The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-20 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 20, 1861.

MUSIC.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Madame Grist, it appears, has at length resolved
to take her final leave of the stage. The public has heard
so much fur some years past of this intention, which the
illustrious prima donna has been several times apparently
on the point of fulfilling, that people have begun to regard
her anuouuosinenta of "farewell performance" as being
little more than lacuna de porter, far from indicative of any
110liOLLII or fixed design. Now, however, the case is different
Madame Grisi's determination has been intimated in terms so
specific and positive, that it ia no longer possible to doubt
her being entirely in cattiest. The Who( the theatre, after
announcing that " during the present season Madame Giulia
Oriel will make her last appearances before an English
audience," go on to say, "The final performances of
Madame Crisi will be limited to eight in number, and
these will embrace those characters for which she has
been the must celebrated. Madame (Irbil will sing
in the opera of Norma once, Lmerezia Borgia once, Otello
once, Don Gioranni twice, IlTrovatore once, and in Lea
Huguniotstwice. These eight being nostpositirely Madame
Grisi'sfarewell perforrnaness, and the last wady'', on which
sheardlerer appear on the Wage in England." We do not
believe that any significance is to be attached to the appa-
rently qualifying phrase, "in England." We believe that
Gras nitirsawst from the stage will now be complete and
&hesitate. If she withdraws from the stage in England,
which has been the ehist wee° of her &Antis) career and
trininphs, and where she is best known and most valued, in
what other country could she possibly find an inducement
to remain upon it

The first of these farewell performances took place on
Saturday night. We have seen Grisi io Norma once more,
and we firmly believe that we have seen her, for the bat
time, in the character which will for ever be associated with
her name. Bellini's master work will be performed for
many years to come, and his grandest of heroines will sp.
pear in the forms and lineaments of many representatives
yet unknown. But to the present generation there will be
but one Norma—she who has so often stood before us in
the likeness of Giulia Grist Nay, the association will en-
dure long after the prong generation has passed away. To
our ehildreu's children Grisi will still be the Norma, as
Saddens is still the Lady Macbeth, of the tragic stage. In
sow dieappearing from the public gene, the image still re-
mains before our " mind's eye" in all its grandeur and
beauty, uninjured by the marks of decay which its conti-
nued bodily presentment would ere long imprem upon it.
In bringing ber artistic life to a close now, Grig (in the
words of Burns) will
" Fall in the blaze of her fame."
Her setting will be worthy of her whole bright and glorious
004114

The theatre. on Saturday night, presented a scene worthy
of as occasion so interesting sod memorable. The house
was crowded to excess, sod the boxes and stalls contained a
host of persons distioguisked is fashionable and mivital
society. It would be idle to ester into any description of a
porfonnance so well known to everybody who knows anything
about the opera doge. It is 'offload to say that °dal seemed
to be is the best ponsible health and spirits, acted
with the truth, pathos, and simplicity which constitute her
most resistless charm, sod wing is many respects, as she
alone can sing—with all the grace, sweetness, end pas.
biocide expression of her brightest days. Nothing could be
more enthusiastic than her reception. During the principal
scenes the house rang with applause, and the curtain fell
amid the acclamations of the whole audience.

In the performance of the other parts there was nothing
mow or remarkable, aave Madame 'llberini's penonatioa of
Ada m, which was very pleads. and satisfactory.

TUE Leann McAIcAL FESTIVAL, 1861.—0 n
faraday last, • special meeting of the Festival General
Committee warn held at the Town-hall (the mayor presid-
ing), for the purpose of considering the propniaty of
poniog the sosemi loads Musical Fmtival, which had Dean
ed to tike pima le September mit. After consider
able uueassioqthe following freelance was adopted weasi-
am* :—"Thst, considering all the circumstances and ad-
talkies animal.% the ormonsation of the arraugeheute foi
the Maned Festival, and the doubts entertained of its rue-
cam, it I. desirable that no totival be this year held ; that
this committee be adjourned sine die : that the secretanes
be requested to obtain an account of the debts and liabi.
lithe already incurred ; that in the meantime the three gen-
tlemen who have heretofore had the charge of the hooks and
documents misting to the festival be requested to continua
to hold them on the same terms as heretofore; and that
the mayor be requested to convene a meeting when he shall,
consider it proper to do so."

