The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-25 00:00:00

THE PARIS ITALIAN OPERA.

Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia, one of his most effec-
tive operas in the serio style, was given for the first
time this season on Tuesday night, to the great de-
llght of all dilettanti—tor, fine as the music is uni-
versally acknowledged to be, the changes of the plot
to La Rinegata were not to the taste of the fastidious
----- was nuepriiip
Victor H withdrawn. Thanks, then, to N. Victor ugo s
having relented, we had the satisfaction of hearing
Lucrezia without any alterations, save in the cast—
Mines. Fiorentini and Ida Bertrand, and M. Ivanhoff
appearing for the first time as La Borgia, Maffio
Orsini, and Gennaro. The void left by Mario in the
last named part, one of his best, is now completely
and admirably filled up by M. lvanhoff, who, when
before in Paris, possessed, it may be recollected, a
limpid purity of voice, resembling the tone of the
sweetest flute; to this, at present, he unites a power
and a mastery of style in which he was greatly defi-
cient before his sojourn in I aly. The music of Gen-
naro is excellently adapted for his voice, the qualities
of which appear to the greatest advantage in the first
cavatina, " Di pescatore ignobile ;" the feeling and
expression which he threw into it at once established
his rank as a vocalist of the first order, and amply
merited the cheering warmth of applause which it
obtained. Still more successful was his romanza,
" Unirmi a to in ciel !" which drew down repeated
bravos; and in the final scene, where he tells his
guilty mother that he, too, has drunk the poison pre-
pared for his friends, both his acting and singing were
replete with dramatic expression, and produced a
powerful effect on the audience. A little tendency to
exaggeration is, perhaps, visible in his representation
of suffering from the effects of the poison, but, taken
all in all, it is a very fine piece of acting, and his
success was as decisive as it was justly merited. Ma-
dame Fiorentini, whose fine Spanish style of features
admirably fit her to represent the historic Syren, who,
our readers need not be told, was of Spanish origin
by her mother's side, made an immense step in repu-
tation as Lucrezia. In her first air, "Ah ! com' it
Bello !" she displayed great taste and exquisite feel-
ing, in addition to one of the most beautiful of organs
ever heard—while the haughty lip and threatened
tone in which she supplicates Orsini and his compa-
nions not to disclose her name to her son are truly
admirable. The duo with Lablache was a complete
triumph for both artistes; the fiendlike expression
with which she gave the words—
"Oh ate bads! ato stesso ponmente,
Don Alfonso, mio marito quarter
was as truly Borgian as though the fair cantatrice
had studied the character in the pages of Guicciar-
dini as well as in those of Victor Hugo. In the act-
ing of Mme. Fiorentini a marked improvement is
manifest, even since her last appearance in Norma.
Her blending the demoniac nature of the Borgia with
the tenderness of maternal love towards Gennaro was
worthy a true tragedian, and promises a golden career
to this gifted young artiste. Lablache was the Duke,
to which he gives immense power and effect ; his
superb voice still retaining in all parts of this nature
a roundness and weight which tell nobly in the con •
certed pieces, while his fine perception in seising every
point, added to his musician-like skill, render him a
tower of strength in every opera he appears in. In
the character of Alfonso, the expression he throws
into the duet " Tu l'ami," and the effect he gives to
the sotto vote passage of the trio with Lucrezia and
Gennaro, " Guai se ti sfugge I" are not to be equalled
on the stage. This trio received an enthusiastic
encore—an honour well merited by all its executants.
Mane. Ida Bertrand, who enjoys considerable reputa
tion at La Scala, and was received with favour in
London, made her first appearance on the Parisian
stage as Orsini, and produced a very favourable im-
pression. Her singing and acting were spirited and
vivacious, and her voice, a contralto mordants, came
out most effectively, particularly in the air, " Maffio
Orsini Signora," in which she was ably supported by
the chorus. En semme, the whole opera went off
with the greatest éclat. The house was crowded to
excess, the President of the Republic being one of the
most strenuous applauders throughout the perform-
ance, in which he was manfully seconded by the en-
tire of the audience.—Galignani.

MOVEMENT AGAINST THE PAPER DUTY.—._we
are glad to find that an organisation has been effected, for
the purpose of securing the repeal of this obnoxious im-
post, which operates so injuriously, not only upon the dif-
fusion of knowledge amongst the people, by means of a
cheap press, but also upon the industrial interests of the
country. An influential and effective committee has been
formed, and we believe the plan of operation, which it is
proposed to follow embraces the following particulars:—
I. The supply of statistics, and other matter illustrating the
evils of the paper duty, to the country press. 2. A series
of large public meetings, and the delivery of lectures in the
metropolis and principal towns of the kingdom. 3. Peti-
tions from every class of the community affected more or
less directly by ti e tax, and fr, in every mechanics' and
literary institution, &c. We are glad to see the matter taken
up so energetically, and heartily commend the movement to
public favour.--Morning Post.
PUBLIC PARK AT MAccLvsnELD.—The commit-
tee for establishing a public park and free library met on
Tuesday evening last, at the Town-hall; John May,
the chair. It was stated that about 300/. had been collected,
almost exclusively in pence, from the working classes, the
middle and higher classes not having yet been solicited. It
was also mentioned that Mr. Frost, machine-maker, had
offeied to pro Tide palisading, and do any kind of ironwork
that might be necessary in carrying out the uudertaking, free:,
of charge.--Manchester ,Examiner.