The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-28 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PALACE.

The directors of the Crystal Palace have issued their
pr •gramme of arrangements for the tenth season, cow
ramming on the Ist of May. The matured attractions of
this popular and delightful place are now in their fullest
perrection, and will amply maintain its prestige as the
most favoured resort of all lovers of natural and artistic
beatify and refined recreation. Hitherto the price of season
tickets has been either one guinea or two guineas; the
holders of the former class being required on days of spa..
cial fetes to pay half a-crown extra for admission. For
the present it has been determined to issue only one rid'
form class of ticket, at one guinea, and this is to admit
the holder to the Palace and park, without any fur-
ther payment on all ordinary and extraordinary
occasions. The directors have merely reserved to them'
selves the right of excepting three days during the year,
should they hereafter think fit to gve some special fete St
fetes which may render a separate charge for admission on
those days justifiable. Considering the numerous and
varied attractions which the Crystal Palace affords, it may
reasonably be supposed that this liberal arrangement on the
part of the company will lead to an unusually large demand
for season tickets. To the residents in the vicinity of the
Palace (where a large number of villas are in progress of
erection), and on the different lines of railway converging
to it, a Crystal Palace season ticket at this low rate becomes
almost a necessity.

It is intended to inaugurate the new season, on the let
of May, by a great Musical Festival, which shall revive the
memory of the grand choral effects produced at the
Handel Festivals. It would obviously indeed be unwise
not to render available for musical purposes so Wag"
niflcent a hall as the Centre Transept. with its gigantic
orchestra and powerful organ, now forms. On this owe-
sion Racine's dramatic poem, " Athalie," as set to music
by Mendelssohn, will be performed on the most magnificent
scale. The orchestra will comprise 196 violins and violas,
90 viol, ncellos and double basses, 20 harps, and an adequate
number of wind instruments, and the entire band and
chorus will consist of about 2,500 performers. Mr. Costa
will conduct, and M,. Phelps will recite Mr. Barthceomew'e
illustrative verses. The great success which attended the
recent performance of " Athalie," by the Sacred Harmonic)
Society at Exeter Hall, has led to a confident belief that
its effect, when given as now announced, will be el.
eeediogly fine. Besides "Athalie," the overtures cow
posed by M. Auber and M. Meyerbeer for the opening of
the International Exhibition, will be performed on the
Ist of May, and as the orchestra will be on the same scale
of magnitude as at the opening of the Exhibition, it cannot
be doubted that the effect of these great works in the
properly constructed orchestra at the Crystal Palace will
be surpastong,y fine. Arrangements are being carried out
tor first-class excursion trains from many country districts
on the opening day.
Among the other arrangements for the forthcoming
reason are the Great Flower Show on Saturday, May 231
and the Rose Show on Saturday, the 27th of June. These
shows, as conducted at the Crys al Palace, always coy
stltute leading features of the London season, and have the
important advantage, as the Crystal Palace has at all &seat
of being thoroughly enjoyable in any kind of weather.
On eight of the Saturdays in May, June, and July, there
will be a series of grand concerts, of a peculiarly attractive
nature, and the daily performances of the company's ad,
thirable band, under the skilful conduc'orship of Al"
Manna, will be continued as hereto ore.
Archery fetes will be held on Thursday and Friday, the
11th and 12th of June, and the Royal Dramatic College
will ag tin hold its popular fete and fancy fair in the course
of the summer.

The exhibitors' department of the Crystal Palace will, is
the ensuing season, be more than usually attractive and
inareaing, reinforced as it is by a selection of some of the
best productions displayed last year at the International.
Exhibition The picture gallery and photographic exhibv
Lion will be maintained, with the addition of many ne/7
works, and the general Fine Art Collections, the Machina'
Department, with the Park, the Great Fountains, Cria4
Ground, •nd other out-door facilities for amusement will, all
usual, afford every inducement for large gatherings of the
working classes.

Not the least point in favour of the Crystal Palace is the
readiness of access to it, not only from the London-bridb'
and Victoria Ststion«, but also by means of the newly'
opened lines at Clapham and Kensington from all ale
northern and north •western suburos of the metropolis.
Last year, notwithstan,ding the attraction of the Interas:
tional Exhibition, 2,020,219 persons visited the Cryatti.!
Palace, and, with its varied features and the increased
lities above referred to, an equally large attendance MO'
fully expected in the ensuing year.