18 JULY 1840, Page 12

THE GERMAN OPERA.

THE fictive management of the Prince's Theatre has produced another novelty this week, though the theatre is almost on the eve of closing. MOZART'S Titus, the German version of .La Clemenza di Tito, was per-

formed on Thursday. No portion of MOZART'S music is better known in England than the principal pieces of this opera. They have long been sung at concerts ; and we remember the time when they were to

be found on the pianotbrte of every house where the singing of fine music formed a domestic pastime. As a drama, however, La Clemenza di Tito, thongh once in great vogue 'wherever there was an Italian

theatre, is now very little known; having, like the other works of the old Italian school, been laid on the shelf, to make way for the produc- tions of Roston and his followers. Nor, indeed, is this so surprising

as the shelving any great work of MozArer might at first sight appear to be; for La Clemenza di Tito, though its musical beauties are not sur-

passed by any previous work of its author, is inferior to most of them

in dramatic capabilities. It wants the rapid march and animated ac- tion of Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro. The performers, in-

stead of being actors engrossed in the business of the scene, are mere vocalists, displaying all their art and skill to gratify the ears of the audience. This Moz.twr has afforded them (if they are able) full op.

portunity of doing ; but lie has deprived them of the power of a life- like and consistent personation of character. It seems strange that MozAnT, in the last of his dramatic works, should have thus retro- graded in his dramatic style. It appears to us, that La Clemenza di Tito, like every other really Italian work, cannot gracefully wear any other than an Italian dress, The sweet and melodious verses of METASTASIO are so entwined with the delicious strains of the composer, that there is something cruel and barbarous in the separation, more especially when it is to make way for so ill-assorted a match as that with German words : for, though we are far from saying, with the Emperor CHARLES the Fifth, of that noble and energetic language, that it was what he woold use to his horse, yet as a vehicle for music it is a bad substitute for "time sweet bastard Latin" of the sweetest of all the lyric poets. Hence, though MOZART'S airs and concerted pieces arc " adapted " to German words, yet no such attempt has been made with his exquisite and most expressive recita- tives, which form so prominent a feature in the original opera. Such an attempt, of course, must have appeared quite hopeless : and accord- ingly, the dialogue (except where the recitative is used to introduce an air in what is called a scene) is delivered in common German speech,— making, every moment, a transition from the elegant song of MozAwr, equally abrupt, inharmonious, and undignified. We fear, therefore, that, as an acting opera, the day of La Clemenza di Tito is past. It will hardly be revived on the Italian stage ; and, as a whole, will never, we think, be listened to with pleasure on any other. But, as a series of' musical pieces of the most exquisite beauty, it will never be laid aside or forgotten so long as the illustrious name of its author is remem- bered.

In the performance of Thursday evening, time east was not so strong as in some of the previous operas. The part of tie.Ttas, having been corn posed tbr a soprano voice, was necessarily taken by Madame STOECKEL- HEINEFETTER ; who, though she could not look like the character, did all justice to the music. But this deprived the arduous part of l'itellia of a fitting representative ; Madame MICHALEK being deficient in all its requisites. Then the noble bearing, energy, and vocal power of &Arum., were in a great measure lost in the small part of Pub/ins; though he sang the one air belonging to the part with great beauty. Herr Ilumrso was an excellent Tifils: at first his voice appeared untraetable, and his manner rather stiff and clumsy ; but he warmed as lie went on, and both acted and sang with a feeling, delicacy, and ele- gance of style, that left nothing to be desired. Our very ears "were enriched" by the playing of the orchestra. The two great songs of display—the " ['as-to, ma tun bene," and the " Non pin di fiori," were accompanied in a manner that should put the Philharmonic Society to the blush. Even the admirable WILLMAN, if he heard time clarinet of this orchestra, might think it necessary to look to hi, laurels.

The theatre, we observe, closes next week, after repeating /phi- tsetie„Iesequfa, and the Frt,iselza I:. The management richly deserve the gratitude of the public for the noble entertainment they have fur- nished during the whole of the season. The success of the undertaking, we have reason to believe, has been such as to insure its being carried Oh next 'year ; and, far from injuring English music and English musi- cians, we are convinced that its prosecution will be greatly to their ad- vantage. Whatever exalts and refines the general taste, whatever tends to form a musical public, must benefit the art and encourage its professors—such professors, at least, whose genius and talent entitle theni to encouragement.