THE opera of Robert the Devil has been brought out here at an expense of 8000 florins, and met with enthusiastic applause. Its performance will be additionally impressed on our memory, for, during its representation on the 3rd of April, our city was suddenly thrown into confusion by riots and bloodshed, caused by a small band of political fanatics.
Valeria, an opera by M. Aloys Schmidt, has been brought out here. While this work certainly exhibits some original and agreeable traits, it abounds in reminiscences of Beethoven, Cherubini, and Mozart. However, it has succeeded.
LEIPZIG.
KALKBRENNER gave a concert here on the 3rd of May. He is proceeding to Petersburg, and intends being at Vienna in August.
A theoretical work has recently issued here, from the press of Messrs. Breitkopf and Härtel, entitled Aesthetisch-historische Einleitung in die Wissenschaft der Tonkunst (Aesthetical and Historical Introduction to the Science of Music), by Dr. William Christian Müller, in two volumes. The first volume bears the separate title, Essay on an Aesthetical Theory of Music, and treats in twenty chapters this extensive branch of the art, in a very clear and satisfactory manner. The second volume contains the chronology of music, the history of its cultivation, divided into ten epochas, from the dark ages of mythology to the present time. The industry and care of the author are praiseworthy, and are sufficiently displayed in numerous references and quotations.
WEIMAR.
IN the Easter week a new opera was produced here, under the title of The Traitor in the Alps. The text by Seidel and the music by Genast are, according to the opinion of competent judges, of superior merit.
KÖNIGSBERG.
ON the 3rd and 10th of October, the music director, Mr. Saemen, produced Handel’s Alexander’s Feast. On the 18th October, and 14th November, the music director, Mr. Riel, gave, for charitable purposes, Handel’s Messiah, in the Lobnicht Church. On the 25th, 27th, and 31st of October, three Tyrolese minstrels gave concerts of national airs. They are jovial people, expert enough in musical tricks, such as yodling, falsetto, &c., but are anything but artists.
On the 31st October, Mr. Louis Mauer, from Hanover, gave a concert; among the pieces of which we have to notice a concertino for the violin, fantasias on melodies of the Dumb Girl of Portici, executed by Mr. L. Mauer, and variations of Mayseder, by Wsewolod Mauer. The father and son played also a rondo à la polacca for two violins; variations for two violins and violoncello, upon the Cloak Song, from Leonora, the whole composed by L. Mauer.