C4tatrts unit 3iiitoir.
The French company at the St. James's have begun to redeem their credit with the public, and to fill their half-empty theatre, by doing what they ought to have done from the first-giving operas of recognized ex- cellence. Last Saturday, they sounded the very base-string of humility by producing a thing called Le Roi des Hanes, which nobody had heard of before, and in which the prima donna, on whom the attraction of this theatre rests, did not condescend to appear. The house was dismally empty-not above twenty people in the stalls and about the same num- ber in the boxes. The piece turned out worthless, and a dreary perform- ance of three hours went on in solemn silence. The rebound commenced on Wednesday ; when Donizetti's delightful _French opera La Fills du Regiment, as originally written for the Opera Comique, was produced, with Madame Marie Cabel as the heroine. The house was crowded from the orchestra to the ceiling ; the Queen and a large royal party were pre- sent, and the boxes blazed with fashion. Madame Cabel was the most perfect picture of the little vivandiere that could be imagined-thoroughly and intensely French; and her light and brilliant singing was as French as her acting. The whole was in exquisite keeping, and gave the utmost delight to the audience. None of the other performers get beyond a re- spectable mediocrity ; but they work well together, and understand, as French actors generally do, how to produce a satisfactory ensemble. We hope that this better course will be persisted in, and that some of the sterling works of the French comic opera stage will be produced forth- with.
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