Music.

fitting dresses of fiery red , carry the hero off to the infernal regions , and are thus supposed to inculcate a healthy and impressive moral , as if any one could be made the wiser or the better bp such foolish teaching ? The only interesting—not to say respectable—character in the entire opera is Zen-Una ; and Mozart seems to have been much of this way of thinking , for he has given her the most beautiful music—music without which , we are convinced , the opera would long since have been banished to the pianoforte desks of the initiated . "La ci darem , " " Batti

batti , " and "Vedrai carino , " are , to the great majority of every audience , the opera of Don Giovanni ; and . fortunate the manager who has a Bosio to set off that beautiful music to the best advantage ! He knows well enough that , once safe there , he may let the critics grumble their worst about his Don Giovanni , or his Leporello , or his Donna Anna , since he has provided for the proper performance of all that the public care two straws about in the opera . As for the proper Don Giovanni , he , we are convinced , is a myth . Ronconi ( admirable in every other part ) is nothing here . Belletti is not the man either . It has been asserted , and ,

we believe , justly , that even Tamburini could only be said to give a distant idea of the veritable Spanish lady-killer as imagined by a long succession of enthusiastic critics . "Who , again , in our time , has given satisfaction as Donna Anna ? There is always some grievous fault found with any Leporello that you can name . Elvira seldom gives much content . The fact is , that , with the exception of pretty little Zerlina ( who , accordingly , has seldom much trouble in finding a representative ) , all the dramatis persona ? are a wrong-headed set , with whom it is impossible to sympathize , except on the condition of being as wrong-headed as they . The

opera always will fail until the advent of the true Don Giovanni , and most likely even then ; the audience , listless , except when encoring " La ci darem . " iC Batti batti , " and "Vedrai-carino , " yawned at the fun , and laughed at the demons ; the critics ( next morning ) wondered and grumbled , as it is their nature to do ; and there the matter rests till next year , when the same dreary farce will come on for repetition . Of the many things that have outlived their day , Don Giovanni , as an acted opera , is one of the most remarkable .

Norma was the first opera in which Grisi sang this season , that great artist proving herself , as the stern Druidess , still without a rival on the operatic stage . In the Puritani , also , she once more renewed lier earlier triumphs , by her exquisite singing and acting as Elvira . In the latter opera Gardoni replaced Mario as Arturo , and sang so well that the change was less felt than might have been expected .

The most attractive performances of the season , however , were those in which Grisi and Mario appeared together , in Lucrezia Borgia and La Favorita . Both operas were put on the stage with the utmost care and elaboration , and were received with an enthusiasm rarely displayed by a genuine operatic audience . It was a matter for regret that , owing to ill-health , Signor Lablache did not once appear . With this exception , the Co vent Garden Company was complete .

The house , which had been elegantly re-decorated for the season , is not well adapted for operatic performances ; we are therefore glad to learn that it will not be called into requisition for a second season . The latest on dit is that Drurydane is to be the new home of the Royal Italian Opera ; and if the report be true , a house better suited for the purpose could hardly have been found . On the whole , the past season has been both successful in itself , and a hopeful augury of still greater successes yet to come .

Poiitbait of Lord Zetland .- —The picture of the M . W . G . M ., by Grant , has been engraved , and copies are now being distributed from Bro . Spencer ' s , 314 , High Holborn . The stylo of etching , by l > ro . Shenton , has been brought to the highest point of finish by . Bro . Urowri , and both artists deserve commendation for the happy manner in which they have caught the sterling likeness of the Grand Master , which characterizes the painting . As a work-of art , the picture is admirable , and exhibits at once a freedom i \ m \ naturalness constituting the beauideal of etching . The price also places it easily within the scope of Brethren who may wish to present an appropriate token of respect to their several Lodges .