THE THEATRES.
The opening of the Covent Garden Opera, on Thursday evening, was less brilliant than might have been expeuted, in consequence of a circum- stance which nobody could have foreseen—the tomparative failure Of Mademoiselle Albotii in the part of Tancredi. After the Singularly trium- phant &bill she made last season in a similar character, and in music de- rounding the same vocal powers, a similar success on this occasion might have been confidently anticipated. And the shout of welcome which. burst, on her . appearance, front every corner of the house, was certainly Foutptasdy-tlest expectation of pleasure to come, as well as by the re- membrance of pleasure already received. But the result was disappoint- ment. Alboni was cold, weak, and laeguids•=so unlike herself, in short, that she .must orwtainly have been labouring under mental depression or bodily ailment - There was no want of care in - her perform- Lace: her exeentkm *as as refined and finished, and the style: of her ornaments' as pure and graceful, as ustull; but her voice. had lost its brilliancy, and her . expression all its force and energy. This falling-off was evident in her very first scene. The recitative of the young warrior, so Atli of "sweet and bitter fancies," in which memory of the injuries inflicted by his ungrateful country is b!exided with the rap- turous bepe of again seeing his faithful mistress—," 0 patria, ingrate pettier and the air, "Di land palpiti," in whieh, dismissing painful thoughts, he abandons himself to the luxury of joyful anticipation—form the most beautiful and striking passages in the whole opera; and, when given by a greet performer, have always produced a most thrilling effect. But even in this sceneMademoiselle Alboni .failed to interest the audience; and the air, though no longer backnied as in the days of Pasta and Malibran, was not even encored. This languer and weakness of the principal performer threw 3 damp over the whole opera; which would have gone off very heavily had it not been for the brilliant and successful efforts of Madame Persiani in the part of Amenaide. Persiani appeared in the full enjoyment of health and strength: her voice, bating a slight tendency to shrillness in its very highest notes, had even more than its usual clear- ness and brilliancy; and its Marvellous flexibility in every, part of the scale enabled her to accomplish with ease and perfection every flight of fancy, however daring, prompted by her inventive genius and- unrivalled skill. She represented the character, h.°, with energy .aiid grsieri; and her exer- tions were rewarded by the most cdilliarappithat '111,..as a. 'fault of this opera, that its wholes...Weigherests on these' -two. abstracters; those of Argirio (the tenor) and Orbutzano (the bass)...afierding small scope for vocal or dramatic power. Signor klei,:ahe new tenor, has a voice of good quality, but very limited range. On this account, and probably from his beings disciple of the new-school, he did not make the slightest attempt at embellishment, but adhered:to the plain notes Set doin for him; producing very meagre effect Signor I'olonini, who 'Way-nirp to dslast seassen, has a superb Voice and considerable vigour. The beautiful cencerted. pieces were all admirably snug. be tine quartet:dam:tally, ," 91' infelici- affetti miei," id the finale to the first act Wits nttniustte, :WA ritPtureuelY encored. As* Whole, the °Pere Was splendidly gasp: -The choruses— chiefly of t bold and martial daet—ivere 'sting-with the utmost precision and effect; and the magnificent orchestra did its duty nobly. The ballet, called La.Beine des Faux-,folleis, is little more than a diver- tissement. It is,decorated with pretty scenery; the mimie is of a better order than that which usually accompanies peiforiairumes of the sort; and Mademoiselle Flora Fabbri,is a danseuse of establiehed merit.
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