The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-10 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Mdlle. Christine Nilsson made her first appear-
ance here on Saturday night in La Trariata, and achieved
a brilliant success. This young lady (of Swedish birth) has
studied in Paris, where she has earned a high position by
her various performances during the last three years
at the Theatre Lyrique, and has gained a reputation
which preceded her arrival here and raised the
highest expectations. These anticipations, it gives us
great pleasure to record, were more than fulfilled
by her first appearance on Saturday night. The first
phrases uttered by Violetta, when receiving her guests in
the opening scene, announced a singer of rare distinction.
and an actress of exquisite grace of manner. Mdlle. Nibs-
son's personal appearance raised • favourable prepossession
that was afterwards fully realised by her vocal and dramatic
merits. Of average stature, she has a good stage presence,
an elegant figure, expressive eyes, and that grace-
ful demeanour and unembarrassed simplicity of manner
which betoken general cultivation and refinement. Her
voice is a pure soprano of great compass, reaching from
D fiat above, to B flat below the lines. In its upper
portion it is brilliant without ever losing its silvery and
sympathetic quality, being also free from that frequent
vine of modern singer,, the exaggerated tremolo, now so
generally called in to aid in emotional expression. Her
sh►ke is distinct and well finished, and her sock-
nut° admirable ; and she possesses that power,
equally rare with vocalists and instrumentalists, of
facile execution in passages of Inez:a roer. Her
diminuendo on a long sustained note, gradsally subsiding
into a faint yet distinct pianissimo, reminds us
somewhat of Jenny Lind. Her brilliant delivery of
the "Brindisi" in the first act called forth an im-
mediate encore, and at once secured • favourable
impression for the debutante, which each succeeding
scene served to strengthen. In the subsequent duet with
Alfredo "rn di feline," the refinement and neatness of
Mille. Nilsson's execution were especially apparent in the
*cher:undo passages which aregiven to the soprano in that
movement. In the andantino of the well-known air "Ah
fors' e lui," Mille. Nilsson 's admirable soesnuto and
genuine powers of p►thos were conspicuous, while the fol-
lowing Allygn, Brit/ante was given with facile volubility,
and • refinement and purity of style superior both to the
music, and the dramatic situation. The success of Mlle.
Nilsson was here placed beyond a doubt, as she was re-
called twice on the termination of the first act. In each
succeeding scene the charming new comer confirmed, and
even heightened the impression previously made—her
pathetic delivery of the air in the third act,
" Addio del passato," calling forth a general burst of
applause. Even into the common-place and rather
vulgar (and popular) duet " Parigi, o cars," her refined
and earnest expression infused • real sentiment that does
not properly belong either to the music or the situation.
In her last scene too, her death-parting from Alfredo,
there was a genuine truthfulness, belonging to the artist
herself, which gave a factitious and undeserved import.
ance to the work in which she appeared. Signor
Mo•gini, as Alfredc, sang with much expression,
but with that occasional spasmodic sfonando by which he
sometimes mars his otherwise effective performance. Mr.
Santley's Germont is too well known to need fresh eulogy.
His air, "Di Proven• it Mar," was, as usual, encored—a
tribute rather to the merits of the singer than to those of
the composition. The characters not already mentioned
(of comparatively small importance) were efficiently filled
by Manes. Baumeister and Corsi, Signori Agretti,
Baud, Casaboni, and Foli, and Mr. Lyall. The
success of Paddle. Nilsson, evident from her first note,
was confirmed at the close of the opera, when she was
enthusiastically recalled three times after the fall of the
curtain. There can be no doubt that Her Majesty's
Theatre has gained the accession of an artist of excel.-
tonal powers and acquirements, and one whom we trust
to see pursuing a successful career by future performances
in works of • higher class than Verdi's La Trariata.

The operas at her Majesty's Theatre for the
current week are Norma (to-night) ; La Trarietta, for
Mdlle. Nilsson's second appearance (Tuesday);
with Mdlle. Titian, as Leonora (Thursday—first time) ;
and Faust, with Mdlle. Nilsson as Margaret (Saturday).
Fidtlio has been already announced for one night last week,
but being postponed in ocvnsequence of the indisposition of
Mdlle. Titles*, Lorin di Lammermoor was substituted.

The operas announced for the present week at
Covent-garden are La Sosnasada, with Mdlle. Adelina
Patti as Amine (to-night—first time); Faust r Marplierite
(to-morrow night) ; Le Pose di Figaro (Thursday) ; Don
Caries,with Mdlle. Lucas as Elisabeth (third time—Friday);
and Don Gioranni (Saturday).
_ . _

A happy historical contrast was presented at the
Llackhurn lxard of guardians' meeting on Saturday but,
when there were only six applicsnts for relief from six
townships, and three of these cases arose out of disputes
between man and wife. To make the contrast still more
striking, it is stated that now of the oases were relieved.

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LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

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(scoria's rmsaamp.)
BOMBAY (HEAVY) ILULS.

SM-THAUPTON, JrKE 10.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company's steamer Euxine, with the heavy por-
tion of the Bombay mails, 97 passengers, 1,2291.
in specie, and a general cargo, has arrived here.
She experienced fine weather throughout the pas-
Sage.

GIBRALTAR, JUNE G.

Her Majesty's ship Terrible arrived here on the
3rd and the Galatea on the 4th. The latter vessel
was en route for the Australian colonies rid Rio
Janeiro.

The British barque Queen of the Sea tool• fire on
the lst, which was extinguished before the ship or
cargo sustained much damage.
Exchange on London, 50 ; Paris, 526 ; Madrid,
par.

OUTWARD CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.
GIBRALTAR, Jess 9.

The Pera, from Southampton 4th inst., arrived
to-day at 2 p.m., and leaves at 5 p.m. for Alexan-
dria, experienced moderate weather.

AMERICA.
SOUTHAMPTON. Joss 10.
The North German Lloyd's steamer Hansa, from
New York, passed the Needles at 11.20 to-day.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.