"La Traviata" was given at the Lyceunt Theatre by Signor Cagli's Opera Company for the first time this season, and as it was subscription night the attendance was better than it generally is on extra nights, though the theatre was far from being well filled. Last year the role of Violetla was taken for the first time by Signora Geuolini when this opera was then given, and although not quite at home in the music the prima donna created a very favourable impression by her treatment of the charac-
showed that she had made further advances ter, and at & repetition of the, opera in her knowledge of the part, so that her resumption of the role this season was looked forward to by Shanghai opera-goers. On Friday night, however, the part Violetta was undertaken by Signora Milani Vela, and it is no disparagement to Signora Genolini_to say that the performance of Signora Vela was exceptionally successful, creating a perfect furore. Though Signora Vela has deservedly won the favour of the audience at her former appearance on the boards as Amino, Anetta and Marta, still nothing that she had previously accomplished led the audience to look for wonderfully good a representation of Violetta, and the surprise was as unexpected as it was gratifying. The Signora has evidently made the musie of ""Lraviata""
careful stady; she sang with correctness and taste, and' the florid passages and endenzas were neatly executed. Signora Vela's acting throughout the piece was y commendable. She was dashing and lively in the first act, tender and pathetic in the second, and the dying scene in the last act was made so realistic as to become almost painful, 'The brindisi, Libiamo, libiamo, went with spirit, but' the grand success' in the first act was won by the following duo, Un di felloe, and the warm approval with which this was received culminated in a grand burst of applaud: and a continued call for the Signora the conclusion of the aria Ah fors 2 Wi, and the applause was quite as deafening for the subsequent Sempre liberal, Indeed, such cheers have not been heard at any of the previous performances this season, and must have been as gratifying ignore Milani Vela as they were deserved. The scones in the with Germont and Alfredo wei done, the Signora showing histrionic power, and taking the fullest advantage of the dramatic situations that are afforded in the act. In the third act the prima donna gave the aria, Addie det passato, most feelingly. It was listened to with the utmost attention, and that. there was no boisterous applause at its conclusion must be ascribed to the fact that the sympathies of the audience were so completely won by the Signora's touching and pathetic rendering of the song, that they could not spoil the effect by any' neis demonstration of approval. That the eve favourite duo, Parigi, 0 cara, did not go well as it ought to have done was not the fault of the prima donna, who did the utmost with her part of it, but any falling-off in this was made up for by the finale, which was all that could have been desired, bringing down the curtain on the most successful performance yet given by the Company.
Signor Bergamaschi was extremely good as Germont, as may easily be ed, and the good effect of the a act were largely due to his excellent singing and acting. Pura siccome un angelo went capitally, and Germont's aria, Di Provenza il mar, Was so well sung that the audience would gladly have heard it again, though the Signor contented himself with bowing his acknowledgments, We are sorry that we cannot award much praise to the Alfredo of Signor Boganini, but much of his want of success must perhaps be ascribed to the indisposition under which he was suffering. In some of the scenes with Violetta he was very good, but he ruined Parigi, 0 cara by taking it out of tune, and quite failed to impart the requisite tenderness to that lovely dust, so that, contrary to the usual custom, it was coldly received by the audience. Signor Boganini did not change his dress for the second act, but appeared in the same costume throughout, an innovation which is not an improvement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.