Covent-Garden Theatre.
The Times, 1824-02-11T00:00:00

Last night au Opera, in three acts, was produced at this theatre, under the tidTe of iVativc Land, or the getenrnfrom S/avcry, and made up of sucl materialsas the title would indicate. Its plot is not unsuited to opera, fo it is not so interesting as to make the in- troduction of the songs seem Impertinent, nor so rapid as to cormpel the audience absolutely to yawn in the intervals of music. Its scene is laid in Genoa, where Aurelito di JlAor'talto, a noble soldier of the state, has just arrived, after long captivity at Tunis, labouri ig wuder the miseries of intercepted letters and of hopeless love, and disguised with the complexion and costum-e of Othello. Clyrnan/c, his mis- tfebs, meanwhile, has hardly preserved her constancy; beset with lovers, gild embarrassed by a clause in a will compelling her to marry on a certain day, if her lover does not arrive. To avert the evils of real matrimony, sfie sends for her female cousin of Corsica, to play the suitor in male attire, and is about to yive her hand to this girl, by wav of protection, when Ausrello'arrives. The rest may easily be ima- gined-a great deal of despair oDi the puft of the exile, a little stage trickery by the lady, some pretty fooleries from the fair masquera- der, a great many songs and duets, a marriage, and a grandfiunalc! The " music" is announced to be by Mr. Bishop " the selections" from Rossini; but to say the truthi, we believe most of the pieces, by wbatever name called, may iTe traced to the works of that composer. lir. Sindair, the .Aurelio of the night, relied more than usual on his falstto ; and though he displayed skill in managing it, employed it too frequently tosatisfy English earo vwhich require a more direct and enthusi.stic style. Hi} mode of speaking the part was almost too much fer a very indulgent audlfience: he shouild have nothing to do but to walk and sing. Mliss Ptaton wastheheroine, and certainlywill addtoherreputationbythe veiy brilliant execution of her bravuras; but her declamation in the last scene was a little too ambitious. We are sorry to observe the retiring and pensive Miss Tree in suchi a part as Bionira. wf here she has to put ofiFthe qualities of a sex whicb she adors, and assume the foppery and dress of a male coxcomb. The catastrophe was rerdered more effective by the appearance cf MissTree in herproper dress, and, indeed, the only excuse for the sssumption of the male habiiiments is the pleasant con- trast, which is hailed when the actress is " herself again." rawcett and Miss Love supplied the broad farce of the piece with considerable effect, though it must be confessed that some of the dialogte between them was very broad indeed. Cooper played " a naval commander" with jests prescriptive to the part, but rather savouring of Wapping than Italy; and Farren was an old rogue. the scape.oat of the author. whithe whole, the opera is well and expensively get up, and has pretty, if not very original music. It was given out for repettion amidst applause, very lttle before eleven o4cock; but if it is intended to run, should be mrade to terminate an hour eaTHer. tO VEIVT-GARPENA THEA TRE.