Mr. Mitchell, the Bond Street bookseller and spirited entrepreneur of
musical entertainments, has set on foot a series of vocal concerts, consist- ing of glees and concerted pieces selected from the works of Sir Henry Bishop. The first was given at the Hanover Square Rooms on Tuesday afternoon : there was a large and very musical audience, who received 'the performances with much applause ; so that the undertaking promises to succeed. The second is announced for this day ; and the series, with due encouragement, will probably be carried to a considerable length. Bishop's numerous works, produced during a long career, many of which will have all the charm of novelty, furnish a rich store of interesting matter.
At the concert of the Harmonic Union on Wednesday evening, Mr. and Mrs. Sims Reeves were engaged as the principal singers. Mr. Reeves, labouring under severe indisposition, aggravated by a domestic affliction, made a painful effort to fulfil his task, but was compelled to give it up; and his wife, for the same reason, was unable to appear. Reeves's constitution is delicate and his voice is very susceptible of in- jury ; hence be has often been driven to disappoint the public ; and what is really his misfortune has been too frequently laid to his charge as a crime. People judge him thoughtlessly as well as harshly ; for it is an absurdity to suppose that any one would throw away his profes- sional engagements and income from mere caprice, or any cause short of necessity. Grisi and Mario have arrived in London from their Transatlantic tour, which appears to have been less successful than had been expected. Mario is engaged at the Royal Italian Opera. Lablache, also engaged, is now on his way from St. Petersburg. Arrangements have been made for the production of the Eloile du Nord. Peter, with the composer's ap- probation, is to be performed by Formes, and Catherine by Bosio. Meyer- beer is indignant at the performance of his opera at Drury Lane, against which he had repeatedly and earnestly protested. A correspondent of the Daily News at Rotterdam, speaking of concerts recently given by Jenny Lind at Amsterdam, says—" Madame Gold- smidt seems to have lost none of those qualifications which gave such éclat to the professional performances and personal kind-heartedness of Jenny Lind. Her audiences know no bounds to their enthusiasm. I hear M. and Madame Goldsmidt intend visiting England as soon as they have completed their engagements in Holland."
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