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

HER MAJE'SIT'S THEATRE.

Last evening this theatre wasi crowded in every part
to witness the repetition of "Don Giovanni, ' with its
almost unprecedentedly powerful cast.
The Queen's box was occupied by the Earl and
Countess of Verulatn, Lady Jane Grimston, Lady
Harriet Grimston, the Countess of Caledon, the Hon.
E. Grimston, Miss Morier, Mr. Richard Weyland, and
party. Amongst the fashionable visitors honouring the
theatre with their presence were the Duke and Dechesa
of Hamilton, the Duke of Wellington, his Excellency
the Russian Minister and the Baroness do Brunnow,
the Marquis of Sligo and the Ladies Browne, the
Countess (Dowager) of Harrington and Earl and
Countess of Mountcharlos, the Earl of Scarborough,
the Earl of Wilton and the Ladies Katherine and
Alice Grey Egerton, the Earl of Chesterfield,
Viscount Exmouth, Viscount Powerscourt, the Earl
of Westmoreland, Viscount Ciifden, Viscount Can-
terbury, the Secretary of Legation of the Austrian
Embassy, the Baron de Nicolay, Lord William Lennox,
Lord Ashley, Lady Suffield, Lady E. de Ros, Lady A.
Cadogan, Lord Suffield, Dowager Lady Willoughby de
Broke, Lady H. Lodge-Ellerton, M. E. Baroche, .
Colonel Sir Proby Cautley, K.H., Sir J. Lowther, Sir
G. Wombwell, Sir G. and Lady Baker Mill, General
the Hon. H. Cavendish, lion. Otway Toler, Major-
General Sir G. Bowles, K.C.8., Colonel the Hon. J.
Macdonald, C. 8., Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart, Colonel
the Right Hon. G. C. W. Forester, M.P., Colonel Wat-
son and Mrs. Watson, Major Pole, Mr. Sergeant Bal-
lantine, Captain Bateson, Captain Beamish, Captain
Woodgate, Captain Drummond, Captain Wyndham,
Captain Leyland and Mrs. and Miss Leyland, Madame
de Murieta, Mr. J. Martin, Mr. W. Delafield, Mr. T.
Murdoch, Mr. R. Dick, Mr. Merivale, Mr. and Mrs.
Wheeler, Mr. Yyner, &c.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Last evening three of the greatest favourites on the
Italian stage, namely, Madame Bosio, Signor Graziani,
and Signor Gardoni, reappeared for the first time this
season in their respective characters of Violetta, Alfredo,
and Germont, in "La Traviata." Madame Bosio met
with such a reception as must have convinced her (if she
did not know it already) that she is now held by the
Loudon 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 house, and some moments elapsed before even the
music of Verdi could be distinctly beard through the
cheering uproar. It now only remains to be proved
whether Madame Bosio (whe, by the way, has grown
stouter during the vacation, and consequently looks
better than ever) were still capable of sustaining the
burthen of her great reputation, and deserving of all the
swage so enthusiastically paid her.
The very first solo sung by Violetta—the second verse
of the popular "Libiamo" (the theme of which 00
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 cabaletta 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 theme was brilliant in every sense of the
word • brilliant in tone as in dazzling velocity and whet
the Italians term bravura.
The andantino (" Forse lui") of the aria was largell
and at the same time elegantly phrased ; every strain
was delivered with that metrical evenness and justness
of rhythmical accent, without which no musical mow
tion can be perfectly satisfactory, whilst the general
conception was instinct with true musical sentiment of
the best kind. The roulade introduced here, too, was
most skilfully sui 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 bad
ever previouslyalone during her whole career upon the
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 cheek
it, may very possibly grow upon her. We allude t° '
a certain tremulousness which occasionally affects her
upper notes in an unpleasant manner. This defect We‘
know to be, as it is in most cases, the result of unduli
forcing the voice, and, consequently, nothing can hi
easier than to remedy it. It is, then, for Madame Bosio
to destroy the evil by doing away with the excitieg,
cause. The fair heroine of the night was called for teil
the termination of each act, and loudly cheered from all
parts of the house. We should also state here tbst
Madame Bosio, whose various full-dress costumes vier.
