The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-06 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

An opera in three acts, founded on the well-known
story of Zemirct and Azor, or the Beauty and the Beast,
with music quite new in this country, composed by
was last night brought out at this theatre, under the re-
versed title of a'hor and Zendra. SYollit is at this moment
considered the first living composer in Germany. Pre.:
:fhtneaort
dale. aoBsulk24o:
vious to the year 1820, his celebrity in the musical world
had been attained through his extraordinary powers on the
violin, and a great abundance of compositions in which a
le tiling part is almost invariably assigned to that instru-
ment. His quartets are master pieces of instrumental
music, and abound perhaps in a greater degree than his
f,otherauuse
etcompositions
sfht tviolin, thmiirisi,
esscct:pearbc,
advantagea lotlf Vp'i
.eoltldhuaecs passagesinergraoa.unitldieee Ad
btlyeeohsoui
scncpert
success
oinofeudhsi h.f.aiesianrtell,ireoruesg encouragedhs tasy stoi n
Ginm dramaticta,n, Germany,
proceed.
composition, t on,
He andhas
since written several operas, amongst the earliest and best
of which we believe the one performed last night is num-
here .1. The general characier of the music belonging to
this opera is not striking. It is evident that in penning it
the composer was not influenced by any speculative-consi-
derations as to stage effect, but merely foltaesaa sks ass-
...
tates of his own free and uncontrouled g. nius. But it is
equally probable that had he at the time possessed much
experience in the composition of dramatic music, the
beauties of his work would have become more readily
accessible to every auditor than is the case at present, A.
very pretty trio, assigned to the three female characters in the
' first act, and a grand air sung by ,emirsin the last act,
are the best things which occur throtighout this opera ;
but although they seemed to give great satisfaction, they
produced none of those spontaneous bursts of applause in-
dicative of extraordinary gratification. Miss INvexa-
RIMY appeared as Zemira, and did ample justice to the
part. Her vocal powers are not called here as greatly into
requisition as in Cinderella, though perhaps more work
falls upon her hands throughout the performance; but she •
sing with admirable spirit, and played with greater.con-
fidence than in her former part. Much as we admire the
chaste elegance of her style of singing, it appears to us that
the introduction of a little ornament occasionally would be
an improvement. The rigid exclusion of it may degene-
rate into monotonous simplicity. As Azor, Mr. Wrissoss
had but little to do. Ho should wear a mask, in keeping
with his external appearance. His uncovered face does
not convey the idea of that hideousness which is supposed
to belong to the metamorphosed Prince. Mr. PErssom
played awl sung with ability. The two Misses CAWSE
appeared as Fatima and Lesbia, and sang with good
effect to several trios, quartets, and quintets. The chief
weight of the performance, however, devolved on Miss IN-
VERARITY. A great deal of new misery of the most
splendid description is exhibited throughout the opera,
and crowds of attendants of both sexes, spirits, and
figurants of all characters; in rich or grotesque dresses, add
considerably to the effect of it as a spectacle. But nothing
could be more out of place and out of character thin the
costumes adopted by the principal performers, The inci-
dents of the story are supposed to have occurred in Per-
sia; but it would he difficult to say what other parts of
the globe have supplied the models of the dresses prepared
for the dramatis persomr.who were to figure in this artap•
tation. The opera was excee.:ingly welt received by a
very crowded audience,

During the play of Pizarro, at Drury-lane
Theatre, on Monday evening, a youth in the gallery, deedly
interested in the escape of Alonzo from the prison,
cht:med " why don't you put on the cloak ant; bt LT?'
This was evidently the involuntary effect of inten4e anxiety,
produced by the excellent acting of WALLACK in the part
of Rolla.

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.—Lord Chief
Justice Your, when a young man, was very dissipated, .
and belonged to a club of wild fellows, nn,st of whim
took an infamous course of life. When his Lordship was
engaged at the Old Bailey. a man was convicted of a high-
way
robbery, whom the Judge remembered to have been
one of his old companions. Moved by curiosity, Hove
thinking the fellow did not know him, asked what Cad
become of his old associates. The culprit, making a low
bOw, and fetching a deep sigh, replied, " Ah, my Lord,
they are all hanged, but your Lordship aad 1."

A very clever caricature has recently appeared,
printed on silk, in the shape of a pocket-handkerchief. It
it is entitled " The Attack of the Reformer. on the Old
Rotten Tree; or, the Foul Nests of the Cormorants in
danger." The Reformers are represented chopping down
a large tree, on which is inscribed " rotten borough
system." The Dukes of WELLINGTON and NEIreM,TI
the Marquis of GRA NDOS., Lords ELDtiN and ELLEN-.
mostoncia, and Mr. Pxxt., are attempting to prop it up,
exclaiming, " you take our house when you do take away
the prop that clorli sustain our house; you take our lie. a
when you do take the means whereby we live." The
branches of the tree are full of nests, intended to represent
the different rotten boroughs, each nest containing one or
two cormoranta, apparently screaming I. alarm at their
approaching destruction. The likeness of Lord JOHN
RUSSELL, Lord BuouGn.A.24, Lord GREY, and Sir F.
BURDP:TT, and the other principal charterers, are very,
goad. Their Ma4x,xtEs appear in the back ground,
standing on constitution Hill, receiving the thanks and
congratulations of their subjects,

It is quite certain that half-sovereigns are no
longer is.med At the Bank of England, and they are dis-
appeating so fast from circu'ation that few of the private
bankers have any in their possession. The sole motive
for this appears to he that of bringing into circulation a
larger amount of silver coin, with which the 11.nk is at
present overstocked ill a very extraordinary degree. Of
this there sewn:, from whatever cause, to he far more
than ;he wants of the country require, and the suspivi'n
which was very general some mouths ago, of an illicit
coinage for the sake of the profit attached to it,
again to b,o expressed. What is meant, it is ha.rdiYwr-
cessary to say, is a coinage of silver of equal..
.p.O 7. t
to
that used ut the Mint, but which still
greater far P
than
those who are inclined to risk detectir'Zi wish no degree
commercial
au transaction, and a."e." is much too ..
ignorsee, it k
'circulation
of uncertainty, The se
t.
brought bae - into
high, and
h"
" airevetneu't for the use of the colonies.
here all that supp!y. erns
conceived, force itself on the early
The subject must, et is
ronsideration of Parliament.
begins