The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-12-29


fed in the course Of the evening, between the mrs.
and second acts, not by ballet, but series o.
laughape events, comprising two speeches and q
serious accident--wyfch turned out 10 be no accl.
dent at all When the curtain rose, after the first
act, some delay took place. AntognInl was ex-
pected on the stage, but no Antogninl appeared
Some moi Sc began TO be made in the pit-then in
the boxes, which increased. A pause was all al
once observable, when Immediately from the right
hand side OF the stage, young man with the ap-
pearance OF proctor, tolerably well shaved, Came
down to the foot-ghts in true democratic toegsry.
Every eye was turned upon the stranger-every one
expected something curious-he stretched out his
right hand-leaned forward with considerable
grace, aud thus commenced:-
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN al am sorry-very sorry TO
inform YOU that gnor Antognini Will not be athletic a
pear he has been stabbed behind the scenes BY one Of
the ON directed to assure you how
that Sgnor Perozz will take his place, aud make
his appea he possibly can Great sur
prise and sensatIon)
The speaker here retired, making two bows and
three quarters. A general talk commenced all
over the house the curtain was lowered, ana all
the spectators prepared TO await the appearance OF
Signor Perozzi Murmurs round the house
. Who was he wounded by Il? Is II a dangerous
wound is there no doctor here Poor Antog-
mini / wonder ii be will dief" In the midst OF
these EXPLANATIONS OF wonder and sympathy, the
curtain again arose, and the same interesting
youth, with the same drapery,' and the same up
pearance, came forward to the foot lights second
tine. A greater sensation now spread over the
house, every one incIinipg forward TO hear what
was the report from the wounded man. Some
sadly depressed, waited Tor The announcement OF
his DEATH and conlectures as. TO the day Tor his
funerals; others could NOT tell what to make OF Il.
The youth then opened his mouth, aad pvonoui,-
ced as follows, speech NO. 2:--
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IL am happy TO form you
THAT the wound the wound OF SgDor Aniogniniis not
serious Il has been examined and dressed by doctor
and he will bo raody 20 appear in few minutes (Sen-
saon Of delight all over the house)
With this speech the youth again retired, and in
few minutes The opera went on as usual Borghese
sung he Son verginc pezzoss with all the delica
Jesse de niaYces which won tor her the admiration vi
ell the dile,,anti, and surpassed herself throughout
the So cond act. II report speaks true, New York,
which has been her patrsa during the last year. IS
going to lose her. When we shall hear OF her
trlumphs IN other places, she will, OF course, be
regretted, for an old proverb says; 9 Memo IN sna
patria prophetG," and proverbs are always true and
correct. Plco certainly is a capital singer, and
with respect 10 natural quality tine best contralto al
present; her method is good, although not very
sure. But unfortunately, there are only Jew old
operas written for a similar voice, and amongst the
newer ones, there are hardly any, for, gnira.
nsento and Lucrezia Borgia, can very easily be
transpCsed Tor higher voices To transpose, how
ever, soprano parts for contraltos is Injurious to the
singer, who runs the rick of exchanging good
deep tones for bad high ones-mjurious the char
acter of the as the absence of soprano voice
in concerted pieces would be felt than that Of
tenor Contrallos, moreover, very rarely possess
bravoura and brilliancy, SO requisite in modern
compositions. Val,elhna was not yet "himseli
again." nor did Tcmass dry voice do full justice
10 the part OF Georgia. Antognini did his best With
the perforated In the first act Alter the second
act, in which he has nothing to do, the same in
teresling youth made his appearance, and delivered
himself al third meat and appropriate" speech
| showing how Aniognn was too unwell to continue
his duties, and how Perozzi would take his place
Saphlr the celebrated or "a of Vienna, says, tina
every person has "lrecNled days." that is, days
when one gets up, first Win the left. instead OF thu
right foot-ihat is, days when every thing will &c
aniss. Palmo's theatre had such a "irecklec
day"-it must have got up first with the left foot
| The whole hapit,e des accsdeas was exhausted
and TO crown al, the house was so mscrably thu
| that II could conveniently have found Its way
| through the eye Of q needle. From the manner ii
which the several interudes were received, we arr
somewhat disposed to think that intermezsos of th
kind occasionally, instead OF the ballot, would re
| lieve by Their plqnancy, and prove advlntageon
| 10 the opera ; and If they should now and then ge
up quarrel, or some serious affair behind TIT
scenes, and regularly report the progress of events
| perhaps II would give additional attraction TO III,
| evening.
| The THEATRES LAST NIGur.-The week CLOSED
rather heavily with the theatres, and there wa
plenty Of room last evening in any Of them. Thi
is not to be wondered at; for, although there neve
1 was greater disposition on the part OF the public
to paronize the drama than at present, yet the en-
tertalnments are, generally, Of so meagre a char
| acter as 10 keep hundreds away who would eladl.
| be amused, and freely pay their money for IT,
| The little Olympic had but a tolerable house. :
don Cesat" was laid aside to make room Tor !
| new burlesque, entitled s'Tclemacus,' Of whcl
we can ssyvery little.
AT the Bowery they were playing to a middlin.
| house, the spectacle OF s Puinam," with "Dol
Cesar de Bazan," and the Chatham hud a fair at
tendance to witness the "Chnsimas CaroI,n ans
afterwards Miss Reynodsn the Barrack Room
But at The Park, the departure Of Anderson has lief
a vacuum in the house large enough TO contain fv
| Or six hundred people The performances were tn,
Christmas Carol" and the comedy of "a Cur
| for the Heartacheo-b0th well done. EveTythn.
went of very tamely, however and the thin hou.
| looked melancholy IN these holiday times The
| only novelty We hear Of IS new drama shortly 4
be produced ~ the Park, entitled ''Austerlltz."--
| We. 20 not know what il is like.
| t bow the paucity OF dramatic, material w
4 III acntlon that there have been, for some time
~, ,ne theatres, three pieces try ing 10 draw an
| have run. stolen and patched IN from the Londo
/ Il
| different houses here. :" Don Cesar de Bazan,o
| pleasant trlfle, well enough in It's way-Dcken ms
"Christmas Carol" and new farce called Wi
| iui MURDER" these seem to have been seized upo
by all the manaee rs al once perfect god-sends
while In truth the whole three Of them do not cor
| tain actual dramatic merit enough to max
| good, sterling play. One would think thu
| here is fine opportunity for playwrights-
| and 80 there is, II there arc any authors sen
| sble enough 10 see the true want of th
| sase-to step on iii ADVANCED the lnusty pue
| rillts hat now usurp Ito seize "ihe very forr
aud pre- Of the age" and 10 produce somethln
stirring, energetic, original, and in keeping wit
| the immense revolutions in public taste the spiri
oil society, and the broader and more practice
| views which men now take Of each other, and 4
| the field OF human interest aad emotion
! Mr.. DEMpsTER's MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT :
Last evening was the third Of Mr.. Dempsier'
IL