chorus at beginning of Act II.--the Tournament Act--which shows, as
a foolish person observed, "a Rummy lot at Camelot." At end of Third
Act MELBA and JEAN DE RESZKÉ (who must have joined the Salvation
Army, as he was, apparently, "saving himself" all the evening) were
enthusiastically called. Engaged in curtseying her thanks, MELBA
didn't notice--as, how should she?--property steps behind her, on
which, at about her tenth curtsey, she suddenly sat down about two
seconds before she could possibly realise that there was any chance of
sitting down. But JEAN LAUNCELOT DE RESZKÉ was there, and rescued her!
Good Knight! JEAN DE RESCUE! Then EDWARD, as _Hermit_, own brother to
_Friar Laurence_, excellent. But so were they all, and the Opera will
well repay several re-hearings.

_Thursday._--_Aïda_. Generally considered rather a heavy Opera by
VERDI. "But to-night," says WAGSTAFF, "the Verdi-ict quite t'other
way." MAUREL excellent as _Amonasro_, and MAGGIE MACINTYRE looked,
acted, and sang Maggie-nificently. Uncommonly good was GIULIA RAVOGLI
as _Amneris_, _Aïda's_ rival for the love of the small-sized _Radamès
Dimitresco_, or Dimi-nutive-Tresco (comparatively speaking), to whom
EDWARD DE RESZKÉ, being quite _a Ned_ and shoulders taller, might
spare some of his superfluous inches.

EDWARD uncommonly good as _Ramfis_, which name, considering the
peculiar make-up, might be appropriately changed to _Rum Phiz_, and
nobody be any the worse. BEVIGNANI conducted himself and the orchestra
admirably; M. PLANÇON, in English Plain Song, did all well that as _Il
Re_ he had to do, looking every inch a _Re_, and not a bit _Il_. Mlle.
BAUERMEISTER was _Una Sacerdotissa_, but she would be anything and
do everything well. Signer RINALDINI was _Un Messagiero_. His costume
might have been more effective had Sir AUGUSTUS brought him up to