The Sun.
London, England, 1826-01-31 00:00:00

ORATORIOS.

.
THE KING` r.: THEATRE.
The first of- a series of Ise: forrnanCeS of Ancient
and. Modern forethe Lent season, was. given 'at this
Theatre last night. The entertainment vonsisted:of a great va.
riety of pieces, in ;-..:ereral well chosen for ink Llie effect.- ,The first
was composed of a Selection from Hamlet's seered Oratorio of
the illeasiah, the music of which is too well known to require
any comment at this time, for none but scull- a person as the
"spare Cassias," can be ignorant of it; or insensible to its en-
chantment. The Recitative " Comfort ye, comfort ye, my
people," was executed by Mr. Sinclair. His voice is deficient
in the richness and volume which so grand a composition de-
mands, and the performance fell short of its intended effect.
Miss Venes performed the Recitative " Behold a virgin shall
conceive." This lady's voice is rather more delicate titan such
music requires—she sings with 'Scientific precision, but with
little sweetness or power; she was, however, favourably re-
ceived. " There were ahepherds'abiding in the fields,' was
given in the bills to .Matjame Caradori Allan, but it• was per-
fbrmed by Miss Povey, and her brilliant execution of this beau.-
tiful part, drew forth the warinestapplause. " Rejoice-greatly,
0 Daughter of Sion," tried the powers of. Madame Caradori
Allan in the very noblest emotion and triumphal swell of sacred
song. We cannot say that she was successful ; herstyle is mono-
tonous ;- she wants variety of .intonation and energy of expres-
sion. Misa Graddon gave " I know that my Redeemer liveth"
with taste, but not with power. The wand. chorus was per-
tbrmed in a very effective style. Between the first and second
parts Madame Caradori Allan gave from • the Semiramide of
ROSsini, the air" Bel Reggio Lusinghier," with great taste and
animation,. and was vehemently applauded. In the second
part Signor Velluti made his appearance and was very kindly
received. Before the performance a notice had been put up in
the lobby, stating that he was very much int- is koset'a but rather
than disappoint the public he would endeavour to perforni the
part announced, and claimed the public indulgence. Ile
appeared with Madame Bonini in a selection from a . mann-
seript serious draina, entitled L'Erot di Lancartro; it is
not stated by whom the music is composed, but we under
stand it is by Lord Burghersh, and certainly it evinces a
considerable knowledge of the Science, united to popular effect.
The chorus " Il tiilensio re"na intorno," was executed with
great spirit. It is composed in a bold, varied, and impres-
sive style. The trio beginning with Colpita da fulanne,"
from the serious drama called Fedra, by Madame Bonini,
Signor Nrelluti, and Mr. A. Sapid, drew down considerable ap-
plause; the latter gentleman made his first appearance on this
occasion ; he had studied his part well, but he does not seem
rich in natural gifts, his voice is neither flexible nor sweet, and
he is very deficient in expression. We would not, however,
speak too decidedly of a first erpearance. If he has an aptitude
for improvement., there is certainly room for it. Madame
Boxim gave her part with effective skill; her tones are full
and sonorous, but no unpremeditated graces adorn them.
Signor Velluti, notwithstanding his indisposition, was in
fine voice ; be indeed appeared to labour more than usual,
but his wild and mournful expression, one time rushing in
a melodious swell, and again dying away in the most tre-
mulous cadence, captivated the audience ; the applause was
enthusiastic, particularly after the performance of " Dave sei
reggio d'amor, ' from L'Erce di Lancastro—but some persons
carried their desire of selfish gratification so far, as several
times to encore his performance, notwithstanding the claim
which indisposition had on their forbearance; the good sense
and humane feeling of the better part of the audience put)down
so ridiculous an I merciless a request, and Velluti, when retir-
ing, was followei by acclamation. There was a chorus front
Pedro, accompanied on eight harps by pupils of the Royal
Academy of Music. If this performance was intended to give
the public an idea of the proficiency of the pupils of the A.ca-
dew, it failed of its object, for it was quite impossible
for any one to say, whether the eight pupils were capable
of playing on the harp at all or not. The thing was
mere spectacle, and seemed to be introduced for melo-
dramatic effect. The sound of the harps was completely
drowned in the boisterous chorus of wind instruments, double
bass violins, Sec. It was like a man with a delicate voice at.
tempting to sing in a high storm. The harp 'might as well at.;
tempt to overpower such a hurricane of sounds as a bird to
chirrup down thunder. The exhibition had all the appearance
of quackery, and we trust that if the pupils of the Royal
Academy of Music are to be brought on the stage again, they
may be allowed an opportunity of being heard as well as sees.
otherwise we will believe the thing to be only a piece of
dramatic imposition. Several other performances fellowed,
which we have not time to specify. The whole concluded
with the Battle Sinfonia of Beethoven, which, with deference
to the name of so great a composer, we consider a very noisy
piece of work, and founded on an erroneous taste. The mu-
sician who attempts to give a description of a field of battle,
by harmonious combinations, sets about a very absurd thing,
for if
he could describe the matter well, it would be exceedingly
discordant, and if he describes it otherwise, it must be exceed-
ingly untrue. The monkish poets, who flourished in the
dark ages, thought that the greatest achievements of poetry
consisted in fabricating verses in the forms of wings, altars,
eggs, flying horses, &c., and just as foolishly do those mu.
sical composers act, who attempt to represent the storming of
Prague or the battle of Waterloo, by the united effort offiddles,
bastions, and clarionets. The sooner this barbarism is exploded
the better for music—both as rt science and an accompanhnent
to poetic inspiration.