The Sun. — 1838-04-27 (London, England)

HANOVER SQUARE ROOMS.  LORD BURGHERSH'S OPERA, 11, TORNEO, At these Rooms, yesterday, we had the pleasure of witnessing an extraordinary spectacle. A crowd of rank and beauty assembled to hear the first rehearsal of a neW opera by an English Nobleman; one, however, not more distinguished by his rank than by his talents, It was a fearful ordeal to pass through—an amateur sub. rnitting his work to public criticism, surrounded not only bw a large portion of the rank and beauty of the fashionable %mood, but COngregating in his audience nearly all the distinguished members of that most critically inharmonious profession—music. Our readers are not from this introduction to expect that •we are about to make any apologies either on behalf of the Noble Author, or of those who performed his work. Neither require it at our hands. Right gallantly has Lord Burghersh passed this fearful ordeal, and gained laurels fur himself which we cordially wish him long life to enjoy. He has added one more t 6 the intellectual ertjoymeats of the age. Il Torneo, or the Tournament, is founded. Ott the following artoutiksur. This dratnatit ottbjett refers to the days of chivalry, and is tattell fl'oin English history. Alfred, brother to Amerigo, high constable of the kingdom, having been overcame, and wounded in a duel by an unknown cavalier, was found by Edward, who came up a short time afterwards, in such a pitiable state;that, although previously his enemy, he caused him to be conveyed, by the help of his esquires, to his own castle, and lavished on him every care that could relieve him and restore him to health. Alfred recovered from the wounds he received in the duel, but his haughty disposition could ill brook having been humbled by Edward, nor could he endure to be indebted to him: and, being overwhelmed by this feeling, killed himself in the very room where Edward had received him, after having, however, declared in a letter, which be wrote, that this act of desperation was the effect of his own free will.  A certain Ethebald, the secret enemy of Edward, was the first who entered the room in which Alfred was lying dead ; he saw the paper—concealed it—and then accused Edward as the murderer of Alfred. Edk, ard, not knowing how to justify himself under the appearance of so much guilt, was obliged to save himself by flight from the rigour of the laws, leaving a young daughter to the care of one of his relations. Alfred left at his death a son, very young, who was received with paternal kindness by his uncle, who concealed him and kept him in ignorance of his origin and of his relations, the better to protect him from the hatred and the snares of his father's enemies. When grown up, he presented him at court by the name of " The Unknown," and entreated the King to proclaim a tournament, in which the young cavalier might display his valour. Edward took advantage of this favourable circumstance to return to London, after an absence of fifteen years, to see his daughter again, of whose fate he was ignorant, after the death of the relation to whom he had confided her. The arrival of Edward in London, the day of the tournament, and the circumstances that led to the discovery of his innocence, form the plot of the drama.