seen to the best advantage. ZELIE DE LUSSAN, too Carmenish as flighty
little _Zerlina_, but evidently a match for the sardonic Don DAN
DRADY. Madame TAVARY has done well to quit the Hofoperahaus, Munich,
and come to Covengardenhaus as _Donna Anna_,--a trying part that not
_Anna_-body can play and sing as well as Madame TAVARY. This lady
and LILIAN NORDICA (pretty name LILIAN) as _Donna Elvira_ render the
characters so charmingly, that they cease to be the funereal bores I
have generally considered them. _Ottavio_, _Anna_, and _Elvira_, the
trio with a grievance, are, usually, about as cheerful as the three
Anabaptists in _Le Prophete. Mais on a change tout cela_. PALLADINO,
as the dancing guest--she is always small and early in every Opera
now--delights everyone, and so does Conductor RANDEGGER, who is
determined that poor little ZELIE DE LUSSAN shall not receive the big
bouquets which a mysterious man has brought to the orchestra; then one
of the instrumentalists handed them to the leader, who, in order
to take them, has been compelled to put down his violin, and, after
looking about in a helpless and puzzled manner, holds them until
further orders from his chief. Not receiving further orders, he
occupies his time by sniffing at the flowers and making remarks _sotto
voce_ to his companion violinist on the botanical beauties of the
_flora_. Conductor RANDEGGER, apparently unaware of what has been
taking place behind his back, turns round abruptly to inquire why
leader is taking a few bars' rest. Leading violinist exhibits bouquet,
and appeals in dumb show to conductor. The conductor's eye in fine
frenzy rolling, says as clearly as fine frenzied rolling eye can say
anything, "Remove that bauble!"--(RANDEGGER would make up remarkably
well as _Cromwell_)--and the leader, with a sympathetic and apologetic
glance at ZELIE as implying, "You should have had 'em if _I_ could
have managed it, but you see how I'm situated. RANDEGGER'S a hard
man"--puts the bouquets on the floor of the orchestra, and, dismissing
them by a supreme effort from his thoughts, betakes himself to his
musical Paganinic duties. What becomes of the flowers that bloom in
the orchestra, _tra la!_ I don't know, I wish that ZELIE may get them.
Remembering the example set by "Practical JOHN" at the Gaiety, of
placarding up everywhere in the theatre "No Fees," DRURIOLANUS, at
the suggestion of Conductor RANDEGGER, might "hang out a banner on
the outer wall" of