The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-20 00:00:00

Tel ITALIAN OPERA. IN PARIS.

'. a The first appearance of M. Reeves, which has been
"'sited for with interest from an early part of the
season, took place at length on Saturday night, and,
We hasten to say, with complete succe,s, though
.We must candidly add, that we have never seen
a singer of the same eminence placed before the
"Public.
in a part so much to his disadvan-
,. Bge• Among the audience might be counted
*lithe musical celebrites of Paris, with scarcely an
43tception. .The reason of this unwonted congress of
Inusloians was, that, for the last year or two, not an
• artiste has returned from London, without bring-
.. nit bark marvellous accounts of a certain Eng-
..,Thh tenor, who, to an organ of unequalled power,
"led great amplitude of style, a perfect command
of intonation, and, to crown all, was a thorough
alnuaician. Now, a tenor of this calibre would at any
Ire awaken an immense degree of attention in Paris,
d piping times _like the present, when the entire
01st of
iB, properly speaking, witbout one, the
"c°ltt of M. Reeves became, musically, an event of
eon.
1,.0. me importance, and hence the unusual gathering
virtuosi we have spoken of. The opera selected
liada, than which, as we have already
l'.,•"")'orie less adapted to the display of his voice
acarcely be found ; but there is something in
ve'quality of true talent that, place it where you
‘,:1111 it cannot ,be concealed, for he had not sung
"'ree bars uf. the opening duet with Mine. Sontag,
ore the quick-eared audience at once recognised
a,
genuine artiste, and the first pause was followed
7 a cheering burst of applause from all parts of
filled,:
theatre, and at the close of the morceau he was
.„Talkda with Mme. Sontag, amid reiterated bravos.
cavatina in the second act was not the air usually
m oduced, but that written for the opera, Se
'"gym in ira. In the recitative his large style
hoble voice came out superbly, but from
Zing imperfectly acquainted with the power of re-
, 7134nce of the salle, M. Reeves was here somewhat
+►ult,
his forte being occasionally too loud, and
g's diatinuendi on ,the other band too piano; so
mach so that his sotto voce passages, delightful to
,_°°B4i seated in the orchestra, were almost unheard
.."1 the more remote parts of the theatre. The air
..was given with great expression and effect, and the
-,,.'„„neluding duo with Mme. Sontag brought the opera
•qttirably to its close. M. Reeves displayed tthrough-
outperfect mastery over his powerful organ, which
• pliags out the celebrated ut of Duprez with the most'
-'"rfect ease; the task of the singer being indeed
h
ther to keep it down, than to display its force ; its
t compass relieves him from all necessity of re-
-fling to his falsetto ; his delivery is free from all
:ettation, and his acting, like his singing, free,
tt41,1Y7 and inartificial. We must add that bis
''.,Se; though not devoid of elegance, still requires a
Vouanement and a finish which, we honestly believe, is
,• -De acquired only in Paris ; and, we are quite dis-
"ed to agree with M. • * *, one of the most
trtlinent professors of the Conservatoire, who,
124 king of the Mutant to a knot of composers
.„„' journalists in the foyer, cried—He .1 Messieurs,
ji.e:On me donne ce gaillard la pour six mois et
,lit!n'engage a en faire le premier tenor en Europe.
Sontag- acted and sang Linda with her usual
zatehless grace. The other characters have been
;„7.L'e tieed too frequently to require further mention.
look forward with interest to hear M. Reeves in
-"we character more worthy his talents. If the long
emtsed Evnani be not ready, why not appear with
;1441e. Sontag in La Somnambula, which, according
•Aistue, London critics, is one of, his most successful
PlitYs?—Gerlignani.