The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-02 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Last night, Madame Grisi, the greatest of our operatic
artistes, appeared here for the first time this season, in the
character of Norma, and her reception, which on these
occasions, in former years, has always been most flattering,
was enthusiastic in the highest degree—this being the
commencement of a very limited series of performances
which will terminate her brilliant career on the stage.
The scene both without and within the theatre was of a
character seldom witnessed. As soon as the intelligence
of Mme. Grisi's appearance had been promulgated, the
box-office became crowded with eager applicants for boxes
and stalls ; but the demand was so great that very many
went away unable to procure places. In the interior of
the house, tier after tier was crowded from the pit to the
back tiers of the amphitheatre, the grand and first tiers
-displaying
,ft brilliant assemblage of the aristocracy of
England.

At length the 10ng,,-expected moment came—Norma ap-
peared, and the clapping of hands and waving of hats and
kerchiefs indicated the thorough heartiness of the greeting
which welcomed Grisi back. Again and again were the
acclamations raised, and it was several minutes before
order could be restored. But the first notes of "Caste
Diva," hoard amid breathless silence, sufficed to prove that
the voice of Mme. Grisi is as pure, as powerful, and as
faultless in its intonation as it ever was ; and the applause
after the prayer was concluded was almost as great as at
the reception.
As the opera progressed, Grisi's voice became more rich
and powerful, and the " Casts. Diva" was sung with her
usual fervour of expression and brilliancy of execution.
The duo, " Sola furtiva," was a triumph of execution on
both sides. Grisi's horror at the first intelligence of Adal-
gisa'a fall, and afterwards the pitying tone which she as-
sumed to her erring sister, were triumphs of art. The scone
with Pollio was marked by the usual point in the duo
" Vanne si," delivered with Grisi's usual power and display
of indignation. In the last scene, when the Druid Queen
took her place upon the pedestal of the altar, she looked
more like a statue than a woman, the posture she adopted
favouring the idea.

Mdlle.7slarai was the Adalgisa, and proved a very effi-
cient one, her facility of vocalisation being well shown in
the floridpassages which abound in the opera. Tamberlik
is the best Polliu who ever played the part. It is an up-
hill one, and not a favourite with tenors; btxt Tamberlik
has a happy facility of adapting himself to any part, and
performing it with his usual success. Lablache was the
Oroveso, and really looked quite majestic, with his long
robes and his ample heard. His magnificent voice told
well in the choruses.

The opera was magnificently formed. There never was
a finer representation. The orchestra were in training,
and th© chorus did its duty satisfactorily.

THE COURT OF CHANCERY.-From a return just printed
by order of the House of Lords, it appears that the num-
ber of cases pending in the office of the examiners (Par-
ker and Offer) for the examination of witnesses was 37
—lB in one, and 19 in the other.

THE ATTE3IPTED SUICIDE AT THE PALACE.--We are
requested to state that Mr. Francis Norton, the clerk
of the kitchen and superintendent of the household, is
not dead from the effects of the wound in his throat, and
no request to hold an inquest has been forwarded to Mr.
William Thomv.s Manning, the coroner of her Majesty's
household and the verge. Mr. Norton is considered by
his medic:a me n to be in a fair way of recovery.
The Era prophesied the winner of the Derby. A por-
trait of Andov,er, by A. F. De Prades, the well-known
artist, will be presented gratis with the Lra newspaper
to-morrow ; with a full and original report of " the i
Revels at Epsom„" by "Touchstone," who prophesied
Andover to win the Derby in last week's Era. The
Era Derby Gifts of 1855 have commenced, and all who
pay 1/. Gs. receive the paper for 52 weeks, and partici-
pate in the distribution of several hundred pounds.
.Post-office orders payable to Messrs. William Willott
and Frederic Ledger, Era office, 3, Catherine-street,
Strand.