MAJESTY THE QUEEN and Royal Family, and THEIR MAJESTIES THE NEW PIANOFORTE MUSIC,

KING AND QUEEN OF HANOVER, at the residence of H.R.H. the DUCHESS OF GLOCESTER. Early communications from provincial correspondents are requested to be addressed to

MRS. ENDERSOHN, Mrs. Lockey late Miss M. Williams); THE GATHERED LILY (In Memoriam)

Lockey, Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. Henry Phillips. Arrangements are now being made for the Autumnal Tour in the North and West of England. All communi

cations to be addressed to the Secretary, at Rudall, Rose, and Carte's, 100, New Bond- VILLAGE BELLS

SUNG by Miss Rebecca Isaacs, and nightly encored, in the Also for the orchestra, 55.

Operetta ""Twas I," at the Strand Theatre. The poetry by Lieut.-Col. Addison. The music by E. J. Loder. London: Allcroft, 15, New Bond-street. Manchester: Hime and Addison, St. Ann's Square.

PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY MORNING.

Terms of Subscription, per Annum, 16s.; Half-year, 8s.; Three Months, 4s.; (Stamped Copies 1s. per Quarter extra Payable in advance, to be forwarded by Money Order, to the Publishers, Myers & Co., 22, Tavistock-st., Covent Garden.

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1853.

We have been particularly requested to insert the follow-ber who proposes Mr. Griesbach, any other member might ing :

Eighteen is the golden number, and signifies the place of honour, and the post of precedence. Mr. Anderson has always 18 votes. Eighteen members vote annually for Mr. Anderson. We would give their names, only that in ballot they are simply boxed, and it would not be etiquette to un-in this position-he could say what he pleased, but he could

Mr. Clement White has taken his place in the Anglesea, one of the finest ships in the service, belonging to the great NEW and well-known firm of Messrs. Green, of Blackwall. It is Very well then. Fra Diavolo is one of the most charming his intention to give lectures, interspersed with vocal illus-productions of the Opera Comique-one of Auber's most

The grand vocal displays were the ballad, "Young Agnes," and the scena, "Proudly and wide my standard flies." The first created a furore, and was most exquisitely given; it could not be surpassed. The last verse was repeated. The scena was a powerful exhibition of vocalisation, and realised all the requirements we have named above. The acting as well as the singing was admirable. In short, we may set down Sims Reeves' Fra Diavolo among his greatest triumphs.

finished and exquisite works. Written as to the principal Sims Reeves. Sims will take out no patent for his new part for an exceptional voice-how did Cholet, the original invention. representative of Fra Diavolo, sing the music?-it has been of late years almost banished from the French stage, and has only found a status in England, where we have been fortunate enough to find suitable tenors. Braham made a great thing of the performance of the hero in many respects, but it did not exactly hit the mighty tenor. Wilson was happy in certain points, and Joseph Wood was not amiss, on the whole. The score is written almost recklessly for the first tenor. The grand scena in the third act is about the most arduous and tiring morceau with which we are acquainted, even-we were going to add-in French Grand Opera. It demands great compass of voice-great power-much variety of style-a good mezzo voice-a good falsetto, to imitate the female voicefacility-management of the shake-and strong sustaining power. Here are requisites almost impossible to discover under a quintet of tenors, and whoso would play Fra Diavolo to perfection, must possess all these requisites.

When Sims Reeves appeared three years ago, for the first time in Fra Diavolo, at Drury-lane, although highly pleased with the performance, we were not entirely gratified. He improved nightly, certainly, but at the end he left something to be desired. On Wednesday last, on the contrary, we were thoroughly satisfied with Sims Reeves in Fra Diavolo; nor can we recall to mind having witnessed a more complete representation on the lyric stage for years. Sims Reeves was not only in fine force, as to his voice, and sang magnificently, but his acting throughout was extremely natural, easy, and finished, every phase of the character being given with excceding truth and reality. Such a Fra Diavolo, beyond all doubt, our stage never possessed before, and such a Fra Diavolo-the opera properly put upon the stage-would make the fortune of What a disgrace to the country-to its enterprise, its musical character, its artistic feeling-that having such a singer as Sims Reeves, and plenty of native talent to support him, we should have no national opera, and are likely-notwithstanding all reports-to have none. We shall have more to say on this head presently. That Sims Reeves has studied the part of Fra Diavolo deeply, and has gained a thorough mastery over it is not to be mistaken. In the last scene he has even read Scribe himself a lesson in dramatic propriety, and for the first time, we have seen Fra Diavolo finished con

a season.

