The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-10 00:00:00

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.

Last evening, Mr. Meakin, the inventor and pa-
tentee of a new fire escape, delivered a lecture on
the advantages of his invention, before a large
audience, in the theatre of the Polytechnic Insti-
tution. Tho apparatus, which is called the Domes-
tic Fire Escape, seems to be extremely simple in
its application, occupies but a small space, and may
be moved with facility from one storey of the house
to another. By simply pulling a handle connected
by a continuous wire with the apparatus at the
window, an alarm bell is set going with a peculiar
sharp ring, powerful enough to awaken not only
the inhabitants, bui, the immediate neighbourhood ;
lay the same act of pulling, two coils of galvanised
stout wire rope are freed from a box, and in their
descent uncoil from reels on which they are wound,
and disclose two strong metal handles. The upper
end of each rope being secured to a strong thimble
(as it is technically called), and placed on stoat iron
hooks to or through the wall, the ropes fall to the
ground so rapidly that it may be called an instan-
taneous communication with the street. Connected
with the preceding is an oblong basket, made to
shut up for economyof space, like a telescope, and to
collapse when it reaches the ground, so as to en-
able the occupant to step out with ease ; it is covered
with sail cloth and rendered somewhat fire-proof
and furnished with a swivel block at each end
of the top edge, the space below the wheel
being large enough to admit the iron handles of the
wire rope ; directly the handles are passed through
these blocks, and caught hold of by men. they, by
running from each other, cause the basket to
ascend to the window with great rapidity. By
this time assistance will of course have arrived,
and while the handles are thus held, an auxiliary
rope, knotted at spaces, is slipped over the handle,
thus enabling four or five men to hold on to each
rope, and lot down any weight that would be put
into the basket. The great advantage of the in-
vention is that when once the apparatus is fixed to
the window, all the aid required in the case of a
house being on fire may be famished from the out-
side by the police or any others. Its operation was
satisfactorily exhibited both by dissolving view and
in actual working. The spectators seemed to be
fully impressed with the utility of the invention.

- - -
TILE ITALIAN OPERA IN P.ARIS.

