Cht Chaim.
The Royal Italian Opera opened on Thursday, very quietly, and with little of the stir and bustle which wont to attend the commencement of the opera season. It was like the openings before Easter, when the company was as yet incomplete, and it was not thought necessary to bring out a piece demanding great resources. The announcement of Rossini's Conte Ory, and a trifling divertisement which was danced almost all last season, created no great sensation ; and there was plenty of room in every part of the house.
II Conte Ory was twice performed at the end of last season, and re- ceived with considerable applause, in consequence of the marvellous brilliancy with which Mademoiselle Bosio sang the florid music of her part. She was then the sole attraction, for the only other part of any note—that of the hero—was assigned to Lucchesi, a third-rate tenor. On the faith of the success, such as it was, of those two performances, the piece was chosen for the opening of the theatre now, with one very great improvement—the substitution of Gardoni for Lucchesi in the part of the Count.
If I1 Conte Ory is to be called a comic opera, it is probably the worst ever written. Even its apologists do not pretend that it has any dra- matic merit; the best they can say of it is that it is an amusing badinage. But what passes as agreeable badinage on. a Parisian stage is often what with us would be set down as immorality and profanity; though, on our opera stage especially, we are getting as indulgent on these points as our neighbours. This piece is a medley of unblushing profligacy, and mockery of sacred things ; all which is treated on the stage as a very good joke.
It is too stupid, however, to be mischievous ; and reminds us of the remark with which Jeffrey wound up his criticism of a book by a noted French authoress—" In short, this celebrated lady would be very danger- ous were it not that she is very dull." The music deserves much praise; but the praise bestowed upon it has been exaggerated. Though written for the French stage and towards the end of the author's career, it is a return to the pure Italian style of his early days ; reminding us—some- times too much—of the Barbiere, and II Turco, and L'Italiana in The performance, though better than that of last year, was not so well received : the audience were cold from first to last. On seeing Garden, they remembered that it was his first appearance on that stage, and greeted him accordingly. But though he sang charmingly, (acting in such a case is out of the question,) he perhaps never sang with so little applause ; and even 13osio's most brilliant efforts failed to produce a single encore. We presume that this opera will pass the time till next Thursday, amid then make way for Adelie; when the Queen and her Imperial guests are to visit the opera in state, and when the famous actress and singer jenny Noy is to appear for the first time.
Previous page
