The Press.
London, England, 1857-07-04 00:00:00

THE MUSICAL SEASON.

THE season is rapidly drawing to a close. The
heats or July will put an end to the largest number
of private concerts known for years. There is too
much spasm in the brief duration of our musical
entertainments. Everything of note is crowded into

the brief space between Easter and the end of July.
At the time when the public and private dinners are
in full swing, when balls and soirees-dansantes are
in immense vogue, then is it that the operatic
managers and the concert givers must look to their
harvest. The consequence is that novelties of
importance come too late for calm consideration and
analysis. For instance, Auber's popular opera, Fra
Diavolo, adapted by him and Scribe expressly for
the Lyceum company, will only be heard for the first
time next Thursday, and even then with the substi-
tution of Gardoni for Mario as the brigand hero, the
great tenor, who is slow in study, not having been able
to master the music for this season. There has
been apparently some infirmity of purpose in the
casting of the principal characters ; for Zerlina,
originally intended for Mlle. Victoire Balfe, has
been assigned to Mme. Bosio. The work will he
welcome, whenever it comes, as one of the most
sparkling emanations of Auber's genius.
The Philharmonic Society terminated the season
last Monday with Mozart's "Jupiter" symphony, and
Sphor's in E flat, Beethoven's Leonora, and Weber's
Oberon. Mr. Cooper executed in a masterly manner
Beethoven's violin concerto. With more intellect
and refinement the performance would have been
perfect. Mme. Schumann quite delighted her
auditory in Mendelssohn's variations. Miss Louisa
Pyne and Miss Dolby were the vocalists. In the
former the amateurs cordially welcomed the return
of a brilliant vocalist, who ought to be at the head
of a national opera, if ever we shall attain that
desideratum.

Mme. Schumann, at her matinee in the Hanover-
square Rooms, displayed her knowledge of the
pianoforte music of every school. She executed
with Ernst Beethoven's sonata in C minor, cp. 30,
for piano and violin ; she played fugues, preludes,
and suites of Bach, Mendelssohn, and Handel ; she
" sang " Mozart's andante in A minor, op. 71 ; and
vitalised Chopin's dreary nocturne in B.
The director's grand matinee at the Musical Union,
on Tuesday, was crowded with rank and fashion,
listening to what the opera-goers style the "dryest"
music in the world ; such as Haydn's quartet in F,
No. 82 ; Beethoven's sonata in A minor, op. 47 ;
Hummel's septet in D minor, op. 74, for piano, flute,
oboe, violin, corno, violoncello, and contrabasso.
The executants were Mme. Schumann and Mlle.
Staudach (a very clever pianiste), Sivori, Goffrie, H.
Blagrove, Piatti, Bottesini, Pratten, Barnet, and C.
Harper. Herr von der Osten sang Beethoven's
"Adelaida" to Mme. Schumann's pianoforte accom-
paniment, and two charming Persian melodies of
striking originality by Rubinstein. One of the
treats of the day was Mme. Schumann's reading of
Handel's. " Harmonious Blacksmith."

Mr. Henry Blagrove has given his third quartet
meeting with the aid of Mme. Oury as pianisle, and
Sainton.

The programme of the Royal Italian Opera Con-
cert at the Crystal Palace yesterday contained some
interesting items, amongst which the finale to the
first act of Don Giovanni and Alendelssolin's Loreley
finale, the overtures to Fidelio and William Tell,
must be specified. Three more concerts, and these
attractive entertainments will terminate.

Heir William Ganz, with Lord Ward's permission,
gave a matinee yesterday at the Dudley Gallery.
He is an able pianist. Amongst the vocalists named
in the scheme were Mile. Jenny Baur, Mme. Lem-
mens Sherrington, Mlle. Antonietta Mary, Mr.
Charles Braham, Miss Messent. M. Paque, Mr.
Benedict, and Signor Bazzini, were the instru-
mentalists.

