L.M. for T. “SUCH PEOPLE, SUCH A DINNER, FOR A MAN WHO HAS JUST LOST HIS SEAT!”

Wife. “I’M SURE PARLIAMENT DIDN’T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU!”

L.M. for T. “AT LEAST IT SPARED ME THIS SORT OF THING HAPPENING SIX TIMES A WEEK!”]

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OPERATIC NOTES.

Last Nights of the Season.—­Monday.—­“By General Desire,” the Second and Third Acts of DE LARA-Boom-de-ay’s Opera, called La Luce dell’ Asia, followed by Cavalleria Rusticana.  Was “by general desire” applied to the entire programme, or only to its first part?  Well, we may take for granted that everyone wanted to hear and see again—­but especially to hear—­the Cavalleria.  So the “special desire” must apply to La Luce solely and only.  If so, then from this wording we gather that the general and uncontrollable desire to hear the Second and Third Acts of DE LA-RA-Boom’s Opera did not extend to its Prologue, First Act, Fourth Act (if any), and Epilogue.  But is it complimentary to a Composer to express a general wish to hear only certain portions of his work, implying thereby that the generally un-expressed desire is rather against than for re-hearing the other portions?  All the same Sir COVENT GARDENIUS exercises a sound discretion in thus dealing with this particular Opera.

Tuesday.—­BEMBERG’s New Opera, Elaine.

  Chorus.—­Why was Elaine
        Given again? 
        O DRURIOLAN-
        US, please explain!

And he did so, by saying in the programme “[fist] In consequence of its Great Success and by general desire.”  Ha! ha! look at the hand, with index-finger outstretched!  By this sign, Sir DRURIOLANUS would have us to understand that “this Opera was not one which ever went without a hand.”  Moreover, Sir ORACLE tells us of its “Great Success;” note the capitals, and note also, the expression itself, which was not found in the announcement of the repetition of the Second and Third Acts of the Light Asian Opera on Monday.  Isn’t this an artful way of pitting Admirable BEMBERG against our own accomplished DE-LARA-Boom?  “We” were not there either Monday or Tuesday, which, as far as the inimitable intermezzo of the “Rustic Chivalry” goes, was distinctly “our” loss.  But they were going to do without us, and they did so; but whether ill or well, this deponent, meaning “We,” knoweth not; and so, we’re like Brer Rabbit, who lay low and said nothin’.  Brer Wolf sezzee were kinder sorry he was unable to go Satterday arternoon for to hear Brer Fox’s new Opera, Nydia, the Blind Girl.

Friday.—­Don Giovanni.—­Madame DOTTI, in taking the role of Donna Anna, “took the cake.”  Not going “a bit dotty,” but in excellent form.

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