The inclemency of the weather on Tuesday evening was certain to lessen. the audience at Madame Vela's first concert of the season, but notwithstanding this the dress-circle and boxes were full and the stalls and pit were well occupied also, It would perhaps be unfair to say that the softer sex is fonder of music than the other; but it is certainly more ready to go out of its warm rooms into the cold and rain to hear it. But then the softer sex has generally had the comfort of its warm rooms all day, and even a chilly theatre is a change to it, while to its lords and masters the attraction anust_ be very January tow their wu firealdes. We tiny great that will drag them after dinner in
say at once that the attraction was ver great on Tuesday, and the fairly large audience that braved the elements on a night when Cordelin would have allowed her enemy's dog though it had bit her to stand against her fire, was well repaid for its enterprise; as it shewed by. xt and applauding vigorously ti long programme, lengthened by hearty and undeniable encores.
To begin with the benvyiciuive herself, and it isa great advantage to Shanghai that there is here such a standard for amateurs to fix their attention on as this most finished vocal list maintains, Madame Vela has never been in better voice than she was on Tuesday. It would be absurd to expect that in this changeable climate her voice could have retained all the sweetness and freshness that it had when she tits came to Shanghai, but it has lost nothing of its power or of its cultivation, She was quite at hee best in the three pieces she had chosen as solos; Matilda's air frum William ell, the bulory from the Sicilian Vespers, and the aria from fu; all master-pieces of Rossini, Verdi and Pacini, the respective composers. 'The second' was so much enjoyed that an encore was demanded, and Mune. Vela sang " most charming composition by Tosti, (Aprile. Mra, Findlay chose Schita's Signi, and has certainly hover sung better in public; in fact her singing was immeasurably better than at her last appearance, and war just and correct in the extreme, The song itself is one of the composer's best, and was once very popular and, except that there is a trifle of monotony in it, it is excellent suited to Mrs. Findlay's voice, which fills the theatre. Mrs, Lavers chose avery tine romance by one of the first of living English compose! jaring Thomas, A Summer sautke mint dia justice tw her choice. the beauty of the song was enhanced by Mr. Macdonald's accompaniment on the cello, and there were vager demands for a reheating. In the celebrated quartet from Rigoletto, Bella fiylia de Vamure, all four voices were good, but Mrs. Findlay bore the palm; it is one of Verdi's finest quartets, and it was well done by all four artists. The only other vocal number was aduet from the Sicilian Vespers by Mr. Ghisi and Mr. Stepharius; both of whom were in excellent voice, Mr. Stepharius singing with admirable expression; if Mr. Ghisi's voice were a little more sympathetic, he would be still more pleasant to hear than he is. There is so much popular music in Shanghai at smoking and Smokeless concerts. ete., that it has always been the aim of Mme. Vela to raise her concerts toa higher, operatic, level; and for such music there is no tenor here who can take M. Ghisi's place.
The crown of the instrumental music was undoubtedly Miss Ellen Jans ing on the violin. This young lady is destined to bring artistic renown on Shangh: fect as she was last year she is still better this year; her bowing is masterly, while
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.