The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-17 00:00:00

Royal English Opera, Covent-garden.

The inauguration of the first season of the Royal
Eogliah Company (Limited) cn Saturday was a
complete success. Long before the rising of the
curtain every seat Qt the splendid theatre was oc-
cupied, and on Mr Mellon taking his seat in the
orchestra he was warmly greeted.
In selecting Auber's opera of " Masaniello't for
the first performance, the directors acted very
wisely, because it enabled them to introduce one of
their new tenors, and at the same time to avail
themselves of the opportunity of presenting to the
public one of the grandest and most striking spec-
tacles produced during the last season at the Royal
Italian Opera.
After the performance of the brilliant and charming
overeure, an encore for which Mr Melton could not
resist, the opera commenced, and the opening
scene at once showed the style and spirit
the company intend to produce their operas.
There was the peasantry, courtiers, soldiers,
and ballerini gradually filling the vast wing and
elevated terrace in the background with the admire
able ensemble grouping and colours for which the
Italian Opera at Covent Garden has become re-
nowned both at home and abroad. While on the
subject of spectacle, we may observe that a buzz of
satisfaction greeted the scene of the environs of
Portici, with the fishermen unloading the boats, &c.
on the rise of the curtain on the second act, and
then the admiration culminated at the life-like
bustle of the, market place, and tremendous finale of
the revolt of the people, amid the flames of the
burning palace, of the Duke, and the barricades
and ground strewed with the wounded and the
dying.
Having thus briefly disposed of the scenic portion
of the opera we come to the most important in
gredient, vtz., the singers. The part of the
hero, M.saniello, was sustained by Mr. Charles
Adam.;, an Englishman we believe, who
has just fi Aished a Meet ssful. engagement
at the Thyal Opera, Berlin. His voice is a high
tenor, &ear, and of considerable register. He is
slender in figure, but possesses a pleasing counte-
nance ; and although we should say he is on ordi-
nary occasions perfectly at his ease on the stage,
on Saturday night he was evidently suffering from
great nervousness. To that circumstance we attri-
bute the slight effect produced in singing the cele-
brated barcarole at the commencement of the second
act. In the duct with Pietro he was some-
what deficient in energy ; but in the tender portions
of the part Mr Adams revealed the true quality of
his voice. In the air addressed to his sleeping sister
he sang with a richness of tone and feeling which
made it as charming as it was pathetic. Despite
all the drawbacks Mr Adams made a most success-
ful debug, and one thing is perfectly certain, viz.,
that we have a most accomplished tenor, and one
whose real triumph has yet to come. Mr Herbert
Bond, another debatant, sustained the un-
thankful part of Alfonso, but he also produced a
most favourable impression. His voice is a tenor of
light quality, but capable, we should imagine, of
much better things than the part of the Count
affords. Mr Weiss, as Pietro, sang in his usual
style—the guitar song, in the fifth act, of course
brought down immense applause. The other male
parts were all well sustained. Madame Parepa's
Elvira was the best . we have heard on the
English stage, and although the part is one
far below the talents of the accomplished
artiste, she sang the music with as much
care and taste as if it had been one of the most im-
portant description. Perhaps the most difficult
character for which to find an efficient representa-
tive is the dumb girl " but in Mdlle. Rose
Giraud the management have succeeded beyond all
our hope. With the exception of the late Madame
Monte we have never seen the part more exquisitely
performed.

The opera concluded most successfully, and all
that remains for us to do is to congratulate the
directors and manager of the company on the
brilliant commencement of their new enterprise.

The Yelverton Appeal Case.

After the opinions in this case were delivered
in the House of Lords on the 28th July a draft of
the intended judgment was transmitted to the soli-
citors for the parties, whereby it was proposed, in
the action of declarator of marriage, to reverse the
judgment of the First Division of the Court of
Session, and to absolve the appellant, Major Yel•
verton, from the conclusions of the summons; and
in the action of declarator of freedom, and putting
to silence, to give judgment in favour of
Major Yelverton in terms of both conclusions of
the summons, as had been done by Lord
Ardmillan in the first judgment in the
cause ; but in both cases without expenses.
The summons of declarator of freedom and putting
to silence contained not only the leading conclusion
to have the defender put to silence, but also a second
conclusion to have her found liable to the appellant,
Major Yelverton, in £5O of damages. It was main-
tained for Mrs. Yelverton, first before the chief
clerk of the House of Lords, and afterwards before
Sir John Shaw Lefevre, but without success, that
not only was it not the intention of the House of
Lords to award damages against the respondent, but
that it was incompetent to do so, as no judgment
for damages could be given without interven-
tion of a jury to assess them, according to
the provisions of the GLia Geo. IV., cap. 120, sec, 28,
which appropriates all such questions for trial by
jury. Having faired to get the draft judgment
altered according to the respondent's contention,
the matter was referred to the Lord Chancellor; and
on Thursday last his lordship, after hearing Mr.
Tippette for the appellant, and Mr. Wakeford, of
Simeon and Wakeford, for Mrs. Yelverton, ruled
that in the action of declarator of freedom and put•
ting to silence judgment ought to be made in
summonscon-
ethonatended
for
only,f ormittyh uwsi with firs
hn
eg
effectfirt ctoonctihu es iovni eowf
by the respondent, and disallowing any award of
damages. The judgment of the house has now been
issued as so settled by his lordship.—Scotsmon.