The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-01-15 00:00:00

ITALIAN OPERA.

The performance of Friday night was Tancredi, the character
from which the opera derives its name being given to Signora
Antonj, and that of Arnenaide to Miss Waters. Had we never
seen the opera before, or if we could forget, or rather, were we
not involuntarily forced to draw a comparison between the
Tancredi of Cesari, and that of Antonj, we should, perhaps,
award to the latter a much larger measure of praise for her
performance of that character. The Tancredi of the countess
wanted the gallant bearing of the same hero when personated
by her predecessor, to whom she is also inferior as a contr'alto
singer. Added to this, she had the serious disadvantage of not
being adequately supported by Miss Waters, as Antenaide, a
character that she was totally unfitted for, and, therefore, ought
not to have undertaken. Owing to her inability to sustain her
part, the first act of the opera was, to speak the honest truth,
shockingly mnrdered. In the second act she recovered her
self-possession; but she has a vast deal to learn before she can
hope to become au opera singer of any eminence. Signora
Antonj was much applauded throughout the performance; and
who could see a fascinating woman, and a beautiful singer,
exerting her utmost powers to please unmoved ? She was
encored in "Di tante palpiti" and some other airs; and, after
the fall of the curtain, the applause continuing, appeared again
on the stage, and, by her smile, disarmed our hostility to that
piece of cockney and foreign quackery. The house was but

indifferently filled.
La Cenerentole was repeated on Monday evening, to a bei
ter house ; but there was little or no variation in the character
of the performance.
On Wednesday Bellini's opera of La Sonnambula was pro-
duced for the first time this season, and, we believe, for the
first time in Liverpool. The principal characters were thus
disposed of:—Count Rodolph, Signor Berrettoni; Amino, Mlle.
Angioli; Elvino, Mr. Bennett.
We have of late been.so sated with Rossini's music, that any
change of composers is an agreeable relief to the ear; and,
therefore, although the music of Bellini is less brilliant, we are
not wearied by the constant repetitions which mark all the ter-
minations of Rossini's compositions, who, in this respect. may
be said to steal from himself. This opinion may possibly be
deemed a want of taste, or may be offensive to the musical ido-
laters who can admire but one species of excellence.
The story of "La Sonnambula" has been wrought into a
more elaborate and a more effective drama for the English stage.
and is on that account generally well known. The acting of
Miss Kelly and Mrs. Yates in the "Sleep Walker," which we
believe is the name given to the English play, cannot he easily
forgotten by those who have seeen either of those actresses in
that character: The Italian opera does, not admit of so great a
display of dramatic effect, supposing its somnambulist possessed
equally tuctlnred histrionic powers.
Mademoiselle.Angioli was very successful in aMthe scenes of
the first act, particularly in the fifth, where she is betrothed to
her lover, and receives from him the ring in the presence of the
notary; she was equally happy where she first appears as the
somnambulist, and walks into the room of Count Rodolph. Her
subsequent distress of mind when found there, and the agony of
mind consequent upon the jealous feeling excited in the mind of
her lover were naturally and effectively pourtrayed both in her
singing and acting.
The only part of her performance in which we thought she
was mistaken was the last scene, where she again had to walk
in her sleep from the top of the house, and from thence across
a bridge to the stage. Here her voice was not sufficienly sub-
dued; the illusion was destroyed; for no one could suppose for
a moment that she was asleep, or that she was not perfectly
conscious of her actions. In this scene, a lesson from Malibran
would be of great service to Mlle. Angioli. On the whole,
however, her performance was a brilliant one. She sang the
airs belonging to her part with great taste and judgment, and,
in some instances, with much feeling.
Mr. Bennett, as Elvino, sang very sweetly, but neither his
singing nor acting were in keeping with his foreign character;
both were•,what: might be called inveterate English. Indeed
we have some: doubts whether an English singer can, at least
without a lonoresidence in Italy, fully comprehend the spirit
of Italian n tisic. Airiong the pieces most aduiired were the
duetto " Dal di cbe i nosiri cori," by Angioli and Bennett.; and
the scena "Ah rpeichi non posse," by Mr. Bennett. Of Ber-
rettoni's Rcdolph it is unnecessary to'say much, the little he had
to do was-Well done.
This, we take it, will be considered the best performance yet
produced by, Signor de Begnis. It was not curtailed by those
mutilations which so frequently destroy the effect intended `to
be produced .by the author.,. The choruses were better dressed,
and more numerous,' and the piece was consequently 'and sle-
servedly,much'applauded. "La Sonnarribula." will be repeated
"this evening. "The houie was much fuller than we have yet seen
it this season. Weavould,again remind those who wish. to have
au opera company permanently established in Liverpool, that,.
theyit
be amore perfect in its different dep-arttnents
it must
supported' onepp rted liberally. Singers must have some
thing to eat, theatres and dresies must be rented and paid for, and
managers as well as merchants expect to get value received in
cash for their totes,
en-

THE Lynx THEATRE.—On Monday evening Mr. T. P.
Cooke took-his benefit at this place of amusement, and that old
play-going public of Liverpool, Mt. Mr. J.
favourite of the
Hammond, made his first appearance for the season in iVice-
acre, in the interlude of the Bold Dragoon.—The managers have
done well to re.engage those charming NT malists, the Misses
Smith, of whom we spoke so favourably upon their first ap-
pearance at this theatre ashort time ago. No recommendation
of ours can, we feel assured, raise these ladies higher in the
estimation of the public than they are already. We observe
Mr. Smith and Mr. Binge will likewise appear again ftir a
limited period.