The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-11
The Operas.
MADAME SONTAG'S DEBIIT IN OPERA,


New York has not possessed Bertucca, Thllon and
an Alboni for this many day, without becoming toe
raby well acquainted with ia Fga del Reggmento."
There few operas in fact with the airs and story of
which we are all of us familiar than Donizetis
maserpiece-that charming romance in which the loves
and and flal affection OF the regimenta VIVIAN
deere by turns and sadden the spectator Madame
Sontag could scarcely have chosen safer ground on which
to meet the public. Accordingly, vast multitude
thronged Nibo's Garden last evening" and the admirable
execution of the overture drowned by the din of new
in search of seats The military precision of Carl
Ecker was lost on an audience which divided into
two hostile camps-the seeking the number cores
pondng to certain green tickets osentaousy held to
the usher and the other angrily demanding that peace
be restored at whatever cost The latter portion were
victorious the curtain rose the heavy accompaniment
Of the aran drowned the tread of ladies' feet and the
audience allowed to the grand melody Of the
opening prayer-Cieo cleme'te-in appropriate silence.
Not note or a costume which shocks the or the
eye the whole is exactly what it ought to be- and
already in excellent humor when the honest face Of
excellent friend Badah, with moustache well pow
dered and grizzly perruque makes its appearance on the
stage hearty burst Of welcome shows that not
alone in congratulatng Madame sontag on the acquis
ton of such Sulpzio-such manly thorough cie,z de
Ia re does he understanding genial and pleasant
whe Marie cries her little heart out at leaving him. and
rather wonder she contrves to do all And then what
rich Deep manly variation that isl The notes boom along
like distant thunder and blend tremendously with Son.
soprano that all the old stories about oaks and
ivy which heard in youth, rush rapidly into
memory Down goes the regulation musket to the
ground. Ha a trim like nightingale outsde Supido
starts He not know, though the spectator does
that no but Sontag could sing that tri And now
she comes, bounding and dancing bhe and merry as
young fawn or rather thoughtless careless happy
grsh rpdadiere she is hasty curtesey TO the pub
c momentary check to the mschievous smile which Is
playing her lips to bow her thanks and ere we have
famiarized our eyes with the uniform pettcoat, the
touching apart ALA luce sui campo G,rie serves as
sort of introduction We bewitched and Tonic Poz
zoni) sings with great feeling his loves and sorrows
have no ears for anything ntii the Daughter Of the Re
ment sings their avore Ciacn lodice and again feel
curious sensation that such music would go long way
to redeem the folly Of tags and feathers We revive
and appreciate the excellent rendering Of the duet
roi COST drdente &c Pozzoni sings with great feeling
being naturally good and highly cultivated he
tain the dangerous proximity to Madame Sonag in which
he stood last night
We must hasten to a close. We should
space than is consistent with other themes to
alude to the other gems Of the evenng-the pdrr
eene-the pretty trio src nisen in which Badiali ap
peared to advantage and the other exquisite motifs
with which the opera abounds-or to repeat what has
been often said in these columns, that, mezzo
Soprano cultivated to the highest pitch and often pired
by the genius Of true artist Madame Sontag Ia unrva
led We could have wished for the drum scene which
omitted, and the sdla la France, in which Madame
Thion seems likely to preserve undisputed throne
but presume the gods willed it otherwise, and
submit.
On the whole we doubt whether the ''Figlia del Reg
gimento produced creditaby the stage
at Paris, London, Naples Berlin, than witnessed it
last night. Every detail perfect and
sung it with grace science than Madame sontag