The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-01 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.-

lOn Saturday evening Malemoiselle Jenny Lind ap-
peared as Elvira, in the opera of I Puritani, for the first
time, and not only do we consider her interpretation of
the character by far the most truthful that has ever been
given, but we consider that aadernoiselle Lind herself is
greater in Elvira than in any other character in which she
has yet appeared. More thin any other character does
Elvira enable her to bring all her resources into play.
In the earlier scenes Elviri 'is as joyous, as playful; as
art less as the "Figlia delßemim en to' herself; gradually
the clouds lower around her, until like a second Lucia
she is deprived of reason. The storm is at an end, and
Amina-like, restored to her lover, she once more
awakes to happiness. Nothing could be finer than
the manner in which these varied passions were depicted
by Jenny Lind. Nothing could be more interesting than
her appearance when she first came on the stage, full of
youth and hope, her silvery :sparkling tones filling her
hearers with joy. As she rested her head on the breast of
Lablache, whose noble countenance and portly form so ad-
mirably sets off his costume as the greyheaded warrior,
the picture presented was exquisite—it became truly ,
en-
chanting when Elvira's delight is awakened by the sounds
that herald the lover's approach. In the next scene, the
most striking feature was the fine-drawn, swelling,
long-sustained, and gradually dying note which she
gave forth in the quintett " Ciel arridi"—it possessed
exquisite tenderness. The polacca " Son vergin," so
long, so rapid, and so intricate, that it seems rather
to have been written for an instrument than for a
voice, and in which she introduced embellish•
meats the most varied, acne!, and marvellously
involved, was delivered with such extraordinary
ease, that it appeared she was sporting with
a trifle; and when the shouts of the whole house com-
pelled her to repeat it, she took the movement quicker,
and added at the end a veleta, whiclishowed her untiring
energy. The grand scene of the second act; particularly
" Vien diletto," and her share of the duet in the third act,
gave rise to storms of applause; it appeared as if science,
taste, and natural power could not extend further. But her
greatest triumph was the scone of the first act whero
despair at the sight of her betrothed flying away
with
a supposed rival enters the very soul of Elvira. Her tones
were as completely subdued as her acting—she relied ex•
elusively for effect on what is most difficult to attain in art
—quality of tune, accent, and expression—a great portion
was scarcely above a whisper, but it was heart-searching.
The manner in which she moved the feelings of
the audience from the moment when Elvira says,
" Ove sei 0 Artur," until she utters " Vivi() d'amore—
morro d'amor," nu pen can describe —several persons
around us were moved to tears. We do not know what
will oe the comparative attraction of I Puritani. La Son-
nambula, Lucia, and l'iglia, attract every time they are
performed such overflowing crowds, that if we were to
employ the numerical test, I Puritani might not
surpass these rival operas of INldlle. • Lind's per-
sonation in a managerial' estimate; but., ~ we feel
convinced that in the one scene described above, for
the reasons before stated, Mane. Lind has effected the
greatest advance in the lyrical art. To praise the Giorgio
of Lablache at this epoch of his career would be almost
an insult to that noble artist. He is not only equal
to his great and enduring fame in this part, but
since he has filled it every other performer in the
character appears a dwarf in talent as well as in form.
Colletti, in the full maturity of his remarkable talent, is
a Riccardo of the high'est order. In the grand duet,
" Suoui la tromba," he introduced a new and appropriate'
embellishment of the most successful description.
Lablache, who has to repeat the same words and the
same notes, took up the gauntlet, and the affects
produced in their amicable struggle of rivalry
delighted the audience. Gardoni, although ill,
sang as well as looked the part of Arturo admirably;
the improvement on last year was striking. At
the end of the opera, the cold under which he was la-
bouring paralysed his energies for a second, but he soon
recovered himself, and both afterwards, as well 'as before,
we never saw him put so much intensity of feeling
and expression in his singing ; his full pathetic
tones telling with as much effect iu the last duet and in
the last solo as in his first appearance on the stage, when
he sang "Al brilliar" so as to produce an immediate
encore.

Great pains have been taken in getting up the opera,
and infinite praise is due to Mr. Balfe for the admirable
manner in which he conducted the orchestra and cho-
ruses. Nothing could be finer.