Miss Bassano, who some weeks ago made her dramatic debilt
at the Princess's Theatre in the character of Anna Boleyn, appeared at the same place on Tuesday last in Norma. Like Anna Boleyn, her Norma was a sedulous imitation of Grisi; producing the disagreeable effect of keeping up a constant reminiscence of the original, and an unavoidable sense of
the vast inferiority of the copy. All young performers, however gifted by nature, should shun such collisions with matured and trans- cendent genius. Italian gesture in passionate expression is, besides, not only more demonstrative than ours, but often totally different; and what we have become accustomed to count natural, because national, in Grisi, is exaggerated, affected, and absurd, in her English copyists. M188 Baa- sano has deserved and gained much favour in the concert-room, which she is in some danger of losing on the stage. The subordinate part of Adal- gisa was performed by Miss Anne Romer, a relative of the Miss Romer of Drury Lane. It was her first appearance on any stage, and, indeed, in public, except at concerts of the Royal Academy, of which she was a pupil. Her appearance, making some allowances for her youth, inexpe- rience, and timidity, was more than promising. She acted the part with natural grace and simplicity, and, as a singer, exhibited a clear fresh so- prano voice of considerable power and compass, an unimpeachable ear, and pure taste. If she keep clear of Italy, she will probably turn out a very charming English singer.
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