The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-11 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA,

S_GNOR MARIO.

Signor Mario is so associated with the not
memories of this theatre that his presence 11
always be viewed by its patrons as setting a se
its pretensions. There are so many charactersl
are still his own, and Ell many more that our re
lections will insist in including in his list, that
absence, whether as a positive or inane°
loss, could not fail to be injurious
the scene of his old successes. There
a higher ground, however, on which his vale
to be estimated. His artistic claims, both vc
and dramatic, reach so high a level of refinen3
that he is become a standard to the musioal Nvc
in respect to all points of taste and feeling, a
therefore, not only is he a source of great enjoy'n
in himself, but a means of detecting a true enj
meet in the powers of his competitors. SE
an it, fluence, of course, is not mere
limited to his auditors. His standard cast
tail in inspiring the efforts of new sing'
until it gradually becomes as permanent as it is
every way desirable.
There is no character in which Signor Ma
more distinctly attests his eminence than that
Almaviva; wherein the grace of the nobleman is
essential to verify the mirth of the comedia
and the love that prompts him to Ed"
'lire, affects not the taste with which it is indule,
Here the illusion that he raises by the means oft,
truth that stamps his gaiety is one of those i
stances of consummate art that never fails to b
come historical. Quite on a level with his Perfe
acting is his singing of his character in which oval
charm of feeling and expression is so abundant
displayed. Among our few remaining artists Who
taste and culture are of a kind to enab
them to do justice to the refined brilliancy of R 0
sini, Signor Mario in this character possesses all
the advantage of a voice whose unequalled Oise
ness enables him to do justice to Rossini's toelodi
Here—unsubjected to the strain which so in°,
impairs it in tragic opera—its delightful tone as We'
as pliancy finds its full and appropriate scope cot
leaves an impression that is undisturbed by ali;
contemporaneous Effort. We are glad to reef
!hat Signor Mario was in admirab;e voice on wit
turday evening, when, to the great delight s;i1.11
crowded house, he made his first appearance
the season, and that he never sung or acted 111-
more success than on this occasion. Fl9O
the first note of his "Ecco Ridentan
he last he had to deliver, the iluPri,-r;
sion was as complete as it was in eves
respect delightful. Signor Mario, we need not
was most warmly received on his first entran;
and rewarded throughout the evening with ah
testimonies he has so long been used to. Need,
satyr how wonderfully he was supported by then:li,,
of Signor Ronconi, the very greatest histrionics'/
that our stage has ever seen, and the test of Tll3°to
merit in this particular is its power to make us fsrgo
or
all its deficiencies of voice. Such overflowing 130131°0
in combination with such shrewdness and ell
spirit, stamp this performance also as one of the
unique things of our time.
Another feature of the eveninthe
g was, of cowl—,
Rosina of Madlle. Patti, which, in like 323°,1-o
may be cited as one of those characters that
nia"
become her own. Nature has done so much i°caios
(t
t his alike in her genius and physical gars—Oat 111
ad but little to develop in order to establish 01" ro
claim. Her petite and gran: NI person is not °l°o4
appropriate to the conception of this young
is
playful being, than her piquant hum°lll.os
adapted to give its spirit the freest scope--40 to
the marvellous quality of her voice enables o',o
convey its florid music in a manner that leacsit
rivalry a long way in the distance. Inspire d 4904
we thought, by the presence of her great asB°Clof
on this occasion, Mademoiselle Patti never °
ce,
or acted with more ti imn pliant exeelieli
Her "Una voce" was, as usual, a Perfrat
blaze of vocal brilliancy—and not less successful io
n$
--"
tier singing lesson, in which she introduced a vi
by Mr. Strakesch Di Gioja. insolito," wbich djs
itod
rapturously encored. She has rarely maintio,-„" t,
her reputation more superbly than by this lir
tormance, or elicited from her admirers str°3olo
testimonies of the fact. Signor Ciampi I"red,
Banal°, and though, as usual, somewhat mapil"p
played with much force and pleasantry. „cog
•fneir Royal Highnesses the Prince and Prp'vra,
of Wales honoured the performance by theirjib toil
sence, and apparently were not the least dehg
of its spectators.