The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-10 00:00:00

:MADLLE. PIOCOLOMINI.

The curiosity of the Edinburgh concert-going
public has for the last week or tv:o been keenly
awakened by the announcement that Mademoiselle
hhccolomiui was soon to appear before them. This
youthful,artiste made her debut in London last May,
with the highest eclat ; and from that time till the close
of the opera season at the end of Jelly she continued to
be the object of the most ardent and increasing admira-
tion. She was, indeed, familiarly known by the fond
appellations of the " pet of the public," the " spoilt
child," and the cara bambina (dear babe) ; and we were
informed by some of the London journals, that like a
little despot she ruled the entire season, and that on the
evening of its close, when she had enchanted her audi..
ence with some of her favourite songs, she was literally
pelted and almost smothered with Louquets. With such
a full-blown reputation did this young lady appear last
night before an Edinburgh audience. We are of opinion
that she owes the power which she has acquired over
the feelings of her audiences in Eoine degree at least to
handsome though petite figure, a pleasing •and ever•
smiling face, and an almost girlish artlessness of mien ;
mainly attributable to artistic
high nigho doubtorde r. She was cordially received last
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a a brilliant audience, and at the close of the
concert the impression she made seemed highly fa-
vourable. Mdlle. Piccolomini's voice is not as yet
equal, either in melody or depth of tone, to that of
some of the first-class vocalists that have of late
years periodically visited our oity. But with this re-
mark comparison must cease. Her style is altogeither
her own ; it is deeply emotional and thoroughly his-
trionic ; and its effect depends less upon voice than that
of any other vocalist we ever remember hearing, being
powerfully aided by look, action, and intensity of ex-
pression. In her first air, " Convien partir " from Donis
zetti's "La Figlia Reggimento, these Characteristics
were strikingly marked. The air is of a somewhat
melancholy cast, intended to portray the feelings of the
favourite daughter of a regiment taking a sad farewell
of her military fathers ; sni the intensity of the feeling
which she breathed forth in the song rendered it deeply
touching.. It was this song, if we mistake not, which
brought the showers of bouquets about her ears at the
close of the opera season in London. The only other
solo sung by her—" Ala fors •lui "—was, perhaps, still
more effectively sung, and, as well as the former, was
heartily encored. It, however, expresses painfutly the
feelings of an unfortunate young woman who had
been led aside from the paths of virtue, and
her desperate resolution when she feels herself aban-
doned in avhat she calls the populous desert of Paris,
to spend her remaining days in deeper depths of depra-
vity and . folly; and we think such songs—especially
when, as in the preeent instance, they are not recom-
mended by any special musical excellescy-2.might with
(such propriety be set aside for others of a less question•
able character. Their introduction into the concert
room cannot fail to affect injuriously the character of
those entertainments, which, when kept free from such
impurities, are se well fitted to impart a•WhOltiiOEGQ tones
to the feelings eif the audience. The other depart:ten
of the concert were ably suetained by Mr. CLaS. 5."3,
Sigtior.Belletti, and Signor .Rossi ; but, with the exc
?I-
-t 13,
em of a beautiful. English song by err. hmir,
Love Thee"-the composition, we presaire of
Lis late
distinguished father—the pieces selected
trionic in their character, and possessed little of
tog
'musical excelleew to be effective when dissociated from
—Edinb
the dramas to which they belorig
urgh Witness. :.8
were too his_