New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-08
Rtrnkosch,s New Opern.

were delighted not to hear any of that dull thumP-
ing of hard hands which betrays the ciaguer, aud
altogether it was one o. the most successful and
pleasant first nights" that we recall
The graceful gifts of the young composer are
already well known. We have in these columns
borne our testimony to the fluent fancy upon
which nimble fingers exquisitely and eloquenty
wait. There is brilliance, an accuracy and pre-
cision in the style of Maurice Strakosch as q
Pianist, which necessarily gave the tone to cur
anticipations of his opera-and which were en-
tirey justified by the opera itself The lrbetto is
of the simplest character. Giovanni, tPARoDI
the Queen of Naples, is married to the Duke,
(NovELLD but loves Riccardo, LoRINI) The
Count, (BEEEvENTANO) is a hopeless lover and
entraps them both with the signing of a conspira-
cy against the Duke, who is slain at the moment
when Giovanni vainly repents. Throughout the
opera the Prima Donna is almost constantly upon
the stage, and the whole action is confined to the
four principals. Who Fernando and Arnodo are,
who are set down in the cast to PATTI and G5IBT-
LEI, does not appear, nor do they.
Gior0nna di NapOli is cast entirely in the Ital-
ian World. 1t is the work clearly, of a most de-
voted and approaching student of that style. 1t
has no original melody or treatment, and recalls
the pleaSantest parts Of the peasantest operas as
its sweet, full stream flows on. Yet originality
was not to be demanded of the composer by those
who were familiar with his talent-and so we
have said the hardest thing in the plainest way,
that can truly be said OF the opera. We do it
more willingly, because its merits are so real
There is throughout an unHagging sense of melo-
dy-so that the whole opera sings itself TO the
end-which is true of but very few. The instru-
mentaton is singularly rich, various and vigorous.
We confess that we were not prepared FOR so
much holiness and freedom, such mastery OF the
orchestra-such composure Of ability. 1t has this
further advantage, that it was written for the
voices that interpret it, and of course reveals the
best qualities of all of them. PARODI sang ad-
mirably Her voice was not 80 full as we have
heard it, bat the freshness of the music and the
prestige of the occasion impaired to her as to all
the rest, an unwonted spirit.
LoRINI, who has somewhere silver strain in
his voice, of which he rather suggests the sus-
picion than allows it fair play-sang carefully and
well. BENEvENTANo abandoned himself entirely
to his large style, and battered US with his vocal
broadsides. He has truly magnificent organ
"Ahl why not so for him 7" NovELLI was too
feebe-he ahonld always m tho f-~-' 81" 90
he sings for the audience is more entitled to hear
ing the music than the supernunieraries But we
must always praise the conscientious feeling OF
our Basso, and speak him fair, though he sings SO
low.
The Opera is Of remarkable uniformity Of
excellence. The most effective part is undoubt-
edly the quartette at the close of the first act,
and the best solo is that for the Tenor in the
second act. But the righteousness leads the
attention most willingly along, Throughout. There
are none of those dreamy desert patches of mo-
notonous and meaningless recitative which dis
figure most Of the cotemporary Italian Operas.
The whole feeling is essentially musical, and, so
far is more like Auber and the Germans than the
Italians. The opening chorus, +" SdlUe gentle
rOggiO" is the most genuine, and to our individ-
ual fancy the most pleasing of the whole. 1t is
not unlike Weber in its thought and treatment
and suggested for an instant the idea that the
composer may have set out with German, rath
or than an Italian model. Psrodi's " Esari' sog-
no" was received with the greatest applause,
and Lorinis "Quanto no S06ertO" sung behind
the scenes, was tender and touching. But in the
duett " Al mi l0Scia" we observed the old fault
of the irrelevance of the musical meaning to that
of the libretto which, in this case seemed rather
too deliberate a sacrifice to the Italian con-
structionalty Of style In the grand finale OF this
act, Parodis voice was effective and sweet, and
admirably managed In the second act there is
80 fha lass into "
reminded of the famous Ernani chorus, and this
act closes with the forcible and vigorous chorus
whose air opens the overture. The tenor solo Is
Meyerbeer-ishly accompanied and the third act
opens with an ante for the stringed instruments
not quite the thing intended, but murmurous and
pleasant. fair Duet for bass and soprano fol.
lows and after hurried and INEXPENSIVE chorus
the Opera ends with soprano solo E do Potret y
which, although of no striking melody, was sung
in Parodi's best manner and received the most
approaching admiration of the audience.
Yet in this last act the artists faults strike US.
The tenor does not during the whole act and
the opera ends ia simple solo, without dramatic
action or interest. Giovanni, appalled, at her hus-
bands murder, declares that she will never es-
pouse another, and sinks upon sofa-and the
curtain falls Fad this been somewhat different.
ly managed and one of the really brilliant con-
certed pieces been reserved for the grand finale,
the opera would have told much better upon the
audience at its conclusion, and would have pro-
voked much more enthusiasm than could be man
i(ested for simple solo of that kind, however
skilfully sung In Rossini's and Bellinis operas
the solo finale is usually very marked and bril-
liant melody, sung by the Prima Donna in more or
less concert with all the persons In Lucrezia,
on the contrary-where the Duchess sings the
despairing dirge over Gennaro, the effect is lost
as it is in Giovanni. An opera should advance
regularly in interest of music as Of movement,
and the climax Of the one should be equally that