THE THEATRES.
AT the Strand Theatre they have lately been exhibiting a travestie of Othello; in imitation of which, we suppose, a burlenqued representa. tion of BYRON'S Corsair was produced on Thursday, at the " house over the way," sometimes called the Lyceum, at present the English Opera. A more felicitous combination of absurdities was never before crowded into three acts : some are rather stale, but others are fresh and oriainal, and every possible outrage on cominqn sense is perpetrated by one or other of the characters. The piece is constructed operatically ; and the music is supplied by a Mr. RODIE.R.—hia first effort, we believe, as composer, Of rather compiler, for he has early dis- covered that it is much easier to borrow the ideas of. others than to furnish original ones. The principal characters were sustained by WILSON and Mi a SHIRREEE ; and it was a sad thing to see their talents so ill-applied. Mr. LEFFLER, who has lately taiten• PHILLIPS'S place in the Mountain Sylph, appeared for the first time in a new part. This gentleman, though new to the London hoards, has long been known in musical circles. He is a very welL.e lucated singer, and was for some time one of the choir in Westminster Abbey. His voice is clear and well-toned, his articulation good, and his style free from affec- tation or vulgarity. Why he has not sooner occupied a station he is so well calculated to fill, is rather inexplicable, as he was as good a singer ten years ago as now.
This opera (as it is facetiously termed) was abundantly suceessful on the first night ; which may be accounted for by the number of persons engaged iii front of the curtain, who laboured most perseveringly, though not judiciously, in their vocation. That such a piece can con- tinue to draw, is scarcely possible.
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