The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-04 00:00:00

Her Majesty's Theatre opened last evening for the season,
under the same management as last year, but under a new
proprietorship. Mr. Lumley is no longer merely the lessee,
he is the proprietor of Her Majesty's Theatre, and sincerely
do we congratulate the habitues of the Italian Opera on that
fact. From the moment that Mr. Lumley became
lessee, a change a great and salutary change was
observed in the character of the performances. Her
Majesty's Theatre became, what it always ought
to have been, the first lyrical theatre in Europe,
Since Mr. Lumley has become proprietor, as great a change
has taken place in the fitting up of the interior of the
house. The theatre has been entirely redecorated, and
instead of tee pit and the boxes presenting a mere deal
mass of white paint, with a small gold ornament in
the centre of each panel, they are now painted in
encaustic, in medalions from the master-pieces of
Raffaelle, Anniable Carracci, Guilio Romano, and from
the antique, the spaces between the medalions be.!ng
filled up by he richest arabesque work. The ceiling is an
' imitation of that of the Villa Madonna, which was designed
by Raffaelle stud Guilio Romano, to which have been added
the Aur,,ra of Guido and the Elements by Albano. The
proscenium is most gorgeously, yet at the same time most
tastefully, decorated. The boxes have been newly fined with
chintz, and the old red curtains and hangings have been
removed, and new curtains and hangings of a rich
amber satin substituted for them. A new and
magnificent cut-glass chandelier, with the lights inside
the drops, has been substituted in place of the old one, and
altogether the interior of the theatre is perhaps the most
magnificent, and at the same time the most tasteful in
the world. It is worthy of the aristocracy of a great nation.
As we before said, the theatre opened for the season last
evening, and shortly before eight o'clock Mr. Belle, the new
conductor, took his seat in the orchestra, and was warmly
welcomed on his appearance. The opera chosen for the
opening was Verdi's Nabueo (produced here under
the name of Nino.) There is always some
difficulty in unmarvelling the plot of an opera,
and therefore we are right glad when the author (as in the
present instance) has been kind enough to develop his plot
in the introduction to his libretto, which he has done as
follows :
Diodorus asserts, that Ninus was the first King of Assyria, but it
would seem that he confounds him with his father Belus, It is,
however, certain that he was one of the most renowned conquerors
of Assyria; having, in the space of 17 years, subdued numberless
countries from Egypt to India and Ractriana. Many historians, ac-
cording to Rollin, relate that Ninus made use of the Assyrians to
enslave the Babylonians, and it is on this belief, that the following
story is founded :—The first act then of Ninus, after having made his
triumphal entry into Babylon, is to profane the temple of Isis, and to
lead the principal inhabitants of the conquered c'ty, prisoners to
Nineveh. Fenena, the daughter of Ninus, is appointed Regent
here, during her father's absence, but Abigail, 'a slave
and a supposed daughter of Ninus, is intriguing to attain that
dignity for herself. Ninus, however, having succeeded in
completely subduing the Babylonians, returns in time to
frustrate her ambitious designs. But inflated by pride, he at
last cannot endure that even a god should be worshipped in prefer-
ence to him. Heaven, offended by his overweening arrogance,
causes him to be struck by a thunderbolt, which reduces him to a
state of imbecility. Taking advantage of this Abigail tells him that
Fenena has embraced the religion of the Babylonians, and prevails
upon him to sign her death-warrant. Nines, overcome by the weight
of his Misfortunes, in vain implores pity from the proud, relentless
Abigail; she, however, only answers him with reproaches for her
abject birth. The auspicious hour at length arrives. Ninus, struck
with repentance, invokes the god of his enemies, pardons them,
saves his daughter, and once more resumes his royal sceptre.
So much for the plot. The cast was as follows :
Ninus (King of the Assyrians), Sig. Fornasari; Idaspe, (a de-
scend. nt of the ancient Kings of Babylon), Sig. Corelli ; Orotaspe, (a
Slava, supposed to be the eldest Daughter of Ninus), Signora San-
chioli; Fenena (Daughter of Ninus), Signora Corbari; an Assyrian
Priest, Sig. Giubilei ; Abdallo (an old officer of the King of the As-
syrians), Sig. Dia Fiori ; Anna (Sister of Orotaspe), Signora Bellini.
In the first part the scene takes place in Babylon ; the others in
Nineveh.
