The Express.
London, England, 1856-08-04 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 4, 1856.

THE OPERA SEASON.
Saturday night brought the opera season, at both
houses, to a regular tsrmiaatioo. The Lyons defl-
niti•ely closed its doors, but at her Majesty's The-

atm then are to be, &trio. the present wwk, three
supplementary or " farewell" nights, when Piccolo-
mini, the pet of the public, le to repeat the round of

characters to which oho bas appeared.

Though the pest season 61 not been marked b
many events. yet they have been of a kind which
will render the. numerable in oar Open annals. It
will not be forgotten that the destruction of the one
of our great =naiad theatres, and the resuscitation of
the other, belong to the year 1868.
Oa the sorbing 8f the 6th of March the people of
London were startled to find that Covent-garden
Theatre was a heap of still burning rains. The
destruction was total—not only the building.
but all the valuable property it contained, was
censained I but there remained to the lessee the

mends of the establishment—the greet *mew of
porfermees of ell pod,. with whom les was shoed
es the eve of cemeneonag Lis campaign. I, woo at
first supposed that the dispenioa of the establish-
mut would follow the destruction of
.its seat; but

it was soon found that Mr. O. wu making th• most
vicorons efforts to avert this calamity. Having ob-
tained possession of the Lyceum. he fund that every
member of tbs establisbment—the brilliant stare of

the sti the noble orchestra and chores, fanned
and trained with such can sod perseverance—were
ell willing to abide by him ; and, knowing that he
could no longer employee remunerate these u before,
they agreed to generous maritime for his sake; while
he, i, is understood, has eventually much diminished
the extent of thee* sacrifices by the happy idea of
petting on foot the opera mart@ at the Crystal
Palace. _ _

It Was under these eiremnstasees that Mr. Opt
opened the Lyceum on lb. 16th of April. His
company included the principal names of the previous
venom; :—Orisi Noy Basic, Mani, DWAIN Mario,
Tamberlik, Oakoni,'Formee,Taglialloo, and others of
inferior note, bat great utility. In carrying on per-
formances in es small a theatre as the Lyons, it was
sessmary to dept them to the dimensions of the
*wet sad seeordingly no attempt was made to pro-
doesptrbi=d operatic speote4m--the Hertemots,
the the Doug du Nord, &a, for which the
Royal tidies Opera had been unrivalled even by the
Orand Opera of Paris. The staple of the Lyceum
during the season has consisted of a different class of
pieces—mote truly belonging to the Italian sebool,
depending IWO upon beautiful singing and fine sat-
ing, and lees upon scenic effects and the clang of a
great orchestra. To as the change has been anything
bet disagreeable ; for the exquisite finish with which
some of the dots dowers of the pare Italian stage
have boa peoduced this season at the Lyons haa
been a mune of the utmost delight to every lover of
mueie.

The sewn began with the Troufors, with the
parte of Leonora aced bleariest) by Madame Noy and
Temberlik. Surprise was felt at the absence of
Madame Yierslot, who had appeared last year es the
ripsy Assegai, the oust striking character is the
gum. But the audience were is a great measure re.
weeded to her &beeves by the remarkable ability
with which this arduous ppaasrtt was performed by
Didate, who has sastatteed it during the mason
with great and deserved sateasse.
Oo the 22nd of April there was a performaam of
dut Disir er Amon, in which. owlet to the sodden
isdiepeelde• et Madame Bodo, the part of Adine war
performed by Mdlle. Mani. in • enattner which
showed that this young lady. the bed seems&
donna we have ever had, is well qualified to share
the hums of a higher position. This' opera bar
been Irequntly repeated ; and, with Bosio, Ciudad.
and Roaeoei, has bees one of the pleasantest things
of the Demon. _ _

Orisi mad; her first appesrance oa the lit of May
in IVornes, the part of Pollio being sustained by
Tamberlik, Adalgisa by Mani, and Oromeo by
Tegliefice : altogether a floe performance; Urea
astonishing the sadisma as math by her veal power
es she moved them by the beauty and pathos of her
seeing.
Taatherlik's engagement having terminated. be
took his departure for Rio de husk% after • farewell
benefit oa the 7th of May. The company, however,
wee so rich In tenors that this peat singer hes been
Lees mimed than might have been expected. Mario
sad dardosi remained t and Neel-Herald! (of whom
we have had occasion to speak highly) mad* some
secometal appearanoss daring the last three or four
weeks of the sessoa. _ _

