On the 20th of the month the first important operatic event took place of the many which the maestro was to witness here during the last fifty-eight years of his life. As the "Huguenots" had been produced twelve years before in the original French version during his stay in Paris, so now, with his advent to London, Meyerbeer's masterpiece was given for the first time at Covent Garden in its Italian version, under the title "Gli Ugonotti," with the part of Urbain transposed for Alboni, and an additional cavatina written specially for her. The cast on this occasion was as follows:-- _Valentine_ Mme. Viardot-Garcia. _Marguerite_ Mme. Castellani. _Urbain_ Mdlle. Alboni. _Raoul_ Signor Mario. _Marcel_ Signor Marini. _Nevers_ Signor Tagliafico. _Saint Bris_ Signor Tamburini. As to the rival operatic season at Her Majesty's Theatre, it will be sufficient if we quote a rather typical critique of one of the representations:-- "'Poor Don Pasquale,' Donizetti's prettiest musical comedy (!), 'produced to fill an off-night,' was an exclamation there was no escaping from on Tuesday evening. Why was it produced at all? To us the performance was an execution in the Tyburn acceptation of the word. "But a murder far more heinous has been committed at Her Majesty's this week. Poor M. Meyerbeer, how must his ears have tingled when his 'Roberto' was given with one principal character--involving two entire acts, the two principal soprano songs of the opera, and its only grand finale--coolly swept away! By past musical performances we were apprised that neither Mr Lumley nor Mr Balfe recognises the difference between one of the flimsy Italian operas and those thoughtful works in which sequence, contrast, and stage effect have all been regarded by the composer.... If no prima donna equal to 'En vain j'espère' and 'Robert' be in the theatre, wherefore give the work at all, unless 'the Swedish lady' is _in extremis_ for a new attraction? Why not withdraw as superfluous all solos in Mdlle. Lind's operas save Mdlle. Lind's own? Why not mount 'Don Juan' without Donna Anna's arias? Rapacious as these propositions sound, they are as defensible as the liberties taken with Meyerbeer." We find the first mention of Señor Garcia's arrival made in the 'Musical World' of July 1, in these words:-- "Manuel Garcia, the celebrated professor of singing in the Conservatoire of Paris, has arrived in London. He is brother to Malibran and Pauline Garcia, and was teacher of Jenny Lind." On July 15 the 'Athenæum' gives further details: "We are informed that Monsieur Garcia meditates settling here as professor of singing."