M.Offenbach, the director of the Bouffes Parisiens,
had his benefit night lust Wednesday, at the St.
James's Theatre. It may not be forgotten that M.
Offenbach was first known in this country, some

years since, as a first-rate performer on the violon-
cello. He afterwards acquired distinction as a com-
poser, and finally embarked in the undertaking in
the Champs Elysies in Parii, which has given him
such renown. Several of the operettas he has written
have had a most extraordinary run, such as Les
Deux Aveugles, Croquefer, ou le Dernier des Paladins,
Le Violoneux, &c.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—On Monday next the
benefit of Mlb. Piccolomini will take place. The
performances will comprise an act of La Figlia del
Reggimento, to be followed by an act of the Trova-
tore, with Spezia, Giuglini, and Alboni. Atter this
Mlle. Piccolomini will again appear in the last act of
the Traviata. The concluding scene of I Martini,
in which Mlle. Piccolomini will appear, will add the
interest of a new part to the evening's entertainments.
The occasion will be honoured by a musical concen-
tration of strength upon the ballet.
ST. JAMES'S IHEATRE.—FRENCH PLAYS.—The last
week of the Bouffes Parisiens draws near. Their en-
gagement terminates next Saturday, and no one will
deny that the loss of this admirable troupe will be
really felt. Their success has been remarkable and
well deserved.

HER MAJESTY AT MANCHESTER.
THE Queen and the Prince Consort, accompanied by
the Prince Frederick William of Prussia, the Prince
of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, and
the Princa Alfred, left Buckingham Palace for
Worsley on Monday afternoon, and arrived at Lord
Ellesmere's seat shortly before eleven o'clock the same
night. Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour a
vast concourse of people were assembled at the
station, and cheered the Queen heartily upon the
arrival of the royal train. In Manchester every
preparation had been made to give the royal party a
suitable reception upon their visit the following day
to the Arts Exhibition. Triumphal arches had been
erected, banners and draperies were used to decorate
the buildings along the road, and all that was wished
for was fine weather. But a heavy thunderstorm had
already broken over the town, the sky was louring
and heavy, and it was feared that for once the
Queen's proverbial good fortune would fail her at
Manchester. From an early hour the next morning
the route from Worsley to Pendleton, and along the
Oxford•road to Old Trafford, began to fill in rapidly
with thousands of people. Manchester bad deter-
mined upon a holiday to do honour to her Queen.
The mills were at rest, the weather had cleared up,
and soon after daylight the triumphal arches were
finally touched, the groups of flags and draperies
arranged for the last time, and by nine o'clock nearly
a million of people, packed in dense masses along
the entire route, were waiting the progress of her
Majesty and the Royal Family. Miners and mecha-
nics, factory.men, women, and children, and the
peasantry, with their wives, were all there, with bands
of music and benefit clubs and Odd Fellows, waiting
to give a welcome to their Queen.
Shortly after nine o'clock her Majesty quitted
Worsley. Six open state carriages, escorted by the
Lancashire Yeomanry, formed the cortege. The
carriages proceeded quickly to Pendleton, which they
entered at a slow pace, and amidst the enthusiastic
cheers of the people passed through Salford into
Manchester. Here was a scene such as is rarely

Is of people, clustered like bees
upon every housetop, in every window, snd densely
massed along the streets, welcomed the Queen with
such shouts end huzzas as English lungs alone
can give forth; while the thunder of artillery, the
strains of the military bands, and the merry peals of
the church bells, stimulated the popular feeling to
the most exciting demonstrations.
Her Majesty and the royal party arrived at the
Exhibition building, which had long previously been
almost filled with a most distinguished company,
exactly at twenty-one minutes past eleven o'clock.
The royal party all occupied open carriages, which
had moved through the crowded thoroughfares very
slowly. Only once, and that when in Market-street,
did a shower of rain compel her Majesty to use her
parasol as a protection, and that was for a few
moments only. Her Majesty wore a black silk
dress trimmed with crape, black mantle, and white
bonnet; and the two Princesses were attired with
equal simplicity. Both they and the Prince Con-
sort, who wore the Order of the Garter, appeared to
be in good health. Her Majesty bowed repeatedly
to the frequent salutations from either side of the
roads, and smiled most graciously on the crowded
throngs as they cheered and welcomed her amongst
them. A salute of twenty-one guns from the Royal
Artillery announced her arrival at the Exhibition,
and the concussions of the atmosphere caused by
these discharges probably brought on the heavy
torrent of rain which immediately succeeded. On
entering the building the Queen and royal visitors
proceeded to the reception-ram at the entraice,
froal whence they emerged into the great central

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hall utter an interval of only five minutes, and were
conducted up the central aisle by the president,
chairmen, and members of the executive committee,
to the dais in the transept. Her Majesty having
taken her seat, with the Prince Consort, the
Princess Alice, the Prince of Wales, and Prince
Alfred s. ated on her left, a id the Prince of Prussia,
the Prit,c ,ss Royal, and Sir George Grey on her
right, the rzhestra pealed forth the National Anthem,
Madame Clara Novello singing the solos, and filling
with her rich clear voice the entire building.
At the conclusion of the National Anthem, Mr.
Fairbeirn, the chairman, and other members of the
executive committee, and Mr. Deane advanced to the
front of the dais, and Mr. Fairttairn read au address
to the Queen.