;
all particularly tasteful and magnificent, wore, in
ball-room scene, a most superb headdress, profuse;
decorated with large diamonds and turquoises, present ,
to her by an association of Russian noblemen, patrons
of the St. Petersburg Italian Opera House, whey
Madame Bosio has been performing with the greatest,
success since she left England.
The accomplished tenor, Signor Gardoni, has not
"so energetically or beautifully for some years as A
lait night in the character of Alfredo, which ho essayed
for the first time in London on this occasion ; and We
can Beare -ly give him higher praise than is conveyed ,
the statement that he in every sense fully shared t'
honours of the performance with Madame Bosio. Ta,,B
fine baritone of Signor Graziani was heard to great 5...„
vaetage in the music of Germont, and a hearty encore. ~
the only one of the night—was elicited by his a,dm, irttt;
execution of the romance "Di Provenza it mar.' r-Loe
opera has been splendidly got up ; the ball-room 004
especially is magnificent in the extreme ; and we vel
scarcely add, that the band and chorus, under the oba
~
direction of Mr. Costa, did the amplest justice to Verdi 0
small, though noisy and fussy score.
La Travata," in short, was a great success, and Os/
doubtless be frequently repeated with profit to the rild's'
agement. The house was well attended.
The Queen's box was occupied by the Duchess of 13°11:
fort, Lady Burghersh, Col. and Lady Emily Kingse°oo
and party. Among the fashionable company honouring
to
theatre with their presence, we remarked their Sere.
Highnesses the Prince and Princess Edward of S°.(l
Weimar, his Excellency the Turkish Ambassador 04
Madame Musurus and Mesdlles. Musurus, his Excellel!i'lle
the Hansa Towns Minister and Madame Rucker, :to
Duchess of Montrose, the Marquis of Stafford, the rsel
Cawdor, the Earl and Countess of Winchilsea, the of
and Countess of Stamford and Warrington, the E.ertbe
Lucas, the Earl of Besshorough, Viscount lianelago,itb,
Countess of Fife and Miss Weinyss the Earl of Dalbresai
Viscountess Villiers, Viscount Clifden, Lord and
Edward Thynne and Mrs. Gore, Lord Worsley and P'"o,o
Victoria Hare, Lady Augusta Probv and Capt. Leloy
Proby, Lady Sophia Des Venus and Mrs. Des Vcaux, Ir
Hislop, Lord George Gordon Lennox, Gen. the 10134 at,
Cavendish, Major the Hon. W. G. Boyle, Hon. Mrs. eesfe,
Hon. Dudley Forteseue, Hon. G. Elliot, Hon.,aro,
Edwardee, Hon. John Fortescu_ ,e Col_ and the Hon lbe
Dudley Carleton and the Hon. Mrs. Strange Jocelyn, A,
the Hon. Misses Blake, Hon. Granville Murray, iles'rol
Calthorpe, Hon. Spencer Ponsonby, the Right Hon. 0,0
Fitzroy. M.P., and Mrs. Fitzroy, Hon. E. Russel *sit
Mrs. Russell, Sir William de Bathe, Lady Lavidtbief
George Armytage, Lady Molesworth, the .Lerd, TAO
Justice, Sir William and Lady Clay, Sir Adam and ate
Bittleston, and Miss Heppell, Sir Alexander Banner
Sir Henry Cotterell, Hon. Otway Toler, Mr. Sui,,clf
Crowder, Lady Anne Sherson and Captain Sherson,
Dufferin, Lord Dufferin, Lady Alice Peel and ML ,aO4
Lady Blantyre, Count Louis Corti, Col. Villiers 11140%,
and Mrs. Hayden, Col. de Bathe, Col. Brownlove taw
M.P. Col. Bigge, Cal. Biddulph, Col. Meyrick,
Gage, Major de Horsey, Capt. Vivian, M.P., Mr. "f.
