The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-20 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.
The announcement of a new opera, of an English composer
—the libretto written by an Em;lishman, and the opera
itself supported entirely by English artists—drew a crowded
audience to this theatre on Saturday evening. The title of
the opera is the Fairy Oak; the composer is Mr. Henry
Vorbes, for many years the conductor of the Societe Ar-
monica Concerts; and the author of the libretto is Mr. Henry
Coe Coupe, a gentleman connected with the theatres.
The following is the cast of the characters:—
Duke Rudolph
Haco

Alphonso
Albert Mr. Al!eit

Arnold ' if r. How ell
Fritz
Kuno
Seneschal ... Mr. T. Matthews
lauthe

Queen of the Fairies .. Miss Fitzjames
Orchus
Fair Star .
The overture, which is a carefully instrumented composition,
was received with three rotrids of applause, anti when the
curtain rose and discovered the first scene the.applause
was
renewed, and well was that applause deserved, for the scene
is beautiful. The fairy oak is seen in front, occupying
nearly the whole of the stage. On the right is the en-
trance to the castle of Lowenstein, the feudal seat of Duke
Rudolph, a powerful Hungarian noble; on the left is the,
cottage of Arnold, the ranger; and in the back-ground,
crowning an eminence in tlie distance, is seen an ancient
convent. The opera opens with a drinking chorus of
foresters, a spirited composition, although perhaps some-
what too Weberish to lay claim to the praise of origi-
nality. Albert, the foster-sou of tie ranger, has been
sitting apart, musing during the merry-making of the
foresters. He is aroused from his reverie by Arnold.
lie has been musing on the mysterious appearance
of • a beautiful fairy who Las captivated his heart, and
he expresses his feelings in a recitative and song, which,
given by Allen with exquisite taste and science, and inb
which he i.fu,ed a degrto of expressive feeling, of which the
air, in less skilful bands, would not have been susceptible,

