The Sun.
London, England, 1835-10-30 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

The lotg-talked-of Opera, The Siege of I?ochelle,by gr.
Balfc, win produced last night, with great and deserved
success. The subject is taken from a novel by Madame de
Geniis, and has been treated in a masterly manner as a°
opera by Ricci, an Italian composer of some eminence.
There is no doubt that Mr. Balfe had the advantage of
witnessing Ricci's opera in Italy, for many of the scenes
are fae-similes in the Clari de Rosenberg, by which name
the opera was there designated. This we mention, not for
the purpose of accusing Mr. Balfe of a plagiarism of
Ricci, but to spew the tact of a shrewd mind in dis-
cerning many beauties, which he has afterwards so much
Unproved, as to leave at a considerable distance behind him
the original model. The drama, or rather the sketch of a
drama, on which the opera is founded, is a very happy sub-
ject for music, and if Mr. Balfe has not treated it with
much depth and profound learning, he has scattered
throughout such a sprinkling of brilliant gems—such a
sparkling variety of happy melody—that he takes the soul
captive before the judgment can be brought to bear upon
its merits. The style of the music is between Auber and
Marliani—the one celebrated for original melody and
strong dramatic effect, the other for much delicad
and refinement. Like Auber, Mr. Balfe keeps o°,,
moving—never losing an instant for a display 0'
his wit in melody, and showing his epigrammatic pro-
pensities in boundless profusion. Like Marliani, bet.
sometimes conceives' a delicate sentiment, gets tired 01
it, bounces off in an off-hand slap-dash style, returns to
the sentiment again, and concludes amidst a din of braze°
trumpets and drums. But it is time to give the plot : the
Marquis de Vizlmour, (Wilson) a widower in love with
Clara, (Miss Shirreff) has lost an infant son by the hand o',
an assassin, the suspicion of whose murder is attached to
Clara, the body of the child having been discovered in ber
arms, and the dagger beside her. She protests her innu-
cence, but is withheld from namips, the murderer by an
oath which she has imposed on hie, under the idea that be
is her father. This villain Montalban (Giubilei) pursues
her with the intention of de..itroying her, and thus preserve
his secret ; but she is rescued by the interference of 11/3"
chel (Phillips) the servant of Count Rosenburg(Segv;ilh)
_Michel discovers the real murderer by overhearing awls
reproaching him with the deed. Montalban betrays Count
Rosenberg to the enemy, and during the quarrel whir"
ensues between them, Clara, who is in concealment near
the spot, discovers that Rosenberg is her father, and imme-
diately rushes forward and declares that MontaPian is ttle
assassin. Clara's innocence being proved, raintoto' of
course claims her as his bride, and all parties, in such cases
made and provided, are forthwith rende► ed superlativelY,
happy. Phillips's part of Michel is an attempt—asa
we beg to say a very successful atter,pt—to fix a conic
style of singing on the English str.ge, above buffoonerY.
All our comic songs are notoriousi-1 low—they all smack of
the gin-shop or pot-house. If Mr. Balfc had no other
merit beside raising this character of song from its de-
graded condition, he ought to receive the thanks of the
public at large. Phillir s's first song, " Travellers all 0r:
every nation," will IK;nr_eforth be the English ~ Largo a'
factotum," and the. duet between Marcella and him, shod
in happy melody the luxury of a husband's uxoriousness,
and, in that fool, the archness of a wife's connubial bliss'
The chorus of soldiers and peasants, " Vive le Roi," standsas prota.me,ntly forward in the opera as does the well-know!'
in William Tell. Not less than a third rePetr
tion 'would satisfy the audience. The chorus also at the
uu?., of the first act was worthily conceived, and strange to
"say, it was well executed. Of the more sentimental par'
of the Opera we cannot speak so highly. Herein the oar
poser is frequently vapid, dull, and unmeaning. We Oil
he wrote some of these prosy -bars in a foggy morning
was not written under an Italian sky, we will be swell'.
Neither is his recitative always happy : it is often cow
less and inappropriate. As for instance in the ter
zetto at the bottom of page 20 in the book, wberl.
Rosenberg tells his servant Michel to obey the orders °
Afontalban, Michel, instead of replying, instantly elle:.
the cud of reflection for the space of about twenty bars °
symphony, and then replies, " I shall do, Sir, as you requir
me ;" and in the same terzetto, where reflection was rail,
required, the dialogue goes on with a rapidity sadly t
variance with the sense. We shall most likely take another,
opportunity of showing, more at length, the various beaue.e:
and demerits of this Opera ; for there are plenty of 10,
most incongruously mingled. For the present, we strove
advise Mr. Balfe to write another finale to the second 0'
Here we ought to have a most triumphant and baPPC
melody ; instead of which, it is one full of the inspiratl°
of blue-devils. On the whole, the Opera, we think, is net
destined to immortality, but it will take its rank, and live
(and die) by the side of the Puritani of Bellini„ It is
well worth the four hundred guineas which Messrs, Cramer
gave for it ; although the purchase, before it was performed,
skews a generous enterprise in that firm, not often to be
met with in the fraternity of music-sellers.