Mario appeared, along with Grisi, on the filth of
May, I. Literate Boma. Sines then he has per-
formed frequently, chiefly in those opera in which
Grid takes a share. He has however abandoned this
mem goose his most favourite parts. Octavio, Is
Dots Oixesssi, has been taken by Oardoni, who has
else performed Arturo in the Peritoni, with Orial as
My" a this( we should not have looked for. Os
thetas/ head, Marie W assweed the part of Man-
de he the IVosslon, vacated by the departure of
Ilimberlik. The ammo opera has undergoes another
@hangs of east% Bede having bees substituted for
Noy in the eksraeler of Leonora. This has added a
trash wreath to this shaming performer's Lamle. as
she has shows borsolf to be not only a most exquisite
jor, but aloe (what nobody was aware of) a Ira.
when of very esosiderable powers.
Mosconi, melisterred by former failure, has swig
attempted Des Giovanni, and again failed. Now
esenie wanes; and this most intelligent and
admbslls pekhguser ought now to be convinced that
the high-hem Weise (who, roue as he is, most have
the aspect sail basin of an accomplished goatleuian)
is quite out of his Ilse. But against this ems tailors
he has had sowed signal triumph!: is Plpro, is
Delesmasa, in the Doke of Frugal, 111 Mistime. his
tibia Ws shows est in all their lustre.
Me seluttion bee been paid to the ballet. The'imay
deseer at sets has been Grits, and the only lime
tier bees a slight divertissement called Bea,
sight after night without attracting any atternrsdn.
It thus appears that though Mr. Oye has been no-
able to present the while with any kind of novelty,
his season has neither been uninteresting nor uncut-
mental. Is reseed to the next season there are
rumours and speculations without end. Oor own
umprosaion from all we hear is, that though Covent-
win will probably be rebuilt, sooner or later, yet,
Sr sent year, Mr. Oye will still have to dad a tempo.
ow/ home, most likely in Drury-lane.
The re-opening of her Majesty's Theatre was a
esemiejaenes of the destruction of Covent-garden;
&Gogh it is a mistake to suppose that, hot for this
went, the old house would have remained for ever
stoned. The porpoise of re-opening it was sever at
any time abandoned. Mr. Lumley was involved in
a mass of complicated litigation, is order to
vindicate his rights of occupation, and it wee
sely in the worse of last year that he
esseesded in doing so. It eau currently
rusesseed that the building had fallen into total
'dilapidation and decay; that it was inundated
with water, and inhabited by legions of rats. The
reverse wee the feet : the boon, with its furniture
and decorations, had all along been preserved with
scrupulous care. To make the needful repairs and
preparations required little time or expense; and
when the public, with exalted curiosity, rushed
into the theatre on the erasing of the 10th
of May, everything looked em freak, bright,
sad comfortable as if the doors had been
eased only the day before. Of wares the burn-
ing of Covent-gattion showed Mr. Lumley that
the time for maids, an effort was come; and the
effort which he did make was prodigious. He had
to swats a mighty se,ablishmsat t to rause& Europe
ior parfweiwey to obtain a impale ercetetra and a

