The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

ALBONTS DEBUT IN TIIE UNITED

STATES.

On Wednesday evening, the 23d ult., at Metropolitan
Hall, Alboni gave her first concert in the United States '
In that concert we promised the lovers of musical art tha.
they would have one of the rarest treats they ever en-
joyed. The event has realized our most sanguine expecta-
tions. It was a truly delightful entertainment—a glorious
feast of music for the audience, and for the artist a brilliant
triumph without being marred by a single drawback. Ne
words of ours can convey to the mind of the reader the
delicious quality of the voice of Alboni—to be understood
it must be heard. It is one of those things that can cal)
be met with in as age. There is no living contralti
voice equal to it. There never, perhaps, was such s
contralto voice before. It is the very soul and essence
of melody. It is the very opposite of Jenny Lind',
voice, and the only voice that we can recollect that it
like it in quality is the lower part of Catherine Hayes
voice, which is so much admired.
On making her appearance the distinguished vocalist
waspcol
amnp el
aesnnthtedhe net
brought
rfioa
:us
etegdi
nch
cabt
el
awl
cyiiknt
hr
aehhnceeedrri vs f
schr
ndoe ae sif s s
from the
theaudience
high repu-
tation felt
mwEo ruer eap ew. Hi
h i edrr ehsas rwwi te hs
a pretty rose in her bosom. A dark dress would pro-
bably have become her large figure better. But she
looked very well as she was. She has a most good-
humoured, good-looking, good natured face, utmost a
jolly expression of countenance, which suggests the
homely proverb of " laugh and be' fat." She had not
the slightest affectation about her.
Her first Bong was " Eccomi al fine in Babilonia," from
Rossini's opera of Semirantide. When she was about tc
commence, the audience were breathless with attention.
A pin might be heard fall. She had not got through the
first line when the quality of her voice was revealed to
the evident (I,:light of the whole audience, who, at the
end of the second line, could no longer retain their im-
pulse to give expression to their feelings and shouted
" Bravo, bravo," in the most impassioned manner. Two
or three shakes in this gem were exceedingly beautiful,
and the cadence was performed in a style of finish that
proved the accomplished article. The applause was most
tumultuous, and she was called out amidst renewed and
prolonged expressicns of the greatest enthusiasm. Beau-
tiful as this song was, it was eclipsed by the Brindisi from
Lucretia Borgia. Never did we hear the " Drinking
Song" so warbled by any other voice. It produced a
furore of excitement; and she responded to as hearty an
encore as ever was given. In this song she executed the
most beautiful shake, and at the same time of the longest
duration, we ever heard. She was also encored in the
duet from " Don Pasquale," which she sung very sweetly,
without ornament. But the crowning triumph of the
night, and the fitting finale to the concert, was the splen-
did and celebrated rondo " Non pin mute, from Ros-
sini's opera of Cenerentela. With this song she elec-
trified the audience; and so impatient were they to ap-
plaud, that they interrupted her in the midst of the
most exquisite passages. Loud shouts of " Bravo"
were heard, and when she concluded the whole audience
rose and waved their hats and handkerchiefs in the
most excited manner, while she laughed all the time
as if she was enjoying a very good joke. They called
loudly for an encore, and on her re-appearance a
shower of boquets fell around her. She caught one
in her hand, which elicited a laugh from the au-
dience. Again they applauded her to the echo, but
she withdrew without singing the encore. There never
a more successful concert. There was not—there
wlls
could not be—any difference of opinion about her, as
there has been about Jenny Lind. There was but one
feeling. The characteristics of her voice are, great
power, strength, and volume, not only without coarse-
ness, bat of the finest, softest and richest texture, depth
and great purity, with a most remarkable sympathetic
touching quality. It is as fresh as the song of the lark,
when he soars to heaven at the first dawn of day, with
the dew upon his breast. And what is peculiar to Alboni,
those luscious notes gush from her without an effort.
What has been said by some of the Swedish nightingale,
butdr a is
a notto plike a hird
o truew e
wi
Sheth such ease does she glide through the
0: her, is true of Alboni—that she sings
mazes of the melody. She does not appear to have much
m would ldulreg livkee very
ygillidtitnl embellishment—which,
g
She scarcely moves a muscle. The
in her case, vr
whole charm is in the voice itself, and it seems to do
everything,i
refined gold.
We have now to say a few words of the corps that sup-
ported her. Sangiovanni
possesses a light tenor voice of
much sweetness
great compass or force. It is a pleasing voice, and San-
giovanni executed the parts
assigned him with great Eclat.
He was warmly applauded.
; it is smooth
Revere received still greater
applause, and is an admirable artist. His voice is like
Badiali's; but in comic power he is far superior. lle is
a magnificent buffo barytone. His Miei Rampolli
fernminini," from Cenerentola, was as fine a piece of
comic singing as we ever heard. Alboni is powerfully
sustained by these two artistes, particularly Rovers. Nor
must we omit to mention the famous Arditi, who was con
doctor, and so long led the orchestra at the Opera House.
He wielded
.his baton in first rate style, and performed
on • pa a fantasia composed
the vlo - •
United
# and execution. he orchestra itself, in the
by himself, with
great taste
down thunders is a very select
Ladra, deservedly
splendid heed of musicians, and in point of num-
bers brnraogungihfiteent overtito
of
LenvGplaazuzscie.
It
large nor too small. Altogether,
bers neither too; yof • doing a good business, end
most brilliant career in the
Alboni is in a faa
tw(G3'f-! a
has every prospect
States.---New Yorkerald.

The mar interview
ret,„—
e'"".7 *alpole, OLI
uis of Lansdov ne a, an with Mr.
Saturday.