Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-08-23
From the New York Minor.
WILLIS, LETTERS FROM LONDON.
No. 3-LoNDoN, July 3.

MY LEAR NlORRtS - ndS tdhiuS
my slow paced walk yesterday after
noon. on the sunny side of Regent
street, thinking of little except the sore
iron wires not yet physickcd out of
my brain, when, in a shop window
Glanced to spy placard Of the opera.
In large letters l read "TagGoni in the
Sylphide" Ifyou remember my de-
scription in,"Pencilings by the Way"
of the very first performance of this
ballet, (Which | had the good fortune
to witness ten or twelve years ago on
my first arrival in Paris,) and my en-
thusiastic description of Taglioni. you
will easily fancy how my blood was
stirred with the chance of re-seeing
the enchanting picture-the same bal
let with the same matchless woman as
the enchantress. 1t was five O'Clock,
P. M.-within an hour Of my prescri-
bed bed time--the opera commences
at eight and lasts till twelve--but ]
went. Let me make whole letter
about the evening Of which thus "did"
the Doctor.
do not often gulp very hard at the
price of thing l want, but the charge
of eight dollars IA guinea and half
for a seat to see one opera--in the
habit as / am editorially of paying
nothing for the same commodity--cer-
tainly made me say "ahem!" The
seat got for this little price was in
the middle of the first bench behind the
orchestra, in the pit--that is to say, in
one of the '.stalls" or elbow seats into
which the first four or five benches OF
the pit are divided. '.The pitt SO cali
ed, which is separated by a bar from
the privileged seats, is so uncomtort-
able and crowded, that in my weak
condition, could not venture it, espe-
cially with the risk of standing all the
evening. So, away went the piece of
- many a good thing you can think
of! If had been charged for the
moisture of the English climate be-
cause my hair curls tighter here than
in America, l should not have felt
more like scratching my head after the
payment.
No one is admitted to the London
opera except in full dress, but took
my cloak on my arm, fearful Of the
draught of cold air that comes over the
warm pit when the curtain is lifted
The door keeper stopped me. "Yon
cannot wear your cloak in, sir"' said
he. ssBut / am sick man. and re-
quire it." ''Against the rule, sir!'-
at is very hard that one who has a
stall to himself and no one to incom-
mode, should not be allowed to keep
himself from taking cold!" "Can't
be done, STRIP So saying he took of
my cloak, and charged me a shilling
for taking care of it! Some nice things
about England!
] found myself seated between Ia
dy in full dress, and very fine, aristo-
cratic looking old man, whose seat
was elegantly cushioned, and who ev-
identity had it by the season. He turn
cd out to be useful neighbor. for over
hearing me asking question Of the
musician before me, which showed that
it was my first appearance at the opera,
he remarked to me that ] was appa-
rently stranger, and seemed to take
great pleasure in pointing out to nae
the notabilities Of the stage and audi
ence. l am glad to mention it as an
exception to the usual English reserve.
The opera was the "Roberto Deve-
reux'' Of Donizetti, and the prima
donna (who played Queen Eliza
beth'') was novely in London, Mad
anne Rossi Caccia. 1t was her second
appearance. My first impression of
her was very unfavorable. She came
forward in a solo, in which she drew
her voice so sharply fine that it prick
ed the ear uneomfortably; and in the
red hair, and other unbecomingables,
her looks, (which are half the music)
were also against her. As the plot
deepened, however, she showed a pas
sionateness in acting which helped both
her voice and beauty. and began to
discover that she had mouth ike a
crack in a rose leaf, big eyes, full of
darkness, and voice that was mellow
when she forgot the audience. She
was immensely applauded; but / as