The Week.

AMERICA . —An American mail , ivith elates from New A ' ork to the 13 th inst ., has arrived . The Southern Republic had received its first rebuff from the new President , that gentleman having refused to hold any intercourse with them , al though previously Air . Seward had expressed a willingness to hear what they had to say . But the most startling news is the announcement ; that Air . Lincoln ' s Cabinet have resolved upon evacuating Fort Sumter . Grave dissensions , it is said , tool : place in the Cabinet before this step ivas

decided upon , and considerable disappointment has been expressed by the more warlike of their supporters ; but there can be little doubt that the removal of one imminent cause of danger—threatening , as it did , every hour to light the flame of civil war—will cause satisfaction . The Missouri and Virginia State Conventions had come to no decision . The Constitution of the Confederate States had been published . Under it no foreigners , nor any persons not a citizen of the confederate states , are allowed to vote for civil or political state

and federal officers . The President and Vice-President are to hold office for six years . -A terrible tragedy has occurred in Florida , ivhich ( if the circumstances be true ) , shows that society there is in a very chaotic and primitive state . Seduction is followed not only by murder and attempted murder , but a desperate conflict with fire-anus ensues between several persons , and ultimately Lynch-law is inflicted on tho seducer and murderer . CHINA AND JAPAN . —A telegram , elated Shanghae , Feb . 6 , informs

us that our troops at Tien-tsin were still shut in by the ice . General Collineau died on the 15 th January . The rebels were making desperate efforts to go south , anel business ivas completely suspended . Lord Elgin left Point de Galle on the 3 rd instant for Suez . A telegram has been received at Canton announcing that AI . Hensken , the secretary of the American Minister at Jedclo , bad been murdered . No details or dates are given , but it is added that the foreign ministers had retired from Jeddo . This would lead to the impression that the Japanese Government ; were implicated in the foul act though it may be that fears for their personal safety alone led to the step .

Notes On Music And The Drama.

NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .

AA ^ e ( Sunday Times ) are happy to be able to inform our readers that the successful career of Air . Wallace ' s new opera will not long be interrupted . On Easter Alonday , Air . E . T . Smith purposes bringing it out at Drury Lane , with precisely the same singers and band , and with the same scenic effects that created such a sensation at her Afajcsty's Theatre . [ AVe hear that there is to bo a sli ght alteration , Airs . AIay ( otherwise Alcllle . Jenny Baur ) succeeding

Aldme Sherrington ] . Air . Gye lias issued his programme for the forthcoming opera season . It is weak- in the extreme . Air . Gye ' s company will consist , as to vocalists , of Alesclames Penco , Dicliee , Rudersclorff , Tagliafico , Leva , Miolan-Carvalho , and Ortolani-Tiberini ; Aldlles . Corbari and Rosa Csillag ; Sigs . Tamberlik , Neri-Baraldi , Luchesi Rossi , TiberiniRonconiTagliaficoPoloniniPatriossiand Grazianiand

, , , , , , Messieurs Joui-ehm , Zelger , and Faure . The director of music , composer , and conductor , will be Air . Costa ; the principal danseuses , Aldlles . Zimi Richard and Salvione . The orchestra and chorus will be as before , The scenery ( not an unimportant feature ) ivill be entrusted to Aiessrs . AA'illiam Beverley , Grieve , and Telbin . The repertoire of the season will include " Le Prophete , " " II Pirata , " "Don Giovanni , " "Orfeo e Euridice , " "II Ballo in Afaschera , "

" * Guglielmo Tell , " besides others from the general repertoire of the theatre . The ladies are particularly weak , there not being above SAVO entitled to rank even as second donna , and the gentlemen far from strong . AA'ith such a company ive fear Mr . Gye ivill not meet with any great amount of success . It was confidently expected that the Sisters Alarchisio , the young ladies ivhose performances at the Paris Opera have created so great

a . sensation , ivould appear at one of our musical theatres this season ; but this , it is now stated , will not be the case . Their engagements in the principal cities of France are so numerous that they have been forced to decline overtures from any other quarter . AVe ( Literary Gazette ) understand that Aliss Susan Pyne , Air . Honey , and Air . Santley are all to form part of the Covent Garden English Opera Company in tbe next winter season .

