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

MUSIC IN PARIS.

(FROM • CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Dec. 10th, 1856.—Wh0 has not seen
Seville has 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 her con-
stant study, her steady improvement. 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 hi
season depended in a great measure on Madlle.
Piceolowini.
With all her London laurels fresh upon her
Mdlle. Piccolomini arrived in Paris the early part
of last month, but, 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 direct
the Courwtshfoorar theirthey
and
The csltaairmoefd
much cherished " Dame
in
Cam as
Vaude-
ville invoke the protection
an of
eoiris 0,f,, the
the disguise of "La
prevailed was finally appointed Piccolomini prevailed, and
she should receive the
T Saturdaya vi recogniseda
t a. "
audience. None but as the day when
'verdict of a Parisian
most charming of
cities
those who know this
anxiety thates can form an idea of the
a singer with a among all classes to hear
reputation so original. The
house was cram
crammed in every part, with all
the elite of Parisian some • ty. Ministers, diplo-
matists, literate
urs, critics, artistes, and connoisseurs
crowded the
paid for seat place
to overflowing, and the _prices
the expez, e
_d s was something fabulous. A. t leagth
t moment arrived, and the little lady
tripped upon the stage. No hand welcomed her,
no n Si6n 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 a.l
when in good health and spirits. His
air?ne can,
opening of the second act, "Lunge da at the
lei," was
given to perfection, and was encored with enthu-
siasm ; indeed, from beginning to end, Mario's
performance was beyond criticism. Graziani was
a most efficient Georges Gernaont' and altogether
tests the o; era was satisfactorily put upon the stage.
After all, one of the best of an artiste's suc-
cess is found in the answer
she draw ?" On Sunday to the question, "Does
Italiens was besieged, and the the box-office
wofasthet
, whole house _
_le
for six representations
of ' Traviatat_ Monday
was given as an extra night. On Tuesday the
Emperor and Empress were present with the
C urt. His Ma jestprofuse in expressions of
admirati des
y was
Prthe
on, an the Empress by tribute of her
tears evincd her sympathy with the woes of the
lost fair one and with the acting of the artiste. The
opera will be played again to-morrow, and Satur-
day, and either three or four times next week.