The Sun.
London, England, 1806-12-15 00:00:00

THE OPERA.

King's Theatre.

The entertainments at this Theatre commenced
on Saturday•last With the serious Opera of Semira-
hie ; but the great attraation of the night was
Madame CATALAN!, whose fame is so high on the
Continent, that it naturally excited a very eager cu-
riosity among the higher orders in this country:
The Theatre 'was nearly filled soon after the doors
were opened, and an impatient anxiety prevailed
over whole of the audience to. see rind bear the
new musical wonder. When GRIGLIETTI first ap-
peared, the audi..nce,- conceiving that she wasCATA.•
LANI, burst forth in a general plaudit, which some-
what confused that agreeable performer. At length
CATALAN! rushed forward, with the emotion
which her 'character required, but the zealous ac-
clamations which arose in all quarters put an end at.
Once to her theatrical exertions.—She received this
liberal and hearty reception with every appearance
of modest gratitude and timid delicacy ; and it
should be observed, that the applause bestowed on
her during the whole of her performance ,Was re-
ceived by her. with the same indications of Unaffe&-
ed diffidence and sensibility.--Hu vocal powers are
of the very first Order.—Her voice is remarkably ex-
tensive..-.--Her 'highest tones are distin& and
pleasing, and her lowest , strong and .musical.—
She executes the Most difficult throthatic passages
with perfu& ease - and facility, and her - voice
is uniformly clear, strong and sweet. Her style
resembles that of Mrs. BlLLti4Gros more
than any other Performer that we recolreet ; but she
is a very interesting Actress, as Well. as a very great
Singer. She never lost sight of bercharader in the
midst of all her vocal exertions, exi:ept to testify
her acknowledgMents for the applause that was so
abundantly conferred on her. There was an earnest-
ness and a simplicity in her manner that stri'ingly
interested the general feelings. Her stature is of
the middle size, and her person altogether rather
pleasing than commanding. Her action was ele-
gant, and wholly unlaboured.' . In her face,
particularly the upper part, she resembles Mrs.
SIDDONS. She has fine eyes, and knows bow
to make use of them. Her manners -in general
are mere like those which mark the females
of this country than the affected grace of a fo-
reigner. Altogether she is a very extraordinary
Performer, and amply justifies the high character
w..ie:b preceded her arrival in this country; and 4lie
has tail reason to be as much satisfied with- her re-
, cei ttou here as she could possibly be in any other
country:_

The Opera in whiCh she appeared was composed
by PORI'GGALLO, purposely for the display of her
powers. The music is altogether very good.. The
Duet between CATALA'O and RIGHT, in the first
act, was encored, on account of the excellence which
she displayed in it. It is proper, however, to ob-
serve, that Ittorit is very much improved, and is a
very able pertbrmer:
The scenery wits magnificent, but there is no al-
teration in the Theatre List season.

The Ballets were Supported by the anal abilities
of DE,SHASES, his PAlf.isor, and,Miss CRAM-•
FI“D. . A Mademoiselle PRESLF,', from Paris, was
tik new addition tb the Dancing Corps on Saturday.
agreeable girl, and dances somewhat in Le
manner of the late charming HILLIGSBERG, but by
no means with the smile interesting animation. She
executes the pirouette, however, with singular.ra-
pidity.

. .
The audience, besides being as numerous as the
Theatre. wouid admit, was distinguished by all the
beauty an fashion now in the Metropolis:
Notwithstanding the apparent success of the
Opera House for several seasons, the old burtbens
upon the property are so grcrat, that there has been,
in the four last seasons, a deficit amounting' to up-
Wards of fifteen thotisand pounds; in consequence,
the present Manager submitted the state of things
to the following persons, by whose decision he was
fully justified 'in raising the price of the subscrip.
Lion :
His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex,

The 114.rqui, of Headtort,
The hart of Cholinondeley,
The Earl of Sefton,

The Viscount Ildinpden.
Thomas Wynn Bolasyse, Esq. and
William Ogilvie, Esq

Only three Subscribers, it seems, objected to the
addition, and there were numerous Candidates tor
their Boxes. The Pit and, Galleries continue at the
old price of admission.

As the new Farce of ifrbitraiion has passed
through the fiery ordeal of criticism without injury,
the Author has thought proper to acknowledge hint-
self, and he proves to be Mr. ItEYN,OLDS, .1-0 whose
produ&ions in general, it indeed bears a very strong
resemblance,- • • • .

The Committee delegated to superintend the
erection of the monument in St. Paul's, to the me-
mory of the illustrious NELSON, have solicited Mr.
SHERIDAN to write the inscription : they have tints
invoked an appropriate Muse to record toe deeds of
that illustrious Hero.
A fine Portrait of the DUKE Of CUMBERLAND,
painted by Sir WM. BEECHEY, has been .recently
placed in the Mansion-House at Dublin. His Royal
Highness sat for this Pi►:3ure at the desire of the
Corporation of Dublin, in cotesequence of the sup-
port given by
.the DUKE to their Petition to Parlia-
ment.

Thumlay a Board of Military Clothing was held
at•
.the Board of Claims, in Great George-street,
Westminster, which was attended by Generals CAL..
VER Tp BROWNRIGG, BUR RARD, HE,WITT, and others.
The Army Clothiers employed by all the Regiments,
.both: Horse and Foot, of the'British Army, also at-
tended with pattern-suits for the ensuing year, when-
those approved by the Board had the Office Seal
affixed to them, for all the others, to, be made like
them fur,the different Regiments.
Captain 'WARREN is appointed to command the
Dantalus'Frigate at Deptford.
• C4iptain "\yoLLEy is• appointed to command the
Sea Fencisoles at Lynn.
The Linnet, Chearl 11, and Surly Brigs of War are
to be prepared fOr service ~at Deptford and. Ports-
mouth without delay.
The spirit of commercial enterprise in this:Coun-
try, and the importance of our recent Conquests
in South America, are strongly manifested by the
tad of seventy-two Vessds,_of upwads of four-
teen thousand tons burthc), having abeady sailed
for Buenos Ayres. About half the Vessels are from
London.