The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-05 00:00:00

ROYAL OPERA, DRURY-LANE.

The Freischutz was repeated on Saturday evening, but
with an important novelty in the cast—the character of
Agatha being sustained by Madame Rudersdorff. This
lady is decidedly the best representative that we have
yet seen of Weber's interesting heroine. The simpli-
city of the country maiden, her native grace and refine-
ments, and the pensive tenderness of her disposition,
which contrasts so pleasantly with the playfulness of
her merry sister Aune, were delightfully brought out by
this accomplished actress. She sang the music with
power, expression, and German purity of style. Her
delivery of the great scena, in the second act, " Wie
nahte mir der Schlummer " (Before my eyes beheld
him) was a chef d'ceuvre of dramatic feeling and vocal
execution. The long, softly-breathed notes of the
prayer, the fluctuations of agitated expectation, and
the burst of joy when the looked-for lover appears, were
given with a truth and beauty which delighted and
electrified the audience. At the end of this scena, and
likewise after the fine trio which concludes the second
act, Madame Rudersdorff was called for, with accla-
mations from every part of the house. The other cha•
ratters were supported as before, but her performance
had an evident influence on the whole ensemble, espe-
cially in the concerted pieces, to which her firmness and
biilliancy imparted a remarkable effect. The theatre
was crowded— a circumstance which; after so many
repetitions, shows the unfading freshness 'of au opera
which will always be regarded as one of the greatest
masterpieces of the German stage.

THEATRE FRANCAIS, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—Her
Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince
Albert, accompanied by his Majesty the King of Por-
tugal and the Due d'Oporto, attended by Viscountess
Canning, the Hon. Miss Stanley, the Hon. Miss Byng,
the Marquis of Ormonde, the Hon. Colonel Buckley,
Colonel Wyld, and Captain Du Plat, honoured this
theatre with their presence on Saturday evening.
FRENCH PLAYS, Sr. JAMES'S THEATRE.--These per-
formances were brought to a close on Saturday evening,
when M. Regnier had his benefit. No novelty was
produced ; the entertainments consisted of two acts of
Jean, ou Le Mauvais Sujet ; the little comedy in verse,
Au Printemps ; a couple of scenes from Moliere's Le
Mariage Force ; and lastly, Madame de Girardin's ever
attractive drama, La Joie fait Peur. All these pieces
have been repeatedly performed this season, excepting
the fragment of Moliere's amusing farce, in which, how-
ever, Regnier has formerly shaken the aides of St.
James's audience more than once by his most humerous
picture of the loquacious philosopher, Dr. Pancrace.
The Theatre was full literally to overflowing, and would
have been crowded had it been much larger. The per-
formances went off with great animation, and the actors
made their parting bows amid the warmest applause.
M. Lefont deserves the highest praise for his manage-
ment during his short lesseeship of the St. James's
Theatre. His repertoire has consisted of short pieces—
light comedies and vaudevilles—but they have all been
of a very elegant stamp ; and some of them, particu-
larly Madame de Girardin's delightful little play, have
shown how much genuine comedy may be contained in
a small compass. The performers, too, have been wor-
thy of the repertoire. The speculation, we understand,
has succeeded.

M
ORE CROWNED IMPERTINENCE.—NAPLES, MAY 24.
—lt appears the Duke of Cambridge was not allowed to
land at Brindisi, the other day, when the steamer
touched that port. His Royal Highness sent for the
British Vice-Consul, who is .an Italian, and requested
to speak with him. The police authorities, however,
refused to let that officer of the British Crown com-
municate with the Royal visitor. No doubt the Duke
had some object in calling for the Consul, and may
have wished to communicate with her Majesty's
Legation at Naples. Be that as it may, it was a
breach of courtesy, and a positive offence, to prevent
a British authority holding communication with an
English ship. What have we a consul there for at all ?
Mr. Barker, the British Vice-Consul at Messina, has so
far displeased the Neapolitan Government by reporting
the cases of " offended British subjects," that they have
applied for his dismissal from office. The same has
taken place with respect to M. Nicazza, the British
Vice-Consul at Brindisi, because he did his duty in re-
porting the ill-treatment experienced by the crew of
the Regard, which was wrecked on a late occasion. It
is to be hoped that Government will vigorously support
our authorities, for the interests of commerce, as well as
for the honour of the country.
Loss OF LIFE BY FIRE.—On Saturday morning,
about eleven o'clock, a fire, which resulted in the loss of
the life of a young woman, named Sarah Green, occurred
at Messrs. Moses', china dealers, 134, Lower Marsh,
Lambeth. The fire occurred in one of the upper rooms,
in which the young woman Green and a child were living,
and it is believed that a spark from the fire had ignited
her dress. She was discovered with her clothes in
flames. The firemen cut them from her body, but she
was so frightfully burned that- she expired shortly after
removal to Guy's Hospital. The chih, had a narrow
escape.

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

THE WAR.
THE RUSSIANS AGAIN REPULSED AT
SILISTRIA.

From Vienna we learn that on the 29th the'Rus-
sians made a combined attack on the south-cast,
south, and west fronts of Silistria. According to
the Russian accounts they were repulsed with the
loss of 1,000 men. The enemy still held the out-
works.

The citadel, it was said, could resist three weeks
longer.

The allies were advancing with all speed to the
seat of war, by way of Varna.

A despatch from Constantinople, of May 25,
says :—" 60,000 Russians are advancing on the two
roads leading from Silistria to Shumla ; and 40,000
are investing Silistria."
BELGRADE, June 2.—We have news from Omer
Paella's head•quarters to the 26th, confirming the
successive repulses of Russian attacks against Silis-
tria since the 16th. On the 20th and 21st three
successive assaults were directed against the de-
tached forts, the assailants retiring each time with
considerable loss.

ANOTHER DEFEAT OF THE RUSSIANS.
BUCHAREST, May 31.—An action has taken place
at Brankowani, near Slatina. The Russians lost
500 men killed and wounded, and retreated.

EMBARKATION OF ALLIED TROOPS FOR
VARNA.

Advices from Schumla of the 27th of May state
that 15,000 English troops had sailed for Varna,
and that 25,000 French troops had marched to
Adrianople to support Omer Pacha's operations to
relieve Silistria.
Marshal St. Arnaud has been chosen Com-
mander-in-Chief of the combined armies.