The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-15 00:00:00

MUSIC IN PARIS.

(FROM ♦ 00R,RESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Dec. 10th, 1856.—Wh0 has not sees.
Seville lias seen nothing, says the Spaniard. Who
has not the stamp of Paris is no artiste, says the
Frenchman. True is it that Jenny Lind, Alboni,
and many others, have been and are famous with-
out this much vaunted voucher, Lind having
always refused every Parisian offer, and Alboni's
reputation having been first made in London. Still
there can be no doubt that for every artiste a Parisian
success is of the highest importance, and Mdle.
Picculomini's debut here was, therefore, a matter
of the greatest interest.
We all know the career in England of this charm-
ing artiste. How she at once became the enfant
Cherie of the public ; how she sang, how she acted,
and what a magnetic influence she possessed over
her audience. The most satisfactory part of
Madlle. Piccolomini's artistic life has been hercon-
stant study, her steady improyernent. At the end
of her London season she had made marked pro-
gress in vocalisation, and had evinceda fixed deter-
mination to superadd to the gifts of nature the
highest endowments of art. M. Calzado was there-
fore wise to engage her for his theatre, and it is not
too much to say that the success or failure of his
season depended in a great measure on Madlle.
With all her London laurels fresh upon her
Mdlle. Piccolomini arrived in Paris the early part
of last month, hut, owing to a variety of circum-
stances, her debut was postponed until Saturday.
In vain did M. Verdi appeal to law, and protest
against the production of his operas at M. Calzado's
theatre. In vain did the directors of the Vaude-
ville invoke the protection of the Courts for their
much cherished " Dame aux Camelias," whom they
recognised and claimed in the disguise of "La
Traviata." The star of Piccolomini prevailed, and
Saturday was finally appointed as the day when
she should receive the verdict of a Parisian

Nonef
citiesbu t thosec
iknowde of t
tb
hi
es
mosta nechea.
anforwmhaon
rmingo
anxiety that prevailed among all classes to hear
a singer with a reputation so origi • •
nal. The
house was crammed in every part, with
all
the elite of Parisian society. Ministers, diplo-
matists, literateurs, et itios, artiste; and connoisseurs
crowded the place to overflowing, and the prices
paid for seats was something fabulous. At length
the expected moment arrived, and the little lady
tripped upon the stage. No hand welcomed her,
no sign of approbation was given. The chilly
silence plainly said : " Win your laurels! We take
nothing here on trust. You are before that public
which considers its verdict supreme in all matters
artistic. Sing—are you an artist or not ?"
Mdlle. Piccolomini was evidently much agi.
tated, but soon collected herself, and, summoning
all her resolution and energy, she sang the
" Libiamo." She was heard with the most wrapt
attention, applauded with enthusiasm, and encored
unanimously. Her triumph
was complete, and
the curtain fell on the first act amid loud calls for
Piccolomini. It were to little purpose that I should
dilate on an opera so well known in London as the
" Traviata," or upon an artiste whom every one of
your readers knows as Violetta. Suffice it that
the success which Piccolomini conquered in the
first act was retained in the second, and con-
firmed in the third ; and that she was several
times called before the curtain during the evening.
Mario was "Alfred," and sang as he alone can,
when in good health and spirits. His air at the
opening of the second act, "Lunge da lei," Was
given to perfection, and was encored with enthu-
siasm ; indeed, from beginning. to end, Mario's
performance was beyond criticism. Grazia.ni was
a most efficient Georges G ermont, and altogether
the o; era was satisfactorily
put upon the stage.
After all, one of the best tests of an artiste's suc-
cess is found in the
,answer to the question, (4 Does
she draw ?" On Sunday the box-oft of the
Italiens was besieged, and the whole house was let
for six representations of " Traviata."
was given as an extra night. on Tuesday Monday
the
Emperor and
.Empress were present with the
,urt. His Majesty was profuse in expressions of
admiration, and the Empress by the
tribute of herh
tears evinced her sympathy with the woes. of te
lost fair one and with the actin, the artiste., The
opera will be played again to o
-morrow and Satur-
day, and either three or four times next week.
The critics are most favourable. AIF renfino
in the Constitutionnel .
distinguishing.
mark of pice9ol says that theh(3,
siioa of
"soul, soul, soul.
ucecresP, -thence
her
real power, and the incOnteeirt;sible influence she
exercises over the public." In fine, the verdict of
London is confirmed.

--- ----
ERR vi,
,
---T3M.—The notice of the life and correspondence
John Malcolm, G.C.B of Sir which appearei in our
impression of Saturday, was inadvertently headed "The
Life and Correspondence of Sir John Campbell, G.C.8."
The error, it will be perceived, went no further.
FIRE AND Loss oF LIFE AT LIYERPOOL.—SUNDAY,
Dec. 14,—A fire broke out this morning at No. 7,
Raglan-street, Liverpool. The plane was gutted, mid
Daniel M'Killop and his wife, who occupied the '3'3l-
far were burnt to death. They were both intoxicated
when last seen.
FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Saturday evening
a ticket-taker on the Birkeressnhtrain at Spittal,ead, and Chester Ra t
into
ilway
was run over by an exp
half-a-dozen pieces.
THE INCOME-TAX.—BIRMINGIZAM, Saturday.—ln com-
pliance with a requi-ition, signed by the principal ban.
kers, merchants, and manufacturers of the borough,
the mayor has convened a public meeting, to be held on
Thursday next, " to consider the propriety of memo.
rialising her Majesty on the present income-tax, and of
a te amount
for ot
the
e three-
fourths
prepassing resolotions condemnatory of the tax and the
mode of its administration. The attendance is ex_
ursdoafy itthewas engineerss t
ga
the
ed pt ah:stietsgt theim
ex-
pected to be more than usually nonporous.
of which is rLquired as --
BRIOTOL, SOUTH WALES, An. SOUTRAIIPTOIT rl„7/01,T
—At a meeting of the provisional directors of this lin •
subscribed that the signing of tUe
on i'
h
railwayma ne
bnyt
pbwayiallr,l
Parliament
ie
seronati
feat!
ron
the fiat a prelimi-
nary Maps of any
Parliamentary contracts can be proceeded with.
PROPOSED NEW GRAVING Dock AT LivERPOOL.--it is
said that the Liverpool Dock Committee w under
consideration a plan which has been haveuoby
Mr.
en rearedpp
Hartley, the dock surveyor, fur an immense graving
dock at the north-east end of Prince's Dock on the site
of the elate yards. The proposed dock will not at all
interfere with the Prince's Dock basin, as the entrance
to it will be through the north-east
th•ea-t corner of Prince's
Dock. The extr •
eme length of the dock will be 700 feet,
or large
enough to accommodate three ships of 9,000
tons burden.: