The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-28 00:00:00

HER M.AJbsTY'S THEATBE.

The result of Mademoiselle Piccolovaini's second ap-
pearance last night was more than confirmatory of the
success that attended her debut on Saturday. Rarely,
do we see an artist so imperceptibly and so surely grasp
the sympathies of an audience till the mild approval at
the beginning has increased into enthusiasm at the end.
And yet the opera, save in the finale to the first act.
does not afford room for one of those feats of vocalisation
that ordinarily cause thunders of applause to reward
the prima donna of lyric drama. It is Mademoiselle Pic-
colomini's truthful expression of the sentiments she has to
emboly, the force of her "points," the accurate detail of
her by-play, that gain for her the suffrages of her
hearers. They applaud lines rather than passages,
and regard the music more as a form of elocution than
as a specimen of an independent art. An opera in
which the composer's work may be set down as nought
looks like a sort of solecism, but, nevertheless, that
such a thing is to be fotind, and in a thriving condition,
may be ascertained by any one who will witness "La
Traviata."
however, we record the continued triumph of
Mademoiselle Picoolomini, we must express our regret
that the French piece on which " La Traviata " is based
was followed so closely. by the Italian pocks. Surely
some means might have been found of preserving the
situations of M. Dumas without retaining the social
position of the original dramatis personce. A virtuous
young lady who loved devotedly was insulted at a
large party, and ultimately dieckof consumption, would
have served just as well for a heroine as a Parisian
lorette. At the Theatre du Vaudeville the lives of peo-
ple whose existence lies hors de societe, are found to
furnish exceedingly pleasant plots, but London audi-
ences have happily nut yet grown used to such society.

THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO THE TURKISH

EIXBASSY.

The Queen last night honoured his Excellency the
Ambassador of the Ottoman Porte and Madame Muslims
with her presence, at a grand ball given in honour of hec
Majesty, at the residence of the Embassy in Bryanston-
sqnAre.

For s uric time previously to the arrival, of the Queen,
the brilliancy of its external illumination had attracted a
vast assemblage of spectators to the Embassy, and the
whole neighbourhood presented a scene of the most lively
excitement.

The entrance in Bryanston-square was reserved ex-
clusively for her Majesty and the Court, the general
company entering from George-street.
Precisely at 10 o'clock the cheers of the surrounding
multitude announced the approach of the Queen. Her
Majesty was received by a Guard of Honour of the
Coldstream stationed in front of the Embassy, and, 911
alighting from the Royal carriage, M. and Madame
Musurus advanced to welcome the Sovereign at the en•
trance hall.
'Her Majesty graciously acknowledged the attention of
their Excellencies, and, preceded by the Lord Chamber-
lain and the Lord Steward, entered an apartment set
aside as a retiring room.
Her Majesty and the Prince Consort were aceom-
panied by their illustrious guests the Prince Frederick
William of Prussia and the 'Regent of Baden. A bril-
liant suite of ladies and gentlemen of the royal house•
hold were in attendance.

