Our English actresses, when they come on the stage, "prepared for woe," have their white pocket-handkerchiefs pinned to their clothes: here they are held in the hands. Both customs are ridiculous; and the constant application they make of them in this theatre renders it more so. The orchestra consists of twenty-eight instrumental performers. The symphonies between the acts are from Haydn, Mozart, &c. &c. as in the English theatres. The performances are ushered in by an overture, generally selected with great taste. The musical department has greatly improved; and they get through difficult compositions with considerable spirit: constant practice, and, above all, the great exertions of Señor Rosquellas has effected this. This gentleman, a Spaniard by birth, made his first _debût_ before a Buenos Ayres audience in 1822, as a vocalist. His science has enabled him to surmount the imperfections of a very indifferent voice, and he is always heard with pleasure. Mr. Rosquellas[5] may be called the founder of the Buenos Ayres Opera; for, until he came, the orchestra was very indifferent. Mr. Rosquellas speaks English, and is married to an English lady. He has been in London, and, I believe, sung with Braham there. He was ably seconded by Señor Vacani, also from Rio Janeiro, the best _buffo_ I have seen (Naldi, perhaps, excepted). We had the music of Rossini night after night to delighted audiences: the duet of "_Al' idea di quell metallo_," from "_The Barber of Seville_," is as great a favourite here as in Europe. [5] As Mr. R. is an important personage in Buenos Ayres, I cannot forbear relating an anecdote of him:--In an excursion to Rio Janeiro, he took away with him a slave girl, reporting (or scandal had done so for him) that she was a present from the governor's lady, as a trifling reward for the pleasure his musical talents had afforded her. This coming to the ears of the lady made her highly indignant, saying, that "she was not in the habit of giving away her slaves." Rosquellas, upon his return, was sent to prison, and made to account for the slave, by paying a round sum of money. The departure of Vacani left a blank in the musical world, which has been since, in some degree, compensated by the appearance of Doña Angelina Tani. She has a fine tenor voice; the lower tones are of great depth, and some of them she elicits with great effect in a trio from Rossini's "_Elizabeth Queen of England_." During the Lent of 1824, we had some delightful musical treats, which rendered the representations of their regular drama very dull, particularly to a foreigner. An English mechanic, by name Waldegrave, was tempted to make a trial upon this stage as a singer. He sung "_The Beautiful Maid_," and "_The Bewildered Maid_;" but he failed to make any impression. His voice was good, but he wanted grace.