t4ratrts an 3?gitoir.
The return of Viardot has enabled the managers of the Royal Italian Opera to reproduce the Piophite, with a degree of sueeess surpassing all its former triumphs. The cast differed from that of lest year in the sub- stitution of Madame Castellon for Miss Hayee in the, character of _Bertha ; and of Formes and Morelli instead of Marini and 'Luigi Mei as two of the Anabaptists; Nonni; as before, being the third:,. Castellon was the original Bertha at the Grand Opera in Paris ; and iffie get* the character well,giving it considerable interest, 'and sings well likewise, though a great deal of the inusiels too high for her voice. Formes gave a good idea of the savage fanaticism of Zacharias; and the unacoompanied psalmody of the Anabaptists, which last year was so ludicrously bad, was now, as some of our contemporaries have remarked, sung in tune for the firsetime. Madame Viardot has returned in prime condition : everybody was remarking her good looks on Thursday, and the increased power, freshness, and flexibility of her voice : her Fides was truly beautiful and affecting. Mario put forth his whole strength, vocal and dramatic. Madame Castellan was to have appeared on Tuesday as the heroine of La Garza Ladra ; which Grisi, so long the favourite .117z:etre, resigned to her : but, as Castellan had not recovered from an indisposition, Grisi performed it once more, and, though she no longer looks the young ser- vant-girl, she delighted the audience as much as ever. Grisi shows good sense in giving up such parts to her youthful sisters ; and also shows the melancholy flight of time, for the days of her own youth and beauty are as yesterday.
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