powerful chorus, and to aocemplieh la a few
weeks the whole organisation, down lo its
minutest details, of a great opera-hum When it is
remembered that the greatest performers in the world
belonged to the rival bow, which also commanded
the services of the most eminent instrumentalists and
choristers io London, the heaviness of Mr. Lumley's'
task may be imagined.
lie opened his theatre in a wonderfully sheet epee
of time with an imposing array of names, all mouse
leas distinguished on the Continent. Several attain, 1
00 trial, wen immediately found wanting, and die- !
appeared• lbw me may allow to peas away with. ,
out further mdse. senfining ourselves to than of 1
greater alb. Madame Alboni was engaged, after
as AWN, theeridedoe of five years ; Wile. Pia-
nissimi sad *dime Albertini ware obtained
,alw
sad
l ihethreere of their
wan
as rising fame in Irtalysi;)
lug the bees of contention between the houses.
These were lb • donna : for wands there were
Madame Mdlie. Rau, and Mdlle. Berti. '
Par lOW% *OP were Calsolari and Baucaide; and
18 t addition was made in the
' Albs ens New/ -alba the 1
. Poe baritones and bases,
dare nun and Heneventano; to whom
Rossi, a perlimar a merit, was afterwards added.
These parlament teemed the whole strength
of the company; and two of them continued for
a very short time to belong to ft. These were
Madams Albartini and her husband, Signor Han-
sard& The lady was brought out in the Trovalore '
as Laura, her hulloed being the Mantic*. Though
sot so young as had been supposed, she showed
powers of a high order, and was extremely well '
received. Hot she was discontented with her re. '
°optima ; and after having appeared again is ,
Leaman Borgia, she withdrew, with her husband,
from the theatre.
Oa the opening night Alboni appeared as Angelina, 1
in the emeerentota ; one of her most favourite parts
which she hes solrwmay acted and sung charmingly,
and now as charming as ever. A few nights after-
wards she pert Rosins, in the Barkers a
linaglia : sinew; the music (which is precisely
embed to the register of bar voice) mast exquisitely,
ljulther embonpoint was against her personation
penned heroics. Her next appeeranoe, in
the Aliamenelds, was little better than a failure, the
Amide Meg be a soprano voice, while her figure wee
dselmmetei d dramatic illusion. Rae lest part was
site glgq Amen, in the 21roodore-4 magnificent
Mei oneseidal performance. She mug the music
((elms of which is very fine) with incomparable
lash, and acted with a power little inferior to that
of Viardot herself. Alboni remains to this day the
greatest mistrem living of that pure and polished
style of singing which has almost disappeared from
the Italian stage.
The great event of the seance—the appearance of
Hieesismiai—took plass on the 24th of May, when
an pilermed the part of Violetta Im the Treeing.
From that time till derniblin of Sakai" lest, when
else took leave of the lathe semi AMOK, elk
has been the object seheiceded adothetke. She
has subsequently apposed as Maria In the Adis del
Rogrimado and as Dierks in Don Pesigrealo, loth o:
whisk she has pirkruied charmingly. But it has
been in the Insists *et she has raised the public t•
the biped giesh of enthusiasm, giving rise to mum
et andensent mid& me have never seen wended
date the laadmseis d 1847. We have aimed, said
se mashes thilbaliimet that we shall rely add that,
while weyoun skate Is the delight kepized by this
gifted g lady's charms ancars we could
hardly Use expected that.they vs reedited
'the petits vegorcheor of the iof a *was
which, tilt now, we should have thought Weedy
repugnant to every English feeling of tuft mei
PeoPt•
Nor is ishit eecesaary for es to add meek to what we
have said respecting the other great event of the
season—the advent of Johanna Wagner. This oel►
bested lady, with qualities se an actress and •
singer which have deservedly gained for her the
highest reputation in Germany, hes been plead hers
under disadvantage. which we have already fully
pointed not. She hue sung music which is not abet
schooi, and which, coosequently, hes betrayed
- ,of her Italian veal execution; while

the iamb ;
she has ad hid the means of *splaying the
powers sad qualities asaribed to hes by the united
yens fiber ewes 1511 we have heard her in the
mester.works of Gluck, Mozart, Betth-ven, Spahr,
Weber, sad Keyerbeet, we shall not pretend to sit
in judges,* on Johanna Wagner.
In rapid to the other members of the company,
we may ea that Calsolari and &Iliad have
worthily maintained their high reputation ; that
Raisins*, nog known here as as admirable artist,
*moved his ability to hold a high plane MB dm
stage ; and that Beieventano sad Bog on
an hoot performers, whom we shall be very .11111,
mot with again. Riga*: Boaetti, the mookod 6.1
motor. is entitled to great praise for the mom la
tided be hie formed and dieeiplieed the orehselea. '
Phu Lek/ has endeavoured, with soomooi to
idled* bit to its high and palsy state is the old
dip d her Majesty's Theatre. In the produstiew of
In Gress with the sharmieg Rosati es its bsreine,
he has rivalled the splendour and beauty of the Peri-
dam stage.
Is taking leave of the two great Italian theatres
till next seams, we feel so disposition to exclaim,
" A plant o' both your houses r We heartily wish
them both wooer, hoping that oat WHIM= metro•
polio may be largo enough for both. If cot—if the
palm of moons must ultimately be given to the one
or the oth.,i we hove on., to Jay, " /Mir *lion 1"

