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THEATRE ROYAL, DUBLIN. Ill
On Monday, August 3oth, 1841, the following an-
nouncement appeared :
"
Mr. Calcraft begs respectfully to announce that he has
(at an unprecedented expense, considerably exceeding
two thousand pounds) been enabled to effect an engage-
ment for the production of Italian Operas on a scale
superior to any which has hitherto been attempted in this
country.
The Company includes the following artistes :
Madame Grisi, Signor Lablache (the far-famed bass singer,
his first appearance here), Signor Mario (first tenor of
the Queen's Theatre, the undoubted successor of Rubini),
Signor F. Lablache, Signora Ernesta Grisi, and Signor
Puzzi (the celebrated horn-player). Conductor, Mons.
Benedict ; Leader. Mr. Levey. No alteration or pro-
longation can possibly take place, in consequence of the
previous arrangements of the parties engaged.'"'
On Monday, August 3oth, 1841, " I Puritani." Sir
George, Signor Lablache ; Lord A. Talbot, Signor Mario ;
Sir Richard Forth, Signor F. Lablache ; Henrietta,
Signora Ernesta Grisi ; Elvira, Madame Grisi.
This should be a memorable date in our musical
annals the first appearance of perhaps the greatest tenor
the world has yet seen or heard.
" The undoubted suc-
cessor of Rubini," Mario, in some points alike, possessed
qualities in many respects superior. It would require a
musical Plutarch to give a parallel description of the two
wonders. Rubini, as before alluded to, possessed' a
marvellous range of voice, without a break, making con-
stant use of what Italian singing-masters term the voce
di testa head voice. In the "Ah perche," in "Son-