On the 29th April, there was an uproar in the Italian Opera House, which might have expanded into another O.P. riot of 1809. The Impresario, M. Laporte, had not engaged Tamburini, because his terms were too high, and the singer’s friends were highly indignant. On this evening, at the conclusion of the opera of _I Puritani_, several voices began calling for M. Laporte, with shouts of “Tamburini!” Poor M. Laporte appeared and began a speech in which he sought to excuse himself, but it was drowned by a torrent of groans and hisses, which came, principally, from the occupants of the “omnibus” box. {128} M. Laporte so clearly perceived this, that, in a few minutes, his speech to the audience merged into a private conversation with its occupants. The noise increased, and M. Laporte declared that he was not to be “intimidated,” a word which roused the “omnibus” party to perfect fury. He retired, and the curtain rose for the ballet, in which a new dancer was to have made her appearance. The noise, now, became terrible; yells, hisses, and all sorts of uncouth sounds were blended in frightful discord. The dancers, perceiving all attempts at a performance were in vain, and, at the same time, being afraid to quit the stage, sat quietly, all round. Again and again Laporte came forward, and tried to bring matters to a settlement, and once he ventured to say, that, as manager, he had a right to engage performers at his own discretion, and that he was not to be responsible to an audience—which, it is needless to say, added fuel to fire. Then he told them his engagements would not allow him to employ Tamburini, which meant ruin to him, but it only provoked more noise. Then he appealed to their better feelings by telling them of the many years he had catered for their amusement, and this did bring him some support, for cries of “Shame,” “No Tamburini,” and “No Intimidation,” were heard, but this only had the effect of dividing the audience, and increasing the hubbub. Once again poor Laporte came forward, and talked of engaging Tamburini on “Conditions.” This word upset all, and the Tamburinists asked: “Will you engage him? Yes, or No?” Laporte said he would make proposals, and, if those proposals, etc. This would not do; “Yes, or No?” said his persevering interrogators. “Say ‘No,’” said his supporters. He began talking about terms. “Same terms as last year,” shouted all the “Omnibus” party, upon which he retired, without proposing anything satisfactory. Everyone was getting tired, when, at last, a gentleman, in a box opposite the “Omnibus,” stepped over the front of his box on to the stage, and was followed by a party; the “Omnibus” party entered the stage from the opposite side, and, at one o’clock, the Tamburinists had taken possession, and waved their hats triumphantly, on the stage, as the curtain fell.