Her Aikjesty received the address most graciously,
and, having handed it to Sir George Grey, said :
The splendid spectacle presented to my view on this
occasion affords a gratifying proof both of the generous
munificence with which the possessors of valuable works
of art in this country have responded to your desires, and
encouraged your efforts in the attainment of thirf great
result, and also of the enlightened taste and judgment
which have guided you in the arrangement of the treasures
placed at your disposal.

The members of the executive committee were
then severally prevented by Sir George Grey, and
had the honour of kissing her Majesty's hand.
The corporation a Manchester, headed by the
mayor, Mr. James Watts, next advanced to the
throne, and the Recorder of the City of Manchester,
Mr. Armstrong, Q.C., read an address, to which her
Majesty graciously replied
I thank you sincerely for the warm interest which you
have expressed in all that concerns my own welfare and
that of my family, and for your congratulations on the ap-
proaching union of my eldest daughter with the Prince of
an illustrious house, which, while it affords to them, under
God's blessing, the best prospect of happiness, will, I trust,
also be conducive to the interests of this kingdom.
I have the greatest pleasure in again visiting Manches-
ter, not only because it enables me to mark my cordial
approval of the valuable and interesting exhibition which
has been opened with so much success within these walls,
but also because it has given me another opportunity of
witn. ssing the gratitying proofs of the ardent loyalty and
attachment of the inhabitants of this great seat of manu-
facturing industry.
Yon may be assured that there is no object nearer to
my heart than to advance the hest interests and permanent
welfare of my loyal and faithful people.
At the conclusion of the reply Mr. James Watts,
the mayor, advanced, and kneeling at the foot of the
dais, her Majesty received a straight, cross-handled
sword from the Prince Consort, which she gracefully
laid on the shoulder of Mr. Watts, who by the act
was knighted. and rose up Sir James. The honour
was so quietly and so instantly conferred that it
seemed to take the audience by surprise for an
instant, when prolonged cheering arose from all
parts of the building. The same honour had, we
are informed, been previously offered to Mr. Thomas
Fairbairn and Mr. Heelis, the Mayor of Salford, but
was most respectfully declined by those gentlemen.
The Mayor and Corporation of the borough of
Salford then presented the third and last address,
her Majesty returning a suitable reply.
During the whole of the time that this ceremonial
was enacting the rain fell in torrents, and pattered
on the roof so as almost to drown all other sounds.
Her Majesty then proceeded to examine the galleries
devoted to the works of the ancient and modern
masters. This inspection was of the most strictly
private character, and none but the royal party
accompanied the Queen. After the inspection of the
Ancient Gallery her Majesty proceeded to the recep-
tion.room, where a most sumptuous luncheon, served
on gold plate, had been prepared for the royal party
by Mr. Donald, the euterprking restorateur to the
Exhibition. Having partaken of this repast, the
inspection of the Gallery of Modern Masters was
proceeded with. This did not terminate till past two
o'clock, when her Majesty again returned to the
central hall, and amid the same enthusiastic de-
monstrations of affectionate loyalty was conducted
down to the reception•room, and took her departure
with the same ceremonies and royal salutes as had
welcomed her arrival.

The royal party returned to Worsley•hall by the
same route through Manchester, but at a very rapid
rate.

On Wednesday her Majesty left Worsley about
ten o'clock, and made her second and final visit to
the Art Treasures Exhibition, at Old Trafford,
accompanied by the Prince Consort, the Prince of
Prus•ie, the Princess Royal, Princess Alice, the
Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, Sir George Grey,
the Duchess of Sutherland, and the Earl of Elles-
mere. They arrived at the Palace about halt' past
eleven o'clock, and remained in the building until a
little after two o'clock in the afternoon. The visit
was strictly private.
On the Queen's return to Worsley, in passing
thro.igh Worsley, she paid a visit to Peel-park, to
see the marble statue of her Majesty, which was
raised to commemorate her visit to the park in 1851,
when she was received by from 70,000 to 80,000

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