The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-04 00:00:00

After the pretentious ponderosities of the Prop Ute
(much be-praised by pedants though they may be), it
is delightful to listen to the ever fresh and ever
,delicious
music of Rossini, and therefore do we laud the manLge-
ment of this theatre for having on Saturday night given
us La Gazza Ladra, and the audience seemed to be of
our opinion; there was none of that weariness observable
of which too frequently there are unmistakeable ages to-
wards the conclusion of "heavy operas," and the auditors
remained until the conclusion. The opera was very strongly
cast. Grisi, of course, was the Ninett2; and although
she seemed in the early part of the evenirg sufferitg
from slight indisposition, and scarcely produced as much
effect as usual in "Di piaccr;" yet she rallied as the
opera procesded, and in the trial scene, and indeed
throughout the second act, was superb. La Diva, in the
concluding scenes was quite herself again. Madlle.
Angri was the Pippo, and most effectively supported
Grisi in the great prison scene. Tamburini resumed
his old character of Fernando, and Mario ap-
peared as Gianetto, instead of Ciaffei, who had been
announced. The audience were delighted to see Mario
once more on the stage, and greeted him enthusias-
tically, and albeit he has scarcely yet recovered from
his hoarseness, he sang the music exqusitely; nothing
could exceed the taste and delicacy with which he
.ren-
dered his aria d'intrata in the first act. Ronconi ap-
peared for the first time as the Podesta, and gave a
lively, amusing, bustling, grimacing, Figaro-like version
of the part. Ronconi, however, does not yet possess the
secret of repose. The overture was superbly performed
by the orchestra, under the direction of Costa, and was,
as a matter of course, encored.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—Amongst the noble
and distinguished individuals honouring the performance at
her Majesty's Theatre on Saturday evening with their
presence were the following :—His Grace the Duke of Wel-
lington and the Marchioness of Douro, the Duke and Duchess
of Cleveland and Lady Augusta Paulet, the Duke of Leeds,
his Excellency the Swedish Minister, the Earl of Malmes-
bury. Her Majesty's box was occupied by the Marchioness
of Waterford and Viscountess Canning. There were also
present Viscount Enfield, the Countess de Flahault and Miss
de Flahault, Lady Henrietta St. Maur and Lady Ulrica St.
Maur, Lord George Paget, Lady and Miss Graham, Lord
Robert Browne and the Ladies Browne, the Baroness Von
Stenzhady and Miss Palmer, Count Graben, H6n. Mrs.
Tollemache, Sir G. Hayter, Bart, M.P.; Major the Hon.
James Macdonald, Sir George Wombwell, Bart. ; Sir Ralph
Ihward, Bart., M.P. ; Lady and Miss Howard, Sir Thomas
Burritt Lennard, Bart., and Lady Burritt Lennard ; General
the Hon. H. Cavendish, Sir Seymour Sadler, Mr. C. W.
Packe, M.P., and Mrs. Packe, Reading; Miss Burdett
Coutts and party, Colonel Freestnn, M.P., and Mrs, Lockyer
Freetstun ; Mr. B. Disraeli, M. P., and Mrs. Disraeli ; Mr.
Henry Baring, M.P. ; Captain bleynell, M.P. ; Mr. Strutt,
M.P. ; Mr. 0. Morgan, M.P. ; Mr. W. Rose, Mr. Hubert de
Burgh, Captain Plunkett Burton, Mr. Storer, Mr. C. J.
Palmer, Mr. and Mrs. Tudor, Mr. Maclean, &c.
THE ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—Her Majesty's box
at the Royal Italian Opera was occupied on Saturday even-
ing by Major-General and Lady Isabella Wemyss and Miss
Wemyss, and party. Among the distinguished company
honouring the theatre by their presence were his Excellency
the Sardinian Minister, the Marchionness of We,tmeath,
Marchesa Brancalioni, the Earl of Bessborough, the Coun-
tess of Glengall, Lady Margaret Butler, the Countess of
Mount Edgecumbe, and the Ladies Cust, Viscount and
Viscountess Sydney, Viscount Exmouth, Viscount Clifden,
and the Misses Ellis, Viscount and Viscountess Dupplin and
Lady Rose Lovell, Viscout Vailetort, Viscount Torrington,
Lord Broughton and Hon. Misses Hobhouse, Lord Arthur
Hay, Lord and Lady Rokeby and Hon. Misses Montagu,
Lerd and Lady Dinorben, Lord Rosemore, Lady Suffield and
Dliss Somerset, Lady William Powlett, Lady Keane, Lady
Pigot, Lady Seymour, Lady Domvill and party, Baron de
Steinberg, Count Hurderiberg, then Hon. J. Fortescue, M.P.,
the Hon. Henry Lumley, the Hon. Major Needham, the.
Hon. Captain Frike, the Hon. T. Dillon, the Hon. H. Row-
ley, Sir Gerge and Lady Armytage, Sir J. Mackenzie, Sir
Henry Webb, Colonel Brownlow Knox, Colonel Blane,
Colonel Crombie, Lieutenant. Colonel Tyrwhitt, Major Gage,
Captain Bishop, &c.
DEATH OF MAJOR•GENERAL RIDDALL, K.H.—On
the 28th ult. this distinguished general officer died at South-
sea, aged 76 years. He entered the army in 1798, and was
actively employed with the 62d Regt. in Sicily, Egypt, Cala-
bria, Italy, Spain, and North America from 1806 to the end
of the war. He was detached with the Grenadier company
of his regiment to retard the advance of the French in their
march to invest Scylla Castle and invade Sicily; served at
the Faro in Sicily for several weeks under the fire of the
French batteries erected in Calabria He was afterwards
second in command to General Blommart, in a Grenadier
battalion sent from Sicily to Spain; was advanced with his
company and two field pieces in the attack on and expulsion
of the French from the heights before Genoa. Afterwards
he served in North America, and was second in command,
with detachments, up the Penobscot River; he also com-
manded the advance in forming a position at Hampden, de-
fended by treble our numbers. The late Major-General
Riddall was in 1832 nominated a K.H.
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.—The Queen w'

arrive in London from Osborne, on Thursday next, and will
hold a Council on that day at three o'clock, in Buckingham
Palace, when her Majesty's Speech on the Prorogation of
Parliament will be settled. The prorogation will take place
on Friday, and the Session will be closed, as we stated last
week, by the Queen in person. After the prorogation the
Court will return to Osborne, and remain there in the Isle
of Wight till after the 26th of August, the birthday of his
Royal Highness Prince Albert, which will be celebrated with
rural sports in the usual manner.
ACCIDENT TO THE MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE.—

The Marquis of Lansdowne met with an accident two days
ago, by being thrown from his horse. Though his Lordship
did not appear much hurt, it was thought des►rable to post-
pone a meeting of the Committee of the Privy Council of
Education, appointed to be held on Saturday at the Council-
office. The Noble Marquis has, however, sufficiently re-
c )vered from his fall to be able to resume his official duties,
though he is obliged to carry his arm in a sling.
Sir George Grey recovers but very slowly from his
severe indisposition, the Right Hon. Baronet being still too
11117(011 to truant buinem& •