The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-12 00:00:00

HER MAJETY'S THAATRE.

Mozart's greatest operatic work, " Don Giovanni,"
was produced at this house last evening, with a
powerful and attractive cast. Madile. Titiens, as
Donna Anna, proved herself grandly equal to the
fine music of the part, and, in our opinion, has
placed herself on a higher pinnacle of fame by this
impersonation than by any she has yet essayed.
There is a concentration and intensity of dramatic
and vocal talent essential to the perfection of Donna
Anna which we rarely find possessed by its repre-
sentatives, but the action and singing of Madlle.
Titiens leaves nothing to be desired. The magnifi-
cence of the recitative and aria, " Or sai che," and
the wonderful manner in which she gave "Non
mi
sir," produced a rapturous excitement in the
audience, which elicited a repetition of Vle s-cond
movement of the latter air. The impassioned and
expressivebeauty with which the new prima donna
has invested this character has wrought a still
stronger link between herself and the public ; and
her enthralling interpretation of Mozart's superb
music has surrounded her brow with a wreath of
laurel, nobly earned and enthusiastically b-stowed.
in short, her triumph was pronounced by a de-
lighted and unanimous audience with "fast and
furious" acclamations.

Madlle. Piccolomini gave the music of Zerlina
with her accustomed vivacity and buoyancy of exe-
cution. Signor Beneventano's was a very fair Gio-
vanni ; and Giuglini sang in Ottavio somewhat
better than he did last year. Tile beautiful ro-
manz "Della sua pace," was exquisitely rendered
by him, and parts of "Il mio tesora, ' evinced
great taste and correctness of style, though in oc-
casional p tssages he went somewhat astray.
Several encores marked the progress of the opera,
and the announcement of "Don Giovanni" for re-
petiti, n on Friday evening was hailed with
exuberant testimonials of delight. The house was
honoured by the presence of the Queen, the Prince
Consort, the Princess Alice, Princess Helena, and
a numerous and brilliant suite. A crowded audi-
ence attended, among whom we noticed the Duke
of Cambridge, the Duke and Duchess of Welling-
ton, the Duke of Cleveland and Lady August
Poulett, the Duchess of Manchester, the Duke of
Hamilton, Frances Countess Waldegrave, Lord
Ward, the Marquis of Ailesbury, the Marquis of
Clanricardo, Maria Marchioness of • Ailesbury, his
Excellency the Russian Minister, the Earl of West-
moreland, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Earl Gran-
ville, the Countess of Harrington, the Countess
(Dow.) of Harrington, the Earl of Sefton, the Earl
of Gifford, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl and
Countessof Mountcharles, Baron de,Malarat, Count
de Jacourt, *Viscount Clifden' Viscount Exmouth,
Viscount Bury, Lord Suffield, Lord Burghersh,
Lord Sandys, Lord and Lady Monteagle, Hon. T.
C Spring Rice, Hon. W. C. Spring Rice, Hon.
Mrs. Russell, Sir G. Wombwell, Sir A. Denman
Croft, Sir J. Lowther, Major-Gen. Sir G. Bowles,
K.C.8., Admiral Ry ler Burt.n, Col. Sir Prohy
C tuiley, Msjor Pule, Capt. Magan, M.P.,
Captain Woodgate, C apt. Drammond, Mr. Octa-
vius Morgan, M.P., Me. C. W. Packe, M.P., and
Mrs. Packe Reading, Mr. W. Dolafield, Mr. Wil-
liam Marshall, M.P., Mrs. Horace Twiss, Mr. J.
0. Wray, Mr. J. B tyley, Mr. L. Melville, &c.

EVENING CONCERTS, ST. JAMES'S HALL

The first of these concerts took place on Monday
evening, under the direction of Mr. Land and Mr.
Frank Mori. With such artistes as Miss Arabella
Goddard, Miss Poole, Madame Gassier, Sims
Reeves, and numerous other efficient professionals,
including the auxiliaries of the Surrey Choral
Society and the " Pal is Garde Nationale,' it may
be readily supposed that the entertainment was of
a superior and gratifying class. A new ballad of
Frank Mori's, sung by Sims Reeves, obtained a
rapturous encore, and well deserved it on
the score of musical composition arid vocal exe-
cution. The same honour was awarded to
the fine old duet of " All's Well," given by
the above gentleman and Mr. Winn. Miss
Poole charmed her audience, as usual, by her
pure and melodious style of singing. In Land's
ballad, " You know not how I've missed you," she
gained immense applause, arid gave " Wapping
Old sirs" with the genuine simplicity of earnest-
ness which always finds its way to the heart. Miss
Goddard played Thalberg's Fantasia ou " Home
Sweet Home,"' and other compositions, wits► her
unapproachable excellence and taste, constituting
in hers- if a sufficient inducement to tempt us to
a tolerably lengthy pilgrimage to Sr. James's
The Cnoral Society sang Mendelsohu's part song,
" The Departure," with perfect and pleasing
effect, as they did also the charming ancient
madrigal of nirley's, " Now is the Month of
Maying," bearing date 1595. The band of the
Garde Nationale is rather noisy in its character,
and would be far more valuable as a musical ally
for chamber music if the brass were a little less
brazen. Crashing and banging are too apt to mar
the perfection of our orchestras generally ; and a
degree of reformation in this department of concert
and opera art is " a consummatio❑ devou'ly to be
wished." The second concer:. takes place this even-
ing, and the names of NESS Dolby and Mr. Brinley
Richards, added to the already capital programme,
must draw such an audience as the performance
claims.

MADAME SZA.RPADY'S MATINE&'

MUSICALE.

Madame Szarvady is Wilhelmina Clams, the
young pianist who charmed our musical public four
years ago by the exquisite refinement and expres-
sion of her playing. She has returned to us in the
charac.er of a matron, but looks as youthful as
ever, and retains all that ingenuous simplicity of
aspect and manner which endeared her so much to
all who knew her. She has announced a eerie+ of
musical ma.tihees at Willis's Rooms, managed for
her by Mr. Mitchell. The first was given on Mon-
day, and was attended by a large and faihionable
audience, attract d by the remembrance of her last
visit, and the additional reputation which she has
sinc3 gained. H. r matinee comistel entirely of
pianoforte piece-r, one only concerted, the rest
solo. She played (with Sainton and Piatti)
Mendelssohn's Trio in C minor ; Beethoven's
Sonata in G, op. 31 ; Bach's Chromatics Fan-
tasia and Fugue in D minor : and several smaller
pieces of Stephen Heller, Chopin, and Alkan.
By these performances she literally enchanted
the audience ; and we have no hesitation in ea.) ing
that she is not excelled by any pianist (hat has ever
been heard in this country. To the delightful qua-
lities which she formerly possessed—execution of
the most pearly clearness, a liquid touch, and a
finger equally soft and brillian,—she now adds a
strength and vigour, a power and volume of tone
not mrpasied by any malo pianist of the day.
Grace end feeling ate her most striking characteris-
tics. Her melodic phrases are rounded with con-
slum-nate elegance and finish, and at the same time
cothed with the most true and touching expression.
She possesses, in perfection, the precious gift of
singing ou the piano ; the sounds are not only
drawn out in linked sweetness, but seemed actually
to swell and die away, under her fingers. In allot t,
Madame Szarvady has revived, and even strength-
eLe l, the impression formerly made by M:dde.
Cltuss ; and this young pianist will be one of the
great attractions of the season.

THE OATHS BILL.