Music Trade Review

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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
March 20th, 1881.
The novelty of the season was Mozart's " Don Giovanni." The mere witnessed the grand procession in the second act, as represented by the
fact that this work of Mozart's is especially advertised as given the first time Strakosch-Hess Company will surely testify that it looked more like a small
this season, proves the state of the whole repertoire. Well, " Don Giovanni " show, than grand opera. It is not worth while to mention all the detail*
has been given, and we venture to say, that the opera will not be produced which were duly laughed at, whenever there was an opportunity. Musically,
again. The brassy Colonel Avill not dare to offer a second insult of the kind the performance was not so execrable as many other performances given dur-
to the New York public. The only member of the troupe which did justice ing the regime Strakosch-Hess. Chorus and orchestra worked well together,
to the music was Signor Del Puente in the title role. He acted in a spirited and the Grand Finale of the second act was deservedly encored. Mme.
manner, and sang the part with much artistic feeling. Signor Ravelli as Roze's Aida is known from former seasons, when she sang the part in
Ottavio sang "II mio Tesoro," and beyond that single aria the role did not Italian, Miss Annandale presents a respectable Am?ieris, and Conly sings the
seem to exist for him at all. Signor Corsini was a weak Leporello, and Signor role of the High Priest with finish. Byron screams too much, and his voice
Monti in the part of the Commendatore, sang in the finale terribly out of becomes easily hoarse and throaty, and. Carleton in the role of Amonasra for-
tune. Mile. Valleria was sick and went through the role of Elvira as well as gets the dramatic conception entirely. Mr. Gustavus Hall as the King
she could under the circumstances. Miss Cary was a bright Zerlina, but the iooked like the King of Spades, but we prefer the latter, as he never sang
music is hardly suited to a voice which, even if called a mezzo soprano, has yet.
the timbre of a contralto. Mozart wrote the part for a genuine soprano, and
The Strakosch-Hess season of English opera went through New York as
it loses considerably in the transpositions Miss Cary was forced to indulge in. something which is unavoidable. The evil has passed, we can breathe more
People at Her Majesty's Opera Company do not seem to care a great deal
what composers have written; otherwise Mrs. Mary Louise Swift could not freely.
have been cast as Donna Anna. This role should be sung by a dramatic
DALY'S THEATRE.
singer and by nobody else. Mrs. Swift, who owing to her favorable appear-
E hardly think old Roderick Benedix, when writing his "Aschenbroe-
ance and beautifully shaped figure may be seen to advantage as Page in
del" in Leipsic, imagined that his sentimental comedy would ever
"Ballo in Maschera " or Papagena, but for a part like that of Donna Anna
it takes more than mere appearance. Mrs. Swift's Donna Anna was a para- be transformed into a musical comedy far from the place of its origin. The
dox, a practical joke Col. Mapleson perpetrated upon the public, which, of musical comedy, "Cinderella at School," now being performed at Daly's
course, paid dearly for the joke. As mentioned, " Don Giovanni "will prob- Theatre with great success, is nothing but an adaptation from Benedix's
comedy, or to be more correct, from Robertson's "School," which is founded
ably be erased from this season's bill of fare.
German work.
Boito's " Mefistofele " was announced, but a change of the opera was on the
Woolson Morse undertook to transform it into American life, to
necessitated by the obstinate hoarsness of Signor Campanini. " Faust" was adorn Mr.
it with music, and to make a neat, nice, entertaining piece, which fills
given instead, and the subscribers of the season had the pleasure of listen- the evening,
amuses the audience, and is far preferable to many shallow
ing to the sweet sound of Signor Lazzarini's singing. The first matinee entertainments
we so frequently meet with on the American stage. There is
offered " Rigoletto " with the well known cast, and the second week of the nothing stirring
in this musical comedy; it is bright and clean and
season was inaugurated with " La Sonnambula." Great promises are made
for the future. Let us wait and see how far these promises will be redeemed. thoroughly unpretentious. We do not know whether the composer intended
to be thoroughly original, or whether he knowingly selected from the best
writers in the field of operetta. The music is well selected and prettily
arranged. Some musical jokes, for instance, the scale, represented by eight
FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE.
girls, who sing alternately in the tones they represent are very cleverly put
STKAKOSCH-HESS ENGLISH OPERA.
together, and do not fail to make an eftect.
