The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-17
The Academy " MusSc.

At length enabled to ngratulats Mr.. Hsckott
the production of his fourth opera, "Sonnambuc'
and th,se epvous persons who, seeing NormN," "Lu
c,eria and Puriani perpetualy the bills, inferred
that they constituted Mr.. Hacketts entire reper!orv
arc put 10 shame. Four operas In Six weeks Is
certainly nothing startling in the way of enterprise
ther Inn pIessarcs have done better hut tbs treat Of
Mario and Grsi is probsbly considered sufficient Of it
sef without any special attraction In the way of new
first csss mus, It would, perhsps, have been farer
% the distinguished singers who tAbishina
their reputation In America to give them chance in
,uch works as the "Hugusncts" the Prophete., "Dou
Giovanni Madame Grsi would eoabiless have stood
higher In public estimation had seen her In VII
liam TELL" or even "Favorita;' and the public had
Of claim when they paid extra prices to hear
thing beyond the backneycd operas which every one
lEows by heart But there are, doubtless, excellent
why Antici! acrs Of this nature could not be
realised. The ic Of several Of the operas which Mr.
uaci ett expected TO produce may not be in Ills
poasesson he may not have singers for Others and
thousand other obstacles may have prevented their
pgcduc ion. After ALL bs il himself the greatest loser by
he public diasppon neat. The harvest which In TO hs
tecped from the performance of the "Huguenots, e
leite"" L6toe 5u Nora - &c Is ef. to others. Thanks
70 the establishment 81 low tariff Of prices the house
filled last evening We fear we shall not witness ths
With feelings of upmixed disappointment In the FIRST
p',ce there Is hsrdy part in the whole lyric stage
III suited to Madame Crisis capacity Anna sha Is
we'll Of this, tbat she has hardly PLAY ID 1t
in Furope certainly not at all during the SIX or ssven
years Of her greatest fame deed who has
her in Norma Lucreaia Guild need 70 DO told shat ihs
great mistress Of tragedy would be Ill at case 10 tho part
Of gentle loving naive peasant girl She cid not look
the part: for once the beautiful Gris the queen Of
so many heart was positively uuplessing to behold
She sarg sraccusly, and II ooa.re To say
that sho could not play the ANNA Of the first as. is
merely to cay that she in Gusiia Grisi. There
moment IN the second actwhen she is first accused
wben she reminded rs Of Ter former self Hor noble
features could then portray The lofty passions she
exces in dellneatrg and recognized the great lyric
actress But IL Was but fash ihe moment Anins
relapssa into grlisbness the spell broken. II Ne
had never heard "sonnambula" before, these things
might pass without notice But, really, Mr.. Hacxstt
ought to rtcoIect that have heard Altcnl, whose
"Ah ron gupge" all of believe DO cqaallcd
n,d that hive seen sontag, VII ns artistic concep
ton Of the Sart vas 80 pear perfection that 70 rival
her Is i,aeoa perlous task. Even now, whine kadsm'
Cris is jeopA'diaps her reputation singer by taking
role so much beneath her powers, . most excellent
Awina-his P5ns--s performing at the Broadway.
The great part, presume, intended TO be that
of sspor Mario; and have usually had 20
take klvino Masio's voice or histrioaic power being
moreover beyond question, there was caaso FOR
expecting that he would cary OF the opera in spite of
Modsroe Glis and the excessive sloyeniiness Of ,hc
chorus and orchestra Unfortunately for this cNcula-
lion, cold nipped ssnor Marios expectations
and Mr.. Hacketts hopes 10 the bud During the arst
act his hoaiseness was such 10 eloit lively sympa
Thy from the audience; and after the curtain fer
gentleman advanced to the fcotshts and stated that
the tenor ndspe sed but would do his best which
he did in nor. prsiscworthy and self sacrificing
II would not however, be fair to judge him from
o performance popifestJy disadvaptageous.
The performance of 'sonDambula" has not increased
the pubic faith In Mr.. Eackctt's manage nert.