Muir.
Mr. Henry Leslie, who has gained a place in the first rank of the Eng- lish musicians of our day, by several great works in the highest branches of his art, has even enhanced his reputation by a small but most masterly work for the stage. This is the one-act operetta, Romance, which has been for some time expected, and was produced at the Covent Garden English Opera on Thursday evening. The libretto, from the practised pen of Mr. Palgrave Simpson, is a light, sprightly little drama, very much in the style of a French vaudeville. The subject, not entirely new to our stage, is taken from the history of the renowned Dick Turpin, the terror of travellers, but the idol of the fashionable fair, who thought it quite a delightful adventure to be stopped on the highway by a cavalier so bold, gallant, and courteous. This worthy himself does not appear on the stage though he really is a not unimportant person of the drama; but the hero of the piece is a gentleman who personates him for the purpose of gaining the heart of a lady of fashion who is smitten with the prevail- ing hero-worship. With the audience as well as the lady, this gentle- man passes for the "real Simon Pure ; " and it is only at the denouement that the counterfeit is discovered; but, in the mean time, the pseudo- Turpin has won the affections of his mistress ; and, after a series of very amusing mistakes and perplexities, the story comes to the usual conclu- sion. The piece is much enlivened by a buffo personage, a Mayor of York, full of official pomp and fussiness, but an arrant coward, whom the pretended Turpin frightens out of his wits. The music has not much of the so-called brilliancy and vivacity, or in other words, of the noise, rattle, and chatter, which at present, are deemed essential to the comic stage. Mr. Leslie has formed his taste upon older and purer models, Mbzart, Cimarosa, and the masters of our own English school ; but, though imbued with their spirit, he is by no means a copyist. He has inventive genius, and has formed for himself an original and indi- vidual style. His airs are new, melodious, and graceful, and his con- certed pieces are full of animation and dramatic effect.
The utmost justice was done to this pretty piece by the performers. Miss Louisa Pyne acted with her usual quiet and unaffected ease and spirit, and sang exquisitely. The supposed highwayman is a character quite in Harrison's way, and the music is admirably calculated to bring out his best qualities as a singer. Honey's quaint humour kept the au-. dience in a constant state of hilarity; and the character of the Mayor's spouse showed Miss Thirlwall as a lively and intelligent actress, and a very excellent singer. The performance was most warmly received ; and the composer and principal performers were called before the cur- tain, to receive the applause of a crowded audience.
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