The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-17 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. I
The long-announced revival of Dryden's opera of
King Arthur, with Purcell's music, took place at
this theatre last evening, and its success must have
equalled the most sanguine anticipations of the
manager. For this success it is indebted mainly to
its scenery, and to the admirable and efficient man-
ner in which the chorus singers not only sing, but act
their parts. It will be in the recollection of our
readers that this piece was revived some years ago at
the old English Opera-house, on which occasion Miss
Kelly acted the part of the blind girl, Emmeline,
the betrothed of King Arthur, who recovers
her sight through the intervention of Merlin, who
commissions Philidel, the Spirit of the Air, to
remove the film from Emmeline's eyes. The part of
Emmeline was sustained last evening by Mrs.
Nisbett, and beautifully did she depict the sensations
of the blind girl on her first acquisition of the power
of sight. She did not exhibit the intense pathos
which Miss Kelly threw into the part; the pre-
dominant feeling in her breast was one of overflowing
joy, happiness, and admiration, and never was the
exuberant overflowing of uncontrollable delight more
heartily delineated. Miss P. Horton, as Philidel,
sang and acted with exquisite taste. We cannot but
remember the sylph-like elegance, the grace and pro-
priety of her Ariel, and her Philidel is quite equal to
it. She is par excellence " the little airy.sprite" of
the present day. Her solo at the conclusion of the
first act was rapturously encored, being the only
solo in the opera which received that honour. The
Shepherds' Chorus at the opening of the second act
was also encored, and most deservedly ; and the repe-
tition of the magnificent chorus, " Britons Strike
Home," was most vociferously called for, but the
call was not complied with, in consequence, we sup-
pose, of its being incompatible with the extensive scenic
arrangements. This splendid chorus is decidedly the gem
of the opera. The scene representsan open country, sol-
diers arrive in straggling parties. Suddenly the trumpets
sound. The stage is filled with armed men drawn up
in battle array. They sing the chorus, accompanying
the words by appropriate action, going through
all the evolutions preparatory to battle, and
at its conclusion rush on to the charge,
squadrons of armed men continuing to advance as the
scene closes. Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm
excited by this scene, and we hope that, for the
future, the call for its repetition, which will not fail to
be made every evening, will be complied with. It is
impossible, by description, to convey the remotest idea
of the scenic wonders of this truly magnificent spec-
tacle. It is tale of enchantment. The contending
parties being supported by Merlin, the British En-
chanter, on the one side, and Osmond (Mr. 11.
Phillips), the Saxon Magician, on the other ; and the
wonders performed by the actual worthies themselves
could not have exceeded the wonders performed at the
command of their respective representatives last evening.
Demons rising from the earth, or descending from the
middle air ; open plains, changing suddenly into en-
chanted forests, in which every branch was the abode
of a fiend, who glared horridly upon those entangled
in the mazes of the wood, or withrew under cover of
the leaves, as suited the purpose of the enchanter who
had worked the charm ; splendid palaces, changing at
once to the regions of eternal frost, and these again be-
coming sun-lit vallies re-echoing to the joyous chorus
of the happy peasantry ; enchanted groves, where
sirens and dryads sought by every allurement
to withdraw the hero from the path of virtue and
honour, suddenly disappearing at the touch of the
charm-destroying wand of Merlin, wielded by Philidel;
these are a few of the scenic wonders accomplished.
The piece is, in fact, a succession of magnificent dio-
ramic effects, many of them completely new to the
stage. Of these, one of the most admirable is the
moving diorama of a battle in the first act—a more
stirring representation has never been exhibited. At
the fall of the curtain the piece was announced by
Mr. Anderson for repetition every evening, amidst
the loudest applause. The house was crowded.