The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-05 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
RE-APPEARANCE OF JENNY LIND.
Jenny Lind has returned to us, and returned to us
on the anniversary of her first debut. On the 4th
May, 1847, she made her first appearance at Her
Majesty's Theatre ; on the 4th May, 1848, she made
her re-appearance for the season. The 4th May is
henceforth an epoch in the annals of music in this
country, and should be every year observed at Her
Majesty's Theatre as a Jour de Fete. To say that
the furore which Jenny Lind excited by her first
appearance continues would fail far short of the
truth—not only does it continue, but it has in•
creased in intensity. Within twelve hours after the
announcement of Jenny Lind for last evening, every
box, every stall was taken, and the next day they
were quoted at a premium, which increased day by
day as the 4th of May approached. The crushing
on a Jenny Lind night has become proverbial, but
the crushing last evening surpassed, far surpassed any
of the crushes of last season—it was terrific, but once
over the individual who was fortunate enough to
secure admittance into the theatre was more, much
more, than compensated for the perils through which
he had run. The opera was the Sonnambala, and
on the first appearance of Jenny Lind the house rose
at her ; cheer after cheer burst forth amidst
the waving of hats and handkerchiefs, while
Jenny Lind, her features beaming with de-
light, curtsied her thanks. This scene lasted several
minutes. The annals of the drama have never re-
corded such a reception as that of Jenny Lind last
evening. She has improved in appearance since last
season. She is rather stouter, and, altogether, ap-
pears in better health. Her voice, too, while it has
preserved all its nightingale-like purity, flexibility,
and sweetness—all its expressive pathos, and all its
wonderful power of, as it were, vocal ventriloquisation,
has increased in strength and volume. Her acting and
singing was, last night, perfection. " Beautiful,"
" exquisite," " true," might be said of every note she
sung. At the conclusion of the first act she was called
for. Again, at the conclusion of the bed-room scene,
and again twice at the conclusion of the opera. It
is almost needless to state that the finale was encored.
Every cadenza was applauded to the echo, and the
applause throughout her performance was enthusiastic.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert honoured the theatre
with their presence. It was the first appearance of
her Majesty in public since her aceouchement, arid also
since the memorable 10th of April. Her Majesty
and suite arrived shortly after the commencement of
the opera, and at the end of the first act her Majesty
was loudly cheered. Her Majesty came forward to
the front of the box and graciously acknowledged
the homage paid to her by her loyal subjects. In-
stantly a cry rose for " God save the Queen." The
curtain rose, and the National Anthem was sung by
the whole company. Mdlle. Vera, Signor Gardoni,
and Signor P. Lablache, who were engaged in the
opera, taking the solo parts. Every stanza was re-
ceived with shouts of loyal enthusiasm, and at the
conclusion her Majesty again came forward and
bowed her acknowledgments. The ballet of the
Vivandiere, with Cerito and St. Leon completed
the evening's entertainments.
The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert,
accompanied by her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Kent and his Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia, and
attended by a numerous suite, honoured the performances
at her Majesty's Theatre with their presence last even-
ing. In the suite of her Majesty and the Prince Consort
were the Marchioness of Douro, Lord Byron, Hon.
Colonel Grey, and the Hon. Captain Gordon. Lady
Augusta Bruce was in attendance on the Duchess of
Kent, and Major Von Oehrlich, on the Prince of Prussia.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, accompanied by their
Serene Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxo Wei-
mar, the Princess Anne of Saxe Weimar, and the
Princes Hermann and Edward of Saxe Weimar, also
honoured the performances with her presence.
In the royal suite were the Countess of Sheffield,
the Earl Howe, Miss Wheatley, and Captain Taylor.
Among the general company in the boxes and
stalls we observed his Royal Highness the Count
of Syracuse, the Prince Louis Napoleon, the
Prince Lowenstein, his Excellency the Hanoverian Mi-
nister, his Excellency the Russian Minister, the Baro-
ness Brunnow and Madame Olga de Lechner, his Ex-
cellency the Swedish Minister, his Excellency the %Vur-
temburg Minister, his Excellency the Sardinian Minister,
his Excellency the American Minister and Mrs. Bancroft,
the Duke of Wellington, the Duke and Duchess of Mon-
trose and Lady Ernest Bruce, the Duchess of Leeds
and Miss Lane Fox, the Duke of Cleveland and Lady
Augusta Paulett, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the
Marquis of Worcester, the Marquis of Titchfield,
the Marquis of Huntley, the Marquis of Donegal, the
Earl and Countess of Wilton, the Earl of Munster,
the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Stamford, the Earl
of Falmouth, Viscount Clifden, Viscount Emlyn, Vis-
count Cantilupe, Viscount and Viscountess Exmouth,
Viscount Anson, Lord Foley and the Hon. Miss
Foley, Lord Gardner, Lord and Lady C. Wellesley,
Lady F. Somerset and Miss Somerset, Lord W. Lennox,
Lord Elphinstone, Lord Sandys, Lady Moletworth, Sir
W. Fremantle, Lady Fremantle, Sir G. Womhwell, Sir
Ralph and Lady Howard, Sir Alexander Woodford. Sir
Edward Codrington, Sir Henry Meux, Sir Thomas Hare,
Major-General Fox and Lady Mary Fox, Lady Shelley,
General the Hon. H. Cavendish, Hon. Captain Hood,
Hon. F. Cadogan, Hon. H. Baring, M. C. de Koudriaff-
sky, General Hamilton, Colonel Williams, Major
Buckley, Major Wildman, Major Baring, Captain Mey-
nell, R.N., Captain Seymour Sadler, Captain Smith, Mr.
