Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/212

192 Last evening, we had Romeo and Giulietta, in which La Ricci and La Cesari made their appearance, the former as Giulietta, the latter as Romeo. The Ricci is a thin young woman, with a long, pale face, black eyes and hair, long neck and arms, and large hands; extremely pretty, it is said, off the stage, and very ineffective on it; but both on and off with a very distinguished air. Her voice is extensive, but wanting cultivation, and decidedly pea-hennish; besides that, she is apt to go out of tune. Her style of dress was excessively unbecoming to her style of beauty. She wore a tight, white gown, a tight, blue satin peaked body with long, tight, blue sleeves. The public were indulgent, but it was evident that they were disappointed.

La Cesari, highly married, and who for the last three years, has not appeared upon the stage, came out as Romeo, with tunic and mantle, white silk stockings, hat and feathers, &c. She was very much frightened and ill at ease; and it required all the applause with which the public greeted the entrée of their former favorite, to restore her to self-possession. She looked remarkably well; tall, handsome, beautifully formed, rather pale, with fine dark eyes, dark hair and moustaches. Her acting was greatly superior, as much so as was her beauty, to any of the others. She has more knowledge of the theatre, more science, taste and energy than any of them; but her voice, a soft contralto, is out of use and feeble. The theatre, besides, is ill-constructed for the voice, and must have a bad effect upon the fulness and tone. On the whole, it seems doubtful