Covent-Garden Theatre.
. Sbaksmre'a elegant comedy of As Yozs Like it, with addi. tional musie, composed and adapted by Bishop, was performed last night for the frst time as an opera, at Corent-garden Theatre. The rage is not new which exists at present for converting plays into musical dramas; a hundred years ago,a greatvariety of comedies were harmonized in the samc way, and performed at ihe theatre In Lincoln's-inn-fields. With respect to the alteration of As You Nike it, the chief damage sustained is in the part of Rosalind being made over to a singer; and as it happens, just at the present moment, there is no " actress" on the stage who is accustomed peculiarly to distinguish herself in it. Mliss Tree sings in the character with her usuxl taste and effect, and plays the more senmimental scenes best; but throughout with very good sense and simplicity. Mr. Charles Kemble leoks extremely well in Orlando; he has not a "smack of age" about him. MIr. Young executed the part of Jacques with great spirit and feeling. The music of th.e piece is less fortunatc than it might have been, from the circumstance of the best subjects_tlhe songs in. cidental to the comedy-having already been made use of in the re- vival of The Comedy of Errors; but all that belongs to Miss Tree and Aliss Hammeraley is extremely well executed i and the latter lady,moreover, deserves notice for the improvement m her act- ing. Upon the whole, the play is well got ulp; with very good ar- riaogement and decoration, and one or two little novelties in the way of scenery, which are ingenious. Unles scomething very powerful were to occur in the way of a new Rosalind, there seems to be no objection to its performance in the new shape in which it now comes forward. COVENT.XARDIN THIEA TRE.