THEATRES AND MUSIC.
The reappearance of Jenny Lind, has thrown into the shade all the other dramatic and musical occurrences of the week. Symptoms of a return of the epidemic which raged under last year's Dog-star. are already visible: On Thursday the 4th of May—the anniversary of the night when we first heard the song of the Swedish Nightingale—the avenues of the Operahouse were besieged, hours before the opening of the doors, by crowds eager for admis- sion into the pit and gallery; and every box'and stall was secured, we be- lieve at high prices. The great actress-singer appeared as Amino in Le Son- nambula; and her reception during the whole evening exhibited the same fre- netic enthusiasm which attended her last year's &bat. Her performance was as beautiful as ever; possessing, in addition to its dramatic and vocal perfec- tions, that nameless attraction which every one feels and no one Can either describe or resist. Her reading of the character is peculiarly her own. Its most exquisite feature is its limpid purity—its earnest truthfulness, and the total absence even of the slight tinge of coquetry thrown into it by other actresses. Above all vocal performers Jenny Lind makes song the language of passion and feeling. In "discoursing most eloquent music," she causes us to forget that she is a singer; and admiration of her vocal powers is often, with us, derived from memory rather than immediate perception. Her voice, we think with others, has gained in power and volume since last season; while she retains in perfection the faculty of producing those " dying falls " in which it is attenuated to the breathing of the lightest breeze on the strings of the CEolian harp. Such is its sweetness and freedom from every harsh or piercing tone, that we are not aware of its power till we perceive how completely it is heard through all the din of the orchestra and chorus,—as at the close of the finale on Thursday, when her last note rang above the accompanying acclamations of the eager audience. Mademoiselle Lind was well supported by the other performers, particu- larly Gardoni, whose Elvino is always excellent. F. Lablache as the Count, Mademoiselle Vera as Lisa, did justice to their parts. . The Queen graced the operatic triumph with her presence—her own first appearance in public since her recent confinement; and drew forth a very gratifying expression of feeling more than loyal. She had been ob- served in her box, and some persons began to welcome the sight before she seemed willing to be recognized; but as soon as Jenny had °begot the AL Lad cuu heat ACE, the note aamenee bwou up, butiuLtiig tor
" God save the Queen "; then her Majesty came forward bowing her thanks; and, after a brief interval, the curtain rose, exhibiting the vocal strength of the theatre prepared for the national anthem. It was given and received with that unmistakeable emphasis which we had occasion to note soon after the late outburst of revolution in other countries. The vocal corps of her Majesty's Theatre has received the addition of a new tenor, Signor Labocetta; who performed Count Alwariva in the Barbiere on Saturday last. His vocal powers and physical advantages are not equal to so exigent a character; but he is young and prepossessing in appearance, has an exceedingly sweet though not powerful voice, and sings with taste and feeling. In second tenor parts he is likely to prove an interesting acquisition: one occurs to us at the moment—Rambo/do in Roberto il Diavolo, on the supposition that Gardoni will be promoted to the more arduous part of Roberto.
At the Royal Italian Opera, the only novelty has been the appearance, on Tuesday, of Mademoiselle Alboni in La Cenerentola. Alboni's performance of this part abroad has been so much extolled that we had formed expecta- tions which were partly disappointed. Indeed, no degree of merit in the principal performer can give interest to a silly drama, from which the thick-headed Italian poets has excluded all the fairy machinery of the nur- sery tale, and, by making it no longer supernatural, has only made it the more absurd. The music allowed Alboni to display the range and beauty of her contralto voice; but neither in her singing nor in her acting did she show the smallest feeling. She was greatly applauded for several brilliant vocal displays, particularly the finale, " Non pin mesta "; but her perform- ance as a whole was far from striking; and the opera itself was not half so effective as when it was brought oat, under the same roof, in an English dress, for the debut of Miss Inverarity seventeen years ago. The fairy tale was ingeniously produced in its integrity; and the additional music ren- dered necessary was happily selected from other operas of' Rossini. The young Scotchwoman's Cinderella was simple and affecting, and the charms of her voice have scarcely been surpassed by any of her successors. The English Cinderella had a run which the Italian Cenerentola will never have, be it played as it may.
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