MILAN.
THE Scala opened for the season on the 26th Dec. with a musical drama by Donizetti, entitled Fausta, new to this city, but which had been already brought out at Naples with but doubtful success. Its fate here has not been much better; the story of the opera did not please the habitués of the Scala; and the music was considered inferior to the later compositions of Donizetti, more particularly to his Anna Bolena, of which many traces and reminiscences are continually occurring in the Fausta. Nevertheless, Madame Tosi gave all the support of her talents, both as a singer and an actress, to the piece. The tenor Pedrazzi is also much praised; but the début of Zucchelli was much less favourable; his voice was considered feeble, and his manner wanting in energy and warmth. When he left Paris his voice was already growing weak, and consequently not calculated for the Scala, the size of which theatre demands power.
The Teatro Carcano opened with Bellini’s Capuletti e Montecchi, the part of Juliet by Madame Roser Balfe, Romeo by Mdlle. Michell, and Tebaldo (the tenor) by Bonfigli. Though this opera is far from being a novelty in Milan, it still retains a great share of popularity.
Mercadante has been very unfortunate this season; his Gabriella di Vergi met with but middling success, in spite of the talents of Madame Ungher, and although the music is said not to be without merit, particularly Madame Ungher’s cavatina, a trio between that lady, Cartagenova, and Winger, and a duet in the second act. It appears, therefore, that the subject of the libretto must have injured the exertions of the composer. He met with another check at Genoa, where his Ipermnestra (an opera written by him at Lisbon, when he was manager of the theatre there) was very coolly received, though well performed by Madame Schutz, Mdlle. Cesari, and the tenor Binaghi.