True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1837-04-24
ITALIAN OPERA.

| 10 THE EDITOR or THE TEUE A MERIcAN:
loosefFe IN your Saturdays paper brief re fer
encc to an article published in the Bee of Tuesday,
on the subject Of the Italian Opera, and innsmuch
as there is some speciousness in the article alluded
! to, WISH as one having at least the success of
TINS amusement amongst MS, and at the e. time
| sceptica| ofttH motives which have induced the
publication OF tue article in question, to max some
lew remarks upon ii. ------
| Lam willing to concede that the more strictly
modern school of music, not inclusive of Rossn
however. has substituted soprone for sontrallo vol
ces; but this is chiefly owing TO the extreme rari-
y OF the natural contralto, and to the nearly total
eXllnction OF that peculiar class OF singers VINO
IN the times of former composers, were easily
found TO supply the place. w ere it common to
meet with Pisarnsss, Lonerzanis and ColLrans.
there would be no dearth of modern operas for
conralto voices. l am also willing to admit that
fashion has much TO do in these matters. 1t is no
longer usual; may go further and say that it is
extremely rare to find in modern operas, the strict
Old bass which figures in the operas of Mozart
ma even IN the more recent ones of Rossini.-
Iamburlre. one of the greatest singers of the dav
n heautiiu barry tone, has iSduccd the composition
OF many operas, in which the barry tone entirely
supplies the place of the bass. / would instance
beliinl's Straniera, Donezett;s Torquato. Tasso
and Tunoso, with many others
cannot presume that so erudite n CRITIC as the
pee, is ignorant that almost all operas are origin,
ally written for particular cast of singers The
part OF Norma was composed expressly for Pasta
ana the principal parts of every opera are written
Win the view OF suifng the peculiar talent of
some tavorite singer of the day. Neither Pedro;-
II ner fantanc could sing this part in strict uc-
cordance with the original score, simply because
neither Pedroti nor Pananelli has the very.extra-
ordinary extension of voice of that singer. Mali
bran herself was obliged 10 ransposc some passa-
ges in singing tTrs opera. The Pirate was writ
ten, as regards the tenor part, for Rubini, and
Mcnrcssor was in like manner Obliged to accom-
n I,t,t ,1,pr ,tc
part was performed last year in this city, ii would
appear that the car Of the Bee not so critically
nice rs 1t is now, or that he not aware of this
TACT. we have become accustomed To Pcdrott's
version OF Norma, and because it was the first
presented, apt to believe it to be the only cor
rect one; whereas II in reality differs from Pnstas,
part, though in different way, as much as tina. Of
Pantanneli. Goth Representations. OF B,lini's
iueas, shorn OF few passages which were written |
for one who had no equal in her way: and both |
aPproximating with equal newness to the orr
gina.
The Bee. which calls, and we presume, consil
crs prdrotti the Norma Pat crcceace, seems to ia
Slnuate that the want of this lady, or Of a Prima
Donna, strictly soprano, should have induced the |
withdrawal OF the opera altogether; modestly nd
Vslng Slgnara Pananelli ;'to conino herself with
IN the limits prescribed to herb by na'ure,'' and tag
ing her with desire to rsurp all the parts of the
theatre. ! would simply observe in reply, that the
pubic desired that Norma sioaa'a be pcrjorDlcd |
have yet to learn by what right the voice Of the
Bee has TO dictate upon the suLlcct; presume,
ana peiieVe, that his notions are, in this pnricu-
lar, peculiarly his own; or that there are at any
rate some irequenters of the Opera, who think
mat correct 'nto@ohoa is quality usually the frt
in the estimate of voice, and is further
quality which would weigh well against great
or compass where this more Important quality is
wanting So far from Mad. Pantaneli's having
coveted the part, she only agreed to undertake il
on being informed that the performance of Norma
was made positive condition in the engagement
OF the company for this city.
a. he hypothesis of the Bee, with respect to the
effect produced by the engagement of Pan,aneli
on the engagement of Montrcssor and Pedrolti
The writer of this article knows to be wholly with
out found ation and he regrcts that this second at
Tempt to Introduce the Italian Opera, as one Of the
lmusements In this city, IN addition to the other
nistortunes with which it has had to contend
should be assailed by the fippant assertions, and
'cii-sallShed criticisms of the articles referred to-
which he regrets to believe may influence many
VINO are not in the possession Of means to detect
chaflatan. TRUTH.
For the True American
Mr.. EDFroR:-l, among many others, went to
he st. Charles Saturday evening" to witness