The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-30 00:00:00

lituotc.

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ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—" IA 0172.11LItdru" was
performed at Covent Garden last night, for the first time.
This fine opera not lens interesting so a drama than beauti-
ful as a musical work, was magnificently performed—better,
probably, than it has ever been performed in any theatre in
Europe. Never, probably, has eo 'strong a cast of prin-
cipal characters b;en aided by so superb en orchestra
and so excellent a chorus. Grisi was the Ninetta,
which is well known to be one of the best of her
?arts. She never represented the sorrows of the poor
girl with more truth and feeling, or sang with more
grace and sweetness. Her principal air, "Di pincer
mi balsa it car," wag an example of the most florid execution,
combined with perfect purity of style and justness of exprea-
,.ion. We again had Tamburini in his old part of the he-
roine's father ; • part to which he alone of any performer
'velum. ever seen in it, has been able to do justice. Mario was
Giannetto. He was labouring under a hoarseness, which
greatly affected his vocal powers, and obliged him to
omit a good deal of the music. But this circumstance was
of leu consequence than if it bad occurred in almost any
other opera in which Mario performs ; for Gannett° is an
insignificant part, the feebleness of which is the greatest
fault with which this opera can be charged. Mimes was
the Podettd ; and his reading of the character, in our opi-
nion, was excellent. He excluded every vestige of the
buffoonery which it has been customary to intro-
duce into the part, exhibiting nothing ridiculous.
either in dress, manner, or appearance ; and thus
airing greater congruity to the almost trazic scenes
in which he is a principal agent. We particularly felt the
excellence of this way of acting the character, in a deeply.
interesting scene where, after Nnietla has screened her
father from the magistrate's scrutiny, the old soldier dis-
covers himself by interposing to protect his child from the
villain's insult. We saw this scene so effeetively acted,
nor ever heard the trio, " 0 Name benefieo " more
beautifully sung. But the most novel and striking
feature of last night's performance, was Madlle. Al-
bones appearance in the character of Pippo, to which
she imparted an importance, interest, and beauty
which we had never seen given W it by any previous per-
former. The warm-hearted boy, in her person, becomes
quite delightful, and the music of the part displays to the
greatest advantage her charming qualities as a wager. The
air which she sang in the chorus in the first scene (a beau-
tiful morceau, though it is almost always left out),
made • great impression, and was loudly encored ; and.
in the fine duet in the prison scene, " Ebben, per nil* me-
moria," she sang her first solo with such richness of voice,
such finished execution, and such enchanting sensibility and
tenderness, that it threw the audience into a transport of
pleasure. After it had been encored with acclamations, it
was again called for with almost equal warmth ; end, though
she properly showed some besititauon in obeying the call, she
found it necessary to sing its second time, to the utter destruc-
tion ofdramatr, propriety, Ludo( the duet of which it formed.
part. This senseless custom of expressing approbation by
encores is becoming more and more intolerable. It is sur-
prising that audiences are so blind to its gross absurdity.
The theatre was crowded in every part; which, has uni•
fermly been the cam at this theatre when good operas have
been given. Indeed, the quality of the pieces performed
there has been so accurately measured by the comparative
fullness of the houne, that the public may be said to have
given the management a useful lesson if they think proper to
profit by it.

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 30, 1847.

the frad Chancellor w■s said to have express:A an opinion
at variance with that entertained by himself respecting the
jurisdiction.

COURT OF EXCISE.
BOALDIIIO.IIOUSES.—John4soa, of No. 44, Wet-
Harmon, City, boarding-house keeper, was charged with
eatailiog foreign wine and malt liquor without license. An
ellair of incise stated that on the 25th of May last he went
to the house of defendant, with another officer' who re-
mained outside when he entered. Seeing Mrs. Rolinsm,
he inquired i( he could be accommodated, when he was
shown into • private room. lie then went into the dining-
room, where he ordered luncheon, with which he was sup-
plied, together with a haute of stout. lie then left the
house, and at five o'clock returned to dinner, when bottles
of stout were placed on the table, and sherry after dinner.
He remained there all night, and, on the following morning,
inked for his bill. This was produced, and containd,
amongst other items, " dinnerluncheon, &c.•" and
upon his inquiring whether the wine and beer had been' in-
eluded, Mrs. Robinson raid that charge included everything.
The bill produced is the one he received ' and, having paid
the amount, be loft the house. The other offices
proved that no liquors had been fetched during
the stay of the last witness in defendant's home.—
For the defence, a solicitor called a Mr. Hunt, who said that
he lived at Mr. Robinson's, and that the wine partaken of by
the officer belonged to him, and was purchased with. his
money; the officer partook of the wine by his invitation,
end made no offer of payment. It was the practice of the
house that they should be supplied with beer at dinner, but
if nay was wonted at other times the money was asked for.
The solicitor contended that the defendant had the beer in
the home for the use of his own family, and it was not like
an open house, where it was served to all promiscuous ens.
tomers.—Mr. Commissioner Stephenson : If you are to be at
liberty to serve beer to your customers. it is an evasion of all
licenses whatever.—The duet gave judgment, but mitigated
the penalty to 101., on the strong assurance of the solicitor
that his client had acted in entire ignorance of the law.