THE ITALIAN OPERA.
WE mentioned last week the revival of noasvasm's Cantatrici Villaite, for LABLACHE'S benefit. Such events usually indicate only individual taste, and are altogether independent of a manager's course of action. We inferred nothing, therefore, from such a revival but Lent.acRa's opinion of the attractive power of an old opera, that might afford him scope for a display of those comic powers for which he would vainly seek in the productions of the present day. But the adoption of such an opera by the Impresario warrants more than a passing notice of it.
Our recommendation of the revival of the best operas of past genera- tions was prompted rather by hope than expectation, and was made with little anticipation of its being so speedily adopted. Least of all did we expect that the experiment would be tried, and tried with such complete success, on an opera by FIORAVANTL But, after the dreary mo- notony of the compositions to which we have long been compelled to listen, at the Italian Opera, FIORAVANTI seemed the very god of melody. Placed by the side of his great contemporaries he would ap- pear but a dwarf, but measured against DozazErrs he is a giant. FIO• RAVANTI was the composer of about twenty-five operas ; of which all that have come under our observation or recollection exhibit an aptitude for dramatic composition, and considerable skill in the arrangement of his materials. He wanted both the power and the grace of PAESIELLO and Cisianosa ; and his light—of which much was borrowed—faded before theirs. We remember but three of his operas having been performed in this country,— Camilla, in 1806, for G RA8812416 benefit ; II Fur/so controil Fur/so, in 1808; and L' rgoglio Avv ilito, in 1815. These produced little impression, and were rarely if ever repeated. They were measured against operas of a far higher order, and were then regarded at their true value. But they have a relative as well as a positive value and the performance of Le Cuntatrici Villane was a treat as rich as it was unexpected. We may be allowed to appeal to this unlooked-for event in confirmation of the opinion which we lately expressed. The revival of this forgotten opera is an epoch in the history of her Majesty's Theatre : it is an experiment which it required some courage to try ; and its success will doubtless lead to similar and less hazardous attempts. The period of its birth may be ascertained with sufficient accuracy from the following lines of the libretto, which allude to the greatest singers of the time- " sit &emits-a Dell' udire i vostri cauti La Billingtem *entire, opput Is Bann."
It may also he inferred from the state of the orchestra ; which, bereft of all its noisy appendages, is allowed to assume its proper character, and to exhibit its finest qualities. The singers are heard distinctly, and without effort. Not a note of PERSIANI'S sweet voice and delicate exe- cution was lost. She was singing to and not against an accompaniment. The melodies came upon the ear with all the freshness of novelty ; with the exception of a few modern introductions, which served but as foils to the rest. To these attractions, of themselves sufficient, must be added LABLACHE'S incomparable acting.
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