The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-21 00:00:00

- 21, -- -

-3ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

It is a great pity that Madlle. Titiens should be
obliged to leave us without having performed some more
of those great characters belonging to the high classic
school of tragic opera, in which she now excels, we be
lieve, every living singer. The only part of the kind
Madlle. Thiene bas played in England is that of Donna
Anna in "II Don Giovanni," and it were superfluous
to tell our readers how greatly she succeeded in it, or
how much that really grand impersonation has contri-
buted to the fame she now enjoys in this country. As
the heroine of Beethoven's "Fidelio," Gluck's "Iphi-
genie en Tauride," or "Weber's "Oberon," she wont]
have appeared to the utmost advantage, improved the
public taste, and—as we think, at least--have drawn
crow ded houses. nut in the present state of affairs mana-
gers are not, unhapp.ly, always free to choose their own
course of action, even though that be the only right one;
and the dire necessity of conciliating a depraved taste,
and succumbing to prejudices, violent in proportion to
their silliness, will account for many of the strange mis-
takes and shortcomings which call, nevertheless, for the
critic's animadversion. It may be very true that, where
large commercial interests are at stake, the public critic
should exercise his vocation with circumspection—that
if a series of articles in which the truth be very harshly
told possess the power of closing up a large theatrical
establishment, and throwing some hundreds of deserving
persons " out of bread," as the phrase goes, it is better,
in one sense at least, that such articles should not be
published. It is proper, in short, to let mercy temper
justice, and even to lean to mercy's side. But still,
there is a point at which even kindness should stop ; and
whatever respect may be due to the commercial iute-
rests of a management struggling with great difficulties,
such as every management in this country must neces-
sarily encounter, the critic's first and paramount duty is
to the public in relation to the art he professes to criti-
cise, and whose taste is wholly dependent upon the
works most frequently set before them. Musical art is
far too grand and important a thing to be lightly dealt
with. Its influence upon the passions and emotions—
its power of enobliog and enervating the mind, of ex-
citing the purest and deepest feelings of the soul, or of
becoming a merely sensual, frivolous, and contemptible
pastime accor ling to the manner in which it is used,
has been kno s n and recognised by all enlightened
and refined minds ever since the time of the
ancient Greeks. blueic, in short, Ike every other art
which influences man's nature, is potent for good or
evil ; and although it cannot present an unchaste image
to the eye, or inculcate an immoral principle, it may
nevertheless produce something akin to both, namely,
a state of feeling combining voluptuous langour with
vu'gar enjoyment, whose tendency is t debase the mind
and render it unsusceptible of great thoughts, which,
however differently they may be expressed in various
arts, have all the same source. We know of nothing
more humiliating to a lover of true music than to ob-
serve the delight of some people whilst listening to the
vapi 1 strains of modern Italian opera. The blank idiotic
vacuity of their countenances, the meaningless wave of
the outstretched hands, do they not faithfully reflect the
imbecility of the ME is I Nobody in his senses, we be-
lieve, would suppose such results could emanate from an
intellectual source. We may very possibly be preaching
in the Desert ; but still, when season after season passes
without any sign of improvement—when Italian opera-
houses are springing up around us like mushrooms, and
works of the lowest order of art form the staple attrac-
tions at all of them, is is really time to remind the pub-
lic that there is such a thing as flee operatic music in
existence—that there might be much more if they would
have it so—and to endeavour at least to uphold the true
standard of art, upon which are emblazoned so many
immortal names, if we cannot succeed in making
it popular, as it ought to be. No mart having
any voice in public affairs of art should allow such
a state of things to exist without entering his protest,
if it be but occasionally, against it, for it is some•
thing to mainta'n people's belief in an important truth,
even if we cannot make them love it.