.~•- _~~_

he was rapturously applauded, and, in obedience to the
vehement call of the audience, repeated the last stanza.
Of all oar tenor singers Allen is now undoubtedly the first.
reeason after season has he been gradually making his way
by his exquisite taste, and his skill, and science as a
musician. Hie voce, which was stone time naturally weak,
seams of late to have acquire greater power, are rather, he has
acquired greater mastery over it. There was no cause to
complain on Saturdry 'tight on the score ef feebleness. lie
could be distinctly heard in the remotest part of the theatre;
and all that skill and judgmene, and taste and execution can
do for music, was done by Allen for the music of the Fairy
Oak. Arnold endeavours to laugh him out of his melancholy,
but without success, and leaves him. A chorus ef invisible
fairies is heard from the oak; gradually the flowers
which ornament the bank of turfs at the foot of fairy
oak rise into rich blossoms, and in the midst of the flowers
appears 'endue The scenic effect was very beautiful. In
the aria " The nursling of a fairy band," lanthe gives a
description of her past life among the faries of the forest.
This aria, which isa pleasingcompositian, was very effectively
given by Mies Rainthrt le As Albert rises hastily to approach
her, she disappear a and he rushes out in despair. Kuno then
enters from the castle, followed by Rudolph, and we leans
that lanthe is Rudolph's daughter, confided by him to the
fairies to ward off a prophecy that she would love the man
who should dispossess him of his dominions, which he had
acquired seventeen years before by the murder of his brother.
The night has arrived when the faries arc to restore her to
him, and he commences his incantation to summon them to
him. The opening recitative, "This night restores me to
my child," and a scene which follows, "Le, 'mid clouds of
dusky red," was magnificently sung by Borrani, who was in
very fine voice, and who, throughout the opera, exerted him-
self to the utmost. As the incantation proceeds, the scene
becomes brighter ; the oak, expanding its branches wider and
wider, shows itself peopled with fades, who flutter, play,
and swing among its branches, others entering beneath,
and dancing. This, which is a miracle of magnificent
scenic effect, was enthusiastic Illy applauded. Ru-
dolph retires, and as lanthe appears the fairies vanish.
lanthe declares her love, and the Queen and fairies advance.
The Queen announces to her that she is to be restored to
her father, who will bestow leer in marriage. She expresses
her hope that it is to Albert she is to be given, and gives
utterance to her feelings of joy in the aira, " Oh! brightly the
dayestar of happiness glows," which was beautifully sung,
and.vehemently encored. The Queen waves her wand, part
of the castle dissolves, and the Duke is discovered at a table,
where Alphonso is signing a contract by the torch of Kuno,
the elfin page. Alphonse. is to be her future husband. At
the sight she falls senseless into the arms of the fairies, and
is by them conveyed to the door of the castle, where she is re-
ceived by Kuno and Fritz, and conveyed to her father.
Albert enters in a state almost of frensv, calling on the
name of lanthe. He is answered by Orchus and Fair Star
from the fairy oak, and here is introduced an exquisite trio,
" Oh! list again, lanthe's name," which was beautifully given
by Miss Collett, Miss Helen Lane, and Allen, and which
is certainly the moot beautiful thing in the opera.
The marriage procession of Alphonso enters. Jambe is
veiled; she lifts her veil, and, seeing Albert, ruhscs to his
arms. They are separated, and Albert is conveyed
to the dungeons of the castle to await his doom. This con-
cludes the first act. The finale to this act, " Prayer of mine
would fail to move," was well given by Allen' and was
honoured with an encore. The opening scene of the second
act is very beautiful. It is moonlight on the borders of the
forest near a lake. The stars are seen reflected in the lake,
the waves of which are slightly agitated. Fairies are
dancing around. On the right is a romaneic cavern, within
which, at the foot of a cross, illuminated by the rays of the
moon, Haco is discovered sleeping. The act opens with
a chorus, followed by a trio, alternating with a semi-chorus.
This is the weakest bit in the opera, and might be advan-
tageously shortened. • At the conclusion the faries disappear,
and Haco advances to meet Arnold, who has been to demand
aid of the Emperor to release Albert from the tyranny of
Rudolph. He has also roused the foresters, and Haco de-
clares his intention of placing himself at their head, and
marching against the castle of Lowenstein. Haco retires
into his cavern, and Arnold leaves him, when Rudolph
and Alphonso, accompanied by Kuno, enter. A ballad
for the basso, "My heart grown old in misery,"
which is introduced into this scene, was sDlendialygiven by
Borrani
, and was deservedly rewarded with an encore. This
was followed by a trio," I have gazed upon the star," which
was given very effectively by Borrani, Burdini, and S.
Jones. Rudolph, who seeks to know his destiny of Hace, Is
repulsed by him. The foresters, accompanied by Arnold,
enter, and Haco marches at their head towards the castle of
Lowenstein. The scene then changes to the interior of the
castle; lanthe, by the assistance of Kuno, escapes from the
vigilance of Fritz, and procuring the keys of the dungeon of
Albert, hastens to set him free. Albert is alone in his
dungeon ; his thoughts are of lanthe, without whom liberty •
and life itself would be valueless. Allen, be, his beautiful
and expressive execution of the ads, " The captive sad
unloved who pines," excited the enthusiasm of the audience,
end was encored rapturously. His manner of giving the
second verse was fall of pathos and feeling. hurdle
enters, and a duet from the tenor and soprano follows.
