The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-16 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

A new opera,. entitled thedd?obber's Bride, the
original music ce which is by FERDINAND RIES, and
which has been adapted to the English stage by
Mr. HAwEs, last night produced at this theatre.
It was eminently and deservedly successful, as much
by reason of its music, which is diversified and
full of feeling, as by its incidents, which are highly-
wrought and interesting. The plot is something

like the following :
The monarch of one of the Italian states is kept
in subjection by a faction, who suffer him to retain
the throne, and to exercise a nominal authority,
while, in reality, they wield all the power of the
government. The Count of Viterbo (Mr. H.
PHILLIPS), who is firmly attached to his sovereign,
retires from court in disgust, and carries on a cor-
respondence with some of his friends, in which lie
freely censures the conduct of the party in power.
His courier, Pietro (Mr. SALTER), betrays him,
and the Count is in consequence denounced. Escape
from his enemies seems almost impossible, when
Roberto (Mr. PERKINS), the captain of a band of
robbers, appears on the scene, and declares to Laura,
(Miss BETTS), the daughter of the Count, that he
will effect her father's deliverance, provided she so-
lemnly promises to become his bride. Roberto had,
some years before, when residing in the Count's
castle, aspired to the affections of Laura; his pre
sumption was rewarded by instant expulsion from
the service of the Count, but his passion remained
as violent as ever. He now describes all the misery
which he had undergone, since, driven to despair,
he had become a leader of banditti. He impresses
on the mind of Laura the certainty of her father's
arrest unless assisted by him, and he finally induces
her to give the required pledge, in order to save the
life of her parent. By means of a secret passage,
Roberto condu:ts the Count to the cavern in which
the banditti conceal themselves; and the troops,
headed by Fernando (Mr. gam), immediately
after enter the castle in search of their victim.
Here Fernando recognizes in Laura a young
lady whose life he had preserved some years
before at Palermo, and whom, though he then
became passionately enamoured of her, he had never
since seen. He now avows his passion for her;
but her fatal vow to become the robber's bride pre-
sents a fatal obstacle to his hopes. Roberto discovers
that Laura's aversion to him arises from a precon-
ceived love for the young soldier, and he orders his
' band to capture Fernando, which they readily ac-
' complish. He is dragged to the cavern, but Ro-
berto, moved by the tears of Laura, instead of
wreaking vengeance on his rival, after a struggle be-
tween fury and affection, joins their hands. Fer-
, nando's troops having attacked the robbers in their
hiding-place, now appear, and capture the band as
well as the Count. All give themselves up for

lost, when Carlo (Mr. THORISE), the friend ofFer-
nando, arrives with the grateful tidings that the fac-
tion has been overturned, that the Prince is free,
and that, as his first act of justice, he has
sent a pardon to the Count, and commuted the pu-
nishment of the banditti from death to banishment.
Mr. H. PHILLIPS, as the Count, executed some dif-
ficult airs with infinite skill and sweetness; and Mr.
SAPIO'S duet with Carlo, " Alas! what hateful
duty," was given in the finest possible style. hliss
BETTS made an admirable Laura, and was often and
loudly applauded. lhe only defect in the opera is
its length. This gives it an appearance of heavi-
ness, and in parts conduces to ennui. It ought most
assuredly to be curtailed.