The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-29 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Mademoiselle Victoire Balfe made her debut
last night at the Lyceum in the &Ant-nlda, and
a more triumphant first appearance, or one that
promises a more brilliant career, has rarely been
witnes ed.- It excited very groat interest in our
musical circles, not only from the name the young
lady bears, but from what had been heard respect-
ing her qualities and talents ; and the theatre was
consequently filled to overflowing, every place in
every part of the house having been taken days
ago. The youthful debutante hal a most cordial
reception, which she acknowledged gracefully; bat
very timidly. Her agitation, indeed, was extreme
it was easy to understand her feelings, and impos
sible not to sympathise with them. A young girl
of twenty, who not only had never faced the
public gaze, but had never even been heard
b-yond the circle of her family and *intimate
iends—who must have felt that her most terrible
trial was begun, and that the next few minutes
would determine the fate of her whole future life,
and fill her parents with happiness, or blight
their fondest hopes—must have been in a
state of mind sufficient, one would think, to
paralyse all her faculties. But she supported
herself bravely. Nothing could be more win-
ning than her whole aspect. Her beauty is remark-
able ; and in her pretty attire, with her innocent
looks and simplicity of manner, she was the very
ideal of the rustic heroine. When the first act
closed she was twice called before the curtain. In
the second act she was still more successful, when her
powers of strong and passionate expression were
shown ; and at the end of that act she was again
twice called for, even more vehemently than before.
But it was in the last act that her great triumph
was achieved. Amina's meek and gentle endur-
ance of her lover's cruel taunts and reproaches was
beautifiully rendered ; and the sleep-walking scene,
when she descends from the mill, never was made
mor deeply pathetic even by Jenny Liud her-
self. The final air, "Ah non giunge," was a blaze
of brilliant execution, expressing, more eloquently
than any wor is could do, the fullness of joy and
rapture. When the opera was concluded, the
audience gave vent t 9, their feelings of admiration
and delight. The cuTtain fell amid deafening ap-
plause. The young performer had to come forward
three times, in compliance with reiterated calls, and,
each time, was received with acclamations, waving
,f hats i'And handkerchiefs, and showers of bouquets.
H.er voice is a perfect organ—a true soprano, full,
mind, sweet, and powerful, with that indescribable
thrilling quality which goes to the heart of the
hearer. Her powers have received the highest cul-
I tivation that education can bestow ; but she is,
moreover, an artist of natures own making ; for,
without the rarest gifts of genius, she could not have
•ieen made what she is by all the education in the
world.

The following distinguished persons have visited Olt
rea t. G:ohe, Leicester-square,—Lord and Lady Glen•
I, Lady Clarendon, Viscount Warden, Lady G ran-
Lady De Vaugh, B.R.H. the Due de Nemours
and Duchess, the Councillor-General of Odessa and lady,
Sir Baldwin Walker and lady, Lady Emily reel, &c.