The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-30 00:00:00

ITALIAN OPERA-LYCEUM.

The Opera Buffa re-opened last night, and if we may
judge from the reception of Scaranzuccia last night, the
season is likely to be most successful. The house was
crowded with a fashionable audience. This flattering aus-
pice we attribute to the combined effect of a judicious
reduction of prices, the strength of the company, and the
merits of Ricci, the composer. It will be seen by the fol-
lowing list, that the cast of characters was excellent :--
Scaramuccia
Lelio
Domenico
Tomaso
St. Valliero Sig. A. Giubelei
Count of Pontigny Miss F. Wyndham
Sandrina
Elena Miss A. Glossop
The following is an outline of the plot :—The scene
opens in the theatre in the Burgundy Palace, in Paris, where
Scaramuccia, a poet, is director of an Italian company. A
portion of the audience is supposed to be in the saloon,
lounging between the acts of the evening's entertainment ;
a disturbance is suddenly heard to take place in the interior,
and Tomaso, followed by the guards, and ladies and gentle-
men from the lobbies, enter k confusion. It appears from his
statement that he is a peasant, who had left his native coun-
try, Italy, to seek for the (laughter of his employer, who had
been induced to leave her home with an unknown cavalier.
He arrives in Paris, and goes to the theatre, where he re-
' cognises in Scaramuccia the friend of the bereaved parent.
Tomas() endeavours to make himself known to the come-
dian, and is of course laughed at, turned out, and conveyed
to the guard-house. Scaramuccia obtains his release, learns
from him the object of his visit to Paris, and promises to
aid him in his endeavour to find out Elena. Tomaso re-
cognises in Sandrina, the pupil of Scaramuccia, the girl to
whom he was attached, but who is now assailed by Lelio, a
performer, and the Count of Pontigny. The latter is the
libertine who has carried off Elena, and, in an interview with
Scaramuccia, assigns him the task of removing her sadness.
The manager determines to get up a play, in which her story
should be told, and also apprizes the uncle of the Count, the
Viscount of St. Valliero, of the proceedings of the nephew.
The drama is enacted, and Elena, recognising Tomaso, who
plays one of the parts, rushes into his arms, and claims
his protection, to restore her to her father. The Count
is, however, eventually compelled to render her justice,
through the agency of Sandrina, who holds his promise of
marriage to her. Rather than wed the latter he con-
sents to marry Elena, and Sandrina is resolved to
try her fortune on the stage, and the piece terminates,
leaving Tomaso and Lelio her rejected admirers. There
is no overture, but an introduction, somewhat sombre,
which leads to the opening chorus, which is full of life.
A spirited scena of Tomaso follows, in which the accompa-
ments are replete with desctiptive power. The succeeding
trio, between Scaramuccia, Lelio, and Domenico, is very in-
geniously treated. It describes the miseries and uncer-
tainties of a theatrical life. Then comes a scena of San-
drina, which was exceedingly well sun, by Blasis. A charm-
ing trio, " Siamo ancora," between Lelio, Tomaso, and San-
drina, is the next remarkable piece. The first movement
was enthusiastically encored, and, independently of the
elegance of the motif, it is most beautifully instrumented.
The music assigned to the Count is written for a contralto,
and introduced a debutante, Miss Fanny Wyndham. This
your, lady is a pupil of the Royal Academy. She la-
boured under great apprehension ; but, notwithstand-
ing her diffidence, the opening cavatina, " Mi fa Lelio
it brutto muso," was demanded a second time with all but
universal approbation. She was also encored in " Come
it di," in the second act, which she gave with much felicity
of expression. She possesses an exceedingly rich, sweet,
melifluous voice, and when she is able to dismiss the ner •
vous timidity natural to, and even graceful in, a debutante,
we have no doubt that the public will recognize in our fair
countrywoman power and talent by no means inferior to
that of some of the best Italian singers. Her nervousness
afforded Blasis an opportunity of exhibiting a generous
feeling, for on the first time of singing there was a little in-
accuracy in the time, but the audience insisted on its repe-
tition, and Blasis went herself to fetch the fair English vo-
calist. The prima donna was afterwards much cheered for
this act of kindness. The trepidation of the fair debutante
operated so strongly, that we cannot yet pronounce any
opinion upon her acting ; but she has, at all events, some
physical requisites, being tall and of a good figure. Blasis
and Bend were encored in the duet, "Se vuoi for la
banderuola ;" Blasis played the aspiring actress with spirit
and vivacity, and was happy in the execution of the music.
I3ellini enacted Tomaso at a short notice, owing to the in-
disposition of Torsi. His burlesque of tragedy created
infinite mirth. The audience testified their satisfaction at
the manner in which the opera was got up by frequent
applause ; and at the fall of the curtain, the leading per-
formers were called for. Amongst the company were the
Duke of Brunswick, Prince Esterhazy, Lady Sykes, Lady
Beauchamp, Countess of Blessington, Lady Dudley Stuart,
Lord Burghersh, Count D'Orsay, Colonel Stanhope, &c.

Yesterday morning, about half-past ten o'clock, Mr.
Thomas Wassen, a clerk in the Bank of England, while
proceeding from his residence in Mansfield-terrace, Kentish-
town, to business, slipped down in Judd-street, Brunswick-
square, from treading on a slide on the pavement, and fell
with such violence on the back of his head that his scull was
severely fractured, and INC regret to add that the life of the
unfortunate gentleman is considered in danger.
The hinds of Northumberland are beginning to form
themselves into associations for the purpose of having the
servitude by bondage done away. The condition of these
persons is represented as most wretched ; their food con-
sisting, for a great part of the year, of nothing but potatoes,
their children in rags, and themselves without a sufficiency
of either clothing or bedding. Their ordinary wages aro
ninepence a day. A shilling is the highest amount they
ever receive.
The Countess of Bridgewater, one of the most opu-
lent, widow ladies in the United Kingdom, dispensed her
usual bounties, of roast beef and plum puddings, on Christ.
mas-day, to the poor on her estates at Ashridge Castle,
Herts.