when deafened by such a mass of horns, bassoons, and ophicleides that they drown the rest of the orchestra, and make a buzzing in my ears, much as I honor and respect Meyerbeer's great talent. The chorus was much too weak to struggle against these orchestral masses. The scenery, even including that of the nuns, fell short of my expectations. Mario and Dorus Gras were admirable; the rest only second-rate.