If we compare _La Muette_ with the "Grand Operas" produced subsequently at the Académie, we find that it differs from them all in some important respects. In the former, instead of a _prima donna_ we have a _prima ballerina_ in the principal female part. Of course the concerted pieces suffer by this, or rather the number of concerted pieces is diminished, and to the same cause may, perhaps, be attributed the absence of finales in _La Muette_. It chiefly owed its success (which is still renewed from time to time whenever it is re-produced) to the intrinsic beauty of its melodies and to the dramatic situations provided by the ingenious librettist, M. Scribe, and admirably taken advantage of by the composer. But the part of Fenella had also great attractions for those unmusical persons who are found in almost every audience in England and France, and for whom the chief interest in every opera consists in the skeleton-drama on which it is founded. To them the graceful Fenella with her expressive pantomime is no bad substitute for a singer whose words would be unintelligible to them, and whose singing, continued throughout the Opera, would perhaps fatigue their dull ears. These ballet-operas seem to have been very popular in France about the period when _La Muette_ was produced, the other most celebrated example of the style being Auber's _Le Dieu et la Bayadère_. In the present day it would be considered that a _prima ballerina_, introduced as a principal character in an opera, would interfere too much with the combinations of the singing personages. I need say nothing about the charming music of _La Muette_, which is well known to every frequenter of the Opera, further than to mention, that the melody of the celebrated barcarole and chorus, "_Amis, amis le soleil va paraitre_" had already been heard in a work of Auber's, called _Emma_; and that the brilliant overture had previously served as an instrumental preface to _Le Maçon_. _La Muette de Portici_ was translated and played with great success in England. But shameful liberties were taken with the piece; recitatives were omitted, songs were interpolated: and it was not until _Masaniello_ was produced at the Royal Italian Opera that the English public had an opportunity of hearing Auber's great work without suppressions or additions.