The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-30
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
THE ITALIAN OPERA.

Notwithstanding the unpleasantness of the weather
last night, brilliant and fashionable audience greeted
the first appearance Of Madame Colson in this CITY She
sustained the difficult r0 Of yioletta in .I Tayat
in manner which completely satisfied the expectations
the audience and was repeatedly greeted with the most
enthusiastic applause She possesses all the requisites
for Primo Donna Not only does she come before her
hearers with the prestige of great personal charms but she
singulary gifted by nature with voice pure and me-
lodious as the Of evening" and is also remark
ably fascinating and finished actress Her portrature Of
'the lost one drawn with consumInae skill and In
the last act was almost painfully natural and life like
signors Bngnol and Amodo sustained their parts we'll
Brignolis singing is far superior to his acting In the
frst act, the drinking song .Iibamo, Lbiamo," was
encored, and at the end Of the act Madame Colson
twice called before the curtain compliment seldom
paid TO vocalist The duet in the second act between
Vioetta and Germont, 'Dite ALA Giovane" was much
admired and several other beautiful passages were rap
turously applauded On the whole, the performance
which will long be remembered by all who were
present the chorus and the orchestral accompaniment
being excellent we'll the singing of the leading
artists The citizens Of Washington are under renewed
obligations to the management Of this theatre for having
placed within their reach such as the Opera
Company of NJ Strakosch affords
Tonight this company to appear for the last time
In this city and the announcement that Madame Cora
de Whsrt who is confessedy the greatest living Amer
lean Prna Donna, win appear in her celebrated role Of
Eyira, in Belins fayorite opera " Purtan " will be
sufficient to fill the theatre to its utmost capacity Mons
Junca the eminent basso will take the character of Sir
George Walton Amodio appears as Sir Richard Forth,
signor Iabocetta tenor Lord Arthur Talbot signor
Barilli (barytone Lord Walter Walton, and signora
Sapucci Henrietta The action of this opera Ia sup
posed to have taken place during the civil wars of England
when the armies of Charles the Second and his Parliament
were arrayed against each other The scene Is laid at
plymouth then In the possession of the parliamentary
forces Evira the daughter Of Lord Walton the gov
ernor of the fortress is in love with Lord Arthur Talbot
cavalier In the service Of the King Her hand how
ever had previously been promised to Sir Richard Forth
Puritan, and colonel in the parliamentary army OPP
pressed with grief, the maiden supposes her doom is
sealed when to her great joy Sir George Walton brother
to the governor brings her word that through bis inter
cesson her father had reented and that Arthur was to
be admitted into the fortress that their nupals might
be celebrated with due spendor, Henrietta, widow of
Charles the First at this time prisoner in the castle
ut Plymouth and has recently been sentenced to death
by the Parliament. Arthur discovers her quality and
distressed situation and when Elyra in fit of playful
ness throws her bridal veil over the Queen the thought
to him that under that disguise he may be able to
convey her out of the castle, and thus save her Ie
Neglecting his hetrothed therefore, he sacrifices his
with the Queen thus disguised he encounters his rival
who endeavors to prevent his exit but on discovering
that his companion Is the Queen and not Evira he suf
ers them to depart The escape of the royal prisoner ia
discovered and directions issued for pursuit FL
vira believing herself forsaken by her lover becomes de-
irious During the second act the madness of Eyira
continues Arthur is prescribed by the Parliament and
sentenced to death BY the entreaes of Sir George Wal
ton, in the hope of restoring his neces reason Sir Rich
ard undertakes to plead with the Parliament for the life
of his rival should he be taken unarmed The third act
commences with an interview between Arthur and Elyi
ra in garden the fortress Elvira although still
suffering under alteration of intellect hears with oy the
explanation of her lover by which she ea MS that the
lady with whom he had fled no rival, but Queen
Henrietta While thus engaged in conversation party
of Putas enter and Arthur is secured and condemned to
suffer the spot At this moment messenger enters
with letter. announcing that the King army has been
defeated and all prisoners paoned Eviras reason
restored by these sudden shocks of alternate and
joy, and she and her lover united.
The whole of the opera of "Puritani has never been
performed in Washington. M Strakosch should not mar
the completeness of its performance by emitting portions
of it, though they may appear to be of minor in
terest.