11 MAY 1861, Page 17

Gounod's new opera, Faust, has achieved great success at Darm-

stadt. At the second performance the Grand Duke decorated the composer, and appointed the prima donna, Mdlle. Emilie Schmidt, Court chamber-singer.

There is to be a great "Mannergesang" Festival at Nuremberg in July. Four thousand singers have already intimated their intention of taking part in the performances. New choral compositions by Lachner, Hiller, Methfessel, Kalliwoda, Kileken, Duke Ernest, and Abt, will be sung, in most instances under the personal direction of the composers.

The young violinist, Mdlle. Marie Beaky is making a greater and greater sensation in Paris. " Since Teresa Milanollo, of such gra- cious memory," says the Gazette Musicale, " no woman has ever handled the violin and bow with such ease and disinroltura as Mdlle. Benlay, and thus the ear and the eye are thus. captivated at once; the artist's success is doubled—we applaud the artist for her figure and her bearing as well as for her admirable talent." This young lady is a pupil of the celebrated Alard, and lately, at the age of fifteen, carried off the first prize at the Conservatoire. Bottesini, known to our public only as a marvellous performer on the double-bass, has just produced at Florence a new opera called r.ilssedio di Firenze (The Siege of Florence), which has been received with extraordinary enthusiasm, and, if we may believe the Italian Journals, deserves its reception.