Naples and the Campagna Felice. In a series of letters, addressed to a friend in England, in 1802

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

18-19

text excerpt

[Letter II] Before I close this long letter, I must give you a short description of a curious theatrical representation, at which I was present some days ago. The title of Saul induced me to expect a sacred oratorio; instead of which, I found the whole of the biblical narrative dramatized into a complete opera, not even omitting the incantations of the witch of Endor. The Neapolitans are more unreasonable than the ancient Romans; they would have carnem et circenses even in Lent-time: the former, I understand, they have been indulged with by a special, but by no means gratuitous, dispensation from the Holy See; and their eagerness for the latter has been gratified by the sacred kind of opera just mentioned, in which Signora P. made her first debût as a singer, in the character of David, and, I am told, attracted the particular notice of a British officer of rank. She is not yet a great singer, but bids fair to be one; her intonation is full and sweet, and her compass great: science, and an action more dégagée and adapted to the stage, is all she wants; and which, at her age, she has time to acquire, for she does not appear to be more than sixteen. Add to this, a lovely face and figure, much resembling our Miss D.'s, and you will not tax me with unreasonable partiality. Mombelli, the first tenor, acted King Saul admirably: although he is d'un certain age, his voice penetrated every part of the house; but it is in the recitativos he is most impressive, and, I think, unrivalled: his figure, step, and action, frequently put me in mind of Kemble. The music, Guglielmi's as I am told, has great merit; and a harp air in particular, of David's (not a psalm) in a minor key, was extremely affecting. Upon the whole, justice was not done to the composer by the orchestra, which was sensibly inferior to our's at the King's Theatre.

[Letter II] Before I close this long letter, I must give you a short description of a curious theatrical representation, at which I was present some days ago. The title of Saul induced me to expect a sacred oratorio; instead of which, I found the whole of the biblical narrative dramatized into a complete opera, not even omitting the incantations of the witch of Endor. The Neapolitans are more unreasonable than the ancient Romans; they would have carnem et circenses even in Lent-time: the former, I understand, they have been indulged with by a special, but by no means gratuitous, dispensation from the Holy See; and their eagerness for the latter has been gratified by the sacred kind of opera just mentioned, in which Signora P. made her first debût as a singer, in the character of David, and, I am told, attracted the particular notice of a British officer of rank. She is not yet a great singer, but bids fair to be one; her intonation is full and sweet, and her compass great: science, and an action more dégagée and adapted to the stage, is all she wants; and which, at her age, she has time to acquire, for she does not appear to be more than sixteen. Add to this, a lovely face and figure, much resembling our Miss D.'s, and you will not tax me with unreasonable partiality. Mombelli, the first tenor, acted King Saul admirably: although he is d'un certain age, his voice penetrated every part of the house; but it is in the recitativos he is most impressive, and, I think, unrivalled: his figure, step, and action, frequently put me in mind of Kemble. The music, Guglielmi's as I am told, has great merit; and a harp air in particular, of David's (not a psalm) in a minor key, was extremely affecting. Upon the whole, justice was not done to the composer by the orchestra, which was sensibly inferior to our's at the King's Theatre.

excerpt from 'Naples and the Campagna Felice. In a series of letters, addressed to a friend in England, in 1802' pp. 18-19 (335 words)

1518257277987:

1518257277987