Reminiscences of Michael Kelly

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

32-33

text excerpt

On the 20th of November, the opera of " The Pirates" was produced ; the drama by Cobb, the music by Storace. The male performers in it were Kelly, Dignum, Sedgwick, Suett, John Bannister, and Parsons. The females, Mrs. Crouch, Miss Decamp, Mrs. Bland, and Signora Storace ; the scenery was picturesque and beautiful, from designs taken on the spot by Stephen Storace, at Naples. The magic-lantern scene, representing Hero and Leander, and the crossing of the Hellespont, was peculiarly beautiful. Mr. Sheridan directed that no expense should be spared in decorating the opera, and his orders were fulfilled. The music was a master-piece; but, above all, the finale at the end of the first act, which I thought Storace's chef d'oeuvre, and worthy to be placed by the side of Mozart's first finale to the " Nozze di Figaro." All the performers had characters suited to their respective abilities, and the opera had a most successful run to crowded houses. There was a scene and a quintette in the third act ; the music composed by Guglielmi, a beautiful morceau, from the Italian opera performed at the Pantheon, entitled " La Bella Pescatrice." Stephen Storace thought so, and therefore introduced it. Whenever Storace selected, his knowledge of stage-effect was so great, that the selections were always appropriate and never-failing.

excerpt from 'Reminiscences of Michael Kelly' pp. 32-33 (214 words)

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1435858990668