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THEATRICAL REVIEW. 



ENGLISH OPEBA HOUSE. 



December Wth, 1836. Ricci's much talked of Opera of "Scara- 

 muccia" has been at length produced ; and the high expectations 

 formed of its merits previous to representation fully justified. It is 

 not only a very delightful opera, hut, unlike the majority of the mu- 

 sical pieces of the present day, is not copied from Rossini, a class of 

 plagiarism which, from frequent repetition, has become at length 

 wearisome, even when executed with ability. We are only surprised 

 that this opera has never been attempted in the Haymarket, but, per- 

 chance, in that gigantic building the merits of the acting could not 

 be appreciated; and as the success of the opera in some degree de- 

 pends on the acting as well as the singing, prudential reasons may 

 have induced the manager to neglect this charming little piece. 



Scaramuccia, the Italian buffo, in the time of Louis XIV., estab- 

 lished at Paris, under the patronage of the court, an operatic enter- 

 tainment which rivalled in attraction the comedies of Moliere, who 

 flourished at the same period. These buffo operas consisted of bur- 

 lesques and harlequinades (it being premised for the information of 

 the uninstructed that in Italy Arlequino, and in France Arlequin, was 

 not, and is not a dancer, but a witty fellow whose satire is cloaked in 

 the garb of simplicity) were performed at the theatre in the Hotel de 

 Bourgogne, and at the outside of this theatre the first scene is placed. 

 A noise is heard within, and presently '* Tomaso" is turned out, and 

 taken into the guard-house, having offended the audience by inter- 

 rupting the play in his endeavour to attract the notice of " Scaramuc- 

 cia,'' whom he recognises as an old acquaintance. 



A conversation on the state of their prospects and the nature of the- 

 atrical success between" Scaramuccia" and two members of his com- 

 pany, " Lelio" and " Dominico," in which is introduced a most de- 

 lightful trio, of great length, but of which, notwithstanding, a consi- 

 derable section was encored, namely 



"La scena e un mare instabile 



Che muta ad ogni vento." 



By the friendly interposition of " Scaramuccia," " Tomaso" is re- 

 leased, and explains the motive of his journey to Paris, which is to 

 attempt the recovery of his master's daughter who has been carried 

 off by the young " Count of Pontigny." " Scaramuccia'' promises 

 his aid, and sends " Tomaso" to his house. He there meets with a 

 young aspirant to the honours of the scene, " Sandrina/' who is a na- 

 tive of the same place as himself. Some exquisite comic scenes fol- 

 low between these two, the result of which are vows of eternal fide- 

 lity and the rejection of 4 ' Lelio," an old hanger-on of " Sandrina." 

 At this juncture the " Count"" enters, and orders a play at his palace, 

 to amuse, as he says, the loveliest girl eyes ever beheld, whom he 

 has carried off from a village. He names her " Elena," and " Scara- 

 mucciaV suspicions are aroused by the correspondence of name and 



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