On leaving the retiring-room her Majesty took the
arm of the Ambassador, Prince Albert leading Madame
Musurus, and thus the royal party, ascending the stairs,
entered the ball-room—a noble apartment, which struck
the beholder as presenting all the gorgeousness of Eastern
fashion, refined by the purest taste. The effect of the
whole room was that of a golden flood of sunshine. The
floor was of exquisite paraqueterie, preserving an amber
tint ; the walls were hung with a golden fabric, the
draperies were of amber, and the pillars which crossed
the end of the room were of the softest-coloured marble.
On a slightly elevated dais, carpeted with crimson velvet
and fringed with gold, was a throne, having the reel
Crown richly embroidered, and the chairs of State is
crimson velvet and gold on either side. Here her Majesty
took her seat to receive the assembled guests. Let our
readers imagine that in front of these royal personages,
at the end of the saloon, was a vast mirror, extending
from the roof to the floor, and that opposite was another
of similar proportions, reflecting back and doubling the
magnificent scene, while extending along behind the
royal throne and' dais was a rich bank of flowers of
many bright hues, terminating in a golden pillar on either
side, each supporting a porphyry vase filled with
ca.te-hued flowers, so as to give the effect of one vast,
garland extending behind the throne, mirrored and re-'
peated in a hundred lights, and they may realise the
scene that presented itself in glittering vista to the as;
seinbled guests, when the folding-doors, which had
hitherto secluded them from the royal party, were
thrown open.
Her Majesty was attired in a cerise tarlatan dress,
over white satin, and across her breast she wore the.
Star and Ribbon of the Order of the Garter. The Prince
Consort wore the uniform of the Rifle Brigade.
The orchestra (that of M. Laurent) were placed out
of sight, though within hearing, in an ante-room open'
lug upon the ball-room. At half past 10 o'clock the
Lord Chamberlain received her Majesty's commands to
form a quadrille. The ball was opened by the Queer'
dancing with M. Musurus, Prince Albert taking the
hand of Madame Musurus.
At midnight, the Queen having indicated her gracious
pleasure, M. Musurus led the way to the refreshment
saloon, and conducted her Majesty to the raised dais in
the inner pavilion where an elegant repast was served'
The effect of the two pavilions opening into each other-'-'
one decorated with rose colour and white, the other blue
and white, and each festooned with golden cords, was of
tremely beautiful. The pillars were formed entirely
fl °,!,
flowers clustering upon trellis work, and reflected Wl`
in innumerable arcades of brightness and beauty by Oil'
rors, of which the walls were entirely formed. In the
centre and on each side were fountains throwing °P
jets of water, which, as their murmuring and plashing
fell upon the ear, gave to the mind a sense of refreshing
coolness. Upwards of 300 wax-lights in pendant chew
deliers, festooned with garlands of flowers, shed a mot'
vellotts brilliancy upon the tables, on which shone plate
of the most elegant description, glass sparkling With
diamond light, and a service of exquisite porcelain, moll
expressly for the occasion, each plate of which contained
a view in some part of the Sultan's dominions.
The Queen, before leaving the pavilion, expressed tog'
and Madame Musurus the high gratification her visit to
the Embassy had afforded her. Her Majesty shorq
afterwards retired, conducted to her carriage as upon be

arrival. •
The general company protracted their enjoyment of
the fete up to an advanced hour this morning.

ARRIVAL OP HIS ROYAL HIGHIVE:3S

THE EBOENT OF BADEN.

His Royal Highness the Regent of Baden arrived at
Buckingham Palace at 11 o'clock yesterday morning, on
a visit to the Queen.

His Royal Highness, attended by the Hon. Mortimer
Sackville West (Groom in Waiting to the Queen), Col.
Baron S. de Lotzen, Baron de Gemmingen, and ,
Ullman travelled from Dover, in the forenoon, by the '
South-Eastern Railway, and at the London-bridge ter
minus was met by Captain Du Plat (Equerry to Prince
Albert), who conducted the Prince Regent and his suite
to two of her Majesty's carriages, which conveyed the
royal party tl Buckingham Palace, where the Queen,
accompanied by Prince Albert, received her illustricoi ,
guest.
In the afternoon the Prince Regent, attended by iii/e
Hon. Mortimer S. West, and the gentlemen of 0.10
suite, paid visits to their Royal Highnesses the Duchess
:i
of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duchess "
Cambridge, and the Duke of Cambridge, at their re'
spective residences.

THE EMPRESS DOWAGER OF RUSSIA'

A letter from Berlin, in the Constitutionnel, sags if
"The journey of the Empress Dowager of Russia can °13,4
be performed with the greatest precautions. Her 3.15.i55,,'0
is in such a weak state that anything like official recePti",
is interdicted. Even at Berlin she will not quit her cat
riage to receive the congratulations of the authorities, Pic,.
will immediately proceed to Potsdam. The Empress D°,lo
ager is labouring under a slow consumption, which ;i0
completely sapped her constitution, and set all medie,
at defiance. Her weakness is so extreme that she is e"„/0ce
stautly compelled to keep her bed, and her countensst,
bears the marks of deep and constant suffering. Dr. A151'1,4
who attended the Emperor Nicholas is his last ill nesS,
was compelled to leave St. Petersburg, in consequence.o
the hostile feelings displayed towards him by the Russ; %,
physicians, has been for sometime atFrankfort• on. the-00ed
The Empress places the fullest confidence in his skill,
he will therefore take part in the consultation, at ',Alley
Dr. Romberg, the court physician of this place, will P,file
side. It is at this consultation that will be decided
mineral baths to which the Empress will go—eithertbe
Wildbad, in the Black Forest, or at Schlauglenbad, in
Duchy of Nassau." .