The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-04 00:00:00

KING'S THEATRE.

This house opened on Saturday evening, with Spontini's opera
of La Veatale. The two chief characters, supported by Madame
Caradori and Signor Curioni, have some scenes rich in musical
excellence; on these the composer has lavished his genius; the
subordinate characters are subordinate indeed. The chnrusses and
finales are uniformly good. The plot of La Vestale is briefly this
—Licinius, a brave Roman soldier, is ardently attached
to Julia, the daughter of a senator, who returns his love
with corresponding warmth; but as the name of the suitor
has not been inscribed on the roll of fame, the father of
the lady repels his advances. Licinius proceeds to
the wars, as all disappointed lovers ought to do, and
in the end returns a victorious general, having over-
come the Gauls. He enters Rome in triumph, but finds, to
his utter dismay, that his betrothed mistress had, during his ab-
sence, been compelled to enroll herself amongst the vestal virgins.
He determines to enter the temple of Vesta, that he may carry off
his mistress, for whose sake he is content to abandon his country.
He effects his purpose, and his mistress, though trembling for the
consequences of his visit, cannot conceal her delight at again
meeting her beloved. But the Goddess Vesta will not suffer her
temple to be profaned with impunity ; and, while the lovers are
exchanging mutual vows of constancy, the sacred fire, to the
preservation of which Julia ought to have attended, is ex-
tinguished. The Pontiff and the Chief Vestal enter the
temple immediately afterwards. Julia is denounced, and is
condemned to death. She descends into the tomb prepared for
her ; but, at this critical moment, a dreadful storm occurs, and
the veil of the condemned Vestal is consumed by lightning.
This event is declared by the Pontiff to be a proof that the
wrath of the Goddess Vesta is appeased. Julia is libe-
rated, and she and her lover are made happy. Madame Ca-
radori supported the part of Julia with eminent suc-
cess, both as a singer and an actress. Few women could have
looked the gentle and desponding vestal better; and very few
could have executed the music with deeper feeling or more delicate
expression. Her arena in the second act, commencing Tu the
invoco con orrorei where, half distracted, Julia, in the first in-
stance, intreats the aid of the goddess, but ultimately sinks under
the wild fervour of her passion for Licinius, was distinguished by
strong natural feeling, aided by much scientific knowledge. Ma-
dame Caradori has rarely had such an opportunity for the display
of her talents, and to use rather a homely phrase, she made the
most of it. Her performance was, throughout, very warmly and
very justly applauded. Signor Curioni sustained the character of
Licinius in an able manner. His scene with Julia in the temple
was extremely clever. Many passions are to be described in this
scene (which is, perhaps, the beat in the opera), and he entered
fully into each of them ; love, apprehension, and terror, were al-
ternately pourtrayed with great truth. Madame Biegioli,
who after three years absence, has returned to the house, appeared
as the Chief Vestal, and played the character with much pro-
priety. Her address to Julia, especially that part of it in which
she speaks of lave, as the great enemy of Vesta, was given with
considerable force. Contrary to the usual practice, the exertions
of the ballet carps, instead of being employed in some extraneous
entertainment between the acts, are made subservient to the busi-
ness of the Opera. On this occasion, Mademoiselle Boron, and
Messrs. Gonelin and Blasi,, appeared in the ballet for the first
time, and were extremely well received. The Opera was highly
approved of by a full house.