‘the boards of any theatre. 
1825.]’ 
to the circles, ‘‘ tier above tier,’ the sem- 
blance of a gala triumph over the decency, 
taste, and humanity of the age. 
The opera itself is a splendid speztacle, 
and was, unequivocally, well received— 
as, indeed, it merited: for it abounds 
with fine music— rich in expressive va- 
riety, in pathos, and in power, and in 
that thrilling depth of mysterious feeling 
which characterizes the German school. 
It was, also, well sustained. Aladino, the 
Sultan, Sig. Remorini; Palamide, Mme. 
Caradori; Osmino, Sig. Crivelli; Adriano, 
Sig. Curioni; and Felicia, Signora Garcia, 
- wanted nothing to complete the vocal and 
dramatic corps, but a more natural sub- 
stitute for the amorous and heroic Knight 
of Rhodes, Armando; than the tall and at- 
tenuate imbecility of the Velluti, with its 
helmet of ‘steel tied under its chin, with a 
delicate bow of white satin ribbon—like a 
lady’s morning-cap! There were also 
changes of novelty and scenic pomp, ele- 
gant groupings of dancers, and splendid ar- 
rays of military procession and manceuyre ; 
and the drama itself, though the incidents 
are sufficiently incredible, not impeachable 
of absolute nonsense. 
- But all this was not, it seems, deemed 
sufficient to gratify the refinement of opera- 
tical eyes andears. The taste of the Eng- 
lish public was to be stigmatized, and its 
reputation stained; by the hideous impu- 
tation of reviving, by its patronage, an ab- 
horrent practice, of which even the most 
effeminate and voluptuous nations of the 
Continent have become ashamed. 
' The first reception of Signor Velluti 
sufficiently evinced that, of this thronged’ 
assembly, all who came for his benefit, did 
not come with cordiakty. Pity for the in- 
dividual could not quite suppress the mur- 
murs of dissatisfaction at the exhibition. 
Theapplause, however, as might be expected 
from the patronage exerted, was predomi- 
nant; and, with indignant shame, we re- 
cord that, among the most enthusiastic of 
the applauders, we observed a good many 
of those young ladies of fashion in the 
boxes, to whose appearance we have 
already referred. We do not know, in- 
deed, when we have seen so many delicate 
hands beating their snow-white gloves- to 
pieces in behalf of a new favourite upon 
But what 
_ would these young creatures say, if the 
+. 
’ 
4 
satirist should point them out by name, 
and delineate the tell-tale expressions of 
“Montuty Mac. No. 413. 
Topic of the Month :—Opera Exhibition. 
41 
countenance .with which the plaudits of 
many of them were so significantly ac- 
companied ?- What would they say to 
such a tale? Or, if it called up a blush 
of -retrospection on their countenances, 
what would they have a right to say to the 
parents who took them there ?—to those 
parents who intruded upon their young 
imaginations an exhihition which could not 
escape explanation, and which must unyeil 
to the young mind disgusting mysteries, 
from the taint of which their imaginations 
ought to have been preserved? -It might 
have been edifying to hear the dialogues, 
resulting from the interrogatories of some 
of the more innocent, between these young 
ladies and their mammas! 
But, vehement, beyond the customary 
ardour of Opera-house decorum, as were 
the encouraging plaudits of the high fashion- 
ables, the wonderful tones of the Velluti, 
with all its: science and execution, did not, 
any more than the undescribable peculiarity 
of its unerectable figure, conciliate all its 
auditors, or prevent the expression, some- 
times of disgust, and sometimes of a sort 
of horror; or, at other times, repress the 
burst of laughter provoked by the contrast 
between the more than peacock scream of 
this hero thing, and the fine manly base of 
Sig. Remorini, in the: Sultan. In short, 
there is a species of mournful mysticism — 
a something so unearthly, and still more 
remote from all that we conceive of hea- 
ven, in 
«« That preternatural alt—that piercing cry, 
That shrilly wails its lost humanity,” - 
which was calculated to excite a thrill very 
different from that of pleasure. If it 
* took the imprisoned soul,” it did not. 
lap it in Elysium. For us, we freely’ con- 
fess that the heart sickened, while the ear 
shrunk from the monstrosity of the tone, 
and the train of indignant reflections which 
it conjured up. Nor were we sorry to 
observe, that, notwithstanding all the ef- 
forts of patronage, the malcontents were 
sufficiently numerous to frustrate erent at- 
tempt at an encore. 
It is but candid to state, that no part of 
the dissatisfaction could be ascribed to any 
want of power or of skill in the Velluti, or 
in what is called execution—which was 
certainly, in some instances, what is meant, 
(when we mean any thing) by the excla- 
mation, ‘ Astonishing !”’ «and, to those 
~ whose ears or whose moral feelings can be 
reconciled to the species Of voice, it might, 
G : probably; * 
