That indefatigable Showman, Sir DRURIOLANUS, the Invincible Knight,
commenced his Winter Operatic Season on Monday, the Tenth, at Covent
Garden, so as to be well in advance of Signor LAGO, who may now boast
of having _La Donna_, Her Most Gracious MAJESTY, for his patron.

_Monday Night_.--The two RAVOGLIS in good form in the _Orféo._
Likewise the Player of the Big Drum made more than one big hit during
the evening. "_Che farò_" was re-demanded. "Tired of '_Faro_,'" quoth
Mr. WAGGSTAFF--"why not make it '_Whisto_,' or some other game?"
_Exit_ WAGGY. The _Intermezzo_ of _Cavalleria Rusticana_ of course
encored enthusiastically. "Signor CREMONNINI," quoth WAGG, returning,
"is not half the 'ninny' his name implies." And, indeed, from the
moment he was heard singing "in his ambush" (as the Irish boy in the
Gallery said of TOM HOHLER at the Dublin Theatre when he heard the
_Trovatore's_ voice behind the scenes) before the rise of the Curtain,
everyone said, "This is the tenner for our money."

[Illustration: OPERATIC TACTICS.

_Sir Druriolanus_. "I Say, Bevignani, I think we've got the right
pitch, eh?"]

_Tuesday_.--The namesake of our own GEORGE AUGUSTUS, Mlle. ROSITA
SALA, made a real hit as _Leonora_ in _Il Trovatore_. "Handsome is as
handsome does," and Mlle. SALA didn't act as "handsome" as she looked.
Another "ninny" played to-night, namely GIANNINNI, all right vocally,
but not much dramatically. "_Il Balen_" was encored when sung by a
manly baritone with the feminine name of ANNA; i.e., Signor DE ANNA.
He might advantageously alter DE-ANNA to APOLLO, that is if he could
be sure of looking the part.