Northern Times. — 1857-08-19 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

GOLETTO.  " Rigoletto" was performed last night, Ronconi playing the part of the Court Jester. Despite a failing voice and weakened frame, he showed himself a great artist, and elicited the most enthusiastic applause. Signor Neri Baraldi took the part of the Duke with great success, hiving a rich, full-toned tenor voice, very highly cultivated, and used with great taste. Signor Tagliafico was, as usual, admivably made up for Sparafacile. and sang his music with his accustomed skill. Signor Polonini was grand and effective as Monterone, and delivered the malediction npon Rigoletto with great energy and power. Md'ile Tagliafico executed her little part of Giovanna well. Millie Nantier Male acted Magdalena, and sang the music in the most satisfactory manner ; but we can find no words to express the completeness in acting and singing of Mdlle B'ssio, in the unfortunate and ill-used Glide. A lovely voice and most finished and expressive style; a fine person, with most graceful and impassioned action, combined with the utmost refinement of taste, would still leave much untold. The duet between herself and the Duke was enthusiastically encored, as was her solo, immediately after it. The quartett to which we alluded in our account of the opera yesterday was very effective and but fer the lateness of the hour, near eleven, would have been encored. The Trio immediately preceeding the murder of Gi'der was also very powerfully given. "La Dolma e Mobile" was encored and repeated with great success. Whatever may be said of Verdi as a musician, it cannot be denied that he has produced a most effective opera. Whether the music be original or not, it is suited to the situations, and full of melody, and we cannot wonder at the popularity of Rigo'etto in Italy and else where. The audience, not so large as it ought to have b sea with so fine a representation of a new work, exhibited a tendancy to check an absurd custom which has crept in with the star system, that of "receiving" the principal singers with applause in the middle of a piece of music. We are quite sure that the singers would rather not be interrupted in an impassioned entrance, but would much prefer being allowed to complete their performance and receive the applause after it. The music is spoiled, the action and expression weakened, and the simzers robbed of their enthusiasm, to acknowledge plaudits which had much better be reserved till they can do no harm. We would urge upon the public this reservation of their own enthusiasm. so as to give fair scope to that of the performers. This is especially to be requested in the ease of Don Giovanni and Le Nozze de Figaro. In both the principal performers commence the Operas with beautiful music, which is sacrificed. The introduction to Don Giovanni, the most dramatic thing that Mozart ever composed, is destroyed by this absurd custom, and it is in consequence utterly unknown, except to those who have heard it in private. " Cinque Diece," the pretty duet with which:Lc no:ze de Figaro commences, is placed in the same predicament, and the performer inconvenienced and interrupted by what is intended to be very c mplimentary, but is, in fact, impertinent, would be omitted with benefit to all parties. We hope we have heard the Itst of it. " Fra Diavolo" is the opera to night, in which Madame Bosio will take the part of Zerlina; Madame Parepa that of Lady Alleash; Roaconi that of Lord Atic,asli; Neri Baraldi, Lorenzo ; Gardoni, Era Diavolo ; T glisfieo, Polonini, and Zelger complete a very ong cast. The opera is so well known in its English dress, that we need not describe it.