We consider a light musical comedy, like " Cinderella at Sahool," a
ESSRS. STRAKOSCH & HESS closed their short New York season of
English opera on Saturday evening, March 12th, and their absence healthy recreation for people who want to indulge in nice music, which will
will not be seriously felt by lovers of music. The fourteen performances not tax the brain. It must be said in justice to Mr. Daly, that lie has done
given by their company in our city fully convinced us that the managerial everything in his power to add to the success of the piece. The scenery is
career of the two gentlemen belongs to the past—at least so far as opera is con- magnificent and the girls are well drilled and make a good impression. The
cerned. We are not used to the shabbiness and carelessness exhibited during costumes are charming, and the stage pictures are sometimes of graceful
the late season; and if the managers believe that everything is good enough character. It is needless to mention special artists, for every body is in the
for the New York public, their gross receipts must have shown them that right place, and the enjoyment of the entertainment is not marred by any
they committed a very grave mistake. Messrs. Strakosch & Hess are penny- impersonations which are repulsive. The sympathetic character of the
wise and pound-foolish. They ought to have known better, but unfortu- ensemble is the principal charm of the musical comedy, and according to our
nately they forgot to study the improved demands of the public, and now opinion works of similar character would heighten the standard of the Amer-
they pay for it. They may feel astonished at the results of their miscalcula- ican stage.
tions; they may go so far as to blame the public and make it responsible for
the scanty support; but other instances should prove to them that this public
DETROIT.
is not so unwilling to lend support where it is worth supporting.
DETROIT, March 14, 1881.
With Messrs. Strakosch & Hess the musical direction is careless, and so
A SERIES OP POOR ENTERTAINMENTS.
are the members of the orchestra; the stage management is careless, the bal-
ER Majesty's Opera Company commenced an engagement of three
let is slovenly, the chorus ill-dressed, and, finally, this carelessness becomes
nights, on Monday, Feb. 28th, at Whitney's Opera House with " Don
contagious, and the artists show openly that the whole machine lacks the
hand of one energetic engineer who is able to rule the crowd. The dresses Giovanni." On the start Lazarini was substituted for Ravelli, and Lazarini's
of the chorus looked worn and dirty, the scenery was a mixture of the Stra- singing, with that of Mme Swift and Sigor Corsini was sufficiently abomin-
kosch and Haverly property; and if we tell our readers that most of able to have provoken a specie of riot in any city on the continent. On
Strakosch's scenery has been made for the size of the stage of our Academy Tuesday Mme. Gerster appeared in "Lucia " before an immense audience.
of Music, they may imagine how funny this scenery looked at the Fifth A few years ago 1 read a complaint from a London critic " that there was a
time when opera-goers would no more have quitted a representation of
Avenue Theatre.
' Lucia ' without waiting for the dying strains of the hero, that it would
We do not call the musical part of the performances during the short now
its departure before the delirium of the heroine has set in." Those
season exactly bad; but the ensemble gave the impression of a pocket edition good take
old days must be still lingering in our city, for a more attentive audi-
of grand opera. If the pocket edition had been neat, we would not have ence never
gathered in any theatre, and even after the moonlit cemetery was
found fault; but it was not, and the smaller stage should have invited revealed, and
the horns had proved their collective inability to play the few
special attention; for many things will remain unobserved on a large stage bars assigned to
them, the public remained in their seats, giving Edgardo
•which the smaller stage will bring into prominence. Messrs. Strakosch & the opportunity to
expire before a brilliant assembly of highly enthusiastic
Hess never thought of these details, and yet these details are the very first dilletanti, a privilege
often enjoyed by tenors of Signor Lazzariui's stamp.
