Chapter XII

Summary

As the Operatic representations had been productive of great good, the Committee determined that they should be repeated in the beginning of the following year, and recorded a minute to that effect. Resolved, “That three performances of Italian operas, by pupils of the Royal Academy, take place, by subscription, after the Christmas vacation; the first representation to be on Saturday, January 24th; the second, on Saturday the 31st; and the last performance on Tuesday, February the 3rd; and that Sir Andrew Barnard be requested to apply to the Lord Chamberlain for the necessary license.”

These performances went off in the same satisfactory manner as on the former occasion, and the credit thus gained by the pupils added to the reputation of the Institution. So well, indeed, did one of the young ladies succeed, that it led to an application from the manager of His Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket, for her to sing in an Italian opera there, on the occasion of the illness of one of the principals.

“Minute, Feb. 19th, 1829. Sir G. Clerk and Sir A. Barnard reported to the Committee that an application was made to them by Mr. Laporte, on Saturday last, for permission for Miss Bellchambers to take the part of Elena in the opera of ‘La Donna del Lago’, in the room of Signora Monticelli, who was ill; and as it was stated to them that unless Miss Bellchambers would undertake the part, there would be no opera that evening, they recommended her to make the attempt, and, having been present at the performance, they can have no hesitation in assuring the Committee that her appearance was highly creditable to the Institution, and did her the greatest honour, considering the very short time she was allowed to prepare herself for this arduous undertaking.”