THE NEW FRENCH OPERA AT COVENT GARDEN.
HEROLD'S music was never greatly admired by us; although, im- partially speaking, we must allow considerable merit to his opera of Zampa. He has no originality of melody or style, no orchestral novelties : and we are inclined to think, that had AURER never written, HEROLD'S Zampa, Marie, or Le Pre aux Clercs, would not have been produced. At all events, we should characterize the music of the latter as an inferior edition of that of the former. Compare the warrior choruses of AUDER with those of HErtoma- the plaintive airs, and above all the barcarolles—the similarity is so palpable, that we can scarcely imagine the resemblance to be accidental. Collate Le Pre aux Clercs with Fra Diavolo, for in- stance, and our position will be completely made out. The extreme popularity of Le Pre aux Clercs in Paris, is not, we suspect, attributable so much to the excellence of the music, as to its admirable performance (as every one who has heard it at the Opera Comique can attest), together with the local and historical interest of the plot; and above all, to that nationality of feeling which identifies itself with the efforts of native talent, and which tl►e premature death of poor HEROLD soon after the appearance of his opera called forth into the most lively exercise. Can Englishmen boast of such a feeling in regard to native musical genius? Oh no! we are too genteel for that : we must draw all our enjoyments of this nature from foreign sources, and leave our youthful buds of genius to wither--We beg pardon, we wrong the public, and Mr. B u ra N. The Great Lessee has struck the balance fairly, by producing at Drury Lane, by way of set-off to the French opera, the " Grand Heroic Opera" of Rob Roy? We owe him an apology for our hasty censure, and he has it. It has ever been inexplicable to us, why, in the adaptation to our stage of foreign operas, the plot and music should be turned literally topsy-turvy. When the Germans prodnce French operas, they give them precisely as they have been originally performed. But here, let the opera be ever so simple, and the dialogue over so easy to translate, the piece is submitted to the musical and literary playwrights; who make, in fact, a job of the thing, substituting their own matter for that of the original author. We believe there
is not an instance, since BISHOP began to "adapt" MOZART'S operas to the English stage, where the music has been produced in its original state. The curse of mixture and interpolation has
pervaded every production of a foreign school. Those of MOZART were truly Bishop-ridden. Even Der Freischutz was tamed down
to the level of Mr. HAwEs. Could Spoua then hope to escape?
His Anglified Alchymist will prove a lasting monument of the adapter's skill : we know that SPOIIR himself forgot his indigna-
tion in curiosity to learn how such materials could hold together.
His Zemi re and Azor, admirably as it was got up, could not, in its adapter's opinion, succeed without a bit from Faust and a bit front Jessonda. And, to hasten to the opera before us, Mr. COOKE (whose talent no one will dispute) has thought that the success of Le Pre aux Clercs should depend upon two English songs and a duct from Masuniello; while it has been reduced from three acts
to two. To whom we are really indebted for this invasion of the original score, we know not : frequently it results from the conceited obstinacy of a singer, who chooses to be dissatisfied with the music of his part, because it does not bring him or her suffi- ciently forward ; or from► the importunate ambition of a ballad- monger, who prevails on the adapter or the singer to introduce his songs as part of the opera. We know not, of course, to which of these causes the interpolations in question are traceable; but as
Mr. COOKE is announced as the adapter, on him the censure must rest. lIad the character played by Mr. P1111.1.11'5 been an En- glishman, we should not have objected so decidedly to this substi- tution; but when he is a Frenchman, the appropriation of airs
which have not the slightest French accent, but on the contrary smack strongly of the English, is abundantly absurd. The duet
from Masaniello, in itself and in its place quite admirable, was of
a character much too nervous and energetic for the music of the opera, because it rendered that which succeeded fbebler in effect; not to speak of the long-winded defiance which the combatants flung at each other after the challenge had been given and ac- cepted.
Of the music we have already cursorily spoken, in such terms that a lengthened examination of it is unnecessary. The Over- ture, as a composition, has nothing to recommend it in any one way: it may be termed a medley of pretty melodies arranged for a full orchestra. The best concerted pieces appear to us to be the first chorus, a duet, a trio, and a chorus of soldiers. Mr. WILSON
has a very elegant song, which he sings admirably well, and in which he is nightly encored. Indeed, his performance of the character De Mez;gy is excellent throughout. Miss SHIRREFF is about as cold a lover as we have yet seen ; but she sings the music of her part very agreeably ; in particular, a pretty song in A. We regretted to perceive Miss INVERARITY struggling. with indisposition ; and are surprised that she should have undertaken her part, when a short cessation from her duties would have restored her to her wonted energy and excellence. Mr. PHILLIPS sang his English part beautifully; cue of his songs is melodious and effective. Miss H. CAWSE, we are sorry to observe, made very little of a very good singing part : the Barcarolle was a failure : and we are less inclined to spare this young lady on such occasions, because we attribute it entirely to inattention—she is quite able to render all she undertakes interesting. The choruses were uncommonly well sung ; and the decorative getting-up of the opera was quite worthy of Covent Garden.
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