fOrattro anb Zusir.
Pending the absence of the great opera stars, Grisi, Cruvelli, Mario, and Lablache, whose rising is expected with the month of May, the Covent Garden managers have given something by way of " novelty," in the shape of Rossini's old and forgotten opera Matilda di Shabran. This must have been meant as a mere temporary makeshift to get through the present month ; as no human being, possessed of the slightest experience or judgment, could have expected that such a piece could have anything like success. It is well known to be one of the very poorest of the au- thor's works, vamped up in a few days for a carnival performance, made up of shreds and patches from his own previous pieces without even an attempt to disguise them, and without a glimmering of invention or even a new idea : and, to make it worse, the libretto is unspeakably frivolous and silly. But it could be got up with little or no expense of miss en scene, and with the company on the spot. Accordingly, it was performed on Tuesday, to an audience who were evidently wearied to death; it is to be repeated tonight ; and if it can be hazarded a third time, then its success may well be regarded as marvellous. But is not this policy some- what doubtful? How do the subscribers relish having their nights thrown away in this manner ?
It is some compensation however, that the next production is to be Fidelio, with a most powerful cast: Leonora, Sofia Cruvelli ; Florestan, Tamberlik ; Mareellina, Mademoiselle Marai ; Rocco, &mini; and Marro, Tagliafico. This is something to look forward to ; especially when Spon- tini's superb Vestals, now all the rage in Paris, is to follow it.
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