Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-17
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
RHE OpERA.-we never saw Opera as we'll

HHE OPERA.-We never saw Opera as we'll
performed as last night in the Washington
Theatre. From the moment Torriani. the lead
er, struck his first note on the piano until the
fall of the curtain at the close of the piece, tho
audience were kept in condition of pleasure
BILE excitement which it is out of our power to
describe, and momentarily from the rendition
ct the first aria Of the piece-''La Traviata'-
until the end Of the last grand scena of the last
act, the delight of that excitement evidently
increased upon all present, ending in a burst
OF applause such as is rarely heard. We are
without space to-day in which to enter into
particulars concerning the rich entertainment
of the memorable evening
Tonight the troupe render Verdi's ii
Trovatore." in expectancy of which all our
lovers of music have been on tiptoe through
out the week. 1t is now the most fashionable
and popular opera Of the times on both sides of
the Atlantic, and embraces as many operatic
gems as were ever contained in q single mu-
steal work. Gazzaniga. Amodio, Brignoli, Ada
Phillips and Gasparoni have all won imperish.
able professional fame in it, and the chorus
arc thoroughly up in the piece
The manner in which the orchestra acquitted
itself last night, to the delight of all, is an
earnest that its share of the evenings enter
tainment will add greatly to the pleasure of
the crowded house that will doubtless attend
Below, We publish brief but very satisfac-
tory sketch Of the plot of II Troy atore, which
will enable all to comprehend perfectly the
drift of all being acted and sung on the occasion
ia fba Iact IL 49, a.
season, by the by
NERDTs IL TRovAToRE The jealousy of the
Count di Luna, who is enamored Of Leonora a
laoy OF The Court, is aroused by hearing a serp-
made under her window. Hewatches il MIC hfly
at last The sounds are heard again and I.eonora
Cescends into the garden Here she meets the
| Count, and surprising him to be Maui leo he
lover, she greets him tenderlv. At this moment
Maurice comes forward and accuses her of in
constancy. Recognizing the Count she explains
| her mistake. Di Luna's pride being bite ly
wounded, he demands the name of the intruder
| Learning that it Is Maurice, one of the rebel
chieftains then in arms against the throne, he
| challenges him to single combat, and Leonora
sinks on the earth in despair they quit the
| scene.
In the next act Maurice, wounded in his duel
| and scarcely recovered, Is in the Gpsey camp
| Azucena, his supposed mother, tells him that
| years ago the young brother of the Count was
thought % be poisoned by gipsey woman, her
| own mother, who in consequence was burned at
| the stake. imploring her daught to avenge her
| Returning from the scene with her own child In
| her arms she saw the infant son Of the Count
whom she seized and concealed until every one
| had Quilted the spot of her mothers murder
| Maddened by revenge she then casts the child of
| the Count into the burning ashes. What was
| her anguish on discovering that in her fury she
| had destroyed her own in FAINT by mistake Scarce
ly has Maurice recovered from his horror at IL 3
| wild and fearful tale, than he is summoned TO
| take charge of the defense OF the Castle of Cas-
tellon, which has fallen into the hands of his re
Il he hpa rS hat
| supposing him to he dead, is about to take the
| veil He hurries to prevent it, and meets the
| Count, who has laid plan to carry her off by
| force. Maurice bifies him and bears away Le-
| onora to Ca>teIlon.
| In the third act the Count is preparing to at
| TACK Castlllon Azucena, who has been captured
| as Il spy, Is dragged before him. She is recoy-
nised by Fernando, the daughter of the gipsey
| who had poisoned the brother Of the Count and
| she Is threatened with death; she calls on her
| son, Maurice, for help, and the Count then sees
that the mother Of his enemy is in his power: he
oId~rs stake to be erected in sig of the Castle
| and, with savage exultation, determines to have
her burnt before the eyes of her own Maui
rlco has observed thrse dread preparations, ani
deteTInln. to save his mother at the risk of his
own life, he PUSHES upon the enemy with his fol-
In the fourth and last act the first scene repre-
sents the interior Of prison; Maurice has failed;
| confined in the same cell with Azucena, both e
| cond emned to death. Leonora demands an in
| terview with the Count, and offers her hand as
the price of Msurico's liberty. The offer is ac-
| copied, and she is permitted to carry him the
tdlngs He refuses to accept his freedom; and
| as Leonara urges him to do SO, she sinks upon
| the ground Determined to free him. she had
promised her hand to the Count, but had then
taken poison. The Count enters, and finds her
| dying; but Maurice is still in his power He
bids his guards to drag him to the gbbet; Az l..
cena, who has been sleeping, is awakened nv b +.
noise, and asks for her son. Di Luna points to
| the window; she rushes toward it; and. on b =
| holding the inanimate remains Of Maurice, sh =
cries: "Wretch thou has slain thv brother -
"Oh, mother. thou art indeed avenged,''
Col. BESrON's LAST WORK.-The Washing