33insir.
If the "Pyne and Harrison English Opera" at Drury Lane were a mere money-getting speculation, it would be all very well. But, hold- ing it for what it professes to be, an undertaking for the purpose of re- viving our decayed national opera it cannot be deemed effectual. It is not difficult to get up a musical! entertainment which will draw full houses, at a season of the year when London has nothing else of the kind; and it would seem that these Drury Lane performances put money in Miss Pyne's and Mr. Harrison's pocket. But what do they do for the benefit of the art of music, or how do they contribute to the revival of English opera ? A third part of their season has elapsed ; and they have done nothing but repeat an opera of Balfe's, already worn to tatters dur- ing the previous twelvemonths' together with an English version of a third-rate foreign opera, which they produced on Monday last. We Presume that this opera, (Martha) will alternate with The Rose of Cast tile, till a new opera of Balfe's, said to be in preparation, is ready for production.
In regard to Martha, (which, it will be remembered, was performed in Italian at Covent Garden last season with very indifferent success,) it is sufficient to say that the Drury Lane management have got it up ex- ceedingly well, that the principal characters are effectively sung and acted by the two Misses Pyne and Mr. Harrison, and that it was re- ceived with considerable applause. But it cannot have any durable success. M. Flotow, though a German, is French in his style—an imi- tator of Auber, without Aubees brilliant variety or vein of sparkling melody. We have no objection to the introduction to the English stage of some of the master pieces of the foreign schools ; but among such things this trivial opera has no title to be ranked.
The English opera at Drury Lane is not comparable to various pre- vious establishments of the same kind at that and other London theatres. It is far inferior to the Covent Garden English Opera in the days of Charles Kemble (when Weber wrote his Oberon for that House) and in the latter days of Maeready ; nor is it even equal to the Drury Lane Opera carried on by Mr. Bunn, where Harrison gained the popularity which he still possesses. At all those periods the vocal and dramatic companies were stronger than the present. Louisa Pyne, as an agree- able actress and a most accomplished singer, would adorn the greatest !!lusical theatre in the world : her sister, with much vocal talent, is a lively and clever comedian ; and Harrison, with many faults, is not un- ,wort-hy of the place he holds. Last year there was an admirable bass in ,"f.:e Person of Mr, Weiss ; but he is there no longer, and there is no one 1'; fill his place. The strength of the company is entirely confined to the Pynes and Harrison ; and three performers (all the rest being Pou.P4s) are quite insufficient to mount any opera. We wish well to this Drury Lane entreprise. But we had hoped that its second season would be an advance upon its first ; and in this hope wa are disappointed.
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