The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-28
M.xrru,s oruA.-"Mas.nislloD-one Of the finest, If

MAMrU's OriRA.-"Massnisllov- of the finest If
not the finest work Of Auberwas performed last evening"
for the first time for many years, In this CITY, wasa
real novelty, and happy 10 add that 1t was COM
plete SUGGESTIVE greatest Marezeks present company
have achieved We much mistaken II 1t docs not
longer thanAny of the operas that have been long
stereetyped on the bills.
As most people aware the story Ipartly taken
from the history of tho Neapoltan outbreak Of lei7
Tommaso Anielo, whose has been corrupted into
Aasanielo-a poor fisherman full OF ftful courage and
TALENT but possessing solid claims to the 6rst rank in
his country-became for WHILE the head Of the govern
men of Naples to be hurled from his eminence by
faults Of his own and expste his oes and his crimes
with his life. With the insdents OF his career Scribe
and Delavigne the authors of the original bretto inter-
wove romantic plot, the principal figure Of which is
Fenella Masanellos sister, dumb girl who saves the
life of her seducer Alfonso and acts the guardian
angel Of her brother throughout the piece Fenea has
always been crack part the French STAGE and has
established the reputation of more than pantomnist
1t taken last evening by Mde. Pougaud and viii
have raised her artistic fame Her rendering inteli
gent and natural The great difficulty in Fenella is to
avoid the sexaggeration which pantomime often
qures. The young Neapolitan girl has none of those
violent bursts passion which delight the heart and
ercise the Imagination of dancers she has always been
preston gestures This Pougaud appears to have
derstood thoroughly Her escape from prison described
with vivid accuracy; but there extravagance-no
straning for eectnone OF those fears of being msun
derstood which are commonly affected by pantomim
lists. The part WAS in short, performed with taste.
Massniello is Ssvi's best character With the single
exception of his wontfd improvements upon the com
poser every portion Of his performance not only was
above reproach, but merted high eulogiums. He had
obviously studied the part conscer tously and in
excellent reye The barcarole, SO well known by the
English version Behod the Morn is Breaking" was ls
effective it could have been made; and the following
duet with Pietro (Beneventano) which the tyrauts
denounced perfectly sung He led the prayer,
and contributed not little to its success, and fairly
brought the house down by his exquistely sympathetic
rendering of the famous aposrophe to sleep Through
out he acted with spirit and seemed hardly the same
man in whom have often detected symptoms Of
decay. Salvi's Masanello is thing to be seen
Madame Steanone sang the ungrateful part Of Evira
with considerable skill We should not regard it one
we suited to her. but she avaed herself of every oppor
tunty afforded by the music and gave the great air of
the first act very pleasngy. Gasparone, (Borea) WAS
likewise somewhat cramped by the exigences of the
OPERA but heard enough of his voice to like it, and
enough of his acting to pronounce we'll of it, and to
presume that Of these days he will fill larger por
ton Of space. Beneventano, IPietrO is steadily inn
proving We have already alluded to the duet Of the Sc
cond act his share of the applause it elected fay
equal to Savis The choruses correct and spirited
As every knows they constitute the leading feature
Of 'asanello, and were given last evening in style
which rendered full justice to Auber
Altogether, "Masaniellou is hit. It is long since we
have seen an opera well got up in every respect.
Those who have heard it should make point of
going when it is next played those who have heard in
Europe should visit Nblo's, to how we produce
such work,