Madlle. Titiens, tile great tragic queen of the German
lyric stage, is about to leave us without having been
afforded opportunities for displaying half her genius,
which shines most brightly in the works of the greatest
masters, and the prevalence of modern Italianism is the
cause. Thus have the above general reflections been
forced upon us ; but it should be at the same time un-
derstood that they apply with. equal force to all our
Italian opera-howes, and must by no means be limited
to the establishment immediately under notice. Every -
who's is Verdi rampant, and everywhere, as a necessary
consequence, is an attempt made to trample the classic
standard in the mud. Madlle. Titiens was of course un•
able to contend with such overwhelming c'rcumstances
as those which surrounded the commencement of her
career in this country, and therefore appeared in parts
like Leonora in "II Trovatore," and Lucrezia in " Lu-
crezia Borgia," reserving others more worthy of her
powers for a future season, when the magic of her geniu.,
then better known and appreciated, may possibly make
even the haiitices of the Italian opera swallow a classic
dose or two with something like resignation. Of Madlle.
Titiens' efforts in modern Italian opera we prefer her
last, namely, the impersonation of Lucrezia Borgia.
Making duo allowance for a certain constraint imposed
upon her by a strange language, the peculiar require-
ments of unmitigated Italian music, and the know
ledge that other singers "to the manner born" had
already played the same part on the London stage with
immense success, we cannot but think the gifted Ger-
man's performance a triumph in its way. Physically,
she is perfectly well suited to the character. Her tail,
stately, and elegant figure, her large eye, flashing com-
mand, the full magnificent voice, so capable of expressing
all the stormy or pathetic accents of lyric tragedy, ate
most assuredly equal to the requirements of Doiaizetti's
heroine, and it is almost superfluous to add that an ar-
tistic mind which could grasp the whole meaning of a
part like Mozart's Donna Anna, and expre-s that mean-
ing so clearly and beantifuily, is not wanting in power to
realise such a conception as "Lucrezia Borgia." Briefly,
then, nobody acquainted with the phy-ical and mental
abilities of Madlle. Titiens will doubt for a moment that
she is more fitted for the due pourtrayal of the part, her
personation of which immediately concerns us, than any
other young artist at present upon the Anglo-Italian
stage. We remark, indeed, iu her conception a gran-
deur and ideality, and in her execution a temperance and
smoothness which give new value to the composer's
notes, materially mitigate the turgid, vain-glorious fury
of his bombast, and even impart something like dignity
to his meretricious frivolity. Once, and once only,
throughout the opera, does Madlle. Titiens deecend
from the heights of lyri tragedy, and address herself
to the ears rather than the minds of her audience; and
this is to show what, perhaps, her great admirers did not
previously an,pect, namely, that in addition to her other
unsurpassable and well-known abilities, she is a com-
plete mistress of the art of florid vocali-ation. We
al'ude to Madlle. execution of the cabaletta
the air, "Corn' e bello," which is as remarkable for
rapid fluency as it is for dee /cativo fancy and rich
brilliancy of tone. Never before, in our recollection at
least, was so much effect given to this particularly insipid
tune. For us, however, the softly-interoe and exqui-
sitely mellow tones "in linked-sweetness, long-drawn
out" of her " Corn e hello," and "Ama tua madre,"
coloured as they are by dramatic sentiments of the
truest kind, have much greater charms—although it is
not even in these instances that Madlle. Titiens' " fiery
and original virtue" can appear in all its native force
and fulness, or rise to the poetical rapture it is enabled
to reach in later scenes e f the opera, namely, those which
terminate the first and second acts, where the heart-
rending accents of a mother's agony, wrung from the
depths of a "divine despair"—.the stern, haughty,
scornful courage, and blood-thirsty fierceness of the
are by turns pourtrayed by the gifted artist with
harrowing truthfulness. The extraordinary success
achieved by Madlle. Titiens on the first performance of
"Lucrezia Borgia," great as it was, was fairly sur-
passed by that which attended bet second representa-
tion of the character on Saturday evening. On both
occasions the celebrated Gerusaa pinta donna was most
efficiently supported Ly Signor Giugliei, Signor Bel-
letti, and Mme. Alboni, xs Gennaro, Duke Alfonso, and
Maffei Orsini. Rarely, indeed, if ever, has the opera
of "Lucrezia Borgia" been so grandly and completely
rendered in a London theatre.—Morning Post,

