as those I have named, which I very much doubt, the present management appears to me too economical and too little patriotic to think of paying the services of strangers, when they can have as good or better on the spot. The Italian _troupe_ has no need of them in point of numbers; it can stand alone. The present idea is to employ _acteurs and actrices_ for the German opera who sing from need; unfortunately the very men are retained as the _directeurs_ of the theatre and the orchestra who have contributed by their want of knowledge and energy to the downfall of their own edifice. If only a single patriot were to come to the fore, it would give the affair another aspect. But in that case, perhaps, the budding national theatre would break forth into blossom; and what a disgrace it would be to Germany if we Germans once began in earnest to think, or act, or speak and even--to _sing_ German! Do not blame me, my dear sir, if I go too far in my zeal. Convinced that I am addressing a fellow _German_, I give my tongue free course, which unfortunately is so seldom possible that after such an outpouring of the heart one feels that one might get drunk without any risk of injuring one's health. The performances of the new German opera, which opened on October 16, 1785, with Monsigny's "Félix," were in no respect equal to those of the Italian opera. Mozart, whose "Entführung" maintained its place in the repertory until March, 1788, when the house was again closed, was not further employed as composer.[9] Only on one occasion did the Emperor seem to recollect that Mozart was the only opera composer of German birth who could rival the Italian Salieri. At a "Festival in honour of the Governor-General of the Netherlands," dramatic performances were commanded by the Emperor in the Orangery at Schönbrunn, on February 7, 1796; the most distinguished actors and singers, both Italian and German, were engaged.[10] Stephanie junior was commissioned to prepare the German occasional {DER SCHAUSPIELDIRECTOR, 1786.} (47) piece; it was called "Der Schauspieldirector."[11] The dramatis persona were as follows:--[See Page Image]