The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-06 00:00:00

THE ITALIAN OPERA.

b Donizetti.
the serious opera of Lucia di Lammermoor, the music
This opera, it is stated, was first produced in Paris, so recently as De.
Last night was performed at her Majesty's Theatre, for the first time,
great, to
into this
have induced the manager of our establishment to import it
cannot
se
eember last. It's popularity, therefore, must have been very
country in so much comparative haste. Now we confess we
he
e
anything in the production to bear him out in the lofty expectations
snot
must have entertained of its transcendent merits. The music I
distinguished from the common run of modern Italian operas t 73.17
,
originality of style, or anything peculiarly striking in its effects, .
certainly very pretty, and a great deal of it well calculated to show 011
the powers of the singers into whose hands it has been Con6eled. B
it is exceedingly light, and much of it very common placesw
wearying us with the repetition, ad nauseant, of the well knot,
phrases of the Italian school. The composer does not eppeiti td
degree, whenever they presented themselves to his mind. The scene
have given himself the trouble to vary those phrases in the sllg ;eel:
laid in Scotland, and yet he has never in one single instance availed
himself of those beautifully characteristic melodies which the very name
of Scotland ever presents to a musical mind. Nay, he has not even
throughout his opera introduced a single piece in that well known style
of modulation of the Scottish national airs. The opera itself Is deno.
minated Lucia di Lammermoor, but if any frequenter of her Majesty's
theatre last night went down to the house in expectation of being re.
minded of Sir Walter's inimitable tale, he would have been wellinet
disappointed. Lucia might have resided in any other district than
Lammermoor, and in any other country than Calederria, for any-
thing that could be gathered from the perrurnlanee, unless it were
that one or two of the characters were arrayed in some sort of
dress that bore a faint resemblance to the Highland garb. Lord
Henry Ashton, or Enrico, was personated by Signor Tarnburnel
Lucia (Lord Ashton's sister, In this feeble vertion of the tali:), by
Madame Persiani ; Sir Edgar Ravenswood, by Signor Rte'rdni ; Lord
Arthur Bucklaw, by Signor Tati and Raymond Bideteent (preceptor
and confidant of Lucia), by Signor Morelli. There was no overture to
the opera, but a slow movement, very graceful and beautiful in its come
binatious, in which the horns bore a conspicuous ;:art, led into a chorus,
which chorus, like nearly every one in the opera, was a very common-
place affair. Tamburini, on his entree, 17:;5 received with very enthusi-
astic
tokens of recognition, and !Wily repaid the favour with which, he
was honoured by the auditory in the splendid style in which be sang
throughout the evening. " Crude, funesta smania," the fire.. compo-
sition in which he had an opportunity of exhibiting 'the powers
of his majestic voice, was superbly sung. Persiani drat presented
herself to the audience in the fourth scene of the first act,
and in a cavatina, commencing " Ancor nett guinse," came up to the
highest conception her friends had formed of her extraordinary abilities.
'Luny, but was given with a clearness
It is a composition of immense difii
of voice, a facility and brilliancy of execution, and a certainty in reach-
ing the highest notes., that could only be compared to a well.practised
instrument in the hands of a skilful performer. Persiani, however,
appears to be delleient in physical power, for after that extraordinary
effort, she pang out of tune through great part of the opera. She recc.
vered herself towards its close, and in the mad scene, again sang with the
same brilliancy and certainty, which had distinguished her commencing
exertions. Signor Rubini was also greeted by the audience gee his
entrance with several rounds of applause. He sang s;eendidly
throughout, and towards the end of the opera, in " Tomb', degli avi,"
sang with such exquisite pathos, such singular depth of feeling, as not
simply to affect, but actually within our own obsery
'cion to draw tears
from many of the audience, He was encored. 'lean acquitted himself
very respectably in Bucklaw, and was muds applauded in several of
his pieces ; and *ache who:sustained tlee part of Raymond, has an ex-
cellent voice, although rather weak in some of the lower notes, and
sans in a style that stamped him an accomplished musician. He is an
aequisition to the theatre, Of the other characters it is wholly unne-
cessary to speak. The tborusses, we have already said, were but indit.
ferent compoeilleni,!and in addition to their want of importance in that
respect, they were very indifferently sung. The orchestra, in parts, did
g. so well as we ha' been accustomed to hear it at the Italiaer, but,
when the piece hes been repeated, and the performers be erne more
familiar with the various compositions this defect will be remedied, no
doubt, The house, although Well atteaded, was by no means a crowded
eee, and the opera, although well received, was not honoured with par-
ticularly enthuelestic demonstrations of favour. We should state the
opera wee followed by the ballet of Masaniello, which has already been
played every night during the present season.