The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-02-25
THE DAILY DISPATCH
Friday Morning. Feb .. 80.
correspondence of the Dispasch.
NEW YoRv F.h %


NEW YORK, Feb. %
MEssRs. EDITORS :-I went 10 Niblo,. L.,
night, TO hear Madame SoSTAe in La Sonno..
bEia. do not profess to any scientific know.
ledge of the divine art of music, and have. in
deed, no right to criticise any professor of il
but then, have my own crude notions Of what
| hear-and they may amuss ii no, meet the
appreciation of the really qualified critics.
was greatly delighted with the singing, ave,
and the acting of Madame Sontag. Her per-
sonal appearance, too, was to me highly pleas
ing. There was none of that vulgar selEcon-
ceit that often shows itself so distinctly in the
actor or actress of notorety. Her manner
was we'll bred and easy, and reflected the ac-
complshed artist, who, if vain at all, was vain
only of her art. Her singing was clenr, admi-
rably accurate and sweet. Her higher octaves,
however, were given out in a rather suppressed
tone although they were accurate and very
delightful, they were, it seemed TO me, nvaria-
bly, piano. This induced me to conclude that
her voice had not the same power that it for
merly possessed, ana that being a most ac-
compished artist, she knew exactly how far
she could tax il with safety and fidelity of exc
cution. She acts with great spirit and propri,
ETY.. She has not the impassoned and domi-
neerng manner of Parodi, but she has deli
cate and gentle ardor that is lovely in high
degree. She does not sing with the volume
and force of Tedesco, but her voice is fault.
Iessly accurate, and her execution is exqui-
site Like all the other great vocalsfs, she
does not combine all the excellences of the
art but, to my untutored Judgment she dis
ed to. Jenny Lind's voice was as pure and
had more volume but Jenny Lind was not the
accomplished opera,ic singer that Madame
Sontag is.
There was one drawback to my enjoyment of
the performance, that was the presence of so
large number of those miserable parvenus
Of New York, who make society in the great
Gotham 50 often Disgusting. The airs they
put on, and their overstrained attempts to ap-
pear to be amateurs of the art they came to
see, were insufferabe. They persisted in
calling Madame Sontag out after each act, and
after one of them, they called her out tuice,
| notwithstanding the effort she had just gone
| through was extremely fatiguing, and when
she entered the stage at their bidding she as
evidently very much exhausted. Their hun
dred white-kidded hands smote each other
with incessant energy, until the fair canta.
trice came forward ard bowed, even the second
time. Itwas TO me a very disagreeable in
terruption Of the play, thus to bring up the
personality of Madame Sontag between the
acts. Had been, for the nonce, Gear of the
| region of Gotham, should have called out
the audience and d ismissed il. The next time
it met it should have behaved itself better.
Speaking Of I'edescO, see that she had the
honor, in company With Roger, Of singing a
new cantata, by Merry, on the evening of the
imperial nuptials atthe Tuileries. The sweet
Bosio, whom you had with you in Maretzek's
operatic corps, was, at last advices, Prima
Donna in Paris. She had not, however, done
herselffull justiee-beinga little abashed and
tlmid, appearing as first lady of the opera be.
fore Partisan audience.
This city is just now greatly agtated by the
exposures of the raseality and corruption of
the city Council. Many of,he councilmen are
arraigned before the courts here on charges
with regard to the granting Of the right of
way to construct railroad along Broadway.
There has evidently been great deal of bribe.
ry, corruption and false.swearing. Some of
the papers are agitating the question of pro.
fna al tofr bx.
act of the Legislature. l must confess see
not the advantage to be gained Remove the
men who now constitute the Council, and a
new set, elected by the same people, under the
same miserable and rascally party tactics that
pervade New York, would be equally unprin-
cipled. The leeches now fastened upon the
corpus pOlitacuus that have sucked themselves
full, would be succeeded by hungry ones that
would soon withdraw, by like means, SINH.
lar amount Of the public treasure. Better to
let the full fat ones remain during their term of
Office.
The luxurious and splendid Hotels of New
York. which vie with imperial palaces in their
grandeur, are still increasing. The last that
has been completed-the ST. Nicholas-out.
did all the others in splendor. There are 9th.
ers on the way, | suppose, that will rival that
in superbosiiy. Messrs. COLEMAN g. STETs
son, of the Astor House, are abou, to build one
which | suppose will. be behind none 10 the
ambition of its pretensons, while the projec-
tors have an amount of experience and reputa-
ton which is certainly exceeded by none, if it
does not excel all the competitors for public
support now in the field. TAYLOR, the famous
ice.cream and refreshment man, has nearly
completed on Broadway u most gorgeous es.
tablishment, which surpasses every thing yet
IN its line. The fact is, the lavish expenditure
upon houses, fixtures, etc., in Broadway
amazing. How i, can be supported is 'ne
wonder. Bat the secrets, that the smart New
Yorker perceives that money thus spent IS e'l'
den,ly invested in thingsih excite ine aan'l-
ration and wonder of men, and draw cro"os
about to spend their opinions and TIER money
TO the ipcalcuiabie advantage OF the smart peo'
nile who we sometimes accuse of folly
| visited the Crystal Palace yesterday, and
fou,d The IRON framework nearly completed.
r..,,,..v .yand affair but the activity