Covent Garden's Royal Italian Opera promises Patti in "Carmen" for the 1878 season

Speranza

True, the unfulfilled production of " Carmen" set down for
Patti in 1878, whether seriously intended or not, ought not to be credited to the manager, Gye. 

Gye had, as a matter of fact, retired from management in 1877.

Incidentally (or should I say, accidentlly?), in December, 1878, Gye was killed by a gun accident.