The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-10-15 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL

Bellini's opera of " Norma" has been played during the
last few nights to very fashionable houses. The plot of
" Norma" is this : Norma, (Mrs. Wood,) a Druidical priest-
ess, is secretly, and against the rules of the order, espoused
to Claudian, (Mr. Wood,) the Roman pro-consul, in Britain.
She has an interesting little family of two children. Claudian
grows tired of his wife, and becomes enamoured of Elbertha,
(Miss Poole,) a young priestess. Norma discovers this, and
attempts, but in vain, to reclaim her husband. The upshot
of it is, that Norma confesses her guilt in breaking her vow,
and sacrifices herself on the altar, as an atonement for her
crime. " Norma" has some charming passages in it ; but
we do not trace in it the beauty and gracefulness of the
" Sonnambula." Several portions are extremely brilliant.
The aria, by Claudian, " When bound in slumber's golden
chain," is very fine. The scena, " Seditious spirits," was
splendidly sung by Mrs. Wood. The scena and duetto,
" Go, proud maiden,", and the duetto, Oh ! bitter memo-
ry !" were highly applauded. The latter is the brightest
gem in the opera ; it was delightfully sung by Mrs. Wood
and Miss Poole. Mrs. Wood's acting was generally good,
but her denunciation against her husband was given with an
energy which startled many. Miss Poole sang " Elberta"
well. She gave the Cavatina, " The sacred rites fulfilled,"
with great taste and judgment. Her voice is as clear toned
as a bell. Mr. Wood played Claudian with much spirit. The
whole of the scenery is new. The opening scene, the Crom-
lech or Druidical temple, bad an excellent effect. After the
opera, Madame Giubilei has gone through a charming and
animated dance with Miss Webster, called a "Pas de Deux
el Jaleo de Xeres." They each dance the same pas, and the
action is similar. It requires great skill and knowledge of
time to do this well. These fair danseuses are excellent in
it, and have been encored every night. Madame Giubilei
is slightly made, of sylph-like appearance, and graceful ; her
foot and leg—not to speak of them proafnely—are symetrical.
In the afterpieces, Mr. T. Lee has appeared in Irish cha-
racters. He possesses much humour and has a rich brogue.
We perceive that Adolph Adam's opera of the " Postilion "
is announced for to-night, for the benefit of Mr. Giubilei.—
Mr. Brough's benefit takes place on Monday.

It is reported that Lord Ellenborough is destined to sue
ceed Lord Auckland as Governor-General of India.

RAILWAY FROM LANCASTER TO GLASGOW AND EDIN-
sunGR.—An important
.meeting was held in Carlisle, on
Saturday, for the promotion of this great national work. It
has at length been taken up in earnest ;
i and parties have en-
gaged in it who are not likely to suffer tto be set aside, or
allow its execution to be delayed. The Directors of the
Grand Junction Railway have come forward with a most
liberal offer in aid of the undertaking—namely to take shares
to the amount of £200,000, on condition that the landowners
along the line take shares to the amount of the value of land
required. The Directors of the North Union Railway, in a
similar spirit of liberality, offer to subscribe £50,000. The
Preston and Lancaster Railway DiDirectors, it is expected will
do the same. The London and Birmingham Railway Direc-
tors, who are deeply interested In the undertaking, will no
doubt come forward with
a liberality commensurate with the
largeness of the funds at their disposal and the magnitude of
the work to be accomplished, the assents of no less than six
hundred landowners on the line have been obtained ' • and it
is a matter of sincere congratulation that not one dissentient
has been found.—Carlisle Journal.

DEATH OF THE RIGHT HON. Sin J. BAYLEY, BART.—
On Sunday last the above learned baronet expired at Vine
House, near Sevenoaks. He was bornne in 1763, and was
brought up to the legal profession. In 1790 he married Miss
Markett, youngest daughter of Mr. J. Markett, of Meopham
Court, Kent. For many gears he was a justice of the Court
of King's Bench, and subsequently a Baron of the Exchequer,
and was knighted in 1808. In 1834, on his retirement from
the bench, he was created a baronet. The deceased is suc-
ceeded in the family honours by his eldest son, Mr. John
Edward George Bayley, born 1794, married in 1812, Miss
Fector, daughter of Mr. John Minet Fector, the eminent
banker at Dover, and sister of the late member for Maidstone.