The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-25 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN afERA.

The opera of Saturday evening, which was to have
been La Favorita, was, in consequence of Mario's indis-
position, changed to Otello. This piece had not pre-
viously been given this season, nor, if we remember
rightly, was it performed last year. Indeed, though it
has great beauties, ()tell° is by no means one of the most
attractive of Rossini's works.

The performance of Saturday evening was, on the
whole, excellent. Perhaps we have never had an Otello
superior to Tamberlik. The music is well suited to his
voice, containing many passages in the highest part of
the scale which demand all the strength of his powerful
and penetrating organ. He looks the character admir-
ably, avoiding the common error of making the hero a
negro. Tamberlik makes the swarthiness of the moor
quite consistent with manly beauty. Grisi's Desde-
mona, though it did not realise the English idea of "the
gentle lady wedded to the Moor," was a superb perform-
ance. Her aspect was noble and imposing, her acting
often impassioned, and her vocal execution as facile,
clear, and brilliant as it has ever been. Ronconi made
as much of lago as can be made of a character which is
reduced to mere commonplace, and which, as a musical
part, is inferior even to that of Rodrigo, which was very
respectably sustained by Stigelli. Grisi and Tamberlik
were enthusiastically applauded ; and the opera alto-
gether had a favourable reception.

THE MAILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, JULY 23.—The depar-
ture of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
City of London, for Gibraltar, Malta, and Constanti-
nople, has been postponed from the 27th inst. to the
10th proximo, in consequence of her having been dis-
patched on a voyage to the Peninsular ports, in place of
the Tagus, temporarily disabled. The screw steam-ship
Bengal, under command of Captain Bowen, late of the
Iberia, is about to be taken off the Southampton,
Malta, and Alexandria stations and sent to India, via
the Cape of Good Hope. The Bengal will leave South-
ampton on the 25th of August, taking passengers for
Calcutta, Ceylon, and Madras, and is to be immediately
afterwards employed in running between those ports and
Suez with the contract mails. The Bengal will be re-
placed on the Alexandria station by the Cornpany's steam-
ship Euxine, to sail on the 20th of August. The Gene-
ral Screw Company's steam-ship Hyda,spes, Captain
Greig, after having her machinery thoroughly adjusted,
is to leave Southampton on the 15th, and Plymouth on
the 16th inst., with the mails for the Cape, Mauritius,
Ceylon, Madras, and Calcutta. The royal mail steam-
ship Orinoco, Lieutenant Hast commander, is ap-
pointed to take out the next West India, Mexican, and
Pacific mails of the 2d proximo. La Platta, with the
homeward mails from the same quarter, may be ex-
pected to arrive home about Thursday or Friday next.
The United States' mail steam-ship Hermann, with dates
from New York to the 16th inst., is expected off Cowes
about Friday next, on her way to Bremen.
ELECTION-SATURDAY AT ETON COLLEGE.-On Satur-
day morning, Dr. Okes, Provost of King's College,
Cambridge, with the Rev. Mr. Witts and the Rev. Mr.
Thring, the posers, accompanied by the Provost and
Fellows, the head, lower, and assistant masters, pro-
ceeded to the Upper School at Eton to hear the election
speeches. The numerous and distinguished company
included the Earl of Derby, the Right Hon. W. E.
Gladstone, M.P., his excellency the Belgian ambassador,
Mons. Van der Weyer ; Lord and Lady Kinnaird. The
school list contains 614 names, an increase of nearly 20
on last year. There are 50 candidates for admission on
the foundation, and only one vacancy at present. After
the delivery of the speeches the visitors were entertained
by the Provost and by several of the masters at their
respective houses. At seven o'clock in the evening tho
customary regatta, or procession of boats, from the
Brocas to Surley Hall, took place, and on their return
there was a display of fireworks. The whole affair
passed off most satisfactorily. To-day the boys leave
for a vacation of eight weeks.