FARINELLI.
Bsimsrmr's new opera, Funnel!!, produced at Drury Lane on the 8th of this month, was imperfectly heard on the first night, in consequence of BALVE'S hoarseness; and, for the same reason, withdrawn, for a time, from the bills. The mimic Farinelli having recovered his voice, the opera to which the original artist has given a title is restored to the stage. Again has BAuxurr committed the indiscretion of endeavouring to reconcile his auditors to the endurance of a wretched drama by his own musical exertions—and again he has failed. The opera of spite of its many beauties, will be short-lived. Experience, how- ever dearly earned, seems to have no effect upon this very clever com- poser. The success of his Masada in Sylph and the failure of his Rus«mond ought to have taught him a lesson. His brother's libretto may cost him nothing in cash paid down, but it is still a very dear bar- gain to BARNETT. MC chief power of Farineni is displayed in its instrumentation ; which is masterly considered per se, though not judicious in its distri- bution. Precisely as the voices of our singers have declined in power, the accumulation of instruments has been increasing in our theatrical orchestras. It would require the vocal strength of INCLEDON, SEDG- WICK, or I3u.talloToN, now to make head. against them ; and what chance has BALFE, PHILLIPS, or FRANKS, of withstanding such a tor- rent ? Accordingly, it most frequently appeared, in the present opera, that the singers were accompanying the ovehestra, or sometimes vainly attempting to do so; and as the business of the scene is very much carried on by musical dialogue, their hearers were kept in (perhaps blissful) igno- rance through a great part of the drama. It would have been impossible without a book of the words to understandwhat the actors and actresses were after ; and as few persons are so provided, the result was cold indifference on the part of the audience. There was another self-imposed burden with which BARNETT chose to ineumher his opera : the three men's parts are for bass voices,-11m,sim, GICRILEI, and STRETTON representing the only men's characters of any importance ; and al- though BAILEE did more for the part of Farindli than any other Eng- lish singer of the present time could. have accomplished, the perpetual recurrence of the same kind of voice deprived the opera of its neces- sary- relief.
In the part of Farinelli, BARNETT has twice enabled the representa- tive of that celebrated singer to imitate the vocal style of his time. Ris first song, " Fair Spain, sweet land of song," is an excellent imita- tion of the cantilena of GALIIPPI, GIARDINI, and. the writers of a cen- tury ago. There are some beautiful pieces in various parts of the Opera: among which we may especially notice the trio, " My scheme is accomplished ; " the quintet, " Alas, entreaty will prove vain;" the finale to the first scene, especially the conclusion utht ,Pw«to; and the trio, "him realms of light." The most pleasing song is " A modest blooming flower ;" which was charmiugly sung by Miss ROMER. But all these will not buoy up the opera against the ponderous load of dul- ness, which encumbers, and will speedily sink it.
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