THE ITALIAN OPERA.
L'Assedio di Cerrinto was produced on Thursday night, for LAPORTE'S benefit. This opera of ROSSINI'S, though now nearly ten years old, has, after its celebrity has long since ceased on the Continent, been brought out as a novelty in London. On referring to a Paris musical journal for 1828, we find this passage—" The attraction of Rossini's Siege de Corintke having ceased, the managers have had recourse to some operas of the old school." Such is the activity and energy with which the affairs of our Italian Opera-house are managed ! The germ of the present opera was ROSSINI'S Maometto Second°, one of his unsuccess- ful pieces, expanded into its present size and shape at Paris. Ros- SINI moulded it into Parisian form, and suited it to Parisian taste, by adding choruses without end. It was published in French (its original language); and the bulky score, which has been lying on our shelves these seven years, extends to the enormous size of MO pages. The principal singers were A. NOURRIT, DERIVIS, F. PREVOST, and Ma- dame CINTI. The original title was "Le Siege de Corinthe. Tragedie Lyrique, en trois Ades; represente pour la premier fois he 9 Oct. MI6." In its altered form, the opera became very popular both in Germany and Italy, though now forgotten. The performance of the opera was one of the most effective hits of the season. It was not much curtailed ; and the most striking palls were admirably brought out, by Gann, TAMBLTAINI, and IvaNnolt.
The songs of the piece are few, and one was introduced. Gales singing and acting deserve the highest eulogium ; each was perfect of its kind. Some of ROSSINI'S greatest beauties may be found in this opera, but mixed with much that is mere noise and nonsense. The ef- fect of many of the pieces was lost, from the senseless rapidity with which they were played, or rather attempted.
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