THEATRICAL INTELLIGENCE. $5 



a brutal overseer and callous jailor. Isoline arrives in the disguise 

 of a sailor, bribes the jailor to permit an interview with her lover, 

 and they escape immediately before the arrival of the Marquis as 

 governor of Guiana, cured of his wounds both in body and mind. 

 The third act displays the faithful pair sinking under the accumulated 

 evils of fatigue and hunger, oppressive heat, and that thirst which is 

 only known to the worn traveller in the parched desert. The timely 

 arrival of the repentant Marquis preserves them from a horrible 

 death, and they of course are united. So much for the story. 



The music is not such as we could have wished. The overture re- 

 minded us of so many others that we have heard, especially Auber's 

 to " Massaniello,'' that we could not divest ourselves of the idea that 

 it was intended lor a medley, and not an original production. A bal- 

 lad, sung by Phillips, most exquisitely, " The light of other days is 

 faded,'' and encored, was introduced by a solo on the valve-cornet, 

 played by Handley in a most finished manner, and no doubt will be- 

 come popular. Yet it so closely resembles the opening movement 

 of the duet in Bellini's " Puritan," that a casual hearer might readily 

 mistake the one for the other. A pretty light chorus of soldiers in 

 the first act was encored by half the house, and we believe sung 

 again ; but the malcontents were so loud in their expressions of dis- 

 approbation that it could not be heard. E. Seguin acquitted himself 

 admirably in the part of the overseer, singing with unwonted spirit, 

 which is all that is wanting to put him at the head of his profession. 

 Unquestionably his voice is the finest bass now before the public, be 

 the other which it may. We have reserved our observations on Ma- 

 libran to the last, fearing that after speaking of her we might not be 

 willing to allow their due meed of praise to the other members of 

 the dramatis persons?. Fortunate is the composer who can have his 

 productions supported by this incomparable singer. On this occa- 

 sion her pre-eminence shone forth in its brightest colours. Jt is not 

 merely herself, but the energy she seems to awaken in those around. 

 Phillips, who has of late become rather lazy and careless, was roused 

 from his lethargy, and surpassed himself. Templeton, who at other 

 times is but an indifferent singer, under the influence of her genius, 

 warmed into excellence. To say that she herself sang and acted ad- 

 mirably is to say nothing. It would seem impossible for her to do 

 otherwise. Her personation of the heroine was such as would of it- 

 self establish a claim to the highest place as an actress, whilst her un- 

 rivalled powers as a songstress were exhibited in the most brilliant 

 light. All was exquisite; but in the finale she surpassed herself. So 

 powerful was the sensation produced, that notwithstanding the fatigue 

 she must have been suffering from the performance of her arduous 

 part, the audience insisted on hearing it a second time. No com- 

 mendation can be too high, no encomium too lavish, where so much 

 has been done to deserve it ; and Mr. Balfe owes a large debt of gra- 

 titude to Malibran for the success of an opera, which, but for her ex- 

 ertions, backed by Phillips, and well supported by the other charac- 

 ters, would we consider have added but little to his reputation. We 

 seriously recommend him to search after originality, and not draw so 

 largely upon the stores of his contemporaries. If he cannot compose 



