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

HER MA,TEbTY'S THEATRE.

The result of Mademoiselle Piccolornini'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 iinoerceptibiy 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 PM-
colornines truthful expression of the sentiments she has to
emboiy, 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 found, and in a thriving condition,
may be ascertained by any one who will witness " La
Traviata."

While, however, we record the continued triumph of
Mademoi‘elle Piccolomini, we must express our regret
that the French piece on which " La Traviata " is based
was followed so closely by the Italian poetcz. 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 died of consumption, wouli
have served just as well for a heroine as a Parisian
torette. At the Theatre do Vaudeville the lives of peo-
ple whose existence lies hors de societe, are fund 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

E 1118 2] SSY.

The Queen last night honoured his Excellency the
Ambas-iador of the Ottoman Porte and Madame Musurus
with her presence, at a grand ball given in honour of her
Majesty, at the residence of the Embassy in Bryanston-
sq Imre.

For some time previously to the arrival of the Queen,
the brilliancy of its external illumination bad attracted a
vast assemblage of spectators to the Embassy, and the
whole neighbourhood presented a eceneof 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
Coldstreams stationed in front of the Embassy, and, on
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 accom-
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, baying the regal
Crown richly embroidered, and the chairs of State in
crimson velvet and gold on either side. Here her Majesty
took her seat to receive the assembled guests. Let our I
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 deli-
cate-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-
sembled guests, when the folding-doors, which bad
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-
ing upon the ball-room. At half past 10 o'clock the
Lord Chamberlain received her Majesty's commands to
form a quadriile. The ball was opened by the Queen
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 ex-
tremely beautiful. The pillars were formed entirely Of
flowers clustering upon trellis work, and reflected back
in innumerable arcades of brightness and beauty by mir-
rors, of which the walls were entirely formed. In the,
centre and on each side were fountains throwing up
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 chan- •
deliers, festooned with garlands of flowers, shed a mar-
vellous brilliancy upon the tables, on which shone plate
of the most elegant description, glass sparkling with ,
diamond light, and a service of exquisite porcelain, made
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 to 111•
and Madame Musurus the high gratification her visit to
the Embassy had afforded her. Her Majesty shortly
afterwards retired, conducted to her carriage as upon her
arrival.

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

ARRIVAL OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS

THE REGENT 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 Dr.
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 to Buckingham Palace, where the Queen,
accompanied by Prince Albert, received her illustrious
guest.

In the afternoon the Prince Regent, attended by the
Hon. Mortimer S. West, and the gentlemen of his
suite, paid visits to their Royal Highnesses the Duchess
of Kent, the Duche,s of Gloucester, the Duchess of
Cambridge, and the Duke of Cambridge, at their re•
spective residences.

THE EMPRESS DOWAGER OP RUSSIA.

A letter from Berlin, in the Constitutionnel, says :---
" The journey of the Empress Dowager of Russia can only
be performed with the greatest precautions. Her Majesty
is in such a weak state that anything like official reception
is interdicted. Even at Berlin she will not quit her car-
riage to receive the congratulations of the authorities, but
will immediately proceed to Potsdam. The Empress Dow-
ager is labouring under a slow consumption, which has
completely sapped her constitution, and set all medicine
at defiance. Her weakness is so extreme that she is con-
stantly compelled to keep her bed, and her countenance
bears the marks of deep and constant suffering. Dr. Mandt,
who attended the Emperor Nicholas in his last illness, and
was compelled to leave St. Petersburg, in consequence of
the hostile feelings displayed towards him by the Russian
physicians, has been for sometime atFrankfort-on• the-Oder.
The Empress places the fullest confidence in his skill, and
he will therefore take part in the consultation, at which
Dr. Romberg, the court physician of this place, will pre•
side. It is at this consultation that will be decided the
mineral baths to which the Empress will go—either at
Wildbad, in the Black Forest, or at Schlauglenbad, in the
Duchy of Nassau."