New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-02
The Opera.

On Saturday evening Donizettfs Comma dr.
Vngy was performed to a most appreciasiAg
audience. 1t afforded Signora Parodt the
opportunity of achieving another signd
triumph--for we have never witnessed in that
house more constant or enthusiastic applause.
She seemed in better voice than we haze yet
heard her. and with genuine artistic feeling de-
voted herself as carefully to her part as if tho
house had been crowded. We notice this fact
with especial pleasure-forit indicates the proper
pride of an artist. Did we not observe a want of
this in IrRffS Donna Ann0 on the previous eve.
ning-or was her langor and Indifference and ex.
IRENE unwillingness to respond to the encore Of
the Trio the result of illness? We will hope the
latter For an artist deserves and secures failure
by nothing as much as by personal chagrin at aug
want OF public interest enthusiasm. The pub
lie never flags in its admiration il-as it is only
fair to reQuire-ts favoute does not become mao
notonous Every artist should reflect that no one
has right to public favor. Ii that is once secur-
ed and continued success is deserved by continual
improvement, there will be no occasion Of com
plant This we say without the slightest per
sonal reference, but from somewhat extended
observation of the fact
Signor NoreH never acquitted himself 50 much
to our satisfaction on Saturday evening. The
character of Guido gives INN Roger Aschatn
gravity of demeanor and department., which seems
the natural Gift OF basSos. Throughout the first
scene especially, he did remarkably well, and his
voice was never so ringing and clear as in sha
Nel1a stanso.' OF Signor Lor1nis singing we
have nothing pleasant to say We shall preseat-
i0,lp tI,-N Of
trs, and in quite another key,-which, we admit,
is a defect in the primo geRore. Nor can we 10
dulge much enthusiasm in the remembrance of
Signor Arignone's efforts on Saturday. He sings
with care, and with inica nicely in the cora
mon-place final phrases of his airs, But he is tina
very Condo Tremolo He delivers no round, full
notes, but minces the substance of the sound.
and gives it to us in a very swift succession Of
very small pieces-producng, of course, a very
small effect. We wish to protest most earnestly
against this objectionable extravaganza of Italian
method In any operate company one example
Of every kind of vocal popularity and excess IL
sufficient, and the Astor Place troupe, at present.
possesses specimen. Signorino Pau had little
to do, but did that little well.
Space does not permit to speak OF Parods's
upon some occasion to follow her singing and act,
ng, scene by scene, through nm opera, but tho
Gemma d. Vergy does not deserve the effort. II
S one of the poor of the sixty nine operas of Don
zetti. The characteristic of the music is that it
.eminds Won of something much better of the Same
composer somewhere else He seems to have
ried not to make the airs, for they are certainly
not melodies, the same in other works The
mind is fatigued with the constant effort to reoaA
what this air and that much resembIed Tho
music passes impalpaby, teasingly through the
mind, but does not nger, and is quite extruded
by the lively dances Of Paquita. The story Of the
opera is OF those monotonOus horrors, in which,
the morbid, melo-dramatio Italian Imagination dc. II
lights But there ia fine material in the character
of I'dmaS-an Arabian Captve-D.at geHto del
Deserto from which to develop more various
and delicate romantic action than is done in the
opera
twas carefully put upon the stage, and one or
two of the chorusses were rendered with much
spirit. We longed however, for little
womanliness and tender rcpose than the Prima
Donna allotted to her role. Does not our artist
overlook the essential artistic difference between
the representation of characters purely domesta
and that of the stately figures of fame =? Medea,
Phedre, Cleopatra may we'll be treated in large,
perhaps even grandioso manner, and not fail Of
their effect while the manner applied TO
characters OF pure romance or OF simply indiyid-
ual interest, will result in extrayagance Paro-
DIS passionate action ID precisely the same,
even to the identical gestures and postures ia
Luc1e9ia, Norma, EirUa and Comma Yet we
doubt if we should praise the painter who exhib
tied the portrait of any Of these for any other
among them