English Opera-House.
The Times, 1824-07-05T00:00:00

-This thieatre opened for the seasonon Saturday evenir,g with the Barber qf Seville, made into three acts, and a comic pantomime, caUed Monkey Island, or Hlarlrraqz and the Loadstone Rlock. We do not think it was in the best possible taste, in the present state of the comlpany, to open with a piece Whicl, aa it contains a consider- able portion of the music of Rossini's opera, tnust needs provok-e udiy conaparisons a and yet the manner in which this Barber of .9e. stille has been got up is lighly creditable to the manan:enient of the theatre. A young lady, a pupil of 'Mr. Phillipsb made her first appearance as Rosina: she is very young, her features smaill and preitv' and her figure remnarkably neatt her voice is by no means powerful, butit is sweet and flexible * and as it appears to be but little indebted to instruction, it will probably I nprove. Slhe played the part (wvhich affords scope for good acting) in an intelligent aned delicate mariner, and her general appearance induces us to believe, that although she has yet much to learn, she is an acquisition to the theatre, andl is very likely to be- come accomiplithed in her profession. She was very warmily ap- plaudetlandercoredi In severalsongs ; thatof ' TyrantSway'-aeeied Tather teo m-ucht for lier powers * but in all the others, andI particki- l rIV in the "Singitig L esson Dutet," slie was very successful.: lr.lt Phillips was the Coutnt Ahsnavivan, nnd discharged his task very re- spectably. He did once sing better titan he does ; bht even now he sings better than all the singers put together of which this theatre has had to boast for some years past. It is tnre he was younger once- we do not mean to say he is old new, but as the fat fellow says, " thougb not clean past his youth, he hath yet somc smack of age in hiim, some relish of lihe saltness oftime." Ile is, however, very defictea.t in the article of teeth. li' he had lost an arm or a leg, it would be unfair ta observe upon it, although even those mernbers might be supplied ; amn if they coild not, he could sing as well withlout them; but to play a lover, and a singing lover too, without h:s teeth, here in Lonlen, whlere a mast may btuy teeth as easily as hc may buy a walking stick, is a fault witich cannot be over. looked. Nte suggest this for his own sake, and we must in justice add, that in spite of his teeth, he acted and sang very well. His best effbrt was withl his young pupil, in the " Sing- ing lesson duet," anti the nmost foolish thing he did, was to sing a sentimental ballad, calletI " the Soldier's Bride," to the tune of" Mrs Flinn and the Bold Dragoon." Mlr. Bartlcy played Dr. Bartolo in a woundy passion from brgliining to end. llr. W. Chapmani was so unlucky as to be obliged to play Figaro, of the spirit and meaning of which part lie knew as mucli as he does of the Northr-wcst Passage, and is as little able to get ;hrough thc one as the other to any purpose. The wit a;:d satire, the adroitness, the fnlesse and drollerv, with whic) Figaro abounds, all becamc in, iMr: 0i1apraan's hands flat impudence and vulgarity. There are characteis which he can play, but Figmro is not one of them; and above all, it ought not to be played in the mann.r of te clow n at Astley's. ir. Broadisurat sang sonie songs in the part of Fiorillu, as i-ell as he always sings; anfl Miss Holdawav, as ?lfeacel- Ulia, gave an cflihct to the air of " Di tanti Palpiti," much bettcr than is usual with her. The inefficiency of the l igaro necessarily marred tome portion of the effect of the opera, but the exertions of the other players wereso satisfactory, and tilcaudience so amiable, that it was very well received, and may be consiileresi as a most promising opening of' the season. Alter the nperz, r.ame the harlequinade. It is foti.ded tipon tile tale of the P' iry Pari Baiano. The ship of A4zian (M32r. Ellar) and his lady-love is diriven by a tempest to the Loadstone Rock, whicl drrat s al the bolts from the timbers, the shlip goes dowin, and Azim is thrown ashore on the tock, while the lady drifts to M11onkey Island. The Fairy. who is in danger of being swallowed by an able-bodfied dragon-fly, is rescued by Aaini, and in rettirn for his good offices, shc conducts him to Alonkey Island, tle whole popula- tion of which, excepting himself andi the lady, are monkies. The scene in thiS island is the miost ludicrous that can he imagined. Mlonkeys of all kinds andl sizes are discovered enjoying an aljreaco entertainment. Some of thl party are sinoking, othiers takinig coffee, and others drinking. Two or three of them looking as grave as imu- sical anmateurs always look, and playing,perhaps,sas badly as they do, supply the harntony while a red-skinned monkey dances. The revels are interrupted by the arrival of the Generalissimo of the forces (Young Grimaldi), whose tail is indicativc of his valour and prowess. He is followed by the P'ioae lit,itsfer (Barnes). Then comes theKing: lie fallsin lovewith thelady,and urges his suitin atruly royal manner.that is to say, he hacks it by threats and violence.Azim arrives and endeavours to rosctte her. A fight ensues, in wlich, Azim malces an ape of the Cenc,'al, by pulling off his tail, and then beats hitmi with it. The Fairy ends the disturbance bv chaiiging Azirt and the lady (Miss Romer) into Ha} leqain and Goluabinc. and the General anti the Alinis.er into Clowen and Pantaloon. The business of the pantomime then begins, and is merrilv enough kept up to the end. Yonng firimaldi is the best Clo.rt, excepting his father; anti Barnes tihe best Pantaloon, without aiiy exception. The younger part of the auidienlce, who were very numerous, testified their complete satisfaction at the MoAIkey, by very loud and hearty laughs; antd wore entirely delighted at the tritcks which Ilorleqabi, in the form of a skeleton, plays upon the (Iown aiid Panfaalo. Savisg a little stiffness in the changes, and some of those accidents to which a panrOmiane is liable in sts infancy, every thing went off'admirably. I. . ... ......va ?s>f 6JPwRA;4rOUi -;'