The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-07 00:00:00

(9baved td. AdditioneL)

rei caratAL !'AL ICI.

Good Friday at *a Orysial Palma* mut henoe-
forth be ranked as one of aka ralisricabia ears of the Ef'g'
liah year. Yesterday ism* 40000 al *London poPule-
, lion poured out by ran and 'boa and tan to enjoy the wes-
terly wind in its full vigour on Pengehill, and to see the
sights and to hear the music which had been prepared for
the greet annlvereary. The regularity with which the
Brighton Railway Compiny conveyed these vast armies of
pleasure-seekers baekwards and forward' during the day wan
wooderhd, the more so when we remember that in addi-
tion to the Palace bathe there were pleasure excur-
sions to almost every other terminus of the line. The
solemnity of the festival of course excluded any of the
lighter clam of amusement, but there was an admirable
selection of sacred music, with which the vast multitude
seemed to be highly mitiffed. Madame Rudersdorff, whose
voice in admirably eakadated for this very peculiar concert.
room, sang Randers music with great effect, and it in need-
less to add that .lildlle., Pamela:mini was in her pose;,
pregmoich tam of the enthusiastically applauded.
A wonderful effect produced byn Mr. Mermen
perfornisaae oi the tram ' sad Mr. Palgey was abo very
socoserful in his jeortiop e concert. The menial portion
of 'the day's entertainment concluded with the National
Anthem, the solos of irhich were sunk by Madame Radar
dorff and. Mi. Pi(10010111illl, the tatter creating quite a
him by *LONNY with whichl4o 0,71 t. the 'emir'
- • -.— -

AT c,: :41411217511110111/g-77=415.1
Ilfrailattring=limi the .accompliakell esnietaice
bior them dropwith the fortie'of
• Neamyth hammer, isrige delight of the audience,
who cheered agniu and thediptetvals of the
music the company spread theriselvei •Wirt%e grounds or
promenaded through the courts ; Milord there was not a
siaile spot in the Palace or gardens which had not its full
Taiga of company throughout the day. When we left, at
about half lost sic o'clock, all the avenues to the railway
wade besieged by an army of at lead 10,000 perilous, so
that those who found themselves at the rear retreated in
despair, and availed themselves of whatever vehicular
aroommodation could be obtained at the Norwood side of

the building.
As the gathering of Good Friday may be mid to be the
first symptom of the coming summer season, the present
may be not an unfitting opportunity for glancing at the
direoton' programme, by means of which they hope to
secure 6 succession of audiences similar to that which filled
their crystal halls yesterday. The season guinea ticket
holders will have the same advantage as last year, namely,
that ri obtaining half -crown tickets for extraordinary eon-
sions, an indulgence to which there will be no exception as
'in the one of the Handel Festival last year. Two guinea
tickets will alto be issued, for whisks thane will be no exclu-
sion even on the most special days, and the following bill of
fare will show what a vast amount of entertainment they

will secure.
There will be an opening festival on Wednesday, the 2nd
of May, for the inauguration of Bacon's colossal bronze
statue of Mendelssolin, and on this occasion there will be a
grand performance of the oratorio of Elijah, with Costa for
conductor, and a band end chess of 3,000 performen.
There will be dower shows ce May 26th, June 30th, An.
gust 6th, and November 15th ; sad there will also be an
attractive series of concerts, comprising the best available
musical talent of the day. Our great English composer,
Vincent Wallace, is to have a day for himself, the arrange-
ment of which will be under his own direction, and in May
and June the Tonic Sol-fa Association and metropolitan
charity children will each hold a musical festival. The
new concert-hall, the largest music-room in London, will be
brought into requisition for most of these entertainments,
sad it is expected that its capabilities for hearing will quite
remove all causes of dissatisfaction.

But, perhaps, the greatest attraction of the season will be
the visit of the Soci6t€ des Orpheonistes of Frame, 162
emaciation which comprises nearly all the part-singers of
the grand empire, and who have promised a three days'
performance in thergreet °Teixeira of the centre transept.
Their number will be between 3,000 and 4,000, under the
direction of Mona. Eugene Delaporte, and their com-
bined performance is expected to produce • musical
treat of • very high order. These performaacea
will take place on the 25th, 26th, and 28th June, and
will be open to the holders of two guinea tickets, and to
non-subscribers at five and ten shillings each concert. When
we add to these the great popular meetings and excursions,
the braes-band contest which is to " split the ears of the
groundlings" on the 10th and 11th of July, the rifles, the
open-air amusements, and the great fountains, we think
we shall have maid enough to justify the Clown's admoni-
tion, " Be in time," to all who think of purchasing season
tickets for the Crystal Palace.
A valuable and important addition has been made to the
refreshment department by the erection of a series of de-
lightfully situated dining-rooms in the south tower of the
building. The prospect from these rooms cannot be cur-
weal in England, and their comparatively moderate size
will secure an amount of quietness at dinner which is
seMom to be obtained in the great saloon. In the same
department there is one large room capable of dining 400
persons, with a gallery for 80 ladies, and this apartment
will no doubt be largely used for the public dinners of the
season. The library, School of Art, and Art-Union all ex-
hibit steady progress, and will each contribute their quota
to the interest and amusement of the whole entertainment.
With such • programme as we have above sketched, and
after such an auspicious commencement as yesterday's
gathering, it is hardly being too sanguine to anticipate •
prosperous Crystal Palace summer season for the year 1860.