"Signor Garcia respectfully announces to the American public that he has lately arrived in this country with an Italian troupe (among whom are some of the first artists in Europe), and has made arrangements with the managers of the New York Theatre to have the house on Tuesdays and Saturdays, on which nights the choicest Italian operas will be performed in a style which he flatters himself will give general satisfaction. "For the succeeding eight days the names of persons desirous to take boxes or benches for the season of three months, or for one month, will be received at the box office at the theatre, and the applicants for the longest term and greatest number of seats will be entitled to the choice of boxes. The seats in the pit will also be numbered, and may be taken for the same periods. "The price of the box places will be two dollars; of pit, one dollar; and of gallery, twenty-five cents. "The opera of 'Il Barbiera (_sic_) di Seviglia' is now in rehearsal, and will be given as soon as possible. "Tickets of the permanent boxes will be transferable. Performance to commence at 8 o'clock." In the next issue of the paper we read that "Signor Garcia has the honour to announce to the public that the opera of 'Il Barbiere di Seviglia' will be performed on Tuesday next. The books are now open, and places may be taken at the Box Office." The advertisement goes on to state that "the best operas of Cimarosa, Mozart, and Paisiello, with others by Rossini, will be immediately put in rehearsal." The opening performance was given at the Park Theatre on November 29, 1825, the opera being "Il Barbiere," cast as follows:-- _Almaviva_ Garcia, Senior. _Figaro_ Garcia, Junior. _Rosina_ Maria Garcia. _Bertha_ Madame Garcia. _Bartolo_ Rosich. _Basilio_ d'Angrisani. _Fiorello_ Crivelli. 'The Albion' gave the opera company an encouraging send-off in the following naïve announcement:-- "We have been disappointed in not receiving a _scientific_ critique, which we were promised from a professor, on the Italian Opera of Tuesday night; we shall, however, have something to say later, and meanwhile can state that the experiment has proved completely successful, and the troupe may be assured of making a fortunate campaign." It is recorded further that "an assemblage of ladies so fashionable, so numerous, so elegantly dressed, has probably never been witnessed in an American theatre." General Grant Wilson gives us some further details of this fashionable audience, for, according to him, it included Joseph Bonaparte, the ex-King of Spain, and the two friends, Fenimore Cooper and Fitz-Greene Halleck, who sat side by side, delighted listeners. Another account refers to the representation in these terms:--