The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-18 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Mademoiselle Marie Battu, who made her first
essay last night before an English audience, is a
very young singer (not yet 20, we believe), already
enjoying a certain reputationin Paris, where, little
more than a twelvemonth since, she made her debut
at the Theatre Italien. One of the pupils of the
celebrated Duprez, Mademoiselle Battu has never
studied in the Conservatoire, nor. if we are rightly
informed, has she ever sung in French opera. Under
these circumstances, she claims the indulgent criti-
cism to which every new aspirant is entitled, and
which should on no account be withheld from timid
inexperience. This indulgence may be extended
with the less chariness inasmuch as Mademoiselle
Battu, in addition to youth and a prepossessing ex-
terior, possesses the germs of unquestionable talent,
and exhibits, moreover, a degree of promise which
at her years is well worth nurturing. Her voice, a
light soprano—though at present deficient in power,
and more or less unequal throughout its register—
is of extremely agreeable quality, and some of its
natural tones, when unforced in the delivery, are
exquisitely sweet and pure. That she has real
musical feeling was evidenced last night in more
than one passage; and that she is by no means
without the instinct of dramatic expression was ren-
dered equally apparent. The character of Gilda in
" Rigoletto," was a severe ordeal for an untried and un-
known artist to brave in presence of such an audience
as that of the Royal Italian Opera, which even the
elaborate vocalisation of Madame Miolan Carvalho
could not persuade for one instant to forget the in-
comparable performance of Angiolina Bosio, or
force to believe that a singer with voice, taste, man-
ner, and execution essentially French would ever
prove entirely acceptable in a part deservedly rank-
ing high among the highest creations of the modern
Italian stage. That Mdlle. Battu is just as eminently
French in style as Mdme. Carvalho, without Mdme.
Carvalho's practised experience in the vocal art,
is undeniable, and that this would, in some degree,
militate against her entire success was to be anti-
cipated. But with extreme youth in her favour,
and the fact of her not having yet had time or
opportunity for straining the capabilities and da-
maging the freshness of her voice by constant expo-
sure to the musically artificial atmosphere of the
Thntre Lyrique, Madlle. Battu may, and doubt-
less will, get over that peculiar mannerism, which,
of all national idiosyncracies, is the most antago-
nistic to the pure Italian method. Many parts
in her performance were charmingly unaffected;
some few (as, for example, the duet with Signor
Mario in Rigoletto's garden) were marked with
genuine sensibility ; others by a natural ease,.whioh,
when further study shall have brought with it the

self-composure that alone insure to a singer unfail-
ing command of her resources, may help Made-
moiselle Battu to be become what at present she is
far from being—a thorough artist. Her defects of
style and execution were most conspicuously de-
clared in the beautiful melody which Gilda sings be-
fore retiring to rest; but, as we have every hope
that she will eradicate these in Lime, we shall
not• dwell upon them in detail. The audience,
evidently prepossessed by the youthful grace and
modest bearing of the young singer, warmly encou-
raged her throughout her arduous task; and we
may, without hesitation, pronounce her first
appearance a fair and legitimate success.
" Rigolette" is Signor Verdi's masterpiece, and
there are few modern operas in which the fine
orchestra and chorus of the Royal Italian Opera
aremore effective. Last night there was not a fault
to find, and the entire performance wad a genuine
musical treat.
The first representation of "Robert le Diable" is
announced for to-morrow night.

INDIAN PRIZE MONEY,