duty, on the whole, very creditably. The opera was
completely successful, and at its conclusion the principal
singers, with Mr. Babe and Mr. Bunn, were called be-
fore the curtain to receive the "customary ovations."
(From the Morning Herald.)
We are not inclined, after a single hearing. to speak
dogmatically respecting the merits of a work of such
magnitude; but we received very great pleasure from
many parts of it, and our general impression of the
whole is exceedingly favourable. Of all Balfe's
works it is decidedly the most elaborate. The long
and complicated scenes of concerted music are con-
structed with much artistic skill ; the choruses
are rich in harmony and full of vigour; and the
instrumentation is highly finished, and often very
charming and striking in its effects. It is, in short,
a most careful and (what a French critic would
call) "conscientious " work. A considerable change
too, seems to have taken place in Balfe'a style—a change
which has been remarked in several composers of the
Italian school. His music has assumed a German_
ossn.
char-
acter ; instead of reminding us, as formerly, of lt_e
and Donizetti, he now reminds us of Weber and M
yer-
beer. Not that he is by any means a plagiary from
either; but there are features in his music which makes
it resemble theirs—particularly his greater use than d
RS
for-
merly of chromatic intervals, sudden. reod.ifirlations, and
irregular rhythms. The Sicilian Bride
s Guor
illaumemuch
in style from the Siege of _Rochelle,
differs from Tancredi. Whether or not
rtehdistochssayn.g
°Thies
for the better, we do not as yet feel prep
later style is certainly less popularly attractive—it
is
less
melodious in the vulgar sense afl.tchre wtuonrdezit has less of
which are
those smooth, flowing,
the familiar
ear ; but it
d uneducated
it has gained in
at once seized by
will probably be found
exchange more substantial and
wanodrkdsurable qualities, like
which are gradually
some of those great German
popularity. The perform-
miking their way to
ance, though liable togtehneedelects oßfeaofiverist
anoigtehdt,twhas
whole.ll
Mr. Sims e e a..
o e
rasterllentof on
trseat energy and passion, sad
sang Ugh
Crichton, in the, part of the
sang magnificently.
diffieulties to enco
uuter. The
heroine, had immense
passages in
music is full of bravurataxing heavilyththeehpigeheseesrtsregfie"
of the soprano scale, 0 the
and it was not surprising that the
young voice;ltttterly showed some signs of fatigue. But
young singer
justified the reptt„3gue- But
ueon she has
her perfnrmanc© fully
acted with intelligence,
gained. She
wee that of , and feel-
ing;atrue hied genuine
and h,r singing
artist. Mr. Whitworteeffect
gave great
d to the character
of the Marquis e Monne, and his singing
i of the ballad
in the second act was one of the most successful things
of the evening. Miss P. Horton displayed her usual
talent in the part of Pietro, the young armourer; Miss
/sages acted and sang prettily as Sirens; and Mr. Dray-
ton made a great deal of the little partof Satanic°, the
necromancer.
(From the Morning Advertiser.)
As a work of art, The Sicilian Bride contains, in