Mr. Bunn has varied a little his Covent Garden repertoire
by the pro- duction of The Ludy of the Lake,—La Donna del Logo in an English dress. It was performed for the first time on Saturday; but the success was not such as to lead to its repetition till last night, when it was performed after an English version of the Elisir d'Amore; the bills announcing the "immense attraction of two operas in one evening." The Lady of the Lakeis splendidly got rip, and tolerably performed. The part of Ellen is well sustained by Mrs. Donald King, though the music demands greater physical strength than she seems to possess. Miss Bassano as Malcolm Gromeis placed_ under the disadvantage of having to sing a deep contralto part_ with a high mezzo soprano voice. Mr. Travers, as King James, is feebleness personified.; and Harrison's Roderick Dhu is an exhi- bition of' his incurable coarseness. The choruses, however, are effective, and some of the scenery is beautiful. La Donna de Lego, in its original form, is a heavy though a gorgeous opera, and to make it at all attractive demands "appliances and means to boot" greater than this theatre is at present-possessed of. Mr. Bunn's present course of manage- ment ,does not seem to -be the most judicious in the world. He has pro- dueed4 only a single novelty, and that a rifacciamento from the French- Aubet's Haydee. AlLhis other pieces have been worn-out operas of Balfe and Wallace, or versions+of Italian operas with which the public are quite familiar, exquisitely performed in their original shape. What is desiderated is the production of new English operas; and though our musical school is not very flourishing, yet we believe that new *emetic works of merit may be had, and, that Messrs. Ralfe and Wallace are by no means the only persons capable of producing them. -
Mr. Bann has materially reduced his prices of admission; but this will not avail him if he also reduce the quality of his entertainments.
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