things which strike and influence public opinion. Only a few performances On Wednesday another not crowded
house greeted Mme. Valleria and Signor
are deserving of special mention. In Gounod's " Faust," Mile. Ostava Tor- Campanini in "Rigoletto," a brilliant
which closed a brief but
riani made her reappearance in New York after a lapse of seven years. She very successful season of Italian Opera performance
in Detroit. To descend to details,
•was then engaged with Strakosch during the memorable Nilsson season, Mme. Gerster was very much applauded,
for although her voice is no
and proved a very valuable member of the troupe. She was a cold singer
what it was, every one without exception likes her. Campanini saug
then, and she remained cold all these years; her voice, which has lost some longer
his usual brilliancy, sympathy and finish, although the learned critic of
of its fullness, is not capable of expressing any real dramatic power, and her with
daily surprised his readers with the announcement that the distinguished
tone lacks intensity and passionate accent. Her Marguerite was conventional a tenor
would not continue very much longer to earn three thousand
and had some very nice moments, but it was not a creation which could stir dollars robusto
a week if he kept on singing falsetto!
an audience. Her rendering of the role gave us the impression that Mile.
Torriani is a lyric singer, who never ought to trespass her boundaries.
Del Puente and Mme. Valleria conclude the list of artists that shared
Mr. Perugini sang Faust, and committed the grave mistake of singing equally in numerous recalls; of the rest the less said the better.
On the 3rd inst., a company of three, styling itself, " a grand combina-
his Aria in Italian. We may even call it an insult offered to an American
public by their countryman. If English opera is to be given, let the opera tion," and composed of Wilhelmj, Sternberg and Fritch, gave a concert at
be sung in English, and not surrounded by an international garb. Mr. Music Hall before a very small audience. Wilhelmj who was announced on
Perugini accepted an engagement as tenor of an English Opera Company, the programme to play the Mendelssohn Concerto, took the unpardonable
consequently the vernacular has its rights. The tenor may say in defence liberty of substituting in its place a vague Andante movement by Vogrich.
that the Aria sings easier in Italian, but this excuse is not acceptable ; there For that, he was taken to task by the able critic of the Free Press, to which
is no question of the singer's conveniences, the public has rights which are Dittman the manager replied with a card, which is followed by a few com-
to be respected. We shall not be unjust and declare that Mr. Perugini ments from the editor, so true and correct in their bearing that I would copy
sang the Aria: "Salve Dimora " badly; on the contrary, we consider the them if I thought you could give them room, in order that they might serve
singer badly treated by the critics of our city; he sings with a great deal of as an example to other fearless papers. The sore point was that the Free-
M. T.
artistic style, and phrases beautifully. That the quality of his voice is poor, Press accused Sternberg with having a " wooden touch."
is unfortunate. Biit the studies Mr. Perugini has made should not be for-
gotten, and it is rather severe on a young man of Perugini's evident pains-
ASGER HAMERIK DEFENDED.
taking, to be treated as if he were not even worth to sing fourth parts.
BALTIMORF, March 15, 1881.
Conly made an efficient Mephisto and Carleton was a fair Valentine.
E have just laid down the last number of your admirable journal, the
As a Strakosch season without "Aida" is not imaginable, we were
MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW, and with greetings and best
treated to a representation of Verdi's chef d'mivre, Strakosch considers
" Aida" the remnants of his former glory, and if he were to become the wishes for its continued success and prosperity, we beg for just a wee corner
manager of a Punch and Judy show, we should be sure to find one morning in its next issue. As a matter of fact, the most interesting article to us was
"Aida" on the bills. There is of course some difference between a Punch the Baltimore letter, which (begging the pardon of the " Klassick Kusg "
and Judy show and the Fifth Avenue Theatre, but the audience which who wrote it) we would have enjoyed much more had the writer confined
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