The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-26 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Last evening three of the greatest favourites on the
Italian stage, namely, Madame Bosio, Stacy Graziani,
and Signor Gardoni, reappeared for the first time this
season in their respective characters of Violetta, Alfredo,
and Germont, in "La Traviata." Madame Beak; met
with such a reception as must have Convinced ber (if she
did not know it already) that she is now held by the
London public in such esteem as few singers indeed have
ever enjoyed. Her first appearance upon the stage was
hailed with round after round of applause from all parts
of the beim, and some moments elapsed before even the
music of Verdi could be distinctly heard through the
cheering uproar. It now only remains to be proved
whether Madame Bosio (whir by the way, has grown
stouter during the vacation, and consequently looks
batter than ever) were still capable of sustaining the
burthen of her great reputation, and deserving of all the
t.omage so enthusiastically paid her.
Tne very first solo sung by Violetta—the second verse
of the popular "Libiantice" (the theme of which en
closely resembles one of the waltzes of Strauss)—imme-
diately set this important question at rest, and fully
prepared the audience for the splendid display of florid
vocalisation made by Madame Bosio in the eabaletta of
the aria "Sempre libera," which, from the beginning
worthy of high eulogy, is now matured and finished by
increased study and experience, absolutely perfect in
its way ; a model, in short, of refined grace and spark-
ling fluency. The roulade preceding the entry and re-
entry of the the.me was brilliant in every sense of the
word ; brilliant in tone as in dazzling velocity and what
the Italians term bravura. •
The andantino ("Form) h lui") of the aria was largely
and at the same time elegantly phrased ; every strain
was delivered with that metrical evenness and just/leo
of rhythmical accent, without which no musical execu-
tion can be perLctly satisfactory, whilst the general -
conception was instinct with true musical sentiment of
the best kind. The roulade introduced here, too, was
most skilfully su•• g, and, as a tour de force, extremely
interesting,, although in itself, as a composition, far
more quaint and extraordinary than pretty. As a
singer, in short, Madame Bosio shone throughout the
opera to the greatest possible advantage, and produced,
perhaps, a greater effect upon her audience than she had
ever. previously done durieig her whole career upon dl.
Anglo-Italian stage. Despite all this thoroughly merited
praise, we must caution the accomplished vocalist against
one fault, which, if means be not taken in time to check
it, may very possibly giow upon her. We allude to
a certain tremulousness which occasionally affects her
upper notes in an unpleasant manner. This defectlye •
know to be, as it is in most cases, the result of unduly
forcing the• voice, and, consequentl.e, nothing can be
easier than to remedy it. It is, then, tor-Madame Boei°
to destroy the evil by doing away with .the exalting
cause. The fair heroine of the night was called for at
the termination of each act, and loudly cheered from all
parts of the house. We should also state here that
Madame Bosio, whose various full-dress costumes were
all particularly tasteful and magnificent, wore, in the
ball-room scene, a most superb headdress, resented
to with large diamonds and turquoises, presentea
to her by an association of Russian noblemen, patrons
a the at. Patereburg Italian Opera House, where
Madame Bosio has been performing with the greatest
success since she left England.
The accomplished tenor, Signor Gardoni, has notel,ni
so energetically or beautifully for some years as he did
last night in the character of Alfredo, which he mar'
fur the first time in London on this occasion ; and cr6
can scare dy give him higher praise than is cniveyed
the statement that he in every sense fully shared the
honours of the performance with Madame Bosio. The
fine laritone of Signor Graziani was heard to great ad'
vantage in the music of Gernaoat, and a hearty encore."'
the only one of the night—was elicited by his admirable
execution of the romance "Di Provenza it mar." The
opera has been splendidly got up ; the ball-room seene
especially is magnificent in the extreme ; and we toted
scarcely add, that the band and chorus, under the ab.l6
direction of Mr. Costa, did the amplest justice to Verdt'e
wean, though noisy and fussy score.
" La Tray Ca," in short, was a great success, and MI
doutuless be frequently repeated with profit to the man' •
aeetnent. The house was well attended.
The Queen's box was occupied by the Duchess of Bear
fot t, Lady Burghersh, Col. and Lady Emily Kingeolt
and party. Among the fashionablecompeny honouring W.'
theatre with their presence, we remarked their Serena
Highnesses the Prince and Princess Edward of Stote;
Weimar, his Excellency the Turkish Ambassador and
Madame Musurus and Mesdilea. Musurus, his Excellent*"
the Hanse Towns Minister and Madame Rucker, the
Duchess of Montrose, the Marquis of Stafford, the Ear,
Cawdor, the Earl and Countess of Winehilsea, the Bart:,
and Countess' of Stamford and Warrington tho Earl of
Lucan, the Earl of Bessborough, Viscount Betnelagles the
Countess of Fife and Miss Womys., the Earl of Dalkeithr
Viscountess Villiers, Viscount Clifden, Lord and Lad!,
E 1 ward Thynne and Mrs. Gore, Lord WOrsley and Lam
Victoria Hare, Lady Augusta Probe and Capt. Leeeien
Proby, Lady Sophia Des Veins and Mrs. Des Vcenx, L
Mall), Lord George Gordon Lennox, Gen. the Hon. ,t
Cavendish, Major the Hon. W. G. Boyle, Hon. Mrs. CUP'
Hon. Dudley Fortes3tlo, Hon. G. Elliot, Hon.
