The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-04 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

" Il Earbiere di Siviglia" was performed last
night. The entrance of Mario was the signal for
a burst of applause, such as the proverbially
apathetic audience of the Royal Italian Opera
are seldom known to indulge in, but which
marked in the most emphatic manner their de-
light at the re-appearance of the greatest tenor of
the day, the only artist who unites in his own
person all the qualities which are requisite for the
perfect representation of those graceful and insouciant
heroes who express in delicious music the tenderest
passions, and walk through their mimic life as if the
world were a scene of comedy in which none but
elegant forms and manners were to be allowed to
figure. There was nothing to complain of in any
of the melodies, and all the exquisite phrases and
graceful turns with which Rossini has enriched the
character, were poured out with that perfect tone
which dwells upon the ear. Indeed, the whole
opera was given with a thorough sense of its grace-
ful comedy, and every part was represented in a
spirit of geniality, and at the same time of elegance,
completely in accordance with the nature of the
intrigue and the style of the music.
Signor Mario was, as we have said, received with
enthusiasm, was recalled once in the course of the
opera, and with the other principal artists at its
close.

DEATH of VICE- An.2IIII?AL SIR RICHARD
S. DUNDAS, K.C.B.

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We sincerely regret to have to announce the sud-
den death of the senior Naval Lord Commissioner
of the Admiralty. The melancholy occurrence took
place yesterday shortly after noon, at his residence
in New-street, Spring-gardens, under painfully sud-
den circumstances. The respected and gallant offi-
cer attended Divine:service on Sunday as usual, at
St. Matthew's Chapel, apparently in possession of
excellent health, and yesterday morning descended
to breakfast at his customary hour. After partak-
ng frugally of that meal, he complained of illness,
and left the room for his bedchamber, to lie down ;
but, still finding no relief, medical aid was called in.
Dr. Freeman was sent for, but had only been a short
time in attendance when the gallant Admiral ex-
pired. We understand the cause of death was dis-
ease of the heart. The late Sir Richard was the
second son of Robert Saunders Dundas, second
Viscount Melville, by Anne, daughter and co-heir
of Richard Huck-Saunders, M.D., and was born on
the 11th of April, 1802. On leaving Harrow School,
at the age of 13, he entered the Royal Naval Col-
lege, and in June, 1817, first went afloat as a
Volunteer on board the Ganymede, 26, Captain
the Hon. Robert Cavendish Spencer, brother of
the late Earl Spencer, with whom in that ship,
and the Owen Glendower, 42, he served as mid-
shipman on the Mediterranean and South
American stations. Having obtained his rank as
lieutenant, he was for some years actively employed,
when in 1823 he was appointed commander of the
Sparrowhawk, 18, on the Halifax station, and in
the Mediterranean, until he was posted. In 1825 he
was appointed to the Volage, 28, fitting out for
South America. In the spring of 1827 he was ap-
pointed to the Warspite, 76, in which ship, the first
of her class that ever circumnavigated the globe, he
returned to England from New South Wales in the
October following. After commanding the Belvi-
' dere, 42, he was appointed to the Melville, 72, and
subsequently in that ship he bore a part in the open-
ing scenes of the first war in China. While there
he obtained the thanks of Sir Gordon Bremer for
his conduct in the capture of the Ty-cock-tow, in
January, 1841, and was present with her Majesty's
plenipotentiary at a formal meeting held with the
Chinese commissioner. On the 26th Feb. following
he took up his position in the most gallant style in
the action which preceded the capture of the forts
of the Boga-Tigris, and for his gallantry on that
occasion had his name most honourably mentioned
in the Admiral's despatches to the Admiralty. He
paid off the Melville at the end of 1841. From 1829
to 1830 he was private secretary to his father, Vis-
count Melville, when First Lord of the Admiralty ;
and in Jan., 1845, on the late Earl of Haddington
becoming First Lord, he assisted that nobleman in
a similar capacity until his lordship's retirement in
1846. He was appointed Captain Superintendent
of Deptford Dockyard in 1851, and in Dec., 1852,
was selected as one of the Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty, which office he held up to Feb.,
1855, when he was selected by the Board of Admi-
ralty as Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic fleet, in
the room of the late Admiral Sir C. Napier. In
1857 he resumed his seat at the Admiralty Board,
Whitehall, and has continued ever since attached
to that department of the Government. In 1841
he was created Companion of the Order of the
Bath for his services in China, and in 1856 was
nominated a Knight Commander of that order of
knighthood, after the close of the Russian war.
The deceased officer's commissions bore date
as follows :—Lieutenant, 18th of June, 1821;
commander, 23d of June, 1823 captain, 17th of
July, 1824; rear-admiral, 4th or July, 1853; and
vice-admiral, 24th of February, 1808. The late Sir
Richard was a grand officer of the Legion of
Honour, and has received the honorary degree of
D.C.L. from the Universityi of Oxford. The la-
mented deceased was brother of General Viscount
Melville and the Hon liobert Dundits, Storekeeper
General of the Navy.

The Lord Mayor of Dut-ilin, ne-oompanied by
several aldermen and councillors of the corporation of
havo arrived in town, and will this day present a
petition signed by nearly
20,00 of the inhabitants of
Dublin, against the reoval of the Galway subsidy. This
m
petition will be presented by the Lord Mayor at the bar of
the House of Commons.

EFENCE OF I'3; E UPPER ADRIATIC.--T 11,;
Archduke Albert arrived at Trento on the 26!h of May, to
inspect the works which are being executed in tho citadel
and the fortifications along the road to Riva. The next
day the Prince left for Borgo, Valsunana, and Feltre.
After inspecting the fortifications in the latter place ho will
go to Venetia. Trento is now the central point of the for-
tifications of the frontier, which are of vast extent and ex-
traordinary solidity.