The Italian Operahouse was filled to overflowing on Thursday, when
lie Sonnambula was performed for the benefit of FANNY amain ; Mauro making his first appearance this season as Elvin, FORNASARI playing the Count, and PERSIAN! Amino. Some doubted whether the new basso would confirm the favourable impression be had made in Belisario, and his ability to accommodate his colossal proportions and grand style to the requirements of a light comedy part ; but his appear- ance at once put all doubts at rest on that score. FORNASARI is an artist of no common order both as a singer and actor : be sang " Vi nerviso " with great delicacy and feeling ; his deportment was graceful, and his manner free and agreeable. MARIO is greatly improved ; he snag with feeling and energy and acted with spirit ; and was greeted with enthusiasm. PERSIAN! was, as usual, delightful : her singing in the finale is a triumph of embellished vocalization.
The ballet, however, was the grand attraction of the night ; and the announcement that the charming beneficiaire would on this occasion &Dee en chevalier the " Minuet de la Cour" with DUMILATRE, excited great curiosity : the entrance of the fascinating FANNY attired in a free version of the male costume of the time of Louis Quatorze, wearing a pow- dered peruke and cocked hat, leading forward her partner with the gra- vity and stately formality of a courtly gallant, was an amusing sight. Nothing could exceed the precision, elasticity, and brilliancy of her steps in "treading the measure " : it would have ravished the heart of the Grand Monarque ; but the graces of her style were so imprisoned in, the frigid etiquette of the dance, that she herself seemed to be con- seious of the restraint. We have seen far less perfect performances that were more pleasing and effective. Casting off these incumbrances, she reappeared as a Spanish girl, and danced " La Saragossa " with so much fire, that the audience were fairly dazzled with its flame-like leaps and corruscations—it appeared as if their flashes were struck out by the incessant clicking of the castanets : the velocity of her move- ments was equalled by their grace and lightness. The ballet of Giselle followed, in which her transcendent powers of pantomimic expression and feats of execution excited increased admiration. Drenrwrini, too, surpassed herself in the lightness and amplitude of her bounding gyra- tions. FANNI ELSSLER appears tonight for the last time this season.
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