The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-17 00:00:00

LYCEUM.

A series of vocal and instrumental Promenade Con-
certs were commenced at this theatre last evening by
Mr. Allcroft. of New Bond-street and Regent-street,
According to the programme, these concerts, which are
now becoming so fashionable and such favourites with
the public since their introduction by Julien, are to
extend over only one short month at this theatre. How-
ever, if we are to j'udge from the bill of fare and per-
formances of the first night, Allcroft is determined that
the period, though short, shall be well employed, and a
rich treat given to those lieges who are partial to good
music and singing, in addition to rambling not on the
boards of old Drury or Covent Garden, but on the
hitherto, except to those who are members of the thea-
trical profession, untrodden boards of the Lyceum. The
stage of this theatre has been most tastefully hued up, and
decorated as a promenade and orchestra by Mr. P. Phillips,
No less than eighty native performers have been en-
gaged for the orchestra, in addition to which Allcroft
has secured the valuable assistance of the Distin family ;
that of Mr. Henry Russell, the deservedly celebrated
and popular vocalist ; our old friend Sinclair, and Carte,
Grattan Cooke, Badderley, King, Thirlwall, Wm.
Thomu s, Handley, and, though last not least, Master
Thirlwall, a young gentleman about fourteen years of
age, a promising scion of the Thirlwall stock, and an
aspirant to the fame of the great violinst
Paganini himself. With such workmen as these
Allcroft cannot fail of succeeding in his short
campaign. The programme for this evening (and it
is, we understand, to be changed every evening)
was a rich treat for the lovers of vocal and instrumental
music. The overture to TVilliam Tell, by Rossini, was
admirably performed ; its wild and melodious parts were
given in the true beauty and simplicity of its composer,
and its performance was most enthusiastically received
by a house crowded in every part. The Witches
Dance," by Paginini, never before played except by the
composer himself, was executed with great taste and
much artistic skill on the violin, by Master Thirwall.
As many of our readers are probably not aware of the
cause which led that great master of the violin (Paganini)
to compose thisfantasia, we may state " that on a beautiful
summer evening, Paganini fell asleep under the Haunted
Walnut Trees of Benevento.' He dreamed that a host
of witches, headed by goblin musicians, appeared to him,,
dancing, laughing, screaming, and performing indiscri-
bable gambols. For some time after, the melody of the
goblin minstrels, and the cries of the witches, were ever
present to his mind, and thus haunted he wrote the
humorous variations on contra danza," Delle Streghe ; or
The
Tree
eCfoßmeincevDenatnec,e,
~
as
dof the Witches round the Walnut
Among
the other entertainments
polka,
called the "Victoria and Albert," composed expressly
for these concerts by Pugni ; the "Royal Hunt," a new
descriptive pe ti
eveningv e oth
wase scene.
a n 1%.
quadrille, by Callcott, and a selection from Don Quixote,
which afforded an opportunity to Mr. Montara to dis-
play his talents on the bassoon, Mr. Handley on the
cornet-a-piston, and Mr. Wright on the ophicleicle. Mr.
Henry Distin performed several solos on the Sax-
trontba and the alto -Saxon horn, in his best style ;
and Mr. Distin was most deservedly encored in his
wonderful performance of a fantasist on the trum-
pet, in which he introduces the whole of the voice
part of " The Soldier Tired," by Dr. Arne. Mr.
Henry Russell enlivened the amusements of the
evening by several of his popular descriptive songs,
and his negro melodies, in many of which ho was
most enthusiastically encored. The whole of the concert
was most ably conducted by Mr. Negri, and led by
Messrs. Thirlwall and W. Thomas. We had almost
forgotten to say that our old friend Sinclair, in the
course of the evening, sang with great taste and feeling
a new Scotch ballad, called " Come sit thee down," in
which he was most deservedly encored. Altogether,
the whole of the performances of the evening went off
with great eclat, and we predict for Allcroft, though it be
a short, a profitable season. lie has our best wishes
for his success, and he heartily deserves them.

WHOLESALE DESERTION OF WIVES AND FAMILIES.
—On Saturday the parish of St. Luke, Chelsea, offered
a reward of two guineas for each of fourteen men
charged with the desertion of their wives and children.
They are all described as good mechanics, earning from
255. to 30s. per week, varying in age from twenty-nine
to forty.
DoN CARLOS.—A correspondent writes on'tho 4th
the Austriane
yhahva neither of
e been made
Generals
tired in this town with the Princess of Beira, and a very
small establishment of servants, intends to remove to
Venice. It is said that his two sons, who have been in
theservice oafrmS)a,. rdiTnihae,
them any great experience in the art of war."
GRAND POLISH BALL AND CONCERT AT GUILDHALL
thi
TO-MORROW, WEDNESDAY.—WO aro informed that the
prospects of this entertainment are most cheezing, and
that no ball, at this time of the year, could exhibit so
much splendour, or ;offer so much pleasure and amuse-
ment. We congratulate those who have already se-
cured their admission to this scene of brilliancy, and we
would exhort others, whose benevolent feelings for this
praiseworthy object, or a wish of enjoying a rare and
beautiful sight, who have not yet determined, to pro-
cure tickets, which are still at their original price,
whereby, they will please themselves and contribute to
a cause, which enjoys a deserving sympathy at the hands
of the British public.
THE ROMANCE OF WAR; OR, THE HIGHLANDERS
IN SPAIN.—A new work, under the above title, from the,
pen of James Grant,lJ late of the 62c1 Regiment, is
on the eve of appearance, which is said to be likely to
attain as great a share of public favour as the populai
" Recollections of a Subaltern." The work, we under-
stand, comprehends a regular series of the brilliant
achievements of the British army during the Peninsular
war (in which it will be recollected the Gordon High-
landers particularly distinguished themselves), described
from actual experience and observation. The incidents
and adventures are said to be of such a stirring nature,
although faithful representations of real events, that the
work will have extraordinary attractions for general
readers, as well as for those to whom the " romance of
war is a more familiar theme.