DRAMA.

ST. JAIIEWS.

On Saturday night Mr. Alfred Wigan's first sea-
son at this theatre was brought to a conclusion, and after
the curtain fell on the Strap of Paper the manager ad.
sauced and addressed the audience as follows :

Ladies and Gentlemen—l cheerfully accept the modern
mieboan, that the manager of a theatre should, on the last
eight of has season, says few words of grateful recognition
of the past, and admit his patrons into his confidence as to
hopeful expectations of the future. In taking the St.
James's Theatre, I would not disguise from myself that I
was experimenting with a property the fortunes of which
had not hitherto been prosperous, but I remembered the
dismal forebodings that attended my first venture in manage.
meat ; I remembered in what a proud and firm position your
support had enabled me to establish my first theatre ; and I
was not dismayed by the difficulties that surrounded this ray
second venture. 'The but time I lied the honour of addreariag
you from a stage of my own, audio my own porno, it was with
mixed feelings of pride in my position, and of pun that ill-
ness compelled me to retire, perhaps for ever, from the
placid tank of contributing to your amusement. and to
sever our coonexiun in the full tide of success. But it is
with unmixed pleasure I appear before Joe this evening.
At the beginning of the season my own health, and that of
soy active, indeed, I may may, my indefatigable partner in
all respects, scarcely seemed to promise the energy Ade-
9uate to such an enterprise, and on that account, our effort
bee been throughout a severe and anxious struggle. But
we have been sustained and cheered by the hearty support
of the public, and I am sore I shall give no public offence
if I add of a large circle of private friends. Our company
have cordially seconded our efforts, and as a lover of my
,art and my profession, I hail with pleasure the raters which
they receive as most acceptable to them in their steady ad-
mince in public favour. The reside enables me tonight to
offer you on behalf of Mrs. Wigan and the ladies and gee-
tlemen of the company and myself OW hearty thanks for
the large measure of morons which has attended this our
first season. During a part of the vacation the theatre will
be occupied by a French company, but in September next,
ladies 'Lad gentlemen, we trust to meet you again with
drouim health, &stronger company, and if possible droner
coaMmes is the continuation of that support from yes
which we shall Dever cease to endeavour to deserve. Uatil
neat seem, ladies and gentlemen, I most respectfully and
gratefully bid you farewell."

The speech wu frequently interrupted by enplanes, and
at its Ankh Mr. Wigan received hearty cheer, from all parte
of the borne.

To-night a French theatrical company open for • suuuliff
NYCO.

ecru. Riewiee VOLUNTUDA.—The aucceas of the
last performance of the amateurs of the Civil Service Volon
teem was so peat, and so meuy applications have been
Made by the higher onler of playgoers forauother represen- I
Wien of Oiptan Tom Taylor's original comedy, A Lams
for Life, that another performance has been determined on.
It will be gives at the Lyceum on Wednesday text, when I
I. addition to the comedy will he played the original come- '
dints /claw Fits (written by Captain Harrington and
and Yates, end played at the Prioress's during
=La management), in which the principal parts will be
SUASION' by the authors, and Mr. Lover's farce of Tits
Happy Man.
FAILLIANWITAILY AND RAILWAY CONVITITIN—
Os Friday the following bile were passed in no casualties •
I of tie Hone of Lords dwhin Lard Ragsdale is the
I 'hairnet :—Cornwall Railway, with the menet of His
Royal Highness the Priam of Wales, in right of his Duchy
of Comma ; Nana* and Market Drayton Railway;
Brighton, Ultideld, and Walbridge Railway ; Birmingham
Canal Navigatkm; Univemal Private Telegraph Compaq
Liverpool Improvement Bill; Fiends Gee Doan Bill; and
Llantrignat and Tali Yale Railway. The bill of the
Akester Railway has bees withdrawn. The London and
Nato-Winter ay report to the committee of the
House of Lords, in wane:ion with the bill for their Liver
pool lines, that the entehe of houses they propose to take
in Liverpool amount, to 101, maay of them "bones of
ill-
fame," containies 490 preen; 116 in Bootie, wagging 692
pianos; and 65 in Runßacoon, containing 286 persons; bat no
reran, they state, is made in the bill for remedying the
mcoovenience likely to arise from the displacement ql then '
pitman, as ao ineeemense is anticipated.