25 OCTOBER 1845, Page 10

THE THEATRES.

Tim new opera, The Fairy Oak, produced at Drury Lane on Saturday, appears to have been brought forward by the manager to occupy the stage until the greater preparations announced in his programme are ready : the work, however, has proved so very puerile and insipid, that it is doubtful whether it will even answer the purpose designed. In this attempt we evidently return to the days of English opera under Arnold's patronage, when one " Academy " pupil after another tried his hand at dramatic Composition; and it might really have been thought, but for the failures and consequent ruin of the patron of "native talent," that operamaking was as familiar a craft as shoemaking. "Native talent" has now, how- ever, so long modestly succumbed to circumstances and withdrawn its noisier pretensions, that the promise of a new pen, as yet unpractised in the mechanical theories of effect in vogue at Drury Lane, had its attrac- tion: we are sorry only that the opportunity was lost—that so good a musician as Mr. Henry Forbes vindicates afresh the justice of that low opinion of the lyrical dramatic art in England which has now for many years prevailed. It is true that chance seems unusually powerful in dispensing the musical favours of Drury Lane. If we look for the musical merit which has carried The Bohemian Girl through a hundred representations, it will be as difficult to find as the novelty or interest of the plot, or the peculiar charm of the performance. If Balfe gains by one sentimental song ample aemunennion for the labour of an opera, why should not another, who feels himself equally qualified in that line of production? Mere indignation may Brake a man compose; especially for Drury Lane, where it is so diffi- cult to fail, if the leader of the clacqueurs is attentive to his business, and has an energetic troop under his command. So vigorously plied was this trade on Saturday during the first performance of The Fairy Oak, that no- thing seemed wanting to the enthusiastic success of the piece—save the entertainment of the hearers. This kind of contrariety, one portion of the audience clapping for the support of the house and the composer, and another yawning and dozing in the sincerity of their feelings, was exempli- fied in the highest perfection; and it will hereafter certainly form one of the most curious records of the dramatic music of the day. But though Balfe, Scribe, the ballet-master, and scene-painter, have an art of opera- making of a certain current Drury Lane model which is always successful, each has a certain practice and experience in his profession adapted to lucrative success. Balfe is a complete Italian opera-composer, with a knowledge of what suits the English music-market in the sentimental line. He has worked himself up through all the gradations of the foreign lyric theatre to the position which he now holds on the English stage; and since the adoption of the foreign models of opera in England, his pieces have most successfully alternated with the arrangements from Italian and Ger- man composers. Whatever may be questioned as to his intrinsic merit, he cannot be dispossessed of his supremacy on the stage until native genius shall gain an advantage over his tact and experience in amusing an au- dience.

To return at this time of day to the juvenile taste of such a production as The Fairy Oak, is impossible. The fairies nowadays flourish nowhere but in the pages of Shakspere. On the stage they are melodramatic, un- manageable people, who look their supernatural characters so badly as to destroy all serious human interest. Adorned by the fanciful music of Oberon, we indeed tolerate them, with the Syrens, Sea Nymphs, and other co.rjurations of the enchanted horn; but it is remarkable that the agency of these creations has never been attempted by the greatest masters but at some expense of the interest of the auditor, which the music has been called on to supply. The "fairy way of writing" in music demands powers of as singular a kind as Dryden claimed for it in poetry. Mr. Forbes's composition is mechanical and colourless—without style, tiro, or design. Now we hear Weber; then, an effect of the violoncellos in the manner of " Batti, batti "; anon, we get among the simplicities of Shield and the antiquities of the English Opera stage. The mechanism of instrumentation seemed to be the best of the composer's qualifications; the want of unity in his design and of purpose in the subjects of his composition—in short, of melody—were his most prominent defects. During the course of the opera, the double tedium of commonplace both in the music and drama was most sensibly felt; though Miss Rainforth and Allen exerted themselves to the utmost to contribute some interest to the scene. Oh, when will English opera-composers understand that the first secret of success consists in the selection of a piece with interesting and effective situations The business of The Fairy Oak is briefly this. A certain Duke Rudolph, (Borrani,) an enormous villain, has committed his daughter, Ianthe, (Miss Rainforth,) to the care and education of some benevolent fairies, with the intention of marrying her early to a gentleman of his own selection, who is to frustrate a prophecy that he will be ousted from his title and possessions by his son-in-law. The lady has, however, already fixed her aflections on another. This is AThert, '(Allen); who interrupts lire bridal-procession, and is ordered to a dungeon. He is condemned to die; but is saved opportunely, to marry the Duke's daughter and fulfil the decree: a convenient hermit being empowered to bring all this about.

The scenic effects were good, and the arrangement of the fairies—a regiment of pink petticoats, one of the standard striking effects of this theatre—quite unexceptionable. Miss Rainforth was not in voice; and Allen, notwithstanding meritorious pains and exertion, was still unable to show to the advantage he does at the Princess's. We hope better success will attend the next operatic attempt at this theatre.