The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-30 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Covent-garden opened last night. The theatre
was crowded in every part, and the brilliant aspect of the
boxes and stalls, filled with fashionable company, showed
that the " season "is now fairly begun. The opera was
Norma, in which Madame Emilia Lagrua made bar diet
appearance in England in the character of the heroine. This
lady has a high continental reputation, especially at St.
Petersburg, where she has chiefly gathered herlaurels. She is
worthy of her fame, for she is • truly great artist,
equally distinguished as • tragedian aid as asinger. She is not
regularly handsome, nor has she the charm which belongs to
early youth. But she has less perishable gifts, which more
than make up for the diminution of this fleeting attraction.
She has ► oommandisg figure, and features full of expres-
sion. Her aspect is noble, and her air is distinguished by
misdated simplicity, grsos, and dignity. She speaks beau-
tifully, and her declamation, whether in recitative or air, is
expressive of passion in all its varieties and degrees of
intensity. Her acting does not consist of " mak-
ing points," but has a sustained grandeur which
is powerful and impressive. In short, we have
scarcely ever seen • finer impersonation of the
Druid priestess, one of the noblest and most pathetic
characters in the whole range of the lyric stage. As a
singer she has a voice of vast power aid oinmem, rich,
mellow, flexible, and capable of giving full expression to the
most impetuous passion as well as to the softest and ten-
derest feeling. Its powers and qualities were as remarkably
displayed in the subdued tone in which she breathed the
beautiful prayer, "Carta Diva," as in the bursts of un-
bridled fury with which the " woman scorn'd" hurled threat.
and reproaches at the head of her perjured lover. Her recep-
tion was such as was due to so accomplished an artist, and
she will evidently be one of the great stare of the season.
As a whole this fine opera was extremely well performed.
Naudin was an excellent Pollio ; we have scarcely ever
had such ►n Adalgisa as *Me. Marie Battu ; and Signor
Atte (a sew corner) gave impressive effect to the character
of Droves*.

We are authorised to state that the Queen has
been graciously pleased to announce her intention to
hold a Court at Buckingham Palace on Wed-
nesday, the 6th of April, at which her Majesty will
receive the principal members of the Corps Diplo-
matique, and that at a second Court, to be held on
Wednesday, the 13th of April, a limited number of
distinguished persons will be invited to attend, in
order to have an opportunity of paying their
respects to her Majesty. Three drawing-rooms
will be held in the course of the season by her
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and three
levees by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
on behalf of the Queen. We are also authorised to
announce that, in the months of May and June, two
state concerts and two state balls will, by com-
mand of the Queen, take place at Buckingham
Palace, and further that her Majesty's birthday will
be celebrated on the 24th of May.

On the lith March the infant child of their
Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of
Wales was vaccinated. The vaccine produced the
desired effect, and the royal infant has passed
through the various stages of the process in the
most satisfactory manner.

CRYSTAL PALACI. ONE SHILLING DAT. —•
TCF.SDAT. MARCH 29.—Adzoimioee on payment, 4,636
ditto by lesson tickets, 1,192 ; total, 5,528.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, MAR!'H 28.
Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty's birthday will be
celebrated on Tuesday, the Nth of May sext.—Oaulte.
THE PRINCE ALBERT MEMORIAL IN ST. MARY'S
Cacncti, NornsGakit.—A very beautiful seat willow, at
a cost of 1,000/., has just been placed in the chancel of St.
Mary's Church, Nottiegbam, in memory of the late Prince
Consort. A description of the window having been for-
warded to the Queen, the following reply was received by
the vicar, the Rev. Prebendary Brooks : 'Windsor Castle,
March 26, 1864.—Sir,—I have not failed to lay before her
Majesty the Queen the description and design of the me-
morial window to the Prance Consort, erected in St. Mary's
Church, Nottingham. Her Majesty has been much grati-
bed by this mark of respect and admiration of her deeply.
lamented husband.-1 have the honour to be, U., C. B.
Patera."

MANSION Horns.—Yesterday, in observance of
the Urges hoooured annual custom on Easter Tuesday, the
whole of the boys, upwards of 600 in number, sow being
educated at Christ's Hospital, went in procession iron, the
school in Newgate.street to the Mansion-house. to be pre-
sented to the Lord Mayor. On arriving at the Memnon.
house the pupils first assemble is a body in the Egyptian.
hall in the presence of the Lord Mayor and the lAdy
Mayoress, the aldermen, the sheriffs, and other members of
the corporation. Thence they march two-and•two on their
return through the grand w,loon, where the Lord Mayor,
whole attended by his sword sod mace bearers, presents
each of them with a gold or silver coin fresh from the Mint ;
the Grecians receiving each a sovereign), the monitors halt-
s-crown, and the rest of the boys a shilling, with a glass of
wine, and a couple of plumcakee as they take their leave.
The Lord Mayor always wean his robe and badge of office
on the occasion, as do the sheriffs and such of the aldermen
who choose to attend. and altogether the spectacle is very
picturesque. The ceremony earls by the Lord Mayor pre-
senting a fourpeany piece each to such children as happen
to be present and do not belong to the schooL
SPECIAL SEUVICI:23 AT ST. Psres.—The following
is the list of the preachers for the month of April
the Dean of Chichester (Dr. Hook) ; 10th, the Rev. T. 8.
Howson, Principal of Collegiate Institution, Liverpool ;
17th, the Rev. H. P. Liddell, Student of Christ Church.
Oxford; 24th, the Rev. W. M'Murrsy. D. D., rector of
Niagara, Upper Canada. The special services will close in
April.
Tan FISHING SIILSON.—The fishing season has
commenced in earnest in Conn Lake, Anglesey, and other
well preserved lakes in North Wales. Some excellent sport
bee been had and splendid trout captured, many weighing
21b. sod upwards. A gentleman trawling for pike the other
day is the river Des, below Glaoderr, near Corwin. with a
small trout bait. booked two salmon weighing 4llb. and
3ilb. respectively. This promises well for ample sport in
the far-famed Dee (which is strictly preserved) daring the
ensuing season. Now that a commission of inquiry has
been instituted it is expected that the river Tat will be
well supplied, as formerly, with plenty of salmon.