For the first time for a generation, an opera by an English composer has been produced at Covent Garden during a grand season. This "Judith," by Eugene Goossens, the libretto being by Arnold Bennett, and it was played at Covent, Garden for the first time on any stage. At the end of the opera, the enthusiasm was great, Tt is a remarkable work for a first opera and should prove that in Mr. Goossens we have among an operatic composer who counts and who leads one to hope that we may expect a great deal from him, The plot is familiar to everybody, for it follows the Biblical story closely. Mr. Bennett tells of the killing of Holofernes in terse mer vous English, based on the authotized version; he has not embroidered it with psychological subtleties. The story moves without deviation of episodes, irrelevant or otherwise, except a dance, to its appointed end. This is a great merit, but it has the disadvantage that it gives the composer but little scope for. variety of mood or atmosphere, The orchestra was masterly and, in spite of consistent sombreness, the music was never deficient in variety.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.