Grote, M.P., and Mrs. Grote, Mr. Norman Macdonald,
Mr. Broadley, MX, Mr. Hubert De Burgh, Mr. T.
Hankey, jun., Mr. R. Errington, Mr. Montague Gore,
Mr. Falkner, Mr. B. Baldwin, M.P., Mr. Aldridge, Mr.
and Mrs. Phillips, Mr. Seymour Bathurst, Major and
Mrs. Gage, Lady Marcus Hill, Lady Wentworth, Col.
Kemyss Tynte, M.P., and Mrs. K. Tynte, Mr. Singleton,
Sir Edward and Lady Hood, &c.

(From the Times.)
The great evening of the season has "come off," and
the result has been most brilliant. The 4th of May,
1847, selected for the debut of bldlle. Jenny Lind in this
country, has had a noble anniversary in her re-appear-
ance. It was pretty generally known to the public that
her Majesty intended to honour the theatre with her
presence, appearing for the first time in public since her
return from Osborne House ; and the Haymarket and
Pall-mall were crowded with an anxious throng, who
watched the arrival of the carriages. Jenny Lind, on
her first entrance, was greeted with a tumult of applause
from a house crowded in every part, and it seemed as if
the waving of hats and handkerchiefs would never sub-
side. At last the noise was hushed, and every note of her
recitative was listened to as the repetition of a welcome
sound, while every phrase that could be considered a
point was followed by a murmur of applause, deep
enough to express the highest admiration, but repressed
from a fear of interrupting the vocalist. We need not
describe the appearance of Jenny Lind in La Somnam-
hula. It is written in every memory, together with the
charming simplicity which she infuses into the character,
and which distinguishes her version from that of any
other artist. Last night she was in excellent voice; one
could even fancy that the notes were more full and rich
than last season. At the end of the first scene, which is
closed by the act-drop (the duet being retained, and the
bedroom scene treated as an entire act), Mdlle Lind was
twice called. It was then discovered by the body of the
audience that her Majesty was in the Royal box. Some
calls for "God save the Queen" uttered at intervals by
those who were aware of the circumstance, first
excited the general attention, and when her Majesty
came forward and bowed, the greetings of the
crowded house were combined into one vast thunder
of welcome. The Anthem was demanded with shouts
and followed with cheers, and it is impossible to
conceived a demonstration of loyalty more enthusi-
astic. It is scarcely necessary to state that Her Ma-
jesty's accouchenzent and the memorable 10th of April
had occured since her last previous appearance in public.
The Anthem was sung by Gardoni, Lablache, and
Mdlle. Vera, and the loyal demonstration having ter-
minated, the audience resumed their seats, and com-
posed themselves to hear the rest of La Sonnambula.
The bedroom scene, with all the passionate grief assumed
by Mdlle. Lind, caused her again to be called before the
curtain; but her grand triumphs were the aria, " Ah,
non credea mirarti, ' and the finale. For quiet intensity
of feeling—for a representation of the most poignant
sorrow, the first of these morcealt as sung by Mdlle.
Lind is inimitable; and there is an ineffable charm in
her manner which gives additional force to the pathos of
her singing. The shake with which it terminates, and
which dies off to the softest pianissimo in a manner
which may be considered Jenny Lind's own, aroused the
audience into a rapture of applause. Her finale was
electrical. The ornaments, executed to perfection, ap-
peared dictated by an unceasing flow of inspiration,
while the effect of the superb natural organ was really
marvellous. The auditors insisted on a repetition, the
curtain was raised, the finale was again sung, and Mdlle.
Lind was again twice summoned to the lamps, whither
she was conducted by Gardoni.
(From the Chronicle.)
Last night the announcement of Mdlle. Jenny Lind's
first appearance for her second season in London pro-
duced a bumper house. Seldom has such a house been
seen, except on Lind nights. From an early hour in the
evening all the doors and avenues were crowded with
anxious visitors, and long before the rise of the curtain
there was not a box ner seat unoccupied throughout the
vast area. As the hour fixed for the commencement of
the performance arrived, a strong feeling of impatience
began to manifest itself amongst a portion of the
audience in the pit and gallery ; and when, at ten
minutes past eight, Mr. Balfe took his seat in the orches-
tra, there was a tremendous burst of cheering. The
opera selected for the occasion was Bellini's Sonnambula,
the same in which the Swedish Nightingale terminated
her brilliant engagement last season ; and the cheers
which greeted her on that eventful night rang again in
the memory of many an admirer of her genius, assem.
bled last night to greet her on her return to these boards.
The pare of Amina is, to our opinion, the most charming
of all the characters which Jenny Lind has hitherto
played in this country. Full of pure womanly feeling,
it is well adapted to her truthful, genuine style of acting.
What simple grace distinguishes her every action in
this little exciting domestic history! Her first cheerful
greeting of her fellow villagers, and her scenes of tender
and affectionate congratulation with her mother, and the
chosen lover of her breast—all these are most delicate
touches of unaffected nature. Upon being rejected by
Elvino, upon a false and cruel suspicion of her fidelity,
how passionate, how overwhelming is her grief--and
then how sad and desolate her aspect when left to pine
how touching that bereaved
when she hugs to her bosom the withered flowers which
her lover had given her in happier days, and then