The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-25 00:00:00

THE ITALIAN OPERA HOVEE&

At Her Majesty's Theatre on Saturday evening,
hidßs Artet appeared for the wooed timer Masi' in
As Figgie del Reygistesto. Her success was, if possible,
even greater than on the night of her debut. She was move
captivating as an entree@ and mon brilliant, feeling, and
exquisite as a slaw, than ever. We repeat that her per-
formance of the character, in every respect, is such
as we have mot witnessed since Jenny Lind ap-
peared in it, in her most high and palmy days ; nor
have we witnessed anything more sethuaistie than her
reception. The public now look with great curiosity and
interest for her appearance in another part ; for her taint
is said to be IA versatile as it is great, and she ezeals as mere
la the grandest and loftiest as in the lightest and most
brilliant branches of the lyrical stage.

At the Royal Itali•n Opera, -.Marna wan repeated ;
Mdlle. Demi, who made an uninominal debut in the pars of
the heroine, Mies replaced by Mdlle. Fioretti—a change
mush for the better. Mdlle. Fioretti was • ladylike
representative of the blade aristocratic beauty, though her
acting was somewhat deficient in warmth and feeling. Sloe
sang very beautifully, and was vehemently encored in the
Irish melody, " Qui sole vergin rosa ;" and the spinning.
wheel quartet, in which she sustained the principal part
very brilliantly, was likewise enoored. The opera was per-
formed as before, Mario being Lionel, Orasiani Plunket,
and Madame Didife Nancy. The Prince and Princes' of
Wales, with the Doke and Duchess of Cambridge, honoured
the theatre with their presence.

DRAMA.

OLYMPIC.

Mr. H. Neville, who has now acquired a prominent
position on the London stage, took his first benefit at this
house on Saturday night, and drew together a large and
enthusiastic audience. He appeared on this occasion u
Claude Melnotte, in the Lady of Lyons, and though be
showed no very great depth of passion, he succeeded in re-
presenting this difficult character without any offensive
colouring. He was supported by Miss Hate Saville as Pan.
line, whose performance was a singularly close copy of
Miss Helen Fancies acting in the same part. The construe-
tioe of this popular play I. its chief merit, and this mare
than counterbalances the many passages of false mistimed

and gewgaw poetry with whirl; it abound..
On Wednesday next we aro premixed a new drama.
written by Kr. Tom Taykar, who bat been lying fallow of
law It will be in three seta with a prologue, and will be
called the Tielrt-of-Lease Man. All the leading actors of
the company will have parts in it, except Mr. Robson.

CRYSTAL PALACE.

On Satunlay the first exhibition this season of
flowering plants, cut flowers, and fruit was held at the
Crystal Palace. The weather was highly favourable, the
sun Mists, brightly, sad although in the incoming the vied
was rather cold, in the al terooon the temperature was de-
lightful It had bean ansounoed that the Prime sad
Princes, of Wales were to visit the flower show, and the
hoar of opening the Palace was pcetpeued from twelve
o'clock to orme, to melds their royal hiatus/sees to enjoy a
private view el the exhibition ; sod this was no doubt see
of the many cameo for the assemblage of a very madders*
number of visitors, most of whom came early, probably
hopiog that the Prime and Prince= would extend their stay
beyond the hour s/loted specially to their service. As it
tumid out the royal visit did not take plass, the following
letter having been received at the Palace in the coarse of
the =rain :

Nay 111, 18113.
"My dear Sir.—The Prince of Wales has direeled sae Ile
say bar very. wiry No is got to coosequesos of eke Primo

[TWOPENCE

Louis of Hesse and the Princes, having 'been obliged to
suspend their embenation from Orwiseend tomorrow from
the morning to 3 o'clock= the afternoon, his royal highness
and the Princess of Wales will not find it possible to attend
the flower =ow at the Crystal Palace. They regret this
very much after the kind trouble you have taken on this
=maim, but their royal highnemes hope to have another
opportunity afforded them shortly of sujoyieg the gratifica-
tion which they are thus unavoidably depri►ed et—Believe
me, dear StrJoeeph, yours very truly,
(Signed) " W. KNOUT&
"Sir Joseph Paxton, IL P."
Notwithstanding this disappointment the company seemed
to enjoy not a little the sight and entertainment' provided
for them. There was a ten good musical selection, which
was performed by the bead of the Coldstream Guards, the
Crystal Palace band, and the great organ alternately, and
afterwards by all three is combination. The flowering
plant" were ranged in two rows in the nave, in the space
on each side of the teaneept ; the latter area being left
available for those who collected to listen to the musical
performances, which took place in the Handel orchestra,
to the seats in which the visitors were freely admitted,
thus enabling a large proportion of them to be comfortably
seated within convenient hearing of the instru-
mento,. a point by no means attainable elsewhere.
For wand hours two continuous streams of
persona moved slowly—being rattier closely packed—
along the stands, on which were disposed • magnificent
display of •=alry pelargoniums, ca=solarien, • compa-
ratively few efnererlas, orchids, Gips heaths, end seetir
sod some specimens of roses, which were remarkable
rather for size than beauty of shape and freshness. The
seders were truly superb, having been brought, ea regards
eke and colour, to something akin to the apprentice which
they present in their native soil, though showing the hand
of art in their shapes, which were rather trim and formal.
l'he pelargoniums, in most instances remarkable for sins,
were singularly varied and strikingly beautiful in colour,
some being of the brightest and richest hues, and other of
the most soft and delie•te tuna The ealcsolarias
were fine, whether as regard, eke, form, or =dour. These
wee one or two stands of cut flowers, in which the specimens
of rams ware, as we thought, more choice than those borne
on the plants; the tulips were brilliant, and the panel= very
good. When the crowd cleared off and the eye could take to
the vista of the nave, the sight was one of exquisite fiend
beauty. The fruit was placed in the concert-room, sad
though not very abundant, contained excellent specireent
The grapes were very good, welleited but not exaggerated ;
the strawberries, though monstrous in growth, emitted
an odour which showed that flavour had not necesearffy
been sacrificed to balk. Some of the pine apples wore nota-
ble for size and beauty of form. Peaches, nectarines, plums,
melons, and cherries were well represented in quality ; and
two gigantic cucumbers looked so fresh and had such • deli-
cate bloom upon them that they held their own in appear-
snob amongst the fruit. Altogether the show was • success
in every sense of the term.