ham, M.P., Mr. Henry Greville, Mr. Henry Wehstereare
Augustus Lumley, Mr. Petro, Mr. T. W. La Roche, lir,
Ogle Hunt and Miss Hunt, Mr. Heneage,
Antrobus, Mr. Mildmay, Mr, A. C. Billing, Mr. Arcloso,
Peel, Mr. Baring, M P., Mr. Coniogham, M,P., and aff,
Coningharn, Mr. C. Martyn, lire. George Carpentelook
Roger Palmer, Mr. H. Gerard Stuart, M.P., liree,..aenl
ford, Mr. Vane, Mr. Schuster, Mr. and Mrs. `"` arlee
Smith, Mr. Bulteel, Miss Byrne, Mr. anti Mrs. Cb
Webster, &c.

MR. BALFE'S BENEFIT.—Mr. Belle, the famous el
poser of "The Bohemian Girl," and we know not !At
many other popular operas, takes his annual beuefi;
Drury-lane Theatre (the SCOOO of his earliest successe;ol
this country) on Friday next. The entertainment
chid!), consist ( f the beneficiaire's latest product 00,
"The Rose of Castille," performed by Miss Louisa flits
Mr. Harrison, Mr. Weiss, and the whole of the ;or
Lyceu u English opera corn! any. Such attractioo.6l2o,
bined with the well-deserved popularity of Mr. -'""
can scarcely fail to fill "Old Drury" to the ceiling." be
THE TOME OF THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH.---It /7.1.0.01.
recollected that the Queen a short time since 'ION
a monument to be erected to the Princeas Einsfeli
daughter of Charles 1., in St. Thomas's Church( a Or
port, Isle of Wight. The monument, desigc',,isit°
Baron Marochetti, chiefly consisted of an ell-ots'•
reclining figure of the unkappy and youthful Pri", beg
Toe llanzpshire Advertiser states that her geje"orclit
now had two coloured windows placed in the,
and that the softened light from these windows
on the peaceful and gentle face of the prineef7f bet
brings out the geotlo repose so characteristic nt ere
features. On the window nearest the monacceio the
the words, " Blessed are the dead which die /e
Lord," and "Sorrow not as those which "Ltne f
hope." Over the west door of the church 147 dell'
St. Thomas the Apostle, to whom the church 13,1010
efved, has been placed. This statue is by Mr'
a Southampton sculptor.
isseg
REMOVAL OF THE MONSTER GOLD NIIGGR. eE
id
CRYSTAL PALACE.—This day this splendid sped.,ol, 5
gold, which has been exhibiting for some timer one
the Crystal Palace, will be removed fur the Peorfe th:
being exhibitsd in distant parts. Last eve le 7iDel
visitors (doubtless from the fact of its b°ing t,benalace„,
but one appearance" of this great treasure in tP voe'
flocked in immense numbers to the place where of of 1;',
get was placed, in ordt rto take a farewell _ befit
and, on its being removed to another part of tafrpeop:
ing, so great was the excitement and the rash ciP to Asro
so strong that two police officers were eroploYeuegat
in front, whilst two men followed with the %obi° ;
their shoulders, the fortunate diggers walkhlith ooter
and two more police-officers in the rear. "Ars To_4
difficulty the costly metal was removed to the 10105
sures Court, where it was placed in an iron tb ere */
safe. This course was deemed prudent, and
be no fear of any persons carrying the treasnre_ 00 per
for the chsst weighs several 'tons ; the lock „I,"orglat7,
factly constructed as to resist the violence 01 Po et3.o
no matter what implements they may ighto
pasted that the nugget will be removed late t v
hyoid the danger of a dense crowd "