The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-07 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

OPENING OF THE GRAND OPERA.
We at length have an English Opera House and an
English Grand Opera, albeit it is to the enterprise
and taste of a foreigner that we are indebted for its
possession. M. Jullien commenced his campaign last
evening, and he has collected such an operatic corps
as has never before been assembled within the walls
of en English theatre. Every department is perfeet,
' and whether we look to the orchestra, under the direc-
tion of Hector Berlioz, to the full and efficient
choruses, or the members of the company, we are
compelled to admit that M. Jullien has fulfilled, and
more than fulfilled, every pledge that he gave to tine
public when he first became lessee of Drury-lave
The only change which has been made in the interior
of the theatre since the close of the concert season
has been the reconstruction of the pit. The orchestra
is considerably larger than it was under any previous
managemeat, and the drop curtain is new and most
tastefully designed. Long before the commencement
of the performances the house was crowded in ever/
part. The performances commenced with Beethoven's
overture to Leonora (the first of the four which he
composed), and which has never before been per-
formed in this country. The orchestra, conducted by
Berlioz, moved as though it were one mighty instru-
ment, and never before have Beethoven's magnificent
compositions had such justice done to them in this
country as was done to this overture last evenhvg•
The opera of Lucia de Lammermoor, with Madame
Dorus Gras as Lucia Mr. Sims Reeves (from the
Scala at Milan) as 'Edgardo, and Mr. Whitworth
(from the Operas of Venice and Verona) as Colonel
Ashton. The Lucia of Madame Dorus Gras was
beautiful exceedingly—equal to Persiani in flexibility,
in purity, in musical art, and in the marvellous
profusion, taste and skill of her
.fioriture, Madame
Dorus surpasses her great predecessor in freshness
and equality of voice, and in purity of intonation.
Nothing could exceed the delicacy, the expression,
and the pathos which she infused into the character.
Madame Dorus Gras is now the Lucia par excelltnce
of the stage. The great event of the night, however,
was the dad/ of Mr. Sims Reeves. The days 0f
the puny, feeble tenors who have so long held sway
on the English stage are numbered. We at length
have a tenor who possesses not only a fine voice, but
is a perfect musician, and can therefore manage that
voice, an art which no half-educated singer can
ever acquire. The voice of Mr. Sims Reeves is
a pure voce di petto of great power, sad
compass, quite equal in power and compass to that of
Fraschini, it greatly exceeds the voice of the cele-
brated Italian in sweetness, flexibility, and expres-
sion. Mr. Reeves possesses a fine person,
expressive
features, and is an excellent actor. The first notes he
uttered took the audience completely by surprise, and
the concluding duet of the first act was given with an
exquisite expression of pathos. In the malediction
his impassioned energy was terrific—Frasciiii:a
himself was never more powerful ; while the evil'''.
site tenderness, the intense pathos, which he tnrer
into his concluding death-song, " Sulla tromba," has
never before been equalled on the English
stage. There will no longer be any
cessity for English managers to engage
Duprez for great tenor parts. Mr. Reeves is now.s
infinitely superior to the great French tenor ; he
what Duprez was fifteen years ago. Mr. Whitworth,
too, was most successful as Ashton ; his voice is
pure baritone, remarkable for its flexibility and
sweetness ; he is an excellent musician and a good
actor. The choruses were very finely given, and the
opera was put on the stage with the greatest pos-
sible attention to all the minutial. The dresses were
new, and were correct ; and never has this opera
been nearly so efficiently represented on the EDO?
stage. A new ballet, entitled Le Genie du Globe,
in
which Mademoiselle Melanie Duval and Mademoiselle
Louise appeared, concluded the evening's entertain-
ments.

FRENCH PLAYS, ST. JAMES'S
TILEATRE.
These delightful representations were resumed hot,
night for the season at the St. James's Theatre'
Mr. Mitchell has secured the services of almost all
the favourites of last season. Toussez, Lugnet, per-
val, are engaged, and that sterling actor CartigeY con-
tinues to be a member of the stock company'
Achard, the greatest of the French comedians, vvitu
perhaps the exception of Bouffe, is also engaged; 01!
is Ravel, formerly co great a favourite here. Several
new engagements have likewise been COncluded.
Amongst them are MM. St. Marie, Bocage, Molina'
land, Fechter, Sainville, and Grassot; Madame
Valmy, and Mdlles. Nathalie, Berthe, Lagier,Pesir&!
Scriwanek, and Marot. The performances commenced
last evening with Mazlre's sprightly comedy, entitled
Le Jeune Mari, in which M. Montaland appeared as
Oscar, the young husband ; he acted with much hu-
mour and fun, and made a most favourable impression
on the audience. The part of the elderly, domi-
neering wife was very cleverly performed by Madame
Vainly, an artiste of high merit, and whose engage-
ment will prove a great acquisition to the St. James'fi
company. She was much applauded. The comedy
was followed by the classical burlesque of la Gigue,
in which Cartigny, Fechter, and Josset did full
justice to the smart hits and short verses f Emile
Anglers. The well-known vaudeville of Vicomte
Girofiee completed the evening's performance. The
house, notwithstanding the earliness of the season,
was crowded by the elite of the fashionable world.

