THE MUSICIAN ABOUT TOWN. 131 



gratitude to the prince, her lover, who had appreciated her character, 

 and given the most signal proof in his power that he had done so. 



On the 6th of June the "Lucretia Borgia" of Donizetti was per- 

 formed, introducing to the subscribers the new tenor, Sig. IMario 

 (his first appearance in public, here, was at the Philharmonic on the 

 previous Monday, the 3rd). Dr. Johnson refused to accompany 

 Mrs. Thrale in a ride to the country, saying *' Madam, I hate 

 green fields ; when you have seen one green field you have seen 

 every green field." Had the Doctor been invited to a modern Ita- 

 lian opera, and parodied this anomalous repugnance to green fields, 

 his criticism would have been accurate, and his taste judicious ; for 

 of a truth, when you have heard one Italian opera of the last ten or 

 twelve years' mint, you have heard every opera. The same charac- 

 ter of melody constantly recurs ; the same phrases, the same pro- 

 gressions, the same cadences. Donizetti's chief merit appears to 

 us to lie in writing a simple and plaintive cavatina, of which we 

 have some really pretty and graceful specimens ; his instrumental 

 accompaniments, also, are nicely and skilfully appointed. There are 

 two of this class in the '*" Lucretia," one of which (if our recollec- 

 tion serve upon a single hearing) was transferred from the opera of 

 '^ II Furioso." These, and an agreeable trio, form the chief merits 

 of the opera of "■ Lucretia Borgia. " Indeed, to speak without pre- 

 judice (for we desire only refinement, variety, and food for thought) 

 the whole of this opera is a " semper eadem" from beginning to end — 

 nay, we might more justly say '•' semper pejorem," for each new pro- 

 duction seems to get worse and worse as good composition is declin- 

 ing in Italy.* Let the vocal supply in Italy fail, and in what limbo 

 would be registered the modern Italian opera ? 



Sig. Mario's voice is a high tenor, of sweet quality in the upper 

 part of its compass ; not very flexible : for this, however, we care 

 little, for the rage for flexibility has sacrificed all just and grand 

 expression. It is rather "plummy" in the middle and lower divi- 

 sions, but is correctly in tune when not over-exerted. Its general 

 character may be recognised when we designate it a plaintive or 



* The following is the opinion of the Morning Post upon this opera, which, 

 if not so intelligible as could be wished, is nevertheless amusing. " Some of 

 our contemporary critics have rather overshadowed with their displeasure 

 Donizetti's Lucretia. The deficiencies we see in it are a more castigato subject, 

 and a few melodies wrought in relief upon the concerted pieces, such as satisfy the 

 sybarite who likes to cull pleasure without effort of attention, as ivell as the dilet- 

 tanti who live in the innermost penetralia of the mysteries of the musical fane.^* 

 Fine writbig, like "fair play, is a jewel." 



