The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-05 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPWRA.

Beethoven's Fiddio was performed last night for the first
time since 1851, and for the third time at the Royal Italian
Opera, since, when it was originally brought out here in the
year of the Great Exhibition, it was only given twice during
the s&sou. A different result, we think, can now be prog-
nosticated, if we may judge by the reception accorded to the
opera on the present occasion. The house was crowded to
the ceiling; there was scarcely standing room in the Pit,
and the amphitheatre and gallery were literally packed—
doubless with amateurs of good music, who had come to de
honour to one of the grandest masterpieces of the art, and
the only opera ever composed by the uncompromising and
immortal Beethoven. Her Majesty and Prince Albert
(with three of the Royal children) were among the
audience, and remained until the end of the performance,
the most efficient we hate heard in England no matter
whether in German, English, or Italian. The opera was
given with recitatives, to suit the exigencies -of the Italian
stage ; and these, which we believe are from the pen of Mr.
Costa, can hardly be praised too much for their discretion,
their unobtrusiveness, and their thorough applicability to the
words and the situations. Two out of the four overtures
which Beethoven, unable to satisfy himself, composed -for
Fidelio were played by the band—the short one in E at the
commencement, and the longest and finest of all, generally
known as the overture to Leonora, between the first and
second acts. The latter was given to such perfection that it
was encored nnaninaously, and the absurdity of interrupting
the progress of the opera by a lengthy and elaborate orches-
tral piece (which should be given at the bcginuing, or not at
all) was forgotten in the interest created by so fine a perform-
ance. It was the third apt earance of Mademoiselle Sophie 4
Cruvelli, who, on the Italian stage at least, may be said
to have made the character of Leonora her own. ,That it
should be her best part is the more to her credit, since it is,
without exception, the most lofty, arduous, and difficult iu
the lyric drama. The music of Leonora exacts au equal
amount of physical force and mental acquirement. It is in-
tellectual throughout ; and, as dramatic truth is never sacri-
ficed to mere vocal display, the singer must look to the'
strict attention and the higher syrup ithies of the audience
for appreciation and reward. That it should so entirely suit
the voice and means of Madlle. Cruvelli is an accident for
which she has no reason to be thankful, and which, it must be
owned, she has turned to the best advantage. She was never
more magnificent than last night ; her acting was never more
careful, picturesque, and thoroughly intelligent ; her singing
never more forcible and impressive. Her whole performance,
in short, was first rate. . It may be, that being a German,
Mademoiselle Cruvelli finds the music of the greatest German
'operas peculiarly adapted toe her nature and her means. At
all events, Leonora is her most finished anctgenuine per-
formance. She wholly forgets herself in the part, and is no
longer Mademoiselle Cruvelli; but the faithful and heroic wife
of the poor captive, to rescue whom is her fixed idea—to be
restored to whom is the object of her whole devotion.
There is, however, one feature that distinguishes the
Leonora of Mademoiselle Cruvelli from all the Leonoras
we have seen—that of Malibran alone excepted -in every
scene, no matter what passion or excitement has sway,
in passages of the loftiest daring, as in those of fear
and trembling and almost, despair, there is an evidence
of modest and retiring womanhood, which is never once lost
sight of, and which, united to a feeling of youth in the tones
of the voice and in every look and gesture, invests the whole
impersonation with a special and abiding charm, and presents
a beau idtco2 of the most ideal, and, at the same time, the
most genial and unaffected of operatic heroines. Signor Tam-
berlik's Florestan was, to say much in ono word—faultless,
Mademoiselle Marai showed that part of Marcellina was one
of real importance. Had this clever and intelligent young
singer essayed' the character of Leonora, she could hardly
have done herself more credit. That Signor Tagiiaficia should
have been thoroughly efficient as lion Pizarro is not to
be wandered at, since he studies every one of his parts'
with such extreme diligence, and brings so much Intel--;
ligence to the task,. that he.rarely fails to come up to, the,
mark. Nor is it surprising that a thoroughly well-trained
singer like Signor
.ttigelli (and a' German to boot) should
do all that could possibly be required with the small, but
not insignificant part of Jacquino, or that Signor Polonini,
wha is careful La whatever he does, should have been more
than usually careful in the somewhat difficult ransie of the
Minister. Signor Susini, in the laboriots and very premi.
neat character of 134,cce, d splayed a general acquaintance
with the music, and, in, most respects, a command of it—not
to mention his sensible appreciation of the part in a dramatic.
point of view—which did him iufinite credit. The opera airav
listened to wit , attention, and applauded with genuine warmth
fr,Oln beginning to end The new success of Fidelio is a faet
of importance to music, and is likely to make the short en.
Mon:Lout of Mademoiselle Cruvelli both profitable and hon•
oura.ble to the Management-
D

, -
_..ESPATCIIES PROM LORD RAGLAN.- -Captain the lion.
11,enry Blackwood, arrived in town yesterday, bearer of
deapatches from
PaUi4a6 far fie - - • -
. . a-..eeerat Lord Raglan, whom =he QM.-

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