OPERATIC NOTES.
Monday, May 15.—First Night of Italian-Opera Season no longer exclusively Italian. A great deal, though not everything, in a good start, so Sir Druriolanus leads off with Warbling Wagner's Lohengrin, Signor Vignas for first time being White Knight. Crowded House at once takes to Vignas; applauds, and recalls him to bow before the curtain. So, as the now popular song might have it,
"Tenor came and made us a bow-wow!"
Madame Melba good as ever as Elsa, and Mlle. Meisslinger most dramatic as Somebody Elser, i.e., Ortruda, the Intruder. Mons. Dufriche's style is exactly suited to the light and airy part of Federico di Telramondo, while Castelmary is quite the gay Enrico. Treat to see Vaschetti as smiling Herald, with a lot to say for somebody else, and pleasant to note that the last person in the dramatis personæ included in the cast of the Opera is "Conductor, Signor Mancinelli," who beats time, winning easily. Bevignani conducts National Anthem, and all conduct themselves loyally on the occasion. Delightful, in Lohengrin, Act II., to observe how four players of trumps, each with one trump in his hand,—quite a pleasant whist party—(have they the other trumps up their sleeves?)—arouse the guests in the early morning, and marvellous is the rapidity with which all the gentlemen sleeping in the Castle are up and dressed in full armour, freshly burnished,—"gents suit complete,"—within the space of a couple of minutes!
Signor Vignas as Turiddu,—so called because he tells Lola, "I should like Turid-you of your husband." But he didn't.
General excellence of performance greatly assisted by Duke of Teck enthusiastically beating time with his dexter band. Such auxiliary conducting must be of unspeakable service to Signor Mancinelli.
Tuesday Night.—Orfeo, with Giulia Ravogli charming as ever in her representation of "Orpheus with his loot,"—his "loot" being Eurydice, who had become the private property of that infernal monarch Pluto. Welcome to Mlle. Bauermeister as the Meister of Cupid's Bower, Cupid himself. Cavalleria Rusticana to follow, with Madame Calvé's grand impersonation of the simple and sad Santuzza. Notably good is Vignas as the Rustic Swell, with the comic-chorus name of Turiddu. Beautiful intermezzo heartily encored. The thanks of Signors Bevignani and Mancinelli again due to the dexterous assistance rendered to them by the Duke of Teck, who is evidently well up in the Teck-nique of the musical craft. Crowded House. Forecast of season, full of promise and performance.
Thursday.—Carmen. Always "good Bizet-ness." But on this occasion Madame Calvé being indisposed, Mlle. Sigrid Arnoldson appears as heroine. A most captivating Carmen, but so deftly does she dissemble her wickedness that the audience do not realise how heartless is this artful little cigarette-maker. Mons. Alvarez a fine Don José. The premières danseuses lively and picturesque in Act II., with dresses long and dance short; but in Last Act, when reverse of this is the case, a pretty general feeling that skirts might have been longer, and dance shorter. Chorus and Orchestra all that could be desired; absence of the musical Duke much regretted.