The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-10 00:00:00

THE CANTERBURI HALL.

Theerp Canterbury Hall
Another evidence
giving constant evidence of the
of the untiring zeal and activity of the management may
be found in the new selection from Verdi's opera, " Un
riatne rdbury taste hloafl l i
thes
enterprise
Ballo in Maschera." This opera has never yet been per-
formed in England, so that its production, in its present
compressed form, is actually in advance of our Italian ope-
ratic entrepreneurs. If anything could add to the claims of
this music hall to distinction, as affording a medium through
which the popular taste for music is sedulously cultivated,
itwould be found in these repeated instances of enterprise, in
presenting the works of foreign composers, which our more
ambitious musical institutions suffer to remain on the shelf.
Very recently, Verdi's "Il Corsaro" has been presented in
the form of an operatic selection, under the same circum-
stances. "Un Ballo in 111aschera" (The Masked Ball),
judging from the morceaux of the selection, is one of 'Verdi's
most spirited productions in its entirety, although there is
an absence of that decided melody which, as it is found in
his other compositions, se soon becomes the property of the
public, from the drawing room to the barrel organ and the
little urchins of the streets. The subject of the
opera closely resembles that of " Gustavus the
Third." There is the same sort of intrigue and the
same avenging fate for the principal character. The selec-
tion has been skilfully put together, and is presented with
a large additional chorus—the artists who take part in it
numbering upwards of forty. There are some very striking
concerted pieces, and the feel quintette and chorus preced •
ing the assassination of the hero is worked up to a grand
and fiery Cliniax. Miss Russell sang the soprano part with
her usual finish, and distinguished herself in the ballata,
commencing " Volta la terra," and in the rest of the airs as-
signed to her. The scene and aria of the avenging lover
were impressively rendered by Mr. Greville, the new and
admirable baritone, and tho quartet, in which retributive
justice is foreshadowed, was extremely well executed by
Messrs. Greville, Huish, Beaumont, and Miss Russell.
The tenor part was sustained by Mr. H. Herbert, but this
music was rather of an uphill character, and exhibited
some of the least inviting phases of Verdi's style. The
general effect of the selection is imposing, oven if there is
an absence of those isolated airs caught up at once for their
originality and melody. The management deserve praise
for this additional evidence of their enterprise, and praise is
equally duo to their musical coadjutor, Mr. Jonghmans.

The fourth and last division of the 78th High-
landers, from Edinburgh Castle, embarked at Gran-
ton on Wednesday, per Caledonia steamship, for
London, whence they proceed to Aldershott. They
have been replaced by the 26th (Cameronians), the
second division of which regiment arrived at Edin-
burgh Castle on Tuesday.
MRS. (FORBES) YELVERTON.—With reference to
statements that have appeared'in some of our morning con-
temporaries, to the effect that since the late trial of Thel-
wall v. Yelverton, Mrs. (Forbes) Yelverton had been so-
journing in Scotland with Major the Hon.W. C. Yelverton,
and also announcing on a recent occasion their arrival in
Kingstown, we have been requested to state, from an au-
thentic source, that the rumours in which these paragraphs
':ad their origin aro without any foundation, the fact being,
that within a very few (Tar; after the result of the trial be-
came known that lady left Dublin, for the purpose of join-
ing her mother, Lady Ashworth, with whom—and with
her sister, at Brighton—she has since Uninterruptedly re-
, 400,—,DAfn 44029 Nag,

WELLINGTON REVERSIONARY AN.

ATUITY ASSU.RAWCE SOCIETY.