Star.
London, England, 1830-02-25 00:00:00

FRA-DIAVOLO.

A new piece entitled Fro-Diaoolo, or, the Inn of Terreeina,
written by 51. SCRIBE, the music by M. Atlas., was lately
brought out at the Opera-Comique in Paris.
Fra-Diavolo is not, as he is represented in history, a vulgar, fe-
rocious brigand, but a man of elegant manners, who, within a se-
ducing exterior, conceals a heart of stone. Lord Ifockburg and his
lady arrive at an inn, all pale and terrified ; they have been robbed
in the neighbourhood of Tertacina by the band of Diavolo. A
Marquis shortly makes his appearance, of polished demeanor and
insinuating address. He pays close attention to the lady, and offers
his services to the husband. The officious Marquis soon learns that
they had not been robbed of every thing ; that they had saved some
articles of value, and how they had disposed of them : all circum-
stances of great interest to him ; for this accomplished gentleman is
no other than a brigand chief, the celebrated Diavolo.
By good fortune, the daughterof the Innkeeper, the charming Zer-
line, has a lover, and what is not a matter of indifference upon the pre-
sent occasion. this lover is a carabincer, and a carabineer is a precious
companion wherever there are robbers. Night arrives, the propi-
tious time, as every body knows, for robbers and for lovers. Diavolo,
with two of his band, wicks the apartment of Lord Sockbwrg. To
reach it he must pass through the chamber of Zerline. They hear
the steps of a young girl, and conceal themselves in a closet until
she lies down and has fallen asleep. Scarcely has she closed her
eyes when they leave their hiding-place. They proceed to the apart-
ment of the English gueets • but reflecting that the cries might
awake &dins and expose them to capture, they determine to kill
her. The poniard is lifted over her, when suddenly a violent knock.
ing is heard at the door. It is the carabineer, and the robbers re-
treat precipitately into the closet. Lord laokburg comes out of
his chamber to inquire the cause of the noise. The fall of some
furniture in the closet arrests his attention, and he requests the ca.
rabincer to see whether there is not somebody listening there. Die-
veto. finding himself on the point of being discovered, is forced to
come out of the closet : at the sight of the pretended Marquis
they are both overwhelmed with surprise. By a vet), pleasant
turn the Lord entertains a singular suspicion of the virtue of
kis :lady : Diavolo excites at the mane time the jealousy of
the husband and of the carabineer, by giving to his visit a motive
totally different from the real one. Lord Kockbarg and the cars-
bineer are in a rage. A challenge ensues, and a place of meeting
with them both is appointed. Our Marquis takes care to stay
away, and sends two of his people to assassinate his credulous rivals.
By a chance, that proves fatal to them; these two brigands amuse
themselves in the hearing of Zer/ine with repeating some words she
had used in admiration of her face and person when looking at her-
self in a glass at the time she thought herself alone in her
chamber. A suspicion enters her mind. She has them arrested and
a written paper is found on one of them, from which it appears that
on a given signal the Fes DIAVOLO was to join them. He is in
consequence seised and delivered up to justice, and the moral of the
piece is thus complete. Some of the scenes are very effective, but
for its success, the piece is chiefly indebted to the music, particu-
larly the overture. It is one of those asoreteuswhich constitutes
an era in the life of a composer.