Bro . Ransford announces his annual grancl concert for Tuesday next , tiie 2 nd of April , to take place at St . James's Hall , ivhen h ' e will be assisted by several of the most distinguished artists in toivn . Aliss Ransford ivill sing a new song by Afr . Hatton , entitled ' The Future Flower . "

The tour of Alilme . Catherine Hayes and the vocal and instrumental party ivho accompany her is about to terminate , after being attended everywhere ( and especially in the fair singer ' s native country ) with the most brilliant success . The Edinburgh journals

Notes On Music And The Drama.

speak in the highest terms of Aiessrs . Howard and Hargitt's subscription at the Alusic Hall on Friday evening last , where Madame Hayes ivas the great attraction , her grand air from the "Prophete , " and one of her charming Irish ballads , having excited the enthusiasm of a crowded audience . ¦

'The Sunday Times , in its natural admiration of the Christian names of three of tbe fair singers in Air . Leslie's Choir , makes a slight error in one of the surnames . Our contemporary says : — " Ai 7 e have yet to mention three young ladies , Aliss Emily Gresham , Aliss Clara West , anel Aliss Grace Bai'loiv ( ivhafc pretty Christian names ' . ) who did the loi-ely trio from Mendelssohn ' s Mltalie , " Hearts feel that love thee , " very nicely . The last name should be Barrow , the lady so named being a cousin of Air . Charles Dickens .

At a meeting of the committee for conducting the approaching Triennial Birmingham Festival , it was announced that it is proposed to devote the Tuesday morning to the performance of "Elijah ;" on Thursday , the " Messiah ; " on Friday , Beethoven's Grand service in D , and a selection from " Israel in Egypt . " On Tuesday or Wednesday evening , the " Creation ; " on Friday evening , " Judas AlaccabiGus . " The AVednesday morning's performance has not yet been determined upon ; "the committee hoped to have had the

gratification of announcing that they had succeeded in obtaining a new oratorio composed expressly for the occasion ; but circumstances have prevented that expectation being realised . " Air . Costa ivill again be conductor , and arrangements have already been made with Aldme . Sainton-Dolby and Air . Sims Reeves . Herr AA-agner's "Tannhauser" has heen introduced to the public of Paris—with a result which seems to have surprised even those

, resolutely averse to it . Nothing like the amount of disapprobation shown has been seen on the first night at tlie Grand Opera for some thirty years past . The public was not passive , but open in expressing dislike , —in spite of the presence of Royalty , together with a brilliant assemblage of those who had wrought themselves up into belief and admiration .

Besides the signal downfal of the " Tannhiluser , " was the sensation , amounting almost to surprise , made at a concert of the Conversatoire , by AladameAlardot , in a selection from Gluck's "Alceste . " That admirable artist , who hael not sung there for some years , is described as in tlie fullest possession of her powers , and to hai-e delivered that noblest of dramatic music with a grandeur , passion , and vocal finish , which entirely carried away her audience .

Air . Rigby has appeared at the Alhambra , The place is in itself singularly bad for a singer , —above all if , he be a young singer . About the i-alue of his voice there can be no question . It is even , sufficient in quality and compass , and very agreeable , As yet he sings Avithout bad habits , if without much accomplishment ; and if he will watch his own career carefully , he is one of whom the public may hear much , at no distant period . AI . Rubinstein's new operagiven the other day at Vienna

-, , ap pears to have disappointed expectation ; it is described as poor in melody and wanting in originality . AA e ( Alhenceum ) translate the folloiving : — " Count John Harrach . has announced a competition for two prizes , of 600 florins each , for the best pair of two act operas , and tivo prizes of 200 florins each , for- the best books for the same . The latter are to be Avritten in the Czech language . They are to be on national

subjects , and the contest is only open to Bohemian composers . " VTJnivers Miisieale states that a new "Swedish Nightingale " has been found in Gothland by a great lady , and sent at her cost to Paris to learn to sing . Her name is Christine Nilsen .

A composer who in his time found a large amount of favour in Paris is just dead . This is Al . Niedermeyer , ivho , though only successful as a romance writer , enjoyed , nevertheless , patronage enough to enable him to produce three ivorks on the grandest scale at the Opera— " Stradella , " " Marie Stuart , " and " La Fronde . " Born in 1803 , of Swiss origin , Niedermeyer AVUS an amiable , gentle-mannered man , ivhose character , besides attracting stanch and rsfined friends to him , ivas expressed in his music .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

A . —If Bro . Spencer , of Great Queen-street , has not got it in stock , lie would obtain it . AA . S . is thanked . AVe believe the writer is correct as to the number . P . P . G . W . —The subject shall be considered , and we ivill communicate by letter . A YOUNG P . AL—The custom is , as you have stated , for the sake of convenience . A lodge once formally closed in either degree cannot be reopened .