The Sun.
London, England, 1816-06-17 00:00:00

11-1_14: TIIEATI2E§.

. , .
COVENT-GARDEN, —Saturday migh.t Oti:vOy's
Tragedy of Venic'e Preserceel, was performed, at
this Theatre, %their Mr. KeieeLe appealed, for
the
.last !ine this season, iii toe character of
Arid diSplayed ail his accnitonieu etergy.
lie was luuctly Had generally applauded thrmign-
out by a crowded hnose.
New 11..stoLl8n OeeitA.---Thi's Theatre, 'ci-de-
vont the Lyceum, was opened on bm.orday w;th
" U,7 all Nil.lhl" kid " The &circling Huuse."
We gave a very brief descriptiou of it in our last
.puloiesition ; and thoie who saw it at the period
we did on Friday, wl-,en we made our remarks,
will agree with us in thinking that Mr. Austocii
and five Imudred workmen muse have been per-
tormiog the first piece, independently of rehear-
sals, the night before. A greater exertion was
pertaitily never made to prepare every thing for
the accommodation and gratification 4if the yht).
lie. 1-la4 we not kuowit that the Licence re-
strieted the Manager to Operas, we should have
believed that Harlequin's in44ic wand had been at
work in the extensive transformations--a mass Of
scaffolding into an elegant Theatre ; the endless
clank of a hundred hammers into harnionious
music; carpenters; scene-pointers, carvers, Oilers,
Hod a stage only tote heap of rubbish, into good
actresses, actors, singers, and one of the finest
spaces fOr theatrical representation in Europe !
The following nutty be styled the official de-
scription of the New House Its form is a
portion of an,ellipsis, whose transverse adiameter
is 35 feet. The distance front the pout boxes to
the Orchestra is 30 feet. There are two circles of
boxes, with slips level with the lower gallery, and
slip lobbies with the upper
.gallery; Hod the ac-
cess to the boxes is so contrived, that'the company
going to the dress circle do not intermingle with
those going to the other boxes. The seats, hoth
in the pit, galleries, and boxes, are so much raised
above each other as to give the audience an atio-
tetrupted view of site stage from every parrot the
Theatre. The ceiling is raised, and supported
by a series of ground arches, pursuing the whole
line of the ellipsis ; ant mirrors are placed
in the compartments of the arched sothtes, which
reflect and multiply the lights below. The
dome, and , the dress circle of boxes, &c. are
beautifully ornamented. with subjects, paint-
ed in imitation of basso relieves, mostly se-
lected from the imagery of classic. literature, re-
presenting the effects of music on savage nature,
as well as on the various passions of the human mind.
Amongst the subjects thus selected and displayed
tire the following the centre compartiuent of
the dress boxes is delineated the invention and
construction of the lyre by Memo' y." The god is
`reclining on the shell of the tortoise. and is in the
act of receiving from Cupid the Ileaven-invented
string of his bow, which the little urchin pesetas,
'to form the strings of hislyre, The next conipsrt-
, tnent represents the story of the escape of Arion,
a lyric Peer, and musician of Lesbos, who gained
.by his art immense riches. The adjoining coin.
partment contains an excellent allegorical repre-
sentation of the flight of Music Irmo' Egypt to
Greece'. 'Next follows a representation of 'limo-
thesis playing at the feast, of Alexander. The
next compartment depicts the uoion of Paint-
ing, Poetry, and Music, who are supposed to
be joiniqg .their labours on the stage the
English' Opera house, to render its amusements
worthy of public patronage.---The several other
compartments are ornamented in a similar man-
lier. The last which we shall now notice is
that of St. Cecilia at the organ, intended to re-
present .the perfection of the art. The drop-
scene is part of a composition selected from
Pyranes. It is intended to represent an entrance
to the'temple of Apollo, and the group in front
represent that god, accompanied by the Tragic
and Comic Muses, illustrative, as we imagine,
of the olliOn of Music with the Drama. It struck
us, howeeer, that the shade is too strong ; it has
the effect of giving to the whole a heavy and
sombre appearance. The Orchestia is construct-
ed upon a new and peculiar principle, which has
1 the effect of impelling the sound into the body of
' the Theatre. The Saloon is decorated with ta-
blets, on which are the names of Acne, Loots,
ARNOLD,r and others, the must celebrated British
Composers, encircled with wreaths of laurel."
To this accurate description we have very little
to add. . The lower Chandeliers appeared to. us
rather to went brilliancy ; and the 'classic orna.
ments of the dress circle ate in so low relief, that
they look sketchy and meagre when compared
with the Scroll gilding on the tier above.
We stated oil Saturday how admirably site
Horse was coustructed for ,atfording a perfect
vicar of the Stage from every part, and to this
high requisite we cats now add, that it is at least
(Arai iii another quality of as great impottnece,
viz. that of couvqing the sound perfectly over
the l'it, round each box circle, and up to the top-
most Gallery.
tlaviug said so much of the place, we most now
say something of those who are called to fill it.
On drawing up the cutlet's, the loyal antheM
of " God save the King" watotutg by the full
company, and introduced to us many new feces
and new voices. In these faces we saw nothing
bad, end its the voices we distinguished a great
deal of good. Both had a great recommendation
to us, eta being altogether British.
Miss KacLY then spoke, with lunchanimation,
the Address a titten by Mr. AtttsoLD, tool inserted
in OUr next

This excellent actress sustained her original
character in the Opera with untliminiklted etlect.
BauADnuasT 'sung the songs of the indifferent
part of Meddle With uncommon stseetness ; and
all the other performers in the piece,, with whom
London play-goers are acquainted, were respect-
able. BARTLBY Alit, perhaps, the least efficient
as a substitute for DowtoN ; but much is to be
excused, not only whets we consider the talents
of his predecessor, but also his own avocation as
Stage Manager, the exertion attendant on which
could have lett him as yet but very little bane for
study.
6f the new Candidates Introduced on SatfirdaY
we rejoice tube able give a favourable report.
Some of them were positively good ; some afford-
ed abundant promise ; and all were agreeable.
Mr. T. SHORT, from Dublin, was Young Heart-
well bib voice One of tilt; most pleasing tenors we