5 MAY 1832, Page 11

THE OPERA.

WE have not visited the Opera this week. It has been "a thing of shreds and patches "—a jumble of good and bad—an act of one opera, and a scene of another. This is sad work, Mr. MASON. "The first act of Don Giovanni!" Is not the whole worth per- forming, or is the company unable to'accomplish it? Probably it iS not : then why make public proclamation of its poverty, by de- livering over Donna Elvira into the hands of the venerable CAS- TELLI, and engaging DE BEGNIS for the nonce, because it could not furnish a Leporello 9 Why, in a word, attempt any part of Don Giovanni 9 The manager surely must have forgotten that RoNzi, FoefoR, CAMPORESE, ANIEROGETTI, have played in this opera ; and therefore, that to invite a comparison with such artists was about the most foolish thing lie could do. Il Matrinzonio he might have done well; but this lie rejected, and selected a bit of Olivo e Pasquale and a bit of L' Esule di Roma. And upon such stuff were L Alit ACHES talents wasted.

The German Operas are announced to begin next Wednesday; Der Frei schiitz being the first. Madame DE MERIC is to play Agatha; but of the other ladies and the " Herrn" we know no- thing even by report, except Madame SCHRUDER DEVRIENT and Madame SCHECHNER, from both of whom much may be expected without fear of disappointment. The power of performing the operas of WEBER and SPOIIR at all, implies no inconsiderable vocal strength and musical knowledge ; and we have little doubt that every part will be effectively sustained. The Germans are not accustomed to set up for singers by the mere acquirement of a few popular operas and commonplace ornaments. Mr. MASON has reduced the prices of admission on the German Opera nights. He is right to make his appeal to the public—it will not be responded to by the fashionables.