It will be seen, from the above list of the characters, that
two ladies, Signora Corbari and Signora Sanchioli, appeared
last evening, for the first time, on the boards of her Majesty's
Theatre. Signora Corbari possesses a soprano voice of great
sweetness; but, as it struck us, of no great power, although
on this point it is scarcely possible to form a judgment at
present, as it was evident that last night she was dreadfully
nervous, and failed to do justice to herself at the commence-
ment of the opera; but she gathered courage as she pro-
ceeded, and in the last act she gave the beautiful and deli-
cate air, "Oh ! dischinso e it firmamento," in the most ex-
quisite manner imaginable, and was rapturously en-
cored. Of Signora Sanchioli we can speak without
any hesitation, possessing a good person, expressive
and beautifnl features, great histrionic powers, pro-
found musical knowledge, and a voice, which for power,
compass, and cultivation, can only be compared to Malibran's.
Her's has been the most successful debut at her Majesty's
Theatre since the memorable debut of Grisi ; and we hail
Signora Sanchioli as the future prima donna assoluta. We
bad formed great expectations of Verdi from hearing
Eris Ernani last season, and these expectations have
been more than realised by his Nino. To the graceful
melody of the Italians be unites the profound learning of
the Germans; his choruses are full, massive, harmonious as
those of Weber or Beethoven ; his melodies are graceful as
those of Bellini or Donizetti, without the thinness of the
former, or the plagiarism of the latter. Nino is
the greatest Italian opera that has been produced since
Semiramide. In the character of his genius, Verdi ap-
proaches nearer Mozart than any other composer; there is
the same profound knowledge of orchestral resources, and
the same tasteful appropriation of delicate melody.. He has
already done great things, but what he has already done
will be as nothing in comparison with what he will do, if
he devotes himself steadily to his art, and writes as
he has hitherto dared, for the purpose of producing an opera
that is a work great and complete as a whole, as contradis-
tinguished from a series of solos, duets, and trios, con-
cocted to minister to the vanity of certain singers, and
connected together by a series of musical common-
places which have been too often produced, and
too often applauded, too, under the name of an opera.
The opera of .Nino is a great work—a complete work—so
complete that it is almost impossible to particularise or to
point out " the gem of the opera," as it is called. The opera
itself is " one entire and perfect chrysolite "—a work which,
to be duly appreciated, must be heard again and again—a
work in which every connoisseur willrevel—unitingasitdoes,
the beauties of the Italian and the German schools.
We have spoken of the histrionic powers of Signora San-
chioli. Her acting, as Abigail, the slave Empress, was most
artistical ; there was all the pride, the waywardness, the
self-will, the decision of the despot, but it was the
despot who had been a slave. There was riot
the calm dignity of conscious power, but the head-
long fiery impatience of contradiction of the slave usurper
This was a touch of nature, finely conceived, and most artis-
tically developed. Fornasari's Ninus was very fine—superior
even to his Belisario. In the first two acts nothing could
exceed the reckless haughtiness and pride of his demeanour
in the earlier scenes, until his crown is struck from his head
by lightning. His look of horror when this took place, and his
subsequent maniac scenes were terrifically true to nature.
In the third act his humility to Abigail, as he beseeches her
to spare Fenena, was most pathetic; and when at last his
reason is restored, and the old man, once more
getting possession of his sword, marches at the
head of his troops to dethrone the usurper,
Fornasari was magnificent—taken as a whole, it is not often
that an opera so excellent in itself, and so excellently sup-
ported throughout, is produced even at Her Majesty's
Theatre. The National Anthem having been sung, the new
ballet of Catarina was produced, the plot of s% bleb, as circu-
lated in the theatre, is as follows :
This Ballet comprises a passage in the life of the great painter,
Salvator Rosa—whose story, like his pictures, is highly picturesque,
and has a dreamy distance, affording full scope to the imagination
of the observer, and ample latitude for any appropriate supposititious
addition. The Italian Painter had a most venturous existence—one
moment engaged in a nocturnal duel under the very walls of the
Vatican • at another, in open day, at Naples, heading a band of ar-
tistic brethren in the cause of Italian liberty, in the Insurrection of
Masaniello, against the Spanish oppressors of the land. But the ha-
bitual resorts of Salvator Rosa were the glens and fastnesses of the
mountains, where he sought congenial inspiration for the composi-
tion of his pictures;—such a taste had he for this scenery, that it
gave rise to the assertion, that he had been himself a
brigand—a calumny historians have triumphantly disproved :
As the ballet begins, Salvator, in one of his excursions in search of
the pictUresque, has fallen into the hands of the brigands ; they are
engaged in robbing his person ; over these reckless men his sketches
scattered about fail to exercise the same influence Ludovico Ariosto's
poetry did in similar circumstances. But soon arrives one, in whose
bosom exists a deep and innate admiration for art ; it is Catarina,
the daughter of a captain of banditti, who, at her father's death, has
inherited his power over the brigands of the mountain, and whose
lieutenant and aide-de-camp is Diavolino, a young brigand, full of
daring and fertile invention, and secrely in love with his fair
captain. Catarina releases Salvator Rosa, and lie feels so
deep an interest in her, that he advises her to abandon her
dangerous career and follow him to more peaceful scenes. This
Catarina refuses, and Salvator retires with deep regret. But soon the
mountain fastness where Catarina marshals her chosen body of
Amazons, is beleaguered by troops. Catarina and Diavolino fly after
a hard conflict, when resistance becomes unavailing—and they take
refuge at an inn at the gates of Rome, where they bribe the host to
conceal them, and die :rase them In garments of more peaceful aspect.
