Italian Opera were Mines, Grisi and Persiani, Mlle. Alboni (then a
novelty on the English stage), and Signors Mario, Tamburini, Salvi,
Ronconi, Hovere, and Marini. M. Persiani was the director, and Signor
Costa the _chef d'orchestre_. Although the company of singers was a
magnificent combination of musical talent, and the presentation of opera
in every way admirable, the enterprise had a sickly existence for a
time, and it was not until it had passed through various vicissitudes,
and came finally into the hands of the astute Lumley, that the
enterprise was settled on a stable foundation.

From 1850 to 1858 Mme. Persiani sang with her usual brilliant success in
all the principal cities of Europe, receiving, for special performances
in which she was a great favorite, the then remarkable sum of two
hundred pounds per night. Her last appearance in England was in the
spring of 1858, when she performed in "I Puritani," "Don Pasquale,"
"Linda di Chamouni," and "Don Giovanni." In the following winter she
established her residence in Paris, with the view of training pupils for
the stage. Only once did she depart from her resolution of not singing
again in opera. This was when Signor Mario was about to take his benefit
in the spring of 1859. The director of the Theatre Italiens entreated
Persiani to sing _Zerlina_ to the _Don Giovanni_ of Mario, to which she
at last consented. "My career," she said, "began almost in lisping the
divine music of 'Don Giovanni'; it will be appropriately closed by the
interpretation of this _chef-d'ouvre_ of the master of masters, the
immortal Mozart." Mme. Persiani died in June, 1867, and her funeral
was attended by a host of operatic celebrities, who contributed to the
musical exercises of a most impressive funeral. Mme. Persiani, aside
from her having possessed a wonderful executive art in what may be
called the technique of singing, will long be remembered by students
of musical history as having, perhaps, contributed more than any other