sistently and satisfactorily. The opera, as it stands, ends with
Fra Diavolo's capture, and his being carried up the mountains
by the soldiers--a tame conclusion, and not quite agreeable to
expectation. Sims Reeves alters this. While ascending the

mountain, Fra Diavolo suddenly breaks from the guard, jumps
down a precipice, and while attempting to escape, is fired at
and shot.
He re-enters the stage wounded, and making a last
effort to seize on the robber whom he fancies has betrayed
him, he falls dead. Good, Sims Reeves! excellent good. You
are a poet as well a musician! Let all future Fras Diavolo-
or Fra Diavolos, put the plural where you like-do like unto

Mrs. Sims Reeves made a most charming Zerlina. Her acting was full of life and purpose, and her singing instinct with feeling, and betrayed the musician throughout. But the music of Zerlina was written for a low soprano, and Mrs. Sims Reeves' voice being a high soprano, the fair artiste was thereby incapacitated, on some occasions, from doing the fullest justice to the score. Mrs. Sims Reeves is too conscientious an artist to meddle with her author; but we cannot see how Auber could have suffered by the transposition of "Oh! hour of joy!" and "Tis to-morrow," both of which were evidently too low for the singer. Nevertheless, we were more than well pleased with Mrs. Sims Reeves' Zerlina.

Mr. Weiss would have made a better Lord Allcash had he

attempted less. His fine voice told with powerful effect in the concerted music, but he wanted lightness in the duos and trio, and he has much to learn in the parlante singing of the French comic opera.

Miss Julia Harland, who played Lady Allcash, we could hardly hear, and of course can tender no opinion, pro or con,

about her. We should like to hear her.

The landlord, Matteo, was undertaken by Mr. S. Jones of Drury Lane reminiscences; and the two robbers were filled by Messrs. H. Corri and F. Smith, who gagged too much to please the judicious.

Mr. Manvers was the Lorenzo, and omitted his first song. The chorus was good, and the band admirable-and the conductor, Mr. Benedict.

At the end Sims Reeves was vociferously called for, and after too long a delay, came on leading Mrs. Sims Reeves and Mr. Weiss. Sims was again called for, but did not come on.

In the Waterman, Sims Reeves was encored in all his songs, the thirsty audience never thinking they had had enough. The "Jolly young Waterman" was inimitably sung and acted; the touching performance; and the "Bay of Biscay" was as "Farewell my trim-built wherry" was a most exquisite and stunning, as graphic, and exciting as ever.

It was a glorious night for Sims Reeves, and the receipts were enormous. May the shadow of our great tenor never grow less; and when next he plays Fra Diavolo and Tom Tug-may we be there to hear and see him.

We forgot to mention that Sims Reeves' annual benefit took place on Wednesday night at Drury Lane.

become familiar with the music, it will be so-at least, in all that regards the vocal department. With the exception of Grisi's, the Donna Anna of Madame Medori is unquestionably the best that has been seen for many years on the London boards. There were certain liberties taken, in the trio of the masks-"Protegga il giusto cielo" (finale, act 1)—which, being in violation of good taste, could not fail to be condemned by inusical judges; but Madame Medori will doubtless (notwithstanding the encore on Tuesday night) refrain from these on a future occasion. Her general performance was so good that there was no evident reason why it should not have been irreproachable. The fine dramatic recitative, in which Donna Anna recounts to Ottavio the infamous attempt of Don Giovanni, was given with great power; and the air that ensues- -"Or sai che l'indegno"-was magnificently sung, and well deserved the applause and unanimous recall which followed. The air generally known as "Non mi dir"—which separates the scene of the cemetery from the last scene of the opera, and obviates the necessity of the descent of the curtain -was restored by Madame Medori, who gave the recitative and first movement to perfection, but in a great degree spoilt the allegro by executing the bravura passages staccato. Though always sung in Germany, this air is generally omitted in England, and not altogether without reason, since the situation which introduces it is unmeaning and ineffective. The music, however, is beautiful enough to redeem a still

