Miss RAINFORTH got up Bum-tomes Fidelio at the Lyceum on
Mon- day night, for her benefit a bold and also a laudable effort. The prima donna of a theatre must appear in such operas, good or bad, as her em- ployer selects ; but at her own benefit we usually see her own predilec- tions and tastes. Miss RAINFORTH'S first public appearance, if we re- member right, was in the scene from Der Frieschutz, and her second in " Parto, ma to ben mio; " at the Norwich F'estival she sung the splendid scene from Faust; and she now essays the part of Leonora. These are evidences of inclination to aim at the highest displays of its power that her art can furnish ; and the complete success which awaited her last and most arduous effort, has shown that her ability is equal to her inclination. Leonora has never been attempted by any English singer she is identified in every one's remembrance with SCHREDER, who was the complete impersonation of the character,— more as an actress than her author could have conceived, and equal to all that even BEETHOVEN could have imagined. SCHRIE- DER must have played the part hundreds of times ; she was, on her first appearance here, supported by singers, choral and principal, as well schooled in the opera as herself ; she sang it in its original language—perfect in every look and motion as in every phrase— and confident of success. Miss R A INIORTH was new in the part ; ill.supported by her husband's representative, and worse by her chorus; she had to sing it to a vile translation—full of wrong accents, and abounding in nonsense ; her acting as well RS her singing was altogether an experiment ; and success, under such circum- stances, was, at least, doubtful. The result, as we have intimated, showed that she had not miscalculated her powers. She has evidently profited (and what singer could not profit ?) from seeing and hearing SCHRtEDER ; but her performance was no servile copy : she felt the true character of her great author's style, and seldom failed to bring out its hidden force and meaning—never debasing it by the flbricl vul- garisms which are employed to set off the compositions of meaner minds.
Miss POOLE was the Marcelline—and the best Marcelline we have heard since her first representative in England, Miss SCHNEIDER. Floristan was taken by Mr. ALLEN—in Wissoa's absence. This gentleman is an Academy pupil, and, therefore, kept in happy igno- rance of such a composer as BEETHOVEN ; as sufficiently appeared in his pen formance. The pupils of this hopeful seminary are educated for a theatre which they never reach and never will, and taught to de- spise what they call the " uncouthness" of the German and the vulga- rity of the English opera. Poor souls! The chorus. was meagre and had ; the orchestra far otherwise. The house was full ; and the call for Miss BAIN FORTH at the conclusion of the opera was loud and long. This absurd custom, which, originating at the Italian Opera-house, is now repeated every night at " the ‘'ells " and the " Garrick," she had the indopentlent good sense to
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