212 Theatrical Review. 



circumstances. We must not here omit to notice a duet between the 

 " Count'* and the " Doctor,'' which we strongly recommend to till 

 lovers of good music. It begins 



" Per scacciar la sua mestizia 

 Chiedo a te la medicina." 



While "Scaramuccia*' is meditating on the entertainment he is en- 

 gaged to provide, he is informed that his prima donna and buffo re- 

 fuse to perform. In this emergency " Sandrina'' and " Toinaso" 

 offer to supply their places, and as a specimen of their capability give 

 a burlesque scena the parting of Dido and ^Eneas, one of the best, 

 if not the best piece travestie we ever saw it was capital. Having 

 proved their capability, their services are accepted, and here closes 

 the first act. In the second act we have a quarrel between " San- 

 drina" and " Tomaso," a burlesque play, in which " Paris," " Helen" 

 and " Menelaus" figure in strange costumes. " Tomaso,'' who plays 

 the injured husband, recognises " Elena," the farce is interrupted, 

 and, according to the established laws of dramatic propriety, the 

 " Count" is united to the village maiden, though by the way much 

 against his inclination. 



Having completed our analysis of the plot, we turn to the actors. 

 Ronconi enacted " Scaramuccia," while the parts of " Lelio" and the 

 " Paris" of the mimic play were supported by Catone. Neither had 

 much to do, but they both did that little well ; and the music allotted 

 to them was most excellently performed. The chief weight of the 

 opera lies upon " Tomaso" and " Sandrina," Bellini and Blasis, who 

 threw into their parts a rich humour, and displayed an abundance of 

 the vis comica, which would have insured success, even without their 

 musical attainments. Besides the music we have already noticed, 

 they have an admirable mocking duet in the second act, " Se vuoifar 

 la bander uola" arid the concluding movement, " O mio tesoro." 

 Blasis too was very successful in a duet with Catone, as " Helen," and 

 " Paris." 



Miss Fanny Wyndham,* a pupil of John Barnet's, made her first 

 appearance on any stage in the " Count." After the late failure of 

 Signora Luini, it was a trying position even for an experienced 

 actress to have been placed in, much more so for a young girl who 

 has never before trod the boards. Notwithstanding her evident 

 timidity, she acquitted herself admirably, and will be a great addition 

 to the corps chantant of native performers. Her voice is a contralto, 

 and, when she has acquired a little more confidence, and practice 

 brings it out, will, we have no doubt, be very fine : not that it needs 

 any apology at present ; far from it the voice is excellent, but fear 

 and the novelty of the situation prevented her from giving full scope 



* We suppose her a sister of Miss Wyndham, who, during the absence of Miss Tay- 

 lor, took her part in the " Hunchback" and other plays, last season, at Covent Garden. 

 This lady is an instance among many others of the judgment and liberality of our ma- 

 nagers. With an excellent taste and nice perception of dramatic points, she filled her 

 temporary place with a skill which contrasted strongly with the false emphasis, affectc 

 tones, and over- wrought action of the other lady we have named. 



