The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-03-17
TIE OPERA-

| Miss Patti gave Rosina last night in II Bar
biere, to the most crowded house of the season.
Making every allowance for the short time that
the young Prma Donna has been upon the stage,
we must accord her great praise for the admirable
manner in which she rendered the gay, capricious
role entrusted to her. She reminded us, through
out not a little of Piccoomini, both in man
ner and person. while, vocalist, she is undoubt
edly vastly her superior. In the GOrid music of
Rossni, Miss Patti is entirely at home and gives
| his brduurd passages with great effect. This
particularly noticeable in the famous aria "Una
voice." the duo "Dunque 10 son. and in Eckert's
Echo Song, which introduced for the occasion,
in all of which she was loudly applauded. Signor
| Soda was absurd in the part of Alnauird, but
Ferri quite redeemed himself as Figaro, and gave
more satisfaction than upon any previous evening.
Amodio and Susini, Don Bartolo and Don BdSilio,
were both admirable. ala Calumnia," by Amodio,
was better given than we ever recollect to have
heard it. We must not forget to mention that
Miss Patti treated us, in the kindness of her heart
| to the favorite Scotch ballad, "Comin' thro' the
| Rye" and CLONE Sweet Home" which brought
to the minds of the audience the little prodigy of
half dozen years ago, and secured to her the most
| tumultuous Acknowledgements from the large au-
dience in attendance.
We regret, however, to be compelled to say that
the opera very badly cut, and that some of the
best things were omitted, we suppose, owing to the
total inefhciency of the tenor. We say in all
kindness to the management, that these disap
pointments should be guarded against. Miss Patti
very kindly and very acceptably introduced several
English ballads to fill up the vacuum.
Tonight, Verdi's new and most renowned opera,
Vespri Sicilioni,wil be given for the first time in
this city, with powerful cast, consisting of Coson
Stgelli, Junca and Ferr For the benefit of
numerous readers who not familiar with the
plot, we furnish the following argument:
The scene of the opera is in Palermo and Naples,
in the year 1882. while Sicily was under the rule
of the French Vceroy, Guido di Montfort The
people are dissatisfied with the tyranny of Guido,
and the insulting behavior of their French masters
and their feeling is shared by many of the nobility
among the Sicilians. The Duchess Elena in par
ticuar, whose brother was beheaded by the French,
has sworn to have vengeance upon Guido; but the
more energetic of the popular leaders are John of
Procida and ArrigO, a Sican officer who had
been imprisoned by the Justice of the French. Ar
rigo is in love with Elena who accepts his suit,
condition Of his swearing to avenge her brother.
By suggestion to the French to interfere with
| the Sicans the occasion Of wedding festal,
John of Procida endeavors to stir the detected ST.
cilians to revolt. The French seize the brides, and
insult the bridegrooms All now is ripe for insur-
| rection, and it is arranged to attack Guido, and
STAY him at ball at his house. Meanwhile Guido
has compelled Arrigo to appear before him pri-
vatey, and now Arrigo learns, for the first time
the secret OF that mystery that has always envelop-
ed his own birth and parentage. Guido communi-
cites the unwelcome intelligence that he is the
| father of the man who he has sworn to Elena to
DESTROY. He entreats Arrigo to view him with
hlial affection, but ArrgO shuns him. At the ball,
however, at which Guido was to have been slain,
the natural sentiment of son so far prevails, to
induce Arrigo to warn his father of the impending
catastrophe. The result is that the plot is dis
| covered, and Elena, John, and others are commit
| ted to prison, denOuncing ATrigo traitor, who
has forfeited his oath and betrayed his country's
cause
Elena, however, at an interview which she is
permitted to have with Arrigo, discovers the cause
of that tenderness for Guido which led to the dis
covery OF the plot. ArrgO obtains, by yielding
to his fathers wishes, the release of his compani-
ons John of PrOcida will not forgive ArrigO, or
listen to anything that palliate his offence; but
Elena, knowing what temptations had beset him.
| and how natural was the impulse to which he
| yielded, forgives him. forgets for awhile her
| OF vengeance for her brothers death, and even
| consents to marry ArrigO. The conspirators, hav
| ing given teigned appreciation to her marriage,
resolve to renew their attempt at Instruction
the very day of the nuptals At the moment
when she shall respond to the priests question at
the altar, it is resolved to rush up Guido and his
party, and destroy them.
When the hour of the nuptals arrives, John of
Procda actually informs her of the pot-dares her,
| by the memory OF her brothers death, to betray
| them, and warns her, ere too late, to reoin her
| friends. Elena, agitated between the two feelings
of her love for Arrigo and her old desire for
geance, refuses to marry her lover, but endeavOrs
to save him. In an instant the Sicians rush upon
their enemies, and the curtain falls upon the COM
| bat.
We understand that but few eligible seats re.
main unsecured, and an early application at the
box-ofiice is therefore advisable on the part of
those who wish good position for seeing and hear
ing.