They are hardly tray, stied before the troops arrive with their pri-
soners; part of the soldiers come in to take refreshment, and are
served by Catarina, who soon attracts their attention by her graceful
bounding steps, and their boisterous applause excites the
curiosity of, the other soldiers without, who ono by one
join their comrades. Diavolino avails himself of this op-
portunity to liberate his companions, at the report of
whose flight the soldiers rush out and pursue them. But Cata-
rina and Diavolino themselves are shortly pursued again ; after
various adventures they take refuge, led by Catarina's partiality, in
the studio of Salvator, at the very moment he is a prey to regretful
reminiscence of the bold mountain beauty. Here, however, they
are agaiu traced ; Sal ator strives to save them from their pursuers,
but Catarina is ultimately seized and taken to prison. Here Diavo-
lino, who has escaped, comes to deliver her, bnt devoured by jea-
lousy, he seeks to enforce the condition of her never seeing ialvator
Rosa, whom he swears lie will kill at the first opportunity. Catarina
rejects this condition, Diavolino relents—they escape. Then the
scene changes to the masqued revels of the Carnival. Here Cata-
rina joins the mummers disguised as an Enchantress, to warn Sal-
vator against the designs of his enemy ; her warnings, however, are
unavailing. Diavolino attacks Salvator, and is on the point of kill-
ing him, when Catarina rushes between them—receives the fatal blow
destined to her lover, and the ballet concludes with her death.
Catarina, chief of the banditti, Mdlle. Lucile Grahn ;
Diavolino, her lieutenant, secretly in love with Catarina,
M. Perrot ; Salvator Rosa, M. Gosselin ; Florida, betrothed
to Salvator, Made. Petit Stephen ; Chief Judge, M. Ve-
nafra ; Principal Model of Salvator Rosa, Mdlle. Louise
Taglioni, (her first appearance in this country). In the con. se
of the Ballet the following dances :
First Tableau.—Pas Strategique, Mdlle. Lucile Grahn, and
the Ladies of the Corps de Ballet.
New and Original Valse a Cinq Temps, Mdlle. Lucile
Grahn, and M. Perrot.
Second Tableau —La Romanesque, Made. Petit Stephen,
and M. Perrot,.

La Saltarelle.—Mdlle. Lucile Grahn, and M. Perrot.
Third Tableau.—Pas des Modeller, Mdlle. Louise Tag-
lioni supported by Mdlles. Moncelet, De Mellisse, and Cassan,
and Mesdlies. Lamoureux' Tevenau, and Julienne.
Fifth Tableau—Pas du Masque, Mdlle. Lucile Grahn,
supported by Mdlles. Moncelet, De Melisse, and Cassan.
La Folio du Carnival—New and Original Grand Galop
Final.

The pas stratigique is very novel ; Lucille Grahn, as Cata-
rina, manoeuvres a whole regiment of female musqueteers,
who go through the manual and platoon exercise in a
manner which would not disgrace a regiment of her Ma-
jesty's guards. The pas des modeles is very picturesque.
Louise Taglioni is an exquisite dancer, in every respect
worthy the name which she bears. The ballet is admirably
put on the stage, and its success, like that of the opera, was
complete:. The house was crowded in every, part.

CLOSING THE TRANSFER BOOBS AT THE BANK OP
EIGLAWD.—The following notice was issued on Monday at the Bank
of England and South Sea House :—" The transfer-books for annui-
ties due April 15, 1846, will be closed and opened as follows:—Bank
E"ek, from Tuesday, March 10, till Tuesday, April 14 ; Three-and-a-
Quarter per Cent. Annuities, from Tuesday, March 10, till Friday,
April 17 ; Redueed Three per Cent. Annuities, from Tuesday, March
10, till Friday, April 17; Long Annuities, from Tuesday, March 10,
till Friday, April 17 ; Annuities for terms of years, from Tuesday,
March 10, till Friday, April 17. The transfer•books of Old South Sea
Annuities will be closed from Tuesday, the 10th of March, till Friday.
the 17th of April."