The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-18
Grisi and Mar 10.

From the LONDON Athenenn, Aug a.
Il is said. on good authority, that Madame Crisis
approaching departure for America is equivalent to
her retirement from our opera stage Such an event
must not pass without some attempt being made to
do justice to lady who has held longer and more
nnbr0ken sway over the English than most musical
and than many unmuscal-queens have done.
Twenty years OF supremacy in the same capital for
dramatic soprano singer, as times co. and as music
stands, constitute phenomenon Of rare occurrence
This command over one and the same public main
tanned by Madame Grisi has not been SO much a
ease Of authority welded by genius, as Of satisfac
ton excited by physical gifts exhibited in cOmbina
ton with those Impulses To which the many respond
readily and which the few do not resist. MOI mere
handsome women that ever trod the stage-not
merely did she possess strong, sonorous, sweet,
extensive voice, legitimate dramatic soprano,
ready at its owners CALL seldom disabled.
and capable of conveying almost every emo
ton that its owner pleased to imagne-but
her performances displayed an essential fitness
sor the theatre, and power of fairly carrying
through every part which she undertook in conjunc
zion (when the character suited her with those bursts
of spontaneous emotion and energy which are more
popular than the sublimer and filter dramatic quail
ties Of Pasta. If Madame Grisi originated little
during her career-"I Purltani' being the only
opera in which she can be said to have created"
part-sbe executed music in almost every style,
ard failed rarely. She has been charged with
iangour and Indifference in classical opera, but this
Was mostly confined to those PORTIONS of her task
hand, 1t must be noted that while she was on
our stage no other Norma or Lucreza Borgia than
herself had chance Of being looked at or listened
to in England since with all the enormous prestige
Of MdIle Lind's reputation, and the great attrac
ton OF chat ladys musical genius and accom-
plshments, she was totally unable during her short
reign, to maintain herself IN the ground occupied
by her rival, and wisely shrunk back into charac-
ters of the second rank in which her oeculiarities
oil voice. originality of style, and simplicity of
preston, gave her The advantage. As completing
this farewell sketch of Madame Grisi, it must be
corded, that after studying and gaining her sue
cesses in the Slight and tunefn music of the Italian
opera composers, she proved herself able, at that
period OF an artists life, when they generally con.
tenttnemfelves with going the round Of old trumphs
to extend her repersory by entering the exhaustng
domain OF grand French opera. She must lastly
be credited throughout her dramatic career vi h
having shown due respect for herself by respecting
her public. We do not remember solitary instance
oi her presenting herself unprepared and incorrect
IN her music and the num0er OF apologies post
ponements, &C., &c, to which she has given occa-
SION is small without precedent in the history of the
Italian prima donna. Viewed in this light, and the
above combination Of qualities rated at their just
value, We feel that chances of seeing successor
20 macame Grlsi are few or none and that her place
IN me history ofopera Is among the brightest ii not
precisely among the highest of its stars.
Inc retirement Of Signor Mario is, no sever q
heavier oss-sihce 80 far regards the state Of hi.
voice, ~ 10 totally Unnecessary measure. With d
nue more eaIe-with little more respect for his
Ub,
Obllelngress as private favorite)--we might have
looked TO him as TO the Almaviva, the Don Ottsyio
the Nemorino, the Evlno, the Arturo, and even tie
kaonl, IN Les duguenots,' for the next ten years
While III the annals of May Fair aDd Beloravia AZ.
nor Mario Will I've as the most fascinating SINGER of
romances that ever trod the velvet pile q ard IA
courteous and courty recipient of bomages sucn al
nave cen hardly paid to any singer since The laws
when 1.-THE Ladies' Lamentation for the loss of Sene
s.Do was done into ballad with its moving etched
vlgnette' In the chronicle Of opera he can oe re-
corded only as possessing charming voice. and be-
ipg Q Cor late) passionate actor, but not az com
piete vocalist, and not AZ even o respectable musi-
clan. We part from hi with regret; but il is a re.
EIet IN VII, ID vexation has share, since we feel
Wh' t'a 1as hccn case ~ p0ver triaef Win quite
se Aisch ~ VI power t.rnea 70 good accent.