482 SAN CARLO. 



recesses, are now all unsatisfactory and incomplete. In the midst of 

 this mighty extent, both of space and surface, her overacting and her 

 overcolouring, (for, borne along by her enthusiastic genius, she did 

 occasionally overstep the bounds of soberness,) in this enormous 

 area, all was softened down and subdued by the majestic grandeur 

 of the building ; and what, under other circumstances, would have 

 been a fault and an exaggeration, was here only a beautiful component 

 part of a harmonious whole. Here, Norma, that most lovely, that 

 still insufficiently appreciated Opera, achieved the final and complete 

 triumph of Bellini and Malibran over the ravished hearts of thousands* 

 Both of these short-lived meteors have since been extinguished after 

 a course of unrivalled brilliancy. His fire was too flickering and 

 subtle, hers too ardent and consuming, long to vivify or illumine the 

 dull face of this clay-cold earth. 



There is a true though trite story, that on one occasion, when 

 Nero was singing in public, an earthquake happened, but it could 

 not prevent him from finishing his air. The reverse of this occurred 

 not long since at Naples. A late eruption of Vesuvius, and the per- 

 formance at San Carlo, both commenced nearly at the same time ; 

 and although the earth rumbled under their feet, the windows rattled 

 in every casement, and the sky overhead was coloured with crimson light 

 that streamed from the burning mountain, still the audience sat unmoved, 

 and listened for the hundredth time to the Mose in Egitto, and gazed 

 at the firework imitation of the hailstone plague in Egypt, as if no 

 sublimer nor more interesting sight were to be witnessed without. 

 The eruption and the performance terminated also simultaneously ; 

 and since both these spectacles could not be seen at once, it is to be 

 doubted whether the show for which they were obliged to pay was 

 not preferred to that which might have been had gratis. In this 

 instance Madame Ungher* was the Circe, who spell-bound their 

 senseless hearts. What then would they have done, had Malibran 

 been the Parthenope of the evening ? They would have left the 

 venerable and highly respected St. Januarius to take care of II 

 Vesuvio, i terremoti, la lava, and le cenere ; and would have thought 

 that man pitiable and unhappy, who having delayed purchasing his 

 bigliettOj till it was now too late, should unfortunately be excluded 

 from the musica, and be thus compelled for once in his life, to turn 

 his vacant and dissatisfied gaze, upon the " Vonderful vorks of 

 Natur. J ' This is really no exaggeration. Whenever Malibran sung 

 at the San Carlo, (and she would only act three nights in the week,) 

 the crowds that thronged thither were perfectly amusing. The 

 prices of boxes were raised ; nevertheless they were all taken, some- 



* This lady well deserves the attention of some enterprising manager, now that so 

 many a rival cantatrice will be fighting for the vacant throne of song. When 

 Malibran's engagement at Naples was ended, Ungher was the prima donna selected 

 to succeed her ; and no higher praise of her merits need be given, than that she ac- 

 quitted herself to the satisfaction of the Neapolitans. With the exception perhaps of 

 Schroder, there is no singer living who is gifted with so much enthusiasm, and such a 

 power of electrifying an audience. Neither are Madame Ungher's talents limited to 

 the tragic department. Her performance at the little Teatro del Fondo, in one of 

 Ricci's exceedingly pretty comic operas, called forth unqualified approbation from 

 crowded audiences. 



