Theatrical Review. 651 



DRURY-LANE. 



May 15. -The appearance of Madame Schroeder Devrient as the 

 representative of an anglicised Fidelio naturally induced many to 

 apprehend a failure ; and we must confess that we were not very san- 

 guine as to her success. Every fear, however, vanished in less than 

 an hour after the rise of the curtain. It is true that she has a foreign 

 accent, which to very fastidious persons may be disagreeable ; but 

 she looks, speaks, nay breathes the character so completely, that 

 the hearer's attention is called off from minor defects to the absorbing 

 beauties of her representation. Less dazzling than Malibran, she 

 shines forth with an equal and steady light and illumines every part 

 of the picture with beauty and transparency. Malibran's Fidelio 

 when compared to Schroeder's was like a splendid melodrama placed 

 by the side of a severely chaste and classical tragedy : Malibran was 

 great, but she must yield the palm to one, who so much better under- 

 stands how to treat the music of Beethoveen and to bring out all its 

 latent beauties. With the exception of Wilson as Florestan and Se- 

 guin as Rocaco, who acquitted themselves very respectably, we cannot 

 say much in praise of those who supported the subordinate parts. 

 The choruses in particular were very bad, and painfully reminded us 

 of their inferiority to the German choruses some years ago. Madame 

 , Schroeder was evidently frightened on her first appearance and did 

 not give full force to her part ; but she has since entirely recovered 

 her self-possession ; and she now seems to be perfectly at ease in her 

 English disguise. 



May 25 Mr. 'Balfe has chosen a story from the life of ' the good 

 queen Bess' for the subject of his new opera. The amorous queen 

 falls in love with the Earl of Hertford, one of her courtiers and fa- 

 vourites, who, however, being pre-engaged to the Lady Catherine 

 Grey, cannot requite her affection. Her anger at a subjects' refusal 

 of her proffered favours prompts her to deeds of violence ; and her 

 conduct to Lord Hertford and Lady C. Grey is neither very queenly 

 nor very charitable. The lady is imprisoned, and the gentleman is 

 condemned to death ; but most suddenly and unaccountably Eliza- 

 beth relents, forgives the lovers, and joins their hands. The drama 

 is tolerably well got up by the author ; and the composer has done 

 his part of the work in a manner highly creditable to himself. The 

 melodies are new, and often very beautiful, and they are well adapted 

 to the emphasis and expression of the words ; and the finale, which 

 reminded us of the ' Non piu mesta' of the Cenerentola, is one of 

 the most beautiful pieces that we have ever seen. Mrs. Wood's per- 

 formance in Catherine Grey was splendid; and if it brought out her 

 faults, it at the same time exhibited her high excellencies both as a 

 singer and actress. Miss Eomer looked absolutely ridiculous as the 

 Queen ; but she must thank the author for] placing her in her awk- 

 ward position. Balfe played Hertford : he looked well, and sang his 

 own music admirably. 



COVENT-GARDEN. 



April 20^. Our space last month precluded any mention of Mr. 

 Sheridan Knowles's " Brian Boroihme ;" and, as it is more than pro- 

 bable that this miserable production will be merely matter of history, 

 before our reader shall see these remarks, they may perhaps be 