Edwardes, Hon. John Fortescue, Col. and the Hon DirB'
Dudley Carleton and the lion. Mrs. Strange Jocelyn, the
the Hon. Misses Blake, Hon. Granville Murray, Hon. A'
Calthorpe, Hon. Spencer Ponaonby, the Right Hon. henry
Fitzroy. M.P., and Mrs. Fitzroy, Hon. E. Russell an,
Mrs. Russell, Sir William de B the, Lady Lawley,S_l
George Armytage, Lady Molesworth, the I.9rd Olt
Justice, Sir William and Lady Clay, Sir Adam and LllO7
Bittleston, and Miss Heppell, Sir Alexander Bannernelet
Sir Henry Cotterell, Hon. Otway Toler, Mr. Justice
Crowder, Lady Anne Sherson and Captain Sherson, Lai,
Dufferin, Lord Dufferin, Lady Alice Peel and Miss Peel,
Lady Blantyre, Count Louis Corti, Col. Villiers Efaydoa
and Mrs. Haydon, Col. de Bathe, Col. Brownlow KnoSt
M.P., Col. Bigge, CA. Biddulph, Col. Hayrick, Major
Gage, Major de Horsey, Capt. Vivian, M.P., Mr. Wick'
ham, M.P., Mr. Henry Greville, Mr. Henry Webster, Mr.
Augustus Lumley, Mr. Petre, Mr. T. W. La Roche Mrs-
Ogle Hunt and Miss Hunt, Mr.' Heneage, M.P., Aft,i
Autrobus, Mr. Mildway, Mr, A. C. Billing, Mr. Archibald
Peel, Mr. Baring, M P., Mr. Coniogham, and Mrs'
Coninghatn, Mr. C. Martyn, Mrs. George Carpenter el:"
Roger Palmer, Mr. H. Gerard Stuart, M.P., Mr. *°.
ford, Mr. Vane, Mr. Schuster, Mr. and Airs. Grebe°
Smith, Mr. Bulteel,
Webster, Sec. Miss 'Byrne, Mr. and Mrs. Charles

MR. BALFE'S BENEFIT.—Mr. Balfe, the famous 030"
poser of "The Bohemian Girl," and we know not 1.0
many other popular operas, takes his annual benefit At
Drury-lane Theatre (the scene of his earliest successes in
this country) on Friday next-. The entertainment 111
ll
chiefly consist t,f the beneficiaire's latest productions
"The Rose cf Castille," performed by Miss Louisa P.Pee:
Mr. Harrison, Mr. Weiss, and the whole of the it'
Lyeeu n English opera comeany. Such attractiens CO;
blued with the wen-deserved popularity of Mr. 83'4
can scarcely fail to fill "Old Drury" to the ceiling. h,
THE TOMB OF THE PRINCESS ELTZABETH. It Wal
recollected that the green a short time since °sat-
e monument to be erected to the Princess Erztirt"
daeghter of Charles 1., in St. Thomas's Churob,
least, Isle of Wight. The monument, designed ;",-"0
Baron Marochet6, chiefly consisted of an as:l66—,
rec!ining figure of the unkappy and youthful priene,g'
Toe _Hampshire Advertiser states that her Majesty
bs
now had two coloured windows placed in the churn,
and that the softened light from these windows 'ilna
on the peaceful and gentle face of the princess, tel.
brings out the gentle repose so characteristic of bee
features. On the window nearest the monument are
the words, "Blessed are the dead which die in• ~ "ho
Lord," and no
"Sorrow not as those which have —f
hope." Over the west door of the church a statue:L.
St. Tames the Apostle, to whom the church -is. due.r,
ca'ed, has been placed. This statue is by Mr.
a Southampton sculptor.
REMOVAL OF THE MONSTER GOLD NUGGET EDO3II
CRYSTAL PALACE.—This day this splendid specimen
gold, which has been exeribiting for some time pasts of
the Crystal Palace, will be removed for the purpcsee.Le
peing exhibited in distant parts. .Last events/
,73
visitors (doubtless from the fact of its being the ~!ce)
but one appearance" of this great treasure in the
flocked in immense numbers.to the place where the nag'
get was placed, in order to take a farewell view ot.,y.
and, on its Leibg removed to another part of the b. 06153
lug, so great was the excitement and the rush of 13`_o'fic
so strong that two police officers were employed to 7
on
in front, whilst two men followed with the nueg6,..'ind,
their shoulders, the fortunate diggers walking b"soto
and two mere police-officers in the rear. With sum
difficulty the costly metal was removed to the Art ersf
sures Court, where it was placed in an iron fire-e;,',
safe. This course was deemed prudent, and there At
bo no fear of any persons carrying the treasure a
for the chest weighs several tons ; the lock is so P_e;
body aenstracted as to resist the violence of burglars'
no matter what implerneute they may use. It is t 4
erected that the nugget will be removed late atvigu4
tQ
avoid the diteger of a dense crowd •