The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-27 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Mario appeared last night, for the first time this
season. There was • crowded house, and he had, of course,
an enthusiastic reception, being welcomed with rounds
applause, repeated and prolonged for several minutes. The
opera was the Puritani, and he performed his well known
and favourite part of Arturo. He seemed in excellent
health, looked remarkably well, and has recovered the
strength and freshness of voice which were much impaired
during the whole of last season. Mademoiselle Bodo
was the Elvira; and (setting aside Griei, who
appears now to have relinquished the part) she
is in every respect the best Elvin now on the
stage. She looks the character charmingly, and acts it with
much grace and sweetness. Her features are not strongly
enough marked to enable her to give adequate expression
to intense passion ; and hence she comparatively failed In
the scene in which Oriel used to be so great—where the
poor girl, suddenly finding herself deserted by her be-
trothed lover, Is plunged at oace from the height of
happiness to despair and madness. But the quiet melan-
choly insanity into which she gradually sinks, and her
restoration to reason and happiness, on her lover's return,
were painted with great feeling. Mlle. Bseio's singing was
altogether exquisite ; in beauty of voice, brilliancy of execu-
tion, and finished elegance of style, it has acarcely ever
been surpassed.
With two such performers the beautiful passages which
abound in this opera produced even more than their usual
effect. The delightful "A te, 0 can "—the finest thing
that Bellini ever wrote—was vehemently encored, and the
same compliment was paid to the famous polacca, " Sea
virgin sucrose," which Baia sang with marvellous bril-
-1 liancy. Still greater effect was produced by her in the air
in the second act, " Vien, diletto ;" and the long and
highly-wrought duet in the third, where Elvira is restored
to her senses by the caresses of her lover, was sung and
acted, on both sides, with isresistible pathos.
Ronconi in Riccardo, and Formes in Giorgio, male the
cast of the opera as strong as we have ever seen it even in
the days when these parts used to be sustained by rumba-
rini and Lableche. Formes, who appeared in this opera for
the first time, is constantly making progress as an Italian
singer. When we compare the present smoothaess and
polish of his phrasing, we can hardly believe him to be the
same performer whose rugged Germanisms a few seasons
ago seemed so out of place on the boards of an Italian
stage.
We bear that a new opera by Verdi, called Rigoletto, is
about to be produced. It has made a furore in Italy; but
this circumstance, in the present state of the musical stage
in that country, does not ray much for its merit. Perhaps,
however, we may be agreealely disappointed.

LONDON SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.- —Handel's
"Judas Maceabeus " was given by this society last night,
for the first time this season, the vocalists being Misses
Birch, M. Wells, A. Byers; Messrs. Lookey, Seymour, and
Lawler. Few of Handel's oratorios contain grander choral
writing or more beautiful solos than " Judas," which will
always remain amongst the meat popular of his larger
works. The performance of last night presented no feature
of novelty to call for special comment. The choruses were
generally well sung; with, however, an occasional tendency
to " drag " the tempo ; but this is perhaps preferable to the
opposite extreme. Exeter Hall was, as usual, crowded;
the formation of new societies with similar objects seemiug
to have no influence in thinning the audiences.
FEMALE AID SOClETY.—Yeeterday the annual
general meeting of this charity was held at Willis's-rooms,
the Marquis of Cholmondeley in the chair. The object of
this society is to save and rescue from vice. The following
is the result of the efforts of the society during the past
year at the Friendless Home. Number of young females
admitted 206 ; in the " Home " March 31, 1851, 30 ; total,
236; number planed in service, 201 ; emigrated, 2 ; left at
their own request, 5 in the " Home' December 31,
1852, 28 ; t0ta1,,236. 'the number placed in servicesince
the commencement of the society had been 1,220. The
return from the Servants' Home was as follows :—N umber
of servants admitted as lodgers during the past year 338
since the commencement of the society, ; supplied
with situations from the registry, 663 ; registered and sup-
plied with places, 4,513. The numerical results of the
"Home fur Penitent Females " were thus given:—Num-
ber admitted 156 ; in the " Homo " March 31, 1852, 50;
total, 206 ; left at their own request, 45 ; dismissed from
various causes, 25; sent to hospitals or left in ill health,
30 ; sent to service, 25; restored to friends, 14 ; sent to
parishes, &c., 8 ; in the " Home " December 31, 1852, 59 ;
total 206. Provided for since the:opening of the institution,
939. The report stated that a large falling off in thr, funds
heti taken place.
DREADFUL DEATIL—Last evening,RlSfew minutes
before six o'clock, a shocking accident occurred at the rec-
tory-house of St. Martin Hagar, Martin's-lane, New Can-
'inn-street, City. Three men were endeavouring to raise
an oaken frame and bracket intended to receive the clock
which it is intended to place in the tower now occupying
the site cf the old church, when the rope broke, and the
frame, weighing 12cwt., struck one man on the head, Oat.
tering his skull, and severely injuring another. A double
purchase of 2i inch rope was in use on the °erasion, buff
there was no leading block for the tackle fall. A coroner's
inquest will investigate the cause of this calamity.