The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-12-21
The Opera M usieaI Criticism,

certain class of obscure newspapers, both
weekly and evening" have been crowded with
curious criticisms the Italian artists at present
Engaged at the Aston Place Opera House. These
critics to have undertaken the task with desire
moro to show that they possessed knowledge Of voice
and music, than with spirit of just critcismin fact
from the same motives that induce them to wear mus
tsches and i'm 9eias II faults exist In artists, they
be mildly pointed out in the tone of gentlemen
without sacrificing the dearest interests Of any artist
to perhaps come vulgar personal luminosity, ether to
the singer or manager.
and all existence. But deny that the present COM
psDy Of Italian artists deficient in natural gifts
and acquired musical knowledge. rs those obscure
critics journals Of little rculaton would endesvor
press upon the minds of the musical amateurs Of
this gay and fashionsble and volatile city Examine
the bread and butter better. The lungs and lsrynx
the bread and butter-or the principal agents of
voicegiyen by nature to aid In organizing
society In . bsrbarous country. Those organs may
der with each artist according to the ton
pan sion of the chest and in obedience to the
law which keeps the solar system together. IL the
muscles of person be not strong another in
the breathing OF chest notes to certain extent and
high vocal cultivation enables the artist to ascend
beautifully into what Is termed head voice, (Which Is
produced by the aid Of the maxlary finuses and nasal
cayities) how We would ask, can this diminish the
qualities Of vocalist! IL there various qualities
Of voice arising from the peculiar construction Of the
vocal organs, there various sized aud psrti-
does to the hearer lounging Ia his
box II the notes break upon the delicate in sweet
and pleasing ntonations? Some artists, like many Of
the seraphs have great natural voice who
yet know very little OF uscal science others, who
well trained like our volunteers although not pos.
sessg the extent Of chest notes. pour forth in
the purest melody the r6s assigned to them and es-
waite the world to the seventh heaven The
difference between these artists is that sings what
he knows, and the other knows what he sings pre-
cisely the difference which exists in the music of
fairy land There are many instances too, where the
symmetrical pr portions OF the chest-not chest Of
gold dust-sre seemingly perfect and yet strange It
appear thy do Lot possess Que octave OF natural
or cheat notes whereas they should at least approach
very octsves-the bass, say from g to ID !;
baritone from ID TO tenor, from A to A above the
nth lire the contrato, from q TO g and soprano
from 70 Z. But our h. pTcritical writer's, should
they ten to an artist whose flight from the natural
to the ialete voice can scarcey be discovered by the
most ear but whose are powerful as
others yet rendered with ski aud sweetness he lie In
medistty set down as one who works upon head voice.
and ergo Is an Indifferent vocalist We would ask why
L. yOcszatop termed science except that By proper
instruction the difficulties In nature be overcome
by economical scale. SO as imperceptby to what
is cali, head voice wnen the muscles are unable TO
sustain the vocalist in chest notes. from whence comes
the natural Gale!
signorina Bertucca and sgnor Forti know what they
sing and although the middle register OF the former
l. equal to the upper and the chest notes OF the
latter net a. extsniye the boundaries of Cali
foruia YET every bar a. given by these Distinguished
arpsts, is rendered in strict and perfect accordance
with musicsl time. They never attempt whstthsy
unable TO accom- psh AZ superGeisy artists
frequently 90 Ben-yeutano has q fine voice, aud II
skiliuy oned he would be- second TO Of the
class Nov,lis deep and round bass volume Is equally
where deep swyii should he dvet on, in order to
eject the Nrlling barmony, In guattettes, which the
groundwork OF nutio IL capable OF creating
But the grand points II attraction In our present
ItanD OpeIa are ihs chorus and orchestra. We have
attended op'fss Ia Italy, Germany, France and Eng
laUd and We assert tost the chorus aud orchestra Of
the Actor face pary equal In skill and science
though potsO numbers or ia weight ayordupois
to- any thing ever b. ard Such Eadcsfro Ma.
retzsk including his reckcoth 4 credit city
and his excellent nis and the scientific disc
pine Of the artists uuGer his (oo matter for his
temper at tues every way calculated Go refine the
trste, spd gite delightful relish 90 this for the
charming aud soul Inspiring operate recreatoas OF
As'or Pace. The performances q Donizetts besuti.
fully comic opera Of Don PssquRlen both Tuesday
al Wednssdny evenings. has never been received
with tvsb enthusiasm a. was exhibited by the
disnces en- those occasions, 90 aoy hiied every
character In the piece Borghese looked I'D scted the
pr possessing NoiisR 70 the very lie she sang her
,6is In tuch tids Of melody as 10 charm the Of
the aueispce she has q sseet pipe, backed by great
usioal ssil aud her personal appearance and grace
ful action make her beautiful sctress This opera
will be performed again this evening.