The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-10 00:00:00

THE OPERA SEASON,

The lessees of the two great Italian theatres have issued
the usual prospectuses of their arrangements for the season
about to begin. We glean from them some particulars,
which may be acceptable to our musical readers.

The Ei.oyal Italian Opera, Covent-garden, will open on
Tuesday, the 29th of this month. The subscription will
consist of 40 nights, and the performances will be four
times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
Saturdays.

The company will include all the favourite performers of
last season, together with several others of continental cele-
brity who have not yet appeared h., England. Mdlle. Ade-
lina Patti (says the prospectus) "will return with fresh
laurels gathered during the recess," at her native city of
Madrid, at Frankfort during the late congress of German
Princes, and at Paris, where she is now faliiiiing her, secend
engagement at the lialiens, Ia addition to the characters
she has already performed in Leaden, she will appear as
Mine is the " Elisir d'Amore," Maria in " La Figlia del
Reggimento," Susanna in the " Ncz :3 di Figaro," and
Mai garet in Gounod's " Faust." Another young singer,
Mdlle. Pauline Lucca, will also appear early in the
seas to. At the end of last season thil lady appeared for a
few nights, when she performed the character of Valen-
tina in the "Huguenots," making a most favourable im-
pression on the public. She will make her second d6but
(as it may be called) in the same character; and in the
course of the season will perform the parts of Margaret in
"Faust," Cherubino in the " Nozza di Figaro," Mrs. Ford
in Nicolai's opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor," and
Catarina in the " Etoile du Nord" of Meyerbeer, Mdlle.
Emilia Lagrua, another performer hew to this country, but
who has gained the highest continental reputation, will also
appear early in the season, and will make her debut in the
character of Norma. She will also appear in the parts of
Leonora in "La Favorite,' Donna Anna in "Don Gio-
vanni," Leonora in Beethoven's " Fidelio," Desdemona in
Rossini's " 0 tello," and the heroine of Verdi's latest opera
"La Forza del Destine," which was originally composed
for her during her engagement at St. Petersburg. Signor
Wachtel can scarcely be called a novelty, seeing that he ap-
peared a few times last season, but was unavoidably obliged
to return to Germany. He made, however, a very favour-
able impression, and,it seems that he has, since then, greatly
risen in power and reputation. Several o; her new performers
are announced, who are as yet known to us only by name,
and whom it is therefore unnecessary to enumerate, Among
the performers who were members of last year's company we
find the names of Meddle. Mario Battu, Mdlle. Fricci,
Madame Didiee, Ronconi, Tamberlik, Faure, Graziani,
Naudin, and Mario. The company of this season will there-
fore be of extraordinary strength. Costa—a host in him-
self—continues in his post of musical director and conduc-
tor of the orchestra.

Her Majeaty's Theatre will open on Saturday, the 9th of
April. The strength of this house—in so far as can be seen
at present—will lie rather in those members of the company
who are already known to us than in those who are to
appear in England for the first time, We are still to have
the (in many respects) unrivalled Teresa Titiens, together
with Mdlle. Trebelli, Mdlle. Volpini, Signor Giuglini,
Signor Bettitai, M. Gassier, and Mr. Santley. The princi-
pal strangers are Mdlle. Liebhart and Md de. Wippern,
from the Royal Opera, Berlin; Mdiie. Bettleheim from the
Imperial Opera, Vienna; Signor Benedetto Mazzetti,
described as being of the principal theatres in Italy ; and
Signor Marano June; from the Royal Theatre, Turin ;
all said to be performers of talent and reputation. The
able and energetic Signor Arditi retains his place of direc-
tor of the orchestra, which, through his exertions, has been
raised to a high degree of strength and excellence,
The following operas are to be produced for the first time
in England : " La Forza del Destino," by Verdi ; "Le Sposo
Allegro di Winsor (rhe Merry Wives of Windsor), by
Nicolai; and " Tannhauser," by Richard Wagner. In
announcing "La Forze del Destine," Mr. Mapleson
says that "the orchestral score, parts, and right
of representation were secured in 1863." But our readers
have seen that the production of this opera is also announced
by Mr. Gye—a thing which, of course, he cannot do if his
rival is correct in his statement. " The Merry Wives of
Windsor," though it has never been performed in this
country, has long been well known and popular in Germany.
It is to be brought out at Her Majesty's Theatre, with
Titiens as Mrs. Ford, Giuglini as Fenton, Santley as Ford,
Gassier as Page, and Junca (one of the new corners) as
Falstaff. " Tannhauser" enjoys unbounded popularity in
Germany, though its merits term the subject of violent
controversy. it is full time that the English public were
enabled to judge for themselves ; and whatever may Le the
success of this opera Mr. Telapleson Will deserve their thanks
for bringing it before them. " Robert le Diable" will be
revived in the course of the season, with Wippern
in the character of Alice; the " Freischutz" -will also be
eroduced with a strong cast, and " Anna
Bolena" will be reproduced after an interval of 20 years.
The ballet, which has always bean a great ;eaten c at fer
Majesty's Theatre, while comparative little account is made
of it at the rival house, will receive due attention. Dancers
of both sexes, from the principal centinental theatres, have
been engaged, and several new ballets are to be produced in.
the course of the season.