The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-08 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

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MADEMOISELLE NISSAN.
This talented artiste made her debut on the English
boards last night, with complete and well-merited suc-
cess, in the arduous role of the Druid priestess in Bel-
lines opera of Norma. Mademoiselle Nissen is a Swede
by birth, being from the same town as our favourite
Jenny Lind. She is also a pupil of Manuel Garcia, of
the Conservatoire, Paris, and has been the friend and
pupil of the great Pasta. Mademoiselle Nissen
male her first appearance in Paris, in 1844, at the.
Italian Opera, and sung with great success there
for two seasons. The director wished to engage her for
a third, but she went to the Imperial Theatre at St.
Petersburgh, where she sung all the range of premiers
roles with Madame Pauline Viardot, Signori Rubini,
and Tarnburini. She subsequently appeared at the prin
cipal theatres of Milan, Mantua, Bologna, Florence, and
Rome, where she was a great favorite for two seasons.
Madlle. Nissen possesses a pure soprano voice of ♦ery
considerable etendue (ranging from A flat below the lines
to D in alt), partaking also of the mezzo soprano
quality, her middle notes being excellent, which
is of rare occurrence. We were particularly
struck with the inevelty and exquisite' beauty of her
fioriturs,: which was of such a high order as to com-
pletely satisfy the most faitidious critic. We under-
stand she studied this long and difficult role for six
weeks, and we were astonished at hearing her pro
nounce the English language in such a clear and pleas-
ing style ; indeed it required strict attention to detect
the slightest defective pronounciation of our difficult
language. On her entrata she was greeted with a very
flattering reception, sad declaimed the opening recite
tire, which is a very trying moment for a debutanto, with
mach earnestness. The exquisite "Casts Diva"
was rendered with delicious taste and purity,
her broderio being extremely judicious, and her
denunciation of her deceiver, the heartless Pollio,
was given with such force and fervour that an
unanimous encore was demanded and complied with.
At the conclusion of the first act she was summoned
before the curtain, when she appeared with Mr. Harri-
son, who represented Pollio, and,Mrs. Donald King, who
was the Adalgesa of the evening. On their appearance
several splendid bouquets were thrown to the fair de-
butante who with infinite grace shared the floral honours
with her talented sister artiste. The second act was remark-
able fur the extreme beauty of thefioriture introduced into
the celebrated duet " Deis eon te," which was sung by
Mademoiselle Nissen and Mrs. Donald King with an
ensemble that was as near perfection as possible, and the
intense feeling that Mademoiselle Nissen infused into
the beauteous finale, which drew down thunders of ap-
plause. Mr. Harrison's effective personation of Pollio,
and Mr. Borrani's Oroveso, are too well known to re-
quire more notice than to say they were, as usual, ex-
cellen►- Mrs. Donald King (we are happy to record
for the honour of British talent) was completely success-
ful. At the conclusion of the opera, Mademoiselle
Nissen was called out twice, when she again received
several boquets, one of which was thrown from the fair
hand of the Baroness Br Ludlow, and Mrs. Donald King
appeared subsequently to receive the unanimous and
well-merited plaudits of a fashionable audience.

LORD MAY•R'S DAY.—Yesterday the state liveries
to be worn on the occasion of the inauguration of the
Lord Mayor to-morrow, the 9th inst., were exhibited to
the public at Messrs. Wade and Fowler's, Holborn-hill.
The costs are of Waterloo blue; the other garments
being white kerseymere; the whole profusely em-
broidered with gold, representing oak leaves, inter-
spersed with roses, the emblem of Sir James Duke's
native town, Montrose. The badge is aen st, a griffin
rampant holding a wreath of roses in the fore paws.
The hats, by Messrs. Lowe, of Fleet-street, are also
decorated in the same costly manner, the postillion's
cap being worth 201. The whole of the embroidery has
been executed by Messrs. Wilson, of Lombard-street,
this being the first time this eight years that the liveries
have been entirely executed sithin the city of London.
EARLY CLOSING 1110YRMENT.—Last night a public
meeting, which was very numerously and respectabl7
attended, was held at the Literary ead Scientific Insti-
tution, Aldersgate-street, for the purpose of furthering
the movement to abridge the hours of labour in all
trades. The Lord Mayor presided. Several resolutions
urging upon the public the necessity of discontinuing the
practice of evening shopping, and upon employers the
duty of early closing, were agreed to, and after a vote of
thanks to the Lord Mayor the meeting separated.