The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-11 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.
COVENT GARDEN.
After Sheridan Knowles' play of the Hunchback,
Gretry's Opera of _Richard Cceur de Lion, with
additional orchestral accompaniments by Adolphe
Adam, was revived at this theatre last evening.
This opera is interesting on many accounts. It is
interesting as being one of the earliest and best
works of the father of the modern school of French
music—the friend of Jean Jacques Rousseau, who,
occupying the cottage at Montmorency, after Jean
Jacques' death, and preserving it with a religious
care, has made Montmorency sacred ground alike to
the sentimentalist and the musician—interesting, as
having been produced in this country some fifty years
since, with John Kemble as the hero, on which
occasion Michael Kelly, who had just returned
from Italy, visited an English theatre for the
first time, and entering the box just as John
Kemble was operating in a song, fancied that if
that were the English primo tenure he should
have no great difficulty in surpassing him. But there
is also a deeper and more painful source of interest at-
tached to this opera. Its most celebrated air, "Oh !
Richard, oh ! mon Roi," became, during the first French
. revolution, the gathering song of the Royalists. None
of our readers who are at all read in the history of
that eventful period, can forget the enthusiasm ex-
cited by this song among the Gerdes du Corps du.
'Roi at the fete at Versailles, mhich. was raised almost
to madness by the sudden appearance among them of
Marie Antoinette with the Dauphin in her arms ; nei-
ther can they forget the terrible vengeance which the
Paris mob wreaked on these imprudent but unfortu-
nate and devoted men two days afterwards, when,
marching into Versailles, they massacred all who had
taken part in that festivity, and transferred the Royal
Family from Versailles to Paris. These extensive
sources of interest are quite sufficient to justify a re-
vival of this celebrated opera, even were its intrinsic
merits not so great as they really are. Those merits,
however, are of a high order. The prevailing
characteristic of Gretry's music is melody—sweet, ex-
pressive melody ; and therefore his style is admirably
adapted to the illustration of such a story as that of
the captivity of the lion-hearted King. The principal
character in the opera is, of course, Blondel, and an
admirable representative he found in the person of
Mr. W. Harrison. We have never seen this gentle-
man to so much advantage. The music is exactly
suited to the compass of his voice; he had evidently
studied it carefully, and he executed it can amore
His opening song, the celebrated " Oh 1 Richard,
oh ! mon Roi," was given with great feeling;
and the duet at the end of the first act, with
Miss Rainforth, was not only sung but acted
in admirable style, and elicited a well-de-
served encore. In the scene in which Richard is dis-
covered by the song, Mr. Harrison displayed a taste
and pathos, for the possession of which we did not
give him credit. He was excellently supported by
Mr. Travers, as Richard; and here again he elicited•
a rapturous encore. The scenery is beautiful, there
were some pretty dances, and the music is of a cha-
racter to please all those who delight in exqusite me-
lody. Doubtless the opera will draw. The house was
well filled.

ADELPHI.
Douglas Jerrold's interesting drama of the Hazard
of the Die was performed at this theatre last evening
with a very strong cast, and was completely success-
ful. The acting of Lyon as the Gamester was ter-
rifically energetic. The beautiful ballet of the
Daughter of the Danube followed, for the purpose of
introducing Madame Proche Giubilei to an Adelphi
audience as Fleur-des-Champs. Wieland, as the Imp,
was as grotesque and laughter-moving as ever. The
house was crammed to the ceiling.