The Express.
London, England, 1855-07-23 00:00:00

EIB,IINGIIAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

This celebrated triennial musical festival is this
year tined to take place on the last four days of August.
The preparations fot the street are oa a greater scab of
liberality than they have ever bees before, and unusual care
ham bean tkvtowed on the musical arrangements. The vocal

list somber. abut 350, and the band is csnspoeed of nearly
150 performers. The voila, have been very carefully
telected ; there is a Mir proportion from the metropolis, and
an equal number from Yorkshire, the remainda bcicg
the members of the Birmieghsin Ckeral Society.
There are to be rehearsals of the pieces M the
programme by the vocalists in the different localities
from which they have been chosen. The principal vocalists
include nearly all the great names in the profession. En-
gagements have been wouelnded with Madame 0 risi,
Madams Rudersdorff, Madame Castellon, Millie. Doi°,
Madame Viardot, end Mies Dolby. With these are Signor
Mario, Signor Oardoni, Herr Reichardt, Mr. Sims Sleeves,
Signor Lablache, Mr. Weiss, and Herr Formes. Mr.
Costa conducts as utak

The opening morning of the festival is devoted to the
performance of Elijah. On Wednesday morning Mr. Costa's
new oratorir, entitled FA will be given. On Thema*,
morning the Messiah la to be performed; and on Friday
• selection has been made which include, Beethoven's ora-
torio, the Mount of Olives; Mozart's Requiems; and poeticise
of the Israel is Egypt of Handel. The three evenings
an devoted to the performance of selections, among which
are Mr. Macfarren's cantata Laura ; Mendelmohn's operatic
fragment, Lcrely; Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony ; with
portions of the Huguenots and the Etoile do Nord.
Meyerbetr, we nadentand, has promised to be present at
this great music-meeting. The committee of management
have been in communication with him, ever since the last

festival, with the view of obtaining from hula an oratorio
for the meeting about to take plans; in which expeetation,
owing to his other engagements. they have beta disap-
pointed. But we understand he has undertaken to com-
pose as oratorio for the next festival in 1858 ; and we believe
that the purpose of his contemplated visit on this occasion is
to stake himself acquainted with the naa f a Birming-
ham Festival—the powers of its orchestra and chorus—the
character of its principal performers, and the various re-
sources which it affords for the production of a great sacred
work. In all these particulars, we think, he will be mire
than satisfied ; for, with all his great continental experience,
he has yet to learn how sub things are managed in Eng-
land.

The magnificent hall has been undergoing a rouse of de-
coration If nr the lut two or three months. When completed
It will present an appearance of extraordinary splendour.
A new mode of lighting from the ceiling is to be adopted,
more than twelve hundred burners being employed in ob-
taining sufficient illumination. Already the applications
for tickets exceed that of any former occasion.

Madame Riatori has accepted from the French
Minister of State • permanent engagement to play in
Italian dramas in Paris. She will act three times a-week in
the months of Febrauy, Marsh, and April. It is her :at-
tention neat February to bring to Paris • complete com-
pany, of which she will be the manageress. Very tempting
often were made to her to become • member of the Theatre
Francais, but she firmly rejected them. She will, however,
to the spring, play there ia the French language once a-
week, but without Wary, and for charitable purposes only.
There is • talk of • new play to be called "Catherine de
Media" being sow written espressly Mr her.
CRYSTAL PAL OS—FM Minim DATl—Juty
21.—Admissions on payment, 733 ; ditto by soros ticket:,
3,731,—T0ta1, 4,464.