The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-19 00:00:00

LONDON,

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Last night was a " long Thursday," and by far the
most brilliant " long Thursday" of the season. The
opera was Le Nozze di Figaro, with Madame Sontag as
Sunni ah, Mademoiselle Parodi as the Countess, Miss
Catherine Hayes as Cherubino, Coletti as the Count,
Belletd as Frgaro, Calzoluri as Basilio, and Lablache
as Battolo. Of the Susannah of Madame Sontag it is
almost a work of supererogation to speak, it is the most
perfect of, perhaps, all her performances. Whether consi-
dered as a piece of acting, or of vocalization, her Susannah
last night was faultless. Nothing could exceed the grace-
ful coquettry of her manger in the duet " Caudel
which wits rapturously encored, as was the other beautiful
duet "Sull aria." The great vocal triumph of the
night was, however, the " Deh Vieni," which was a
r erfect chef-dauvre, and drew down the most rapturous
applause. We know of no higher musical treat than to
hear Madame Sontag sing the music of Mozart. Miss
Catherine Hayes appeared for the first time in the cha-
racter of Cherubino, and has won for herself golden
opinions by her graceful, tasteful, and artiste
like manner of rendering the music of hiczatt
Mozart is to the lyrical drama what Shakspere
is to the acting drama, and as no English
actor can be considered an accomplished artiste until he
has been tested in a Shaksperian character, so neither
can any performer of the lyrical drama be so considered
until he or she shall have succeeded in an opera of
Mczart. Miss Catherine Hayes was last night submitted
to this test, and the success she achieved was most
triumphant. Never have we heard that most impassioned
ef airs, " Voi the sapete," so thrillingly, so beautifully,
so faithfully rendered, as it was by Miss Catherine
Hayes, and never was artiste greeted with a more en-
thusiastic encore than she was at its conclusion. A
bouquet was thrown to her from one of the boxes, and
Eeldorr, indeed, has bouquet been so well merited.
Mademoiselle Parodi was admirable as the Countess,
and never have we heard the " Dos• sone " more beau-

tifully or Perfectly given. Belletti was~full of life nod
spirits as Figaro, and was, of course, encorei in the
" Non piu andrai." Coletti, as the Count, was excellent,
and Lablache was full of unctions humour as Bartolo.
His "LaVendetta" was a magnificent piece of vccalizition.
The quartette "10, Io," was, as usual, honoured with a
double encore. lu the wedding scene the Zarabanda in
A (which was originally composed for the opera) was
excellently danced by Madlles. Carlotta Grisi and Marie
Taglioni. At the conclusion of the opera Madame Son-
tag and the principal artistes were called before the curtain.
The 'Truandaise was danced at the conclusion of the
opera by Mademoiselle Carlotta Grisi and M. Charles,
and never has the fair Carlotta danced this most grace-
ful coquettish of dances more gracefully or more coquet-
tishly than last evening. After the Truandaise, Mr.
Sims Reeves sang the finale to Lucia di Lammermoor.
the far-fsmed " Fra Poco," with that heartrending in-
tensity t f feeling which he always infuses into this most
pathetic ecene, and which secured to him last night the
enthusiastic applause of his audience, and the
honour of a call. The entertainments ccncluded with
the ballet of Les
.Pateneurs (the successful ice ballet

of last season) which was revived last evening, and in
which Madlles. Carlotta Grisi, Marie Tagliohi, and
Amalia Ferraris appeared together for the firet time.
Mademoiselle Amalia Ferraris appeared in a new pas,
which for brilliancy and gracefulness has never been sur-
passed. She concluded one of the portions of the pas
by a pirouette that was perfectly new. She gave the
pirouette, while performing a pose (if we may be allowed
the expression) which conveyed an idea of flying grace-
fully through the air. The revolving steps were won-
derful, and were at the same time tours de force and de
grace. The applause throughout the ballet was raptu-
rous. The house was crammed to suffocation.