The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-04 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Of all men living, Mr. Lumley seems to possess in its
greatest perfection the power of discovering, as it were
by intuition, the genius of those about him and of turn-
ing that genius to account, of, in fact, placing the right
men in their right places. As a most remarkable in-
stance of the exercise of this power, we may cite the
brilliant, the triumphant, and the most deserved success
of Thalberg'p new opera, Florindi, or the Moors in
Spain, which was produced at Her 'Majesty's Theatre
last evening. When it was announced that
Mr. Lumley was about to produce an opera
from the pen of Thalberg, great curiosity was
excited, but the curiosity was not unmingled with
anxiety, for Thalberg had been hitherto known only as
the first pianist of his day, and as the composer of seve-
ral brilliant fantasias for the piano-torte, which were
necessarily and essentially undramatic. Many of the
class of "good-natured friends" immortalized by Sir
Fretful Plagiary sneered at the idea of a mere pianist
composing an opera, forgetting that blexart, and
Beethoven, and Mendelssohn bad been also, before they
commenced composition, "were pianists." The event
of last night has, however, set the question at rest;
Thalberg's friends need Teel no further anxiety as
to the brilliancy of the career which is before him, and
even those who would not have been disinclined to con-
dole were compelled to congratulate and to exclaim,
Ecco it Maestro. The music is of an essentially dra-
matic character, and 'Melberg his imparted to it that
local colouring, which is the great charm of Auber's
compositior a, and the great secret of their success. The
music or Florinda is as distinctly Moorish and Spanish
as the music of Masaniello is Neapolitan. It is replete
with melody of the most taking character, and the in-
strumentation is most elaborate, whilst the in-
terest is so admirably sustained, that although
the opera, which is in four acts, did nut
conclude until afcer midnight, there was no teeling of
weariness on the part of those witnessing the represee-
tation, nor was there, we believe, a single person present
who would have desired the omission of a single note.
M. Thaiberg has been fortunate in securing the services
of M. Scribe as his librettist, who has constructed out of
the well-known history of Roderick, the last of the
Goths, a drama of great interest. The scene is laid at
Setts (now Ceuta), and at the opening of the drama we
find ourselves in the camp of the Moorish army
under the walls of the city, which is defended for
Spain by Count Julian. An unknown warrior, habited
as a Moor, and bearing the cognizance of the Aben-
cerriages, demands to be introduced to the chief Munuzza
(Coletti). This unknown warrior is no other than Ito-
derigo (Calzolari), the Spanish King, who accompanied
by his page, Teodomiro (Madlle. Marie Cruvelli), has
assumed this disguise in order to visit the Moorish camp,
being moved thereto by the hope of reaching Setta, in
which city resides a certain Christian lady whom he
had rescued from drowning, and with whom he has
fallen in love. Muuuzzs had proclaimed a tournament, to
hold which a truce had been established between be.
siegers and beseiged, and to this tournament come
Facile (Mr. Sims Reeves), the son, and Florinda
(eeadlle. Sofie Cruvelli), the daughter of Count Julian.
In Florinda he recognizes the lady he had saved, and
she, in the Moorish warrior, sees her deliverer, with
whom she had fallen in love, but whom she must now
abjure, as the enemy of her creed and race. Fre-
quently, during the course of this scene, Roderick is on
the point of betraying himself, but is restrained by his
page, and at last the unhappy Fiorinda determines to
enter a convent This scene was exquisitely acted by
Calzolari and Madlle. Sofia Cruvelli ; and in the course
of it there occurs a duet, which is a perfect gein
of melody.
In the second act we find Florinda about to enter a
convent, and her father, Count Julian (Lablache), in
vain seeking to change her resolution. That which the
father could not do, however, the lover accomplishes.
Roderic suddenly appears, avows that he is a Christian,
and declares his love; in raptures Florinda listens to his
declarations and avows that she too loves; but when he
tells her he cannot marry
her she pours fourth her in-
dignation and acorn and abhorrence in the most impas-
sioned manner, and Roderick finding entreaties
useless, carries her off by force. In the third
act we find Count Julian lamenting the loss
of his daughter; be is told the King is
is approaching, and rouses himself to give the necessary
orders to prepare a fitting reception for his sovereign.
Suddenly Florinda enters in a state of almost madness,
and raves of her dishonour. The King arrives in state.
Julian and Favila are about to throw themselves at his
f•-et to demand redress, when Florinda recognises in the
Kng the author of her wrongs. Favila defies the King,
who accepts the defiance; they meet, and Favila is
wounded. In the next act we find Favila
wounded, tended by his father and his
sister; the old man declares that their, wrongs
will be soon avenged, for he has made arrangements to
deliver the city to the Moors; in the meantime Roderic
enters, declares his repentance, and announces his
intention of marrying Florinda, but reparation
comes too late; the Moors, under Muuuzza,
are entering the city, Roderic rushes out
to oppose them, and Florinda, who views the
combat from the castle window, describes the fight to
Favila, who at length, wounded as he is, rushes out to
oppose the Moors. Munuzza enters with his victorious
army with Julian and Favila prisoners. Favila
dies of his wounds, and litinuzza orders the
banners to be lowered to his body, on which
Count Julian, spurning the Moorish gold, throws
himself in despair, arid Roderic is seen in the dis•
tance escaping with Florinda. Madlle. Stifle Cruvelli
has added immensely to her high se putatien by
her intensely impassioned aolider, and her magnificent
singing in rlorinda, and the Favila of Sims Reeves is
perhaps the best thing he has yet done. The Count 1
Julian of Lablache was magnificent, it is Pendant to I

his Brahantio, and Calz:ikri sung the music of
P.,d,rii.k with inff,it- C !*. t,.
chiet was superb, ,zt.d Mtullle. Matte Creveill
made a great deal of the little part of the page. There
was a divertissement introduced in the third act, 10
which the Moooish and Spanish dances were very
effective. The performers were fr.* quently called 00
during the course of the performance, and at the end of
the third act Thalberg was called for and greeted
with rapturous cheering, a compliment which was
repeated at the termination of the opera.
The orchestra was admirably conducted by
Balfe, and the overture (a very pleasing composition)
was encored. The choruses are superb, and the encores
throughout the opera were fr. queue. The theatre was
crowned in every part. Her Nlcjesty honoured the
Theatre with her presence, and remained until the con-
clusion of the opera