The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-16 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Mr. Gye has just issued his programme for the
approaching opera season, which will commence on
Tuesday, the 2nd of April, and in which he anticipates a
considerable increase of visitors to arise from the Paris
Exhibition, in consequence of the influx of strangers
from all parts of the world to the English as well as the
French capital.
With regin-,1 to the new opera of " Don Carlos," by M.
Verdi, and that of " Romeo and Juliet," by M. Gonna], the
former of which has been, while the latter is about to be,
produced in Paris, Mr. Gye announces that he has made
arrangements for their exclusive representation in London,
and that the principal character in the former will
be performed by Mdlle. Pauline Lucca, and in the
latter by Mdlle. Adelina Patti. Among the artistes
who have been engaged are Madame Maria Vilda, who
made her ,irlort last year as Norma, Mdlle. A. Fried,
Mdlle. Akermann (her first appearance in England), Mdlle.
Moreusi, Mdlle. Leonora Nau (her first appearance in
England). Madame Lemmena Sherrington, Mdlle. Louisa
Liebhart, Madame Dall'Anese, Signors Mario, Fancelli, Neri•
liaraldi, Rossi, Marino (his first appearance in England),
Naudin, Cotogni and Guadagnini (their brat appearance
in England), Ronconi, and Graziani ; H. Petit (his first
appearance in England) ; Signors Ciampi, Faller, Taglia.
flee, Polonini, ('apponi, Attri, and Bagagiolo. Mr. Costa
will preside over the orchestra.
The principal danseuses will be Mdlle. Marina Mora and
Mdlle. Amelia Zucchi. Mr. F. Godfrey will lead the
military band, and Mr. A. Harris be the stage manager.
In addition to the new operas already mentioned, the
programme for the season includes " Norma," "La
Favorite," "L'Etoile du Nord," " Era Diavolo," " Don
Giovanni," " Le Nome di Figaro," " I Puritani," " L'Afri.
caine," " La Gomm Ladra," " Les Huguenots," "Lu-
cretia Borgia," " H Barbiere de Seviglia," " Crispin e la
Comare," " Fidelio," " Masaniello," and " Feud," in
which the part of Margheritaiwill be performed by Mdlle.
A. Patti and Mdlle. Pauline Lucca.

The subscription will consist of forty nights, but u there
will, after the first week, be four nights in each week,
subscribers may, by making known their wishes at the
commencement of the season, obtain the option of select-
ing either two of the four nights.

Sr. PATRICK'S-I/N.—COMMEMORATION OF
FESTIVAL—AA the festival of St. Patrick, the patron saint
of Ireland, falls this year on a Sunday, the more secular
business connected with it is put down for to-day. The
children of the schools in Stamford-street were regaled,and
this evening, "the eve of St. Patrick," the solemnities of
to-morrow's festival will be foreshadowed by an attractive
service in a church bearing the saint's name, in •
small street running off from Soho-square. In that
church there will be " a procession of the relic
of St. Patrick," with a eulogium upon the piety,
virtue, and devotedness of the long-departed hero
of the faith. While these religious services are going on,
the saint's memory will be observed in a more hilarious
manner at Willis's-rooms, where his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales will preside over the festivities in con-
nexion with the 84th anniversary of the Benevolent
Society of St. Patrick. Thirty-five noblemen are vice-
presidents of the day ; and amongst the stewards are the
Attorney-General for Ireland, Raw-Admiral Seymour,
the Right Hon. F. P. Dunne, M.P., Mr.
Waring, M.P., Mr. Serjeant Armstrong, M.P., Sir
W. J. T. Power, K.C.B. Mr. I'. Kennedy, M.P.,
Mr. Vanderbyl, M.P., Sir Bernard Burke, Mr. O'Beirne,
M.P. Mr. O'Neill, M.P., Mr. W. F. Dick, M.P.,
Mr. Hamilton, M.P., Mr. M'Kenna, M.P., Mr. S. R.
Graves, M.P. Mr. J. Napier Higgins, M.P., and other
gentlemen. It is stated that, in obedience to a wish which
has been expressed by Archbishop Manning, a vast num-
ber of the lower orders of Irish, men and women, have
made a vow not to enter a public-house during the whole
of to-day or to-morrow, so that there will in all probabi-
lity be an absence of some of the disorderly scenes which
have in past years occasionally been associated with the
festival of St. Patrick. _ _ _