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—Her Majesty the Queen and
his Royal Highness the Prince Coneurt honoured the
performances of the Italian Opera with their presence
on Saturday evening. The Queen and his Royal High-
ness were accompanied by his Majesty the King of the
Belgians, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duche s
of Brabant and his Royal Highness the Count de
Flandres. In attendance on her Majesty and the
Prince Consort were the Duchess of Atholl, the Hon.
Miss Byug, Lord Colville, Lord Craf,on, and Col.
Francis Seymour. The suite of the Belgian royal
family comprised the Countess d'Yve de Bavay, Count
de Moekerke, Baron d'O verchie de Nerische, Dr. Keopl,
and Capt. Burnell. Among the fashionable company
who attended the theatre we remarked—the Duchess
-of Montrose, Maria Marchioness of Aileebury, the Mar-
quis and Marchioness of Ailesbury, the Marquis cf
Hartington, the Marquis of Donegan, the Earl and
Countess cf Scarborough, the Countess of Clare, the
Earl and Countess of I3ereive, the Earl of Lucan, the
Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Coventry, the Earl of
Gifford, Viscount Torrington, Lady Georgiana Codring-
ton and Lady Henrietta Morant, Lord and Lady Poiti
mere, Lady Elinor Cave dish and Mr. F. Caven-
dish, Lady Panniura and Mr. Power, the Lord
Mayor and the Lady Mayoress and Miss Carden, Hon.
Major Ca thorpe, Hon. Maj r Needham, Hon. Capt.
Vivian, Hon. Capt. Fenner, Hon. John Fortescue,
Hon. Mrs. Charles Cust and the Hon. Fl,,ra Macdonald,
lion. Mrs. Eons, Her. C. Spring Rice, Sir George
Arinytrg,e, Lord Lama -y, Sir Alexander Bannerman,
Lady O'Connor and Miss O'Connor, Sir Frederick Roe,
Sir H. Wiesten Be roe), Sir Benjamin Hall, M.P., and
Lady Hall, Si, 11. Cotterell, La,ry Tierney, Gen. Reeve
and the Misses Reeve, Qen Robbins, Col. I3igge, Cul.
De Bathe, Col. B. Knox, Meyrick, Cul. A.
Meyrick, Col. MincLin, Capt. Turner, Capt. Fae quhar-
son, C rpt. Vivian, Capt. Ilau,ard, Mrs. Geo. Carpenter,
Mr. and Mrs. Petro, Mr. Hubert do Burgh, Mr. Mar-
tineau, Mr. and Mrs. Graham Smith, .Nir. Wickham,
M.P., Mr. Gsrarl Sturt, M.P., and Lady Augusta
Sturt, Mr. Duff Gordon, Air. Langston, Mr.
BZloek, M.P , Mr Reger Palmer, z,, r. Antrobus, Mr.
Mildrnay, Mr. Du Cape, M.P., Mr. E. Ellice, M.P.,
Mr. F'anklyn, M.P., Mr. Vane, Mr. Woodford, Mr.
Alston, Mr. Webster, Mr. Charles Martyn, &c.
On Saturday Mks Arabella Goddard's watiL6a mu-
sicale will take place at Willi,,'e-rooms. The lover of
music will therefore find that his tastes during the week
ensuing will have " ample rJout and verge enough" for
the fullest gratification.

LVIEST NEWS.

FRANCE.
PARIS, SUNDAY.
It is said that a letter to the following effect was
addressed by a high pPreonage to the late Minister
a few days before his eclime—" My dear General,
we must part. I appreciate your devotedness and
your services, but the country will not accept
you ?"

The Emperor's arrival at St. Cloud is announced.
M. Drouya de Lhuys is spoken of for the London
Embassy in the event of Marshal Polissier retiring,
or fur the Foreign-office.
The sixth sitting of the Conference on the organ-
isation of the Danubian Principalities took place
on Saturday, at the Hotel of the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs.

M.—Pietri has returned to Paris from Corsica, on
a summons, it is said, by telegraph. Report states
that he is to resume his former position as Prefect
of Police.

We find the following in the Moniteur :—" The
measures lately recommended to the departmental
administrations for the conversion into rente of the
landed property of the hospitals and charitable in-
stitutions have been, as is well known, put into
practice on several points with complete suc-
cess. A charitable establishment founded at Roch e-
fort for the reception of the widows and or-
phans of sailors, and of naval and military work-
men, may be particularly mentioned. This institu-
tion, called the Hospice des Orphelines, had caused
to be able to provide from its own resources for the
object for which it was founded, and could only
maintain the number of inmates fixed by the regu-
lations by means of a kind of subvention granted to
the establishment of the Department of Marine, in
not demanding payment for certain supplies fur-
nished to it. This much to be regretted state of
things led the committee charged with the direction
of the hospice to sell the estate of 13,1igon, which
belonged to it, which took place in virtue of decree
of April 23, 1856, and the sale produced a sum con-
siderable enough to triple the revenue pi evieusly
derived from the landed property. Since the year
1857, the Hospice des Orphelines has been able to
provide for all its wants from its own resourc 03, and
as that year doted with a surplus in the receipts, it
may be foreseen that the establishment will receive
an extension, or at all events ameliorations, very
beneficial to the poor of Rochefort."
BOURSE, June 19.—The following were the clos-
ing quotations :-
41 per Cents 94 40

