THE THEATRES.
ONE of the most pleasant representations of Anglo-Italian opera, for which the Princess's Theatre has become famous under the direction of Mr. MADDOX, is Lucia di Lammermoor. With this piece, and a new prima donna, Mademoiselle NAU, from the Academie Royale, the house has opened for the season ; and the whole performance affords a proof of the pleasurable effect resulting from an opera in which, though the powers of the artists may be individually of a minor order, yet from the parts being well matched, the whole well-studied, and produced with great attention to detail, the final and total impression surpasses that of some lyric theatres of greater pretension. Mademoiselle Nan has been a singer of considerable standing in Paris, and appears to be at present rather past her bloom. Her voice is a soprano, of a considerable extent upwards, like PERSIA.NI'S, reaching continually in the bead-notes to D and E; the vocalization excellent, the intonation -very good ; the quality of the tone wanting in roundness, but clear, piercing, and some- what hard. Low notes are entirely deficient, as also all the varied inflections of passionate and expressive dramatic singing. Mademoiselle NAU'S merit consists wholly in the neat and ac- curate performance of bravura passages ; and in these she cer- tainly displays no common attainments. It is not invention or novelty that we have to commend in this department of florid vocal execution, but a certain general command that carries her well through everything she attempts. To the modern opera she is certainly an acquisition. The first duet between Mademoiselle Nan and ALLEN (Edgardo) was beauti- fully sung, particularly on the part of the latter. ALLEN is heard to great advantage in this house, the extent of which seems just adapted to his power. We have seldom been more pleased with the quality of a tenor voice, or any native style of singing, than with his exhibition on Monday ; the only exception to which was an inartistical employment of the falsetto. This is a resource which seldom succeeds in its aim at effect even in the hands of great artists. Catarrhs were rife among the com- pany : Mr. WALTON was almost hors de combat; and LEFFLER, though he sang with great energy, appeared to have a wasp in his throat. The finales were admirably performed, both as it respects dramatic and musical effect. Nor must the effective service of the small but well-drilled orchestra be overlooked. In every figurate passage of ac- companiment to recitative, however rapid or difficult, the exactitude of the ensemble was worthy of praise, and reflected credit on the con- ductor. The entire musical establishment seems to us well deserving of patronage.
Neither has the drama been neglected at this theatre. Mr. Wm:Lam appeared on Tuesday, for the first time since his return from America, as Don Caesar de Bazun, in a highly effective piece of this name, very cleverly adapted from the French by Messrs. G. A'BECKETT and MARK LEMON. The dramatic situations are capital ; and the interest, of a serio-comic kind, is exciting. The character of Don Caesar, a reckless profligate of ruined fortunes, is well suited to the dashing energy and animal spirits of WALLACK'S acting ; and he revels in the desperate boldness and gayety of the dissolute gallant with an air of abandon that carries the audience along with him. He seems to forget, however, that Don Caesar, though beggared, and baited by the rabble, is still a Spanish grandee, and should retain the manners and bearing of a gen- tleman-not emulate the swaggering vulgarity and assurance of a chevalier d'industrie. Mrs. STIRLING-a great acquisition-plays a Gitana, enamoured of Don Caesar, and sought by the King ; and though the character is unsuited to her talents, which are best employed in domestic comedy, she throws into her performance so much earnestness and pathos that it is at times touching. The piece is put on the stage in a splendid style, and is likely to have a run. The new French dancers, Mademoiselles CAROLINE ROUSSET and TERESINE, and Monsieur J. ROUSSET, are more remarkable fur agility than grace : and Messrs. GILBERT and MARSHALL arc so energetic iu their movements that elegance is altogether out of the question with them. Miss MARSHALL is a graceful and pretty dancer, who needs not fear the rivalry of her foreign compeers.
Mademoiselle Nair is announced to appear in AUBER'S last opera, The Syren, on Monday.
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