As they are about to escape they are met by the
Duke and his guards. He aims a blow at Kuno.
who laughs and disappears in the goblin-like manner in
which Weiland alone can disappear, and I antlte is ordered to
a convent, and Albert to instant execution. The last scene
is the fairy oak, and here again Allen achieved another
triumph by the pathetic manner in which he gave the ballad,
" 1 know nay fate, I know I part." The Duke orders his
archers to shoot at Albert, who is bound to the oak. They re-
fuse; he seizes a bow himself, and is about to shoot, when an
armed knight appears, and raises his shield over Albert. It
is Bertram, to whom Rudolph bad committed his brother's
eon with a charge to murder him, but under the name of
Haco had watched over his youth, and who now proclaims
Albert the rightful lord of Lowenstein. Of course Albert
and lanthe are united, and all ends happily. This, we be-
lieve, is the first opera that Mr. Forbes has ever com-
posed, and as might have been expected, he has not
ventured to trust so much to his own re-
sources as he no doubt will do in his future compositions.
Ile is certainly an accomplished musician ; let him,
however, avoid imitation. It is the rock ahead on which
many promising composers have made • shipwreck. All
the artistes concerned in the production of the opera
exerted themselves to the utmost, and at the conclu-
sion they were called before the curtain—an honour to
which, in this instance, they were entitled. The mice en
scene was superb, and Mr. Porbes had every justice done to
him by both manager and artistes. In no theatre in Europe
could an opera have been more superbly mounted, or more
effectively given. It was announced for repetition amidst
loud applause.
STOItAI IN THE thy OF BISCAY.--VIGO, OCT. 12.
—The Pasha, which sailed from Southampton on Tuesday
last, the 7th inst., has just arrived here in safety. on her way
to Lisbon and Gibraltar, after one of the most perilous pas-
sages remembered in tile Bay of Biscay for severamostl years past.
From Wednesday to Friday she encountered
gales from the S.W., which increased in intensity until on the
latter day it blew a perfect hurricane. Most unfortunately,
on the Wednesday night one of her engines became entirely
disabled, and in this state she continued imperfectly battling
with the elements for fourteen hours, when her intelligent
commander, Captain Burner, having investigated the cause
of the accident, discovered that it could be repaired by very
slight means, which happily proved effective. It was the
condensing valve that had become disengaged, and by insert-
ing an iron pin this accident was at once repaired, the commu-
nication between the two engines made complete, and the
hearts of the passengers raised at once from a most gloomy
and desponding state. That slight, but serious negligence
night have cost us all our lives. The period of effecting
the repair was most timely and providential, for
almost immediately the gale rose to a hurricane, and
the most experienced sailors and engineers on board
the Pasha, some of whom have been regularlyd cr
eclareoss-
ing the Bay of Biscay for a-period of twelve years,
that they never witnessed such bad weather. For twelve
hours sea after sea struck the steamer aft with trieineeretnod-tehuse
aempi rtrinmecippase Pasha
force, marry t Ines dashing over her, an slinking
and the
imiroo
Ne.oenrystreuxcttrieonliitniesiroonf was
icroenrtafirhaii),,reNaw.e•olrllct;iedl,
oeausbotahta.n Itthies
shock,m impossible blvve
at o
sustained,concanythinge
mongst the least timid of
shrieks of the female passengers (a ryeedtraemfineends
The want of ventilation and general discomfort
whom were General Bacon's two daughters) were very
alarming..
of the Pasha occasioned general disgust. Had the accident
to the engine not been repaired, it is the opinion of every
competent person on board that the vessel would have become
waterlogged, when every soul would have probably been lost,
and we should have left as little trace behind us as the Pre •
silent, The storm has completely abated, and the weather
is now delightful. General Bacon and Colonel Fitch came
out by this packet, in connexion with the now about to be
defined railway projects for Portugal. Mr. Manbv, with
three assistant-engineers, were left at COTUIIII3, eor the com-
mencement of the works on the Madrid and Valencia Rail-
way. Some carriages and horses were likewise landed there
for Mr. Peel at Madrid.
TEE MUSK RAT.—This obnoxious vermin is
common throughout Bengal, and is one of the most offensive
of the mural tribe. It, like the common rat, affects dwelling-
Images, and perambulate; at night kitchens, and other like
offices, in quest of such food es these premises may afford it.
The effluvium from this creature is so power 'ul, that its pre-
sence will scent the whole room into which it may enter
with musk. Few dogs will attack it on account of the
musrose secretions which it throws off, and to which they
have a loathing abhorrence. It is a singular and well-at-
tested fact, that whatsoever this animal runs over becomes
so permanently tainted. with musk, that the object proves
for a considerable length of time intolerable. Should a
mink rat make its way into a cellar, and run over the
bottles holding wines or spirits of any kind, the effect of h e
trespass is such, that the contents are strongly impregnated
with impure mask, and so odious do they become, that they
cannot be drank, and are thrown aside and condemned ae
" muskbottles."
DECRIEASE OF CRIME IN WILTS.—Then?, was not a
single prisoner for trial at our Boroughs Sess!oir, on Monday
last ; and at the County Quarter Sessions, which cyuau
at Marlborough on Tuesday, the number of priKnO7*-1
was less, by one halt' than the average nurelhateelOellii -
ke
corresponding sessions for the last seven 12. •
zette. t •
14
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