MR. BRINLEY RICHARDS'S CONCERTS. Mr. Brinley Richards gave his third and last performance, for the season, of classical and modern pianoforte music, at the Hanover Square Rooms, on Wednesday. The present was an evening, as the two first were morning performances. Mr. Richards played Beethoven's Grand Sonata, in A flat (op. 26); Mozart's Sonata in A major, for pianoforte and violin, with Herr Molique; and his own compositions, an Andante Pastorale, in E major-first time of performance; a Scherzo, called "Le Souvenir," and the Galop de Concert, "La Reine Blanche." In each and all of these Mr. Brinley Richards was eminently successful, and was rapturously encored in his Galop de Concert, one of his most popular compositions. The Andante Pastorale also produced a decided effect. It is a piece of sterling merit, and is sure to become popular. Mr. Richards joined Herr Molique in Bach's Bourrée et Double." Also he played, by particular request, his grand variations to "Rule Britannia," and an Andante Sostenuto, called "La Contemplation." A call to repeat both followed, but Mr. Brinley Richards, over fatigued doubtless, merely came back to bow his acknowledgments. Nathless, he had to return again and bow bis acknowledgments. The variations to "Rule Britannia" are dedicated to Miss Arabella Goddard, whose impetuous fingers would no doubt realise the ultrest conceptions of the composer. The variations, however, are not so difficult, as to confine their prac-greater platitude; and Donna Anna will always be welcome, ticability to the brilliant fingers of the most brilliant of all our with or without Don Ottavio-who talks as much, and does pianists; although Arabella Goddard, of all our pianists, as little, as Hamlet himself--providing she makes amends for would render them in the most perfect manner-no offence to her unexpected presence by such a heavenly strain of melody. the composer, who enrols himself among the most ardent On the whole, Madame Medori, by her performance on admirers of the youthful and irresistible pianist, whom Spohr Thursday night week, more than justified the highly favourlately when he heard her play in his trio, in F, No. 2-able impression produced by her Maria di Rohan. pronounced to be one of the musical phenomena of the day. The vocal section of the music was entrusted to Miss Messent, Miss Alleyne, Miss Lascelles, Madame and Herr Brandt, Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, and Signor Gardoni-all good and true artists, who acquitted themselves thoroughly and with implicit satisfaction. A very charming trio of Mr. Brinley Richards's, " Up, quit thy bower," charmingly sung by Mr. and Mrs. Weiss and Herr Brandt, was warmly

encored.

Messrs. Benedict and Aguilar conducted.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

It is to be feared that, unless some new genius springs up, we have, at least for a time, beheld "the last of the Dons." The loss of Tamburini is most severely felt when Don Giovanni is put up. The great, and, in his way, inimitable, Ronconi attempted the character last season; and on that occasion made the only failure that has been known to signalize his artistic career. Signor Belletti, who essayed the part on Thursday night, is no more like Don Giovanni than the other. If this clever, industrious, and excellent singer has nothing else in common with one who is, perhaps, the greatest artist on the Italian stage, he has this-that he cannot play Don Giovanni. Signor Belletti sings the music The first representation of Don Giovanni to which we well-which is not surprising, since he sings everything well merely alluded in our last, took place on Thursday night that is entrusted to him-but the spirit of the music is not week, and, as usual, drew a crowded house. The cast there, any more than the spirit of the brilliant profligate who, embraced several important novelties. Madame Medori was by his exquisite bonhomie and unparalleled effrontery, deceives Donna Anna, Madame Bosio Elvira, and Signor Belletti Don the audience as he tricks his dupes, and, for the nonce, makes Giovanni. From the admirable manner in which Madame both his willing proselytes. Don Giovanni can only be imBosio sang the air, “Mi tradi quell' alma ingrata," one of the personated by an actor-a great actor, indeed—and the warmest most difficult ever composed, a new Elvira as good as Corbari, partisans of Signor Belletti, among whom we are not ashamed if not better, might have been anticipated. But, unfortuately, to rank, can hardly claim for him that distinction. To cut Madame Bosio was anything but perfect in the music. She the matter short, however, Signor Belletti sang the music of had not mastered the recitatives; and in the trio, "L'ultima Mozart with the ease and correctness that never fail him, and prova," where the cast-off mistress of Don Giovanni makes acted the part of Don Giovanni like a walking gentleman, not her last appeal to the abandoned seducer, she was almost at a more tragic in the serious passages than humourous in the standstill. As, however, we have been informed that Madame comic. Bosio had only a very short time to study the part, it would not be fair to pronounce a decided judgment upon her performance. Considering the peculiar gifts and qualities of the lady, her impersonation of Donna Elvira ought to have been first rate; and it is more than probable that, when she has

Madame Castellan's Zerlina needs no description. It is enough to record that she sang "Batti batti" and "Vedrai carino as charmingly as ever-that she was encored in both, and only responded to the first demand for a repetition. The great features in the representation were the Ottavio of