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The " season" draws near its end. The Italian Opera-houses are an- nouncing their "last nights" ; the Philharmonic and other Societies have terminated their performances ; and all the benefit concerts of any note have been given. The tuneful tribes, who have swarmed in Loudon during the spring and summer, are now on the eve of dispersion. Nothing possessing the interest of novelty is now to be looked for in any quarter. The only noticeable occurrence at Her Majesty's Theatre has been the performance, last Tuesday, of Verdi's Nino, in which Made- moiselle Spezia appeared for the first time, though she has been here since the beginning of the season. It would seem that Mr. Lumley, in respect to his prima donnas, has laboured under the emberras des riehesses, and that Titiens and Pice,olotuini were sufficiently attractive to render the services of Spezia superfluous. This has certainly been hard upon her ; and her position has not been improved by bringing her out in an opera so destitute- of merit that even the popular name of Verdi has been un- able to recommend it. The few attempts to perform it at Her Majesty's Theatre have always been failures, and this last has been as great a failure as any of them. The season at Her Majesty's Theatre finally closes on Saturday next, with the Trovatore. But the close of the season does not mean the close of the theatre ; for there is to be a series of extra performances, at re- duced prices, commencing on Tuesday week, the 20th, and to be con- tinued every night for eight or ten days. It has now become a regular practice at this theatre to give " cheap nights." Last winter they con- tinued for many weeks. To affix two prices to the same article, be it what it may, has always been deemed at variance with the principles of trade. The lower price drags down the higher ; and the upshot, we be- lieve, will be, that ere long, on the opera stage as elsewhere, cheap prices will be the only prices. At Covent Garden, Martha has been twice repeated this week. It gains on acquaintance, and is a real acquisition to our stock of Italian (Peru.
The only noticeable concert of the week has been that of Mr. Charles Halle, at Willis's Rooms on Thursday morning. Mr. Halle devotes himself to one branch of his art—he is essentially and exclusively a Pianist; and, though a man of genius, contents himself with being the Interpreter of the great composers, without being tempted by the ambi- tion of being a composer himself. Possessed of a thorough command over all the powers and resources of his instrument, and deeply imbued with the spirit of the great classic masters, he is excelled by no per- former of the day hr the fidelity and purity with which he expresses their grand and beautiful thoughts : and the -music of Bach, 'Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn ianever heard to greater advantage than when executed by Charles Halle. On Thursday his entertainment was of the highest order : it included Mendelssohn's frio in C minor ; Cle- menti's Sonata in G minor ; Beethoven's Sonata in G for the piano and violin ; and Mozart's Concerto in E flat for two pianofortes, played by himself and Miss Arabella Goddard. He had Sainton and Piatti for his violin and violoncello ; and a small but select orchestra to accompany Mozart's concerto. The room was crowded to the doors.
Last week we gave an outline of the arrangements for the approaching Birmingham. Festival ; and we are now enabled to add the names of the singers engaged. They are Madame Clara Novelle, Mademoiselle Victoire Balfc, Madame Castellan, Madame Alboni, Miss Dolby, Madame Viardot, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Montem Smith, Signor Tamberlik, Signor Roneeni, Mr. Weiss, and Signor Belletti ;—a host of vocal ta- lent never before equalled, even at a Birmingham Festival.
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