The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-13 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Last eveliiiiiwast:l;beginUingOltle;Pera season
and we do not remember ever to have seen her Ma:
July's Theatre prevent so brilliant an appearance on
an opening night. The house was completely fall in
every part, boxes,
occu by numbers of the most
stale, it, idtc,m and gallery : and the
" grancl.tier" was
distingtuahed people in go fashionable an
assemblage has seldom been seen at this early period
d the moon.

The opera was " Medea," produced for the appear-
ance of Mademoiselle Parodi in the principal &me-
ter. It was the great part of Parodi's friend and in-
structress, Madame Puts, who produced an effect in
it wtieh is still freshly remembered by the older I
hubifiris of the opera.
" Medea" is one of the beet works of Mayer, a
composer who had great celebrity throughout Europe 4
at the end of the last and the beginning of the pre-
sent century, bat whose fame, like that of all the
other Italian masters of his day, was eclipsed by the
overpowering radiance of the star of Rossini. A
German by birth and early education, and an Italian
by residence during the greatest part of his life,
Mayer blended the wheels of the two countries with
the skill of a consummate artist, though certainly not
with the genius of a Mozart on the one hand, or a
Cimarosa on the other. His works, however, abound
it ~racefel. swret. and exne,--' • • '
sue, In caneerted
•
pieces full of solid and masterly harmony, and in
orchestral effect", rich without being noisy,
which the Italian composers of the present
day are incapable of producing. But in the
present " brazen age" of music, the quiet
i
instrumentation of the old school is esufficieet to
stimulate ears indurated by loudness of sound, and
Mayer's accompaniments are found wanting in
strength and brilliancy.
Maclemolselle Parudi exhibited tragic powers of a
high order. Her aspect was noble and majestic,
giving an idea of grandeur and power, and her move-
ments and attitudes had the classical and statuesque
grace for which Pasta used to be distinguished; and,
in the concluding scenes, the frantic fuiy of "a
woman scorned " was expressed with great truth and
force. Asa singer she has made great progress
since last season. She has acquired a more thorough
command of her voice; it has become more flexible
and even, through the whole extent of its compass;
and her intonation, which last year was uncertain,
now seems unimpeachable. She has gained, too, a
facility, smoothness, and nicety of execution, and a
musicaan like skill in rounding and finishing her vocal
phrases, which show how well she has been em-
ployed in the study and practice of her art. In
several passages of the opera, especially the great
scene with the children, she produced a most power-
ful effect, and received the most enthusiastic ap-
piers-.
Calzolari, who performed the part of Egens, had no
room for the display of dramatic power, but he sang
admirably. He strengthened the weekums of his
pert by introducing a brilliant air of Donizetti's,
which sounded very odd in the midst of' music eo
very different in style, but its execution well deserved
the loud plaudits which it received. Sign, r Michelli
appeared to disadvantage in the Fart of Jason : his
stature
was too small and his voice too weak. He
sang, however, like a musician, and his voice blended
well with the others in the concerted piece. Madame
Giuliani did all that was necessary for the part of
Creusa. The choruses were good, and the elegant
accompaniments were beautifully played by the or-
chestra. There were some fresh and pretty scenery,
and the costumes and decorations were in excellent
L taste. _ _

After the opera, " God save the Qneen " was per-
formed by the whole strength of the theatre. The
company, standing op in the boxes, had a brilliant
app trance.
There was a new ballet called Lrs Metamorphoses,
a brilliant and successful affair. Its story, even with
the help of the libretto, was beyond our comprehen-
sion; bat the peerless Carlotta Gt isi appeared is it,
and that was quite encu,-,h. Ste appared,
too, in the most piquant way possible ; for
sho enacted the part of an elf, or sprite,
who, in order to perplex a student of the " black art,"
appeared to him in a variety of fautastical shapes—a
, young page, a village wirl, a will-o'-the-wisp, and a
' inlitary officer ; and in these various disguises she
displayed her witcheries, in her own inimitable way.
Paul Taglioni danced admirably in tte character of
the studen', and a number of pretty groups were
formed by the eve/Ls-tie-Judd.

SPORTING.