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRIL—Tie Qisesn's box wu
commissi ea Saturday @maim; by Gemara' B Drank, Mn.
Boavects, Mr. P. Bouverlis, the Mimes Co f, Miss Prim, sad
Mr. A. Baetley. Assam the lashioaables who hocoared the
perfeemeame with their immense were the tollowies:—The
Deka end Deans, of Wallin atoa sod Lady Julia Hay, the
Duatessof Blishasoad, Lord Alesandm Leeson, tin Doke
of Olovelead and Lady Assiut& Psalm, the Berl el
HarltWiske. tie Marquis de Neva, On Marquis Terry de
Bari Ilsaidwieb, the Coast de Barite, the Dowager
OSSISOSI of Harrington, the COsst•lS Bellew, the Comatose
Dyes" lb. Coustesa Disarm, the Countess of Chervil sad
Lady K. Batkr, Vismaut Exmouth, Vinosat Maidstone,
Lord sad Lady Oirerstose, Lard Ward, Lady Gold-
maid, Lord sad Lad de Tabley, Lady Buoy, Lady
Flower, Lady Lady Georglaas Fan*, hi. Ravel-
kney the Portuagellas Weimer, Sir John Bteaerstone,
Bart , Sir Ralph sad Lady Howard. hie Higbee.' Meer
Alti Moored Rhea. Telpeor Bak of Kliperpoor Sled. his
Highems Meer Flea Mahound Khan Talton, Mr. BS-
*aid Lees C,fiey,the Hon. Mr.. Henry Want, the Hon.
Q. Hembnry, the Hos. Mn. Cast, Sir Henry Webb,
But., Sir Peter Csatley, Bart., the Hos. Mrs. Pitt. Sir
Matthew and Lady Wyatt, Lady Jon* Bay, Os Hoa.
Themes Braes. the Hon. H. L. Carry, Col. the Hoe.
James Ilaadneald, Colonel Lotayer Freastua, M.P., end
Mts. Lvekyer Freeman, Sir Thomas sad Lady Barrett
Leisard, Lady Fryer, Miss Basarierk, Miss Emily
Wyndham. Mr. Gordis, Maier P4taber, Mjnr Parver,
CsAisie Boa's, Min Olivia Wynne, Mr. Vaadelsar, Mr.
Woodgate, Mr. Gilbert, General 0. Cavendish, Mr. M.
Msedouidd, Maki, Pole. Mr. and Kn. C. J. Smith, Mr. C.
J. Palmer, Mn. Wm. Palmer, Captain Lloa. Catrain Ha-
milton, Mr. Crams, Mr. Percy D4yle, Mr. Bushell, Mr. A.
Masocomery, Mr. H. Hope, Mr. J M. M'Grepor, M.P.,
Main Penh, K.P., Kr. sad Mrs. Damao. Mrs. and Mise
Russell, Mn. sad Miss Wilma, Mr. Tellemaelie, Mr.
Towne, Mr. and Mee. Gardner. Mrs. Palliser, Mr.. Col-
clout', Mr. Kerwen, Mr. tad Kn. Mrs. and Miss
Boyle, Mr. sad hire Rush, lin. and Miss Matila Mrs.
Stapleton, Mr. mad Mrs. Wheeler, Probia, Mr. sad
Mrs. Babb, Mt Araold, Kea. Niettobi, Min Vain, Mn.
sad KW Roberts, Mr. sad Mrs Percy, Mr. Binet,
sant Colossi BarSaaf.
saStanley,t Mes. Strant
16.1 wayes,
07 Bradley. Colonel d Mrs. S. Quint..,Dwain
i Brows, Captain Richardson, Mrs. mad Miss Blehardsea,
Mr. sad Mra. Wes. Hay, Captala Lister, Kr. sad Ms..
Draper, Catania Palmer.
'lie FROM ELECTION.—The statemsot of the
Sharboriss Journal that the petition ageism the Hon. Ma*
Boyle 's retain Ind bees aTithdraws, is aoatradisted ma the
part el Mr. Moen.
TIN, first railway was opened for Oath is South
Asewalis Ist Aped.