Do.. end month
3 per Cent. ..... 68 20
Do. end month 6B 30
Bank Shares .
Credit Mobilier 633
Do. Account 633 75

RAILWAYS.•
Orleans
Northern

New Ditto 755
Lyon and Mediteran 760
New Ditto

Geneva

Credit Foncier
Belgian
Piedmontese (5)
Roman 9O
Austrian
Spanish Threes
Home Debt
-FoR CASH.

Midi
Western* 6OO
Strasburg
Grand Central
Sardinian
Austrian

S ERVIA.

A letter from Belgrade of the 11th, in the Ost
Deutiche Post, says :—" Eight men and a corporal
of Turkish regulars endeavoured this morning to
pull down the English flag, but they were dispersed
by the Servian police. As it is possible that the
Turkish regulars may renew their attempt, the
English consul-general has applied to the Servian
Government for a military force capable of pro-
tecting him. Discipline is completely at an end i n
the Turkish fortress, and the soldiers are said t o
contemplate a revolt ; but should it spread to th e
town, a strong resistance will be offered by the
citizens."

TURKEY.
VIENNA, JUNS 17.
The Constantinople mail of the 12th inst. has
brought the following news :—The troops intended
for Bosnia (the Herzegovine) are being con-
centrated at Varna. A. ship containing 1,01 5
men has already arrived at Constantinople
from Varna. The papers have made public the
charges brought by the inhabitants of Candia
against Vely Pasha. Sir Henry Bulwer is expected
at Constantinople in the course of a few days.
Ilainsi Effendi, the President of the Commercial
Court at Constantinople, who has been sent by the
Porte to Candia, has had an interview with the
leaders of the insurgents in the presence of Vely
Pasha, and promised them the abolition of the
abuses oofnplaitted of. The ,Christians demand a
firman to that effect, under the guarantee of the
Great Powers, and the immediate removal of Vely
Pasha. The emigration from the island continues.
Advices from Teheran of the 20th of May state
that the Turco-Persian frontier districts of the Per-
sian province of Azerbeidjan (it lies to the east
of the great lake of Van) are in a state of insurrec-
tion, and are harried by the Turkish Kurds.
The O.st. Zeitung harms from Budua that on the
Gth inst. seven steamers were moving in a northerly
direction, but it could not be distinguished what
flag they were under. The probability is that they
were Turkish vessels convoying troops to Gravosa.

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF 'IRE AFRICA.

LIVERPOOL, SUNDA.F,
At an early hour this morning the Cunard royal
mail steam ship Africa, Capt. Neil Shannon, with
the usual mails from the United States, arrived in
t e Mersey. She sailed from New York on the 9th
inst., and has brought, besides the mails, 156 pas-
sengers and 12,000 dols. in specie. The Africa was
detained at the bar from 11 o'clock last night.
The screw steam ship Kangaroo, from hence,
arrived from New York on the morning of the 9th.
On the same day the royal mail steam ship Asia was
passed inward bound ; on the 16th, at 8 a.m.,
passed the royal mail steam ship Persia, in lat.
55.25 N., long. 32.15 W. ; and on the 18th, the
mail steamer Anglo-Saxon (supposed) hence for
Quebec.

The chief feature is of course the right of porch.
The New York Herald of the 9th publishes a report
from Washington that the British Minister has re-
ceived a despatch of a chart- cter that will lead to the
c:,ssation of the outrages of the British cruisers upon
American merchantmen. The same journal says
" The conduct of the British cruisers in the
Cuban ports has caused the Captain-General to
issue orders to the Spanish squadron to prevent
violations of the sovereignty of Spain. But it ap-
pears the Spanish men-of war are trying their hands
at this searching business. The brig Tanaro reports
that when off that port she was hoarded by an
officer from a Spanish vessel of war, who demanded
the brio' papers' which were soown to him, and
after examining them he departed."
Both Houses of Congress have agreed to extend
the present session of Congress, but have not
decided as to the precise day for the final adjourn-
ment.

