The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-15 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Mr. Gye commenced his new campaign last
night, at the Lyceum Theatre, with Belliui's last
and best opera, "1 Puritani," supported, as on
former occasions, by Madame Grisi, Signor Gra-
ziani, and Signor Gardoni ; and with Signor Tag-
liafico, fcr the first time, as Giorgio. Elvira was
never, in our opinion, one of Madame Grisi's hap-
piest efforts, even when the bloom of early youth
lay freshly on her beautiful face, and made de
belief in her " son vergine vezzosa" a very possible
illusion. But her tones ring no more with their
first argentine brightness, neither do they flow
with forceful ease in sparkling streams of sound as
of yore ; and the famous " Polacca" has conse-
quently become to her an effort and a strain.
Grisi, even in her very best days, never
shono with all her lustre, except in parts
requiring great acting as well as singing. Where,
as in " I Puritani," her wonderful histrionic
powers aro fettered she never could be seen to the
fullest advantage, and now that she depends chiefly
upon her incomparable declamation and dramatic,
expression for effect, this truth is still more strik-
ingly obvious. _ _ _

With the exception of the finale to the first act,
where Elvira suddenly loses her senses in conse-
quence of the supposed infidelity of her betrothed,
the heroine of this opera has few, indeed, if any,
opportunities for that grandly impassioned style of
acting in which Madame Grisi excels every living
actress ; and here, indeed, she may still defy all
rivalry. As a musical effort, too, of surpas-ing
merit, we may cite her beautiful delivery of the
exquisitely tender and pathetic slow movement,
" Qui la voce ;" but on the whole we must say that
there are many parts in which Madame Grisi shines
more brightly than in this ; parts which she has (so
to speak) made "her own," and she can now very
well afford to leave the " verginevezzosa" to younger
artistes. Sig. Gardoni, on the contrary, is most hap- 1
pily suited in the part of Arturo. The character is
quite within his histrionic means ; and had the music
been written expressly for him, it could not be bet-
ter adapted to his voice and style. The " A te, o
cara," " Corea it sonno," and " Credeasi 0 !
misera," serve to display in the best possible light
all those sweet and graceful charms—that soft in-
tensity of tone, refined taste, and imioassiouod
derness, which have long been associated with the
idea of Gardoni as an artiste. Many a time have
these admirable qualities won for him the enthusi-
astic applause of listening multitudes ; but never,
perhaps, were they more strikingly exhibited than
of Giorgio m-
u the present occasion. The part

quires a much heavier voice than Signor Taglia-
fico's—a bass, in fact, whilst his is a baritone--but
so excellent an artiste could scarcely be quite at a
loss in anything, and he contrived to make up by
extraordinary fire and energy, thoroughly good
singing, and highly intellectual acting, for much
that was wanting in physical ability.
Signor Graziani was scar&ely more fortunate in
the part of Riccardo, the music of which is but ill-
suited to his particularly high baritone ; but, like
Signor Tagliafico, he'did his best with the materials
at his command, and met with all possible success.
His delivery of the air, "Ah ! per sempre ti per
dei," was one of the most completely satisfactory
vocal efforts of the evening.
After the opera, " God Save the Queen" was
sung by the entire company, Madame Grisi taking
the solo verses ; and the performances terminated
at a late hour with a new ballet divertissement, en-
titled "Les Abeilles," which served to introduce
a new c/anseuse,'lViadlle. Delechaux, to the British
public.
_ _

The Queen's box was occupied by the Duchess of
Wellington, Lord Cremorne, Colonel th.:3 Hon. C.
Phipps, Colonel Wood, Captain Du Plat, Miss
Byng, and Miss Cathcart.

Among the, fashionable company present we re-
marked—The Duke of Manchester, the Earl of
Cardigan, Lord Gifford, Lord Ranelagh, the
Countess Bentinck, Sir B. Hall, Sir R. and Lady
Carden, Lady Pakington, Sir G. Arnytage, Hon.
Augustus Caithorpe, the Earl of Lucan, Sir R.
Bethell, Mr. and Mrs. Ogle Hunt and Miss Hunt,
Col. Bigg, Col. Meyrick, Mrs. and the Misses C.
Dicken, Mr. and Miss Beaumont, Gen. Cavendish,
Sir W. de Bathe, Hon. Chichester Fortescue, Mr.
Orme, Col. Knox, Mrs Antrobuti, Capt. Clayton,
&c.

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