The course of music runs smooth at the Italian Operahouse:
since our last notice, we have had the brilliant Semiramide, cast as it was before ; the distressful Sonnambula, with nicely-discriminating PERSIANI as the heroine; the passionate Norma, embodied by GRISI, with La.- nr.senE for her Druid father and MAnto for her lover. The future, too, has promise. It is always a godsend to the many lovers of MOZART in London when the Don Giovanni is peiformed ; and numbers will be delighted at the mere sight of the name in the bills for Thursday next. The music alone is likely to occasion " a rush" for places ; but, with the present resources of the house, the cast will probably be in many respects strong. GRISI is the Donna Anna. By the way, cannot Mr. LUMLEY contrive to afford us an efficient Commendatore? The part is a very short one, but very important. The lovely music of the bass trio in the introduction—how beautiful its distinctions of character in the dying father, in the sobered but reckless Don, and in the babbling horror of the serving-man !—the portentous recitative in the burial- ground, and the awful denunciations in the supper-scene, demand the most dignified of actors and best of voices. Can it not be managed? Something has been done before, years back. The opera is selected as the attraction for a dancer's benefit—CARLOTTA GRISI taking her hono- rarium and her leave for the season.
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