In Congress, on the 7st inst., an amendment
giving the President power to issue letters of
marque in certain cases was rejected by a vote of
40 to six. The various propositions offered led to
a renewal of the discussion of the recent British
outrages in the gulf. From the tone of the debate
it is evident that, with ono or two exceptions, the
members of the Senate are disinclined to adopt any
measure that will precipitate an issue with Great
Britain on the question.
A despatch from St. Louis states that by an
arrival at Leavenworth news has been received from
almp Scott to the Bth ult., two days later than pre-
vious accounts. The person who arrived stated that
no despatches had reached the camp from Gover-
nor Cumming ; but this is undoubtedly a mistake,
as an officer of the army, writing on the Gth ult.,
states that an express from the Governor bad just
arrived at the camp with intelligence that Gover-
nor Cumming had started from Salt Lake City for
the southren pt rtion of Utah. The Independence,
Mo., correspondent of the St. Louis Republican,
writing on the 4th instant, says the Salt Lake
mail of April 18 had arrived there, bringing news
that an express had reached Camp Scott from
Governor Cumming, stating that he bad been
well received at Salt Lake City, that Brigham
Young was willing to transfer all authority and
had enjoined his followers to recognise Cum-
ming as their future Governor and aid him ill
the discharge of his duties. This intelligence is
corroborated by a letter from Salt Lake received
by a Mormon residing near Leavenworth, whioh
represents everything quiet in the valley. Go-
vernor Cumming was in the city, and the people
had abandoned all idea of fighting, and gone to
work on their farms. A proclamation has been
issued by President Buchanan indicating the
policy that is to guide the Peace Commissioners—
Messrs. Powell and M'Culloch—in their negotia-
tions with the Mormons. The President warns
the Saints to beware of the punishment which they
will receive by persisting in their treasonable course
but offers a full and free pardon to a'l who will
submit themselves to the authority of the Federal
Government. At last accounts the army at CamP
Scott was suffering greatly. The weather was cold
and stormy, the duties of the soldiers very harass'
ing, and the provisions rapidly diminishing, with is
certainty of a resort to mule steaks and even coarser
fare. There is, moreover, no prospect of any lin'
mediate relief for them, as the supply trains have
been, if not stopped entirely, as least seriously re-
tarded in their progress across the plains by heavy
snow storms and swollen streams.
The Vigilance Committee at New Orleans bas
been disbanded, but although disorganised, tbel
state that they are ready at any moment to carry
out their principles. The authorities had arrested's
number of the Vigilants, but they were subs&
quenily discharged from custody. So far as we are
advised the election passed offpeaceably.
The steamship Black Warrior has arrived at Nett
Orleans with Havana dates to the 2d inst. There
was no general news of interest. Sugar was firm at
the prices previously reported.

WEST INDIES.
Late accounts from St. Domingo repres3nt that
the revolutionary struggle continued, without an/
perceptible advantage in favour of either party. The
Santana party were, however, daily receiving acces-
sions, and it was expected that a decisive battle
woula shortly be fought by the forces of the oppo.3'
ing factions. The inhabitants of St. Domingo city
had suffered extremely during the revolution.
Many of them bad left the city, and reached the
Haytien ports in a destitute condition. We have
files from Bermuda to the 26th ult. The legisle'
tive session was opened on the 20th. News of the
British naval outrages on American traders were
received on the 26th ult. Admiral Stewart Ives
s':4ll in the island. The price of provisions had fallen
very considerably, flour being dull at $7, instead a
12, the price rolling last summer. Twenty thou'
sand and thirty-four barrels of new potatoes, sand
233,000 pounds of onions, had been shipped to
date.

A correspondent at Turk's Island, writing on the
26th ult., says :—" Siuce my last report there 116,11
been shipped from the port of Salt Bay 23,78. L
bushels salt and 4,653 from Grand Turk, making 16
total of 28,434. The rakings continue at Grand
Turk, which, together with the present demand for
money, tend to lower pricoi. The highest price
now is 9c. and is export duty. The season for turtle
hunting has never been better. Upwards of 4,000
averaging 16 lbs., have been sent to England and
France. Weather fine. American provision'
abundant and cheap."

MEXICO.
By way of New Orleans we have news of the or
ture of Tabasco, Mexico, by the Government forces,
The bombardment of the city commenced on the
9c,b, and continued till April 19. The houses in the
city suffered considerable damage, especially thst
of the American Consul, which was situated in the
line of the fire of the besiegers. Two Gulf port',.
Tampico and Tabasco, are now in possession of O.
Zuloaga party.