FIRST APPEARANCE ot' PICCOLOMINI.
PARIS, Dec. 7.—" La Traviata" was produced
last night at the Theatre Imperial Italien, an event
which caused a considerable amount of interest,
since it presented for the first time a work of
Verdi's to the Parisian public, and introduced, as
prima donna, Madlle. Piecolomini, whose great
success in London is perfectly well known in French
musical circles. A third attraction was the debut
of Mario as Alfredo. The cast, in fact, was as
follows :—Violette Valery, Madlle. Piccolomini ;
Flore Bervoix, Madame Dell'anese ; Annette,
Madame Baillou ; Alfred Germont, M. Mario ;
George Germont, M. Graziani ; Gaston, M. Rossi;
Le Baron Duphol, M. Quesne ; Le Marquis
D'Obigny, M. Soldi ; Le Docteur Grenville, M.
Baillou ; and Joseph, M. Casaboni.
For many days past it has been impossible to
procure a seat in any part of the house, so that its
crowded appearance last night did not take any
one by surprise. There were present an unusual
number of distinguished personages, and most of
the known musical critics in Paris. As the cur-
tain rose, all eyes were seeking for Violette. As
soon as she began to smile and mingle with her
gay companions of the hour, Madlle. Picoolomini
had produced a pleasing impression on the audi-
ence. The originality of her acting was at once
appreciated—
"In flour of youth and beauty's pride."
And, again, to quote Dryden—
" With Nature's mother wit, and arts unknown before."
Piccolomini possesses an individuality which
alike charms and surprises. She throws her whole
soul into the character of Violette, and her looks
and movements obey the inspiration, not accord-
ing to traditional stage strut and property smile,
but according to natural impulse. Her voice is
equally subservient and expressive of the drama.
Throughout a painfully difficult role you forget the
art of singing in the art of acting. Her voice is
fresh and joyous, and when employed, as she uses
it, cannot fail to please. In a word, the musician
very soon finds his heart listening instead of
his ears. Amongst the audience last night there
were many who had evidently received an errone-
ous iimpression !about the characteristics of this
pretty little prima donna. Some expected a second
Malibran ; others a sublime Grisi ; and many
went to the theatre predisposed to find no merit
whatever in Piccolomini.
The first triumph of the evening was the " Libi-
amo," which was admirably executed, and demanded
a second time amid a tumult of applause seldom
witnessed at this theatre. Here it is but just to
compliment Signor Mario on a complete success.
He sang with great care, and exerted himself
throughout the opera to make the best of music,
which, if not executed by a good voice, and coloured
by au artiste, might fall dead on the public ear.
But not even Mario (in good voice) and doing his
best could make anything of the "Ogni suo aver."
It was, however, his only failure throughout the
tma Mario i
no
time
smmsinging
hopeo much
come
ethae voice
iy r betterlyrics]
c 3wtteahhgi sec
oyue
willladr
possessthan
i lilnagsf.to rt lAs
aol
be ill spared at the present day. The public re-
ceived with evident marks of approbation Piccolo-
mini's " Sempre Libra," and the curtain fell on
the first act to be raised again immediately, in orde r
that Mario and Mdlle. Piccolomini might accept
the bravos of the excited audience.
The opening of the second act was characterised
by Mario's greatest triumph of the evening, viz.,
"Da mie bollenti Spiriti. ' His delivery of the
Yerdinian phrase which interprets the words—
"Dell' aniverso immemore,
Io vivo qeasi in ciel,"
was magnificent, and the whole music was sung di
petto, and with perceptive intensity, as it should
be. Graziaui's "Di Provenza" was much appre-
ciated, and justly so. This artiste sung with great
confidence throughout the evening, and did honour
to his part. The second act was evidently not so
much liked by the public as the first.
The third act created an ovation for the prima
donna. The " Addio ! del passato" was singularly
effective, and greeted with a universal burst cf
successful.applause. TThhebedrueeits,
a"orePaertihgjia,
g about
ocars,"a
thiss e
oq
pu
ea
rl
al y,
dying girl
and
however, which appeared to thrill the audience at
the close. The story is so heart-wounding,
Piccolomini's representation of the
to .
f so
painfully true
get they were'or -
listening to
that the audience appeared _ a
lyrical drama. is,
perhaps, the greatest compliment This
whi h c could be
paid to the little genius who had so completely
impressed the public with a scena which tortures
music almost to deformity, and leaves upon the
mind an uncomfortable sort of melancholy declared.
by Milton to
"Of Cerberus and blackest midnight born."
At the close of the last act, Piccolomini and
Mario were called for and warmly greeted. How
far the opera will be successful in Paris no one can
predict. The public) even here must be weary of
the sort of story invented not to please such audi•
epees as look for the better and truer drama, but
rather that particular world of Paris which un-
fortunately is more numerous than respectable.
Nevertheless to quarrel with "La Traviata" as im-
moral is absurd. The story is founded on a social
crime, which is as old as the habitable world itself,
and is as open to dramatic treatment as the mere
revolting storyor the
"Cenci." This, however is a question for the
French critics. of`e‘
vLeurcrezia Borgia,",
My task is completed in having
simply reported the reception of " La Traviata" in
Paris, as represented by two great favourites of the
English
Monileur of this morning contains the following
note :-- public —Piccolomini and Mario. The
" Nous sortons du Theatre Italien. Geraentedrsauc-
ces; Madlle. Piccolomini a ete appla,u
d_
la fin du
'-
pelee plusieurs fois dans la soiree et
spectacle. On a bisse le brindisi du premier sate,
et la romance de Mario, qu'il a
date adnairablement.
Graziani a eu aussi sa large part
ments. A dimanche procham lee d'applaudisse-
details."