The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-29 00:00:00

SIGNOR FRICCA.

In the present state of our Italian stage, the
advent of a new and superior bass is become one of
the desiderata that the musical world is most aware
of. Since the retirement of Lablache we have had
but one artist of this class who has attained to any
eminence, and the last year or two has attested that
his power is declining. However we may regret,
it is perfectly useless to disguise the fact that Herr
Formes is not the singer he was some six seasons
ago, and just as idle is it to suppose that his place
is to be supplied by executants of such limited range

as Herr Zelger or Signor Vialetti. The need of a
duly endowed successor is becoming daily more
apparent, and more especially when we consider
the important station that the bass occupies in
modern opera, serious and comic. Of 44 Der
Freisclaut z," " Robert the Devil," " Fidelio,"
and other important works, he almost forms
the central feature ; and not inferior is his
position in " The Barber of Seville," "Don
Pasquale," and several kindred illustrations of the
gayer side of the lyric drama. A new bass, there-
fore, who would justify the revival of some of these
operas which, for want of him, have been lying on
the shelf for so many seasons, could not fail to be
regarded in the light of a great acquisition. We
are inclined to think that such a gain in a tragic
respect, at least, was presented to us last evening
on the boards of the above theatre,
Signor Fricca, who made his debut as the Puri-
tan soldier of the Huguenots, won, on a variety of
grounds, a very marked and deserved success.
Whether in respect to the demands of history, or
the conception of the author and composer, we have
never seen this important character so entirely em-
bodied. It is one of those impersonations which
stand apart in one's experience. To this end Signor
Fricca is endowed with unusual qualifications. To
a voice of remarkable depth and fullness, and a style
of the justest taste and feeling, he unites a dramatic
fervour which has been most artistically developed;
and he adds the advantage of a person which is to the
last degree commanding. Singularly tall, for ho
stands at least some six feet three inches high, and
broad and well made in proportion, he towers
above his associates like Sant among his brethern,
and yet such is his artistic feeling that all his move-
ments have an ease and naturalness that never for
an instant attract the eye from the central figures
of the scene. The marking distinction of his
Marcel, in a dramatic point of view, is the
deeper devotion it exhibits to the welfare
of his master, which both morally and
bodily to puritan eyes, is so much endangered by
its surroundings. To the more obvious eharacteris-
tics of a mingled hatred and contempt for the
pleasures as well as dogmas of his Catholic an-
tagonists, he adds the stronger feeling of the peril
they embrace and threaten to the being of all
others that he loves and respects the most. Through-
out the opera accordingly, and more especially in
the second act, we see him with his
eye never
diverted from his master and his trill form glid-
ing about him like some gigantic guardian genius,
In all musical respects his merits are quite as emi-
nent. The religious fervour, the martial vigour,
and the personal devotion that we have referred to,
and which rises in the last act to such a height of
paternal tenderness, we need not say, obtain in the
opera the most masterly expression, and la
every instance are responded to by the powers
of Signor Fricca. Whether in the bluff vigour
of his "Piff-paff," the stern anxiety of his
share in the noble duet with Valentine, or the pa-
thetic dignity of his sanction to the union of the
lovers—it was hard to say—that Signor Fricca was
most successful and impressive. We can only re-
peat our conviction, that he has every claim to be
regarded as a great gain to our lyric stage.
As a whole we have never seen this opera more
admirably performed. Madlle. Titiens was in un-
usual voice and spirits on this occasion, and more
than confirmed the evidence of her wholly un-
rivalled claims to the position she now occupies
as the queen of prima donnas. Voice, person, pas-
sion, knowledge, were here combined to a degree
which made us feel how little capable was the best
praise we could utter to do justice to her merits.
Her noble music with Marcel was never more finely
given. But still grander and more delightful veao
the effect of her great duet with Raoul, whteN
whether in respect to force or tenderness, we have
never heard so sung as on this occasioo.
Signor Ginglini is fully entitled to share
her honours in this effort, every phase of
which he marked with the utmost power as well (15
delicacy° Of the merits of Madlle. Trebelli in the,
Page, of Mr. Santley in the Count de Nevers, aea,
M. Gassier in St. Bris, and of the noble delivery of
choruses, from the first scene to the last, we call
only repeat our old eulogia.
The house was very full, and the audience marked
their satisfaction by the loudest demonstrations.--
recalling Madlle. Titiens and Signor Giuglini Mee
on the conclusion of their great scene.