THE FORTHCOMING OPERA AT COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.
WE wish to draw the attention of our readers to the opera which is to be produced at Covent Garden Theatre on Tuesday next, because we re- gard it as a most laudable and spirited attempt on the part of the managers to produce one of the best compositions of the modern German school. Zenura and Azor has long been regarded. as one of SPOIIR'S finest dramatic works.- Its story (" Beauty and the Beast") is familiar to all classes and ages of most European nations. It has formed the groundwork of several popular dramas in this and other countries ; but of all the various attempts to introduce it on the stage, that of Sr °fin may be safely pronounced to be the most elaborate and th* most successful. The story affords abundant scope for every emotion and feeling that music is capable of portraying. The awful grandeur, the superhuman terrors which pervade the first act of the opera, are relieved in the second and third by melo- dies of the most exquisite beauty. One of these, and we believe only one, is known in this country, under the not very creditable title of "Rose of the Desert, a Ballad, by THOMAS MOORE." The beautiful terzetto in the second act, and the splendid scena in the third, -were sung (to Italian words) at the Philharmonic Concert last year. A few changes, and but very few, have been made in the forthcoming adap- tation of it. The finale to the first act is from the same composer's opera of Faust ; and in the third act is introduced the lovely duet "Lass fiir ihn," from his Jessonda. All the music is, however, that of S.POIIR. We hinted, some time since, that Miss IsrvEnansrx's second part would be one eminently calculated to display her powers ; and after having heard her, at the rehearsal, go through the character of Zenzira, we are satisfied that she will do it ample justice. The piece has been got up with great care; with extraordinary splendour ; and of its brilliant suc- cess we entertain not the smallest doubt. To Sir GEORGE SMA.RT the public seems to be indebted for the selection of this opera ; and his name is a sufficient pledge that its performance will exhibit no marks of haste, carelessness, or bad taste.
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