The French Plays were last evening attended by
fashionable and distinguish( d society. The Marquis
and Marchioness of Normanby occupied her Ma-
jesty's box. We observed, also. Mince Louis Na-
poleon, Prince and Princess Callimaki, the French
Ambassador, the Count and Countess Jarnac, the
Russian Ambassador, the Austrian Arnbasiador. the
Earl of Chesterfield, Lord and Lady Holland, Viscount
Cantilupe, Viscount Clifden, Sir Ralph and Lady
lloward, Lady Morgan, Lady Jodrell,
Miss Gifford, the
Hon. Miss Abbott, Mr. Milner Gibson, &C., &e.
writer in the Genesee Farmer, is cheaplyMAKING VlNEGAR.—Vinegar, according to st
made. Wei
republish his receipe :—" To eight gallons of clear rain
water add three quarts of molasses, put into a good cask,
skake well a few times, then add two or three spoonsful
of good yeast cakes. If in summer, place the casks in
the sun ; if in winter, near the chimney, where it incy
be warm. In ten or fifteen days add to the liquid a
sheet of brown paper torn in strips, dipped in melasse.s.
and good vinegar will be produced. The paper will, 11l
this way, form what is called the mother, or life of
vinegar." This looks reasonable, and, what is of moll!
Importance, it is supported by the inductions of chemical
science throughout.
GLORY.—The following illustration of the lines ja
Hamlet—
" Imperial Cresar dead, and tamed to clay,
Might stop a bole to keep the wind away, f
occurs in a Yorkshire paper:—Millions of bushels o
human bones have been transported from the continent
to Hull for agricultural purposes. These,
collected on the plains of Lei sic, Austerlitz, and Water..
100, were the bops of the bold, the brave, and the chi,*
valrous, who fell fighting their country's battles. Writ"
them were mixed the bones of the horses, and both were
conveyed to Yorkshire, where they were ground to dust,
sent to Doncaster, and sold for manure.
HONESTY REWARDED T.—A gentleman residing. in
the vicinity of Forest gate, West Ham, in pas'lng
through Stratford a few days since dropped his pocket-
which were-
book, containing cheques and bank-notes to a consider-
able amount. A lad, about fourteen years of age, s,aw
the occurrence, and ran after the owner to inform hue,
and at the same time presented him with the pocket-
book and its contents. As a reward for his honesty the
lad received twopence.—Essex Herald.
SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 6.—lntelligence h 5 -ust
come to hand from Havre that the French Transatlantic
Company's steam-ship Union, which sailed from 1101„.
on the 24th of November for New York, put bold.°'
the 2d to Cherbourg with six feet of water in her h

BIRTIIS.
On the 29th ult., at Abercremby-place, Edinburgh, the
lady of W.
ult.,Thomso at Park-street,
Esq., of a son. the
On the 29th ark-street, Grosvenor-spier-,
wife of Mr. S. F. Selot, of a daughter. Nes"
On the Ist inst., at her residence, Glocester-place,
road M
, rs. J. L. Roberts, of a daughter. Tr Fire-
man, the 2d inst., at South-terrace, Brompton, Mrs.
of a daughter. wire 1:1
On the 3d inst., at Aigburtb, near Liverpool, the
W. Gillman, Esq., of a son. Eddie,
On the 3d inst., at Alornington- crescent, Mrs. A.
S.
of a daughter.
On the 3d inst., at Upton-grove, Essex, the lady of •
Bunsen, Esq., of a eon.

MARRIED.
On the 2d inst., at Speldhurst, by the Rev. G. S. Wood
gate, R. H. Warre, Esq., only son of the late I'. Warm, El'
to Gertrude Anne, second daughter of the late CaPtnin_A.
Shaw, R.N., and niece of Sir J. K. Shaw, Bart., of Kenwax.,
in the coun of Kent
On the Id inst., at. Send Church, Surrey, by the Ref. C"
R. Bird, W. Messenger, Esq., of Lee House, Bromici .t?
Ellen Newman, niece of Mrs. Boughton, of Boughton 114"°1-
ber,
On the 4th inst., at the German Lutheran Church, Sav
otreet, Strand, by the Rev. Dr. Steinkopff. M.om,
of Danzig, to Miss Han°"

DIED.
On the 3d inst., in Church-street, Blackfriars, Mr. Samuel
Wreford, in his 76th year.
On the sth inst., at Brampton place, Brampton, Mr. T.
s h irAfterreff , aa
gfeedw62d,a•
superintendents '
Channon, in his 85th year.
illness,
at
On the 13th ult., Mr. W. R. Best, of Newington, Surrey,
in the 44th year of his age.
On the 27th ult., at Kensington, Mrs. E. Callaghan,
oPfohrtesrmo Majesty'suth,lleadroc-Akdyrnaridri.sl
-Venom*,
On the 27th ult., at Leamicgton Spa, Mrs. 31. A.
Wells-
daughter of the late J. Venour, Esq., of Kingsmead,
bourne, Warwickshire, aged 27.
On the 28th ult., at Manor-place, Edinburgh, D. Erskine,
Esq., of Cardross, aged 75. t
On the 29th ult., J. Pomroy, Esq., of Gainsford-stree ,
Horselydown, and of Bexley, Kent, in his 77th year.
On the 2d inst., Mr. J. P. Acklam, of No. 138, Strand.
On the 2d inst., at Bath, J. Lloyd, Esq., of Gothic Villa'
Twickenham-common, aged 52.
aged 65.
On the 3d inst., at Kensington, Mrs. Trail.
On the 4th inst. , at 'navies Inn, Holborn, J. Whitaker,
the celebrated composer, aged 71.
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AI
London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG,,.
N.
112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, NO.
lit
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county ve
Middlesex, Tueeds,y, December 7. 1847.