English Opera-House.
The opera of Der FreischutaT has already considerably improved since the first evening of its representation. The efflects of subsequent practice are very apparent in thc orchestra and among the subaltern singers. Braham alone does not improve, because "te sang as well as he could (and every one knows how well he can siig) on the first night. We cainot help regrettung that something has not been done in the way of giving a more properly dramatic form to the opera. The story is capable of exciting the most powerful interest, and in the hands of a dramatist of only ordinary skill might be made ver7 striking. As it is, there is nothing to recomment the opera but, the music and the incantation scene. The latter has been in somne e- spects altered and very materially improved. The wild ehase in tfle air tells very well now, and its only fault is that it is not long enough. A white owl has been introduced, which twinkles its eyes in a very solemn and agreeable manner the flre-works have got their parrs perfectly, and the night-birds nnd snakes fly up and down as naturally as twine and packthread can make them. The ghosts are seen through a dim and coloured vaponr, which helps the effect of their appearance, because it shows no more of them thian is necessary: but really we feel obliged to confess that this scene is ome which baffles criticism, because it is mIadle so terrible that one is too much frightened to pass a cool judgment upon it. It is bad enough to mee the ceremonies of raising the Devil, but those of casting the bullets are infinitely worse; and the scene is so managed, that the spectators, being frightened at the first, are gradually and by the time the seventh is completed, terrified out of their wits by the com- plication of horrors which they behold. Hcaven knows what would become of them if the curtain did not fall and the lamps rise very opportunely at this moment. Among other improvements the man- ner of the termination ig not the least. The scene represents a thick wood instead of an open country, as on the first performance. Just as Rodolph is about to make the trial-shot, Caspar gets up into a tree, which, as he expects the demon shortly to arpear, is perhaps wise enough. The bullet, however, guidedl by the unseen power, strikes hilm, and 'he falls from the tree in a very effiective manner. Tite Black Yager then appears, enveloped in blue flames, and seiz- inahgi prey vanishes with it into the earth, while a redvapour,which colours all the trees in the back scene,issues from the chasm. There are several other alterations which have been made very judiciously, and whicl greatly improve this singular dram-a, and give it still stronger claims to the public favour. - ENGLISH OP'ERA-IOUSE.