New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-04
MUSICAL AND THEATRICAL.
THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC.


season Of 1885. when Malibran and Gracia and
AngIisani sang at the Park Tbeater constantly refer
to that incompatible trio of artists whose equals coll
cctivey, they tell us, have not since been heard in
Il New-York theater. Yet the public did not, at the
time, know the musical treasures they possessed, and
most inadequately paid these artists appeared by
statement published at the end of the season. which
showed the nightly average receipts for eighty nights
to have been only $780, Twenty five years hence,
operagoers will, probably, revert to this of
1854 in the manner; as the one when the peer
less quartet Gris Mario Badiali and Susin achieved
only partial success in pecunary point of view,
during heir first ard only season, when the magnif-
cent Opera House in Fourteenth-st. was naugurated.
These are hard times, no doubt merchants and
banks have failed to be sure aud money is difficult
to get at any price; but people who really are, or
who pretend TO be musical, should remember that
lifetime may pass before they may have an oppor-
tunty hear again such perfect operate representa-
tons os those which this brief presents and
they had better retrench in some other expenditure to
find means to proloDg to the utmost limit the stay OF
this company. Their departure is positively fixed for
the 2sh Of this month, or earlier, il more liberal
support is not received for the future, than for the
past The expenses Of the company, we are assured,
are euormous-upward of $4,000 night, while the
receipts have not averaged any thing near that sum-
On Friday evening, in consequence Of the illness of
Signor BadiaI La Sonnambula was substituted, at
very short notice, for La Favorita, which adj
vertsed to be produced for the first time that even
ing. This was a double dsappointment-drst, to
those who wished to see La Favorita and had to &C.
oept La Sonnambula in its place. and next, TO
great number who were anxious to see La Sonns n
LII. b,,.l haiti ho nnrtor
This was the opera which was produced some six
weeks ago-tbe night that Mario seized with such
hoarseness as to be unable to 20 on with his part,
and consequently it was almost failure. But on
Friday night it was given with great spirit and effect
was decided success, and called forth the most gen.
eral and generous applause have yet heard in the
Academy. Grisi was mich more appropriately and
effectively dressed than the first representation,
and her singing and acting Amina were among the
finest displays she has yet given. deaf and dumb
person might esdily the plot Of opera from
attentivey regarding the play Of Crisis features and
EXPRESSIVE gestures As an actress she is without an
equal. She made some new and beautiful points in
acting esnecially in her manner Of listening TO the
Counts solo. and her varied and instant changes Of
EXPIRE in the chamber scene fret Of bewilder-
ment on waking; then Of JOY at recognizing Elvino
ten, and then of the utter despair she fell in her
mothers arms. All this was depicted almost in a mo
meut, vet each phase Of emotion was study for
PAINTER Her singing Of Sorra II and Al non
giunre, batting the unwarrantable and impairment
liberties with the composers text-which she and
Mario and all the so-0alled great singers who visit
this country, trusting to the general ignorance Of the
audience, think they have right to make-was truly
a. Iax- VIII
audience here. will, as they do at Rome, call
the singer to account at the moment, who
attempts to substitute his music for the
cop,re ser's. In not one case in one thou
send when it is attempted, does the singer mend
the composer by these impudent changes. WHIST
would be thought of the actor OF Shakspere who
would constantly substitute whole phrases and even
long sentences of his Own for those Of the poet Yet
the parallel offen;e is one which every opera singer
imscnes he has right to commit.
Susiri WAS the best representative OF Count 10
6olpho we have ever had snd deserved more ap-
plause than be received for singing V'rar's0 Mario
excited the greatest enthusiasm by the manner IN
which executed Al PER che non Passo oaiarfi' but,
.,k,p altogether, bis performance OF Eivino lacked
the intensity of Sslvis. Who that heard It can ever
TARGET Sslvis fearful voice in the finale OF the seeona
,c,r Grsi and Mario omitted the lovely duet wnich
.bord close the inst act the charming quartet IN tue
lid a., wa, also omitted These pieces should be
given when the opera is repeated, which it should De-
The chorus was excellent; the costumes iresn ana
appropriate; the scenery worthy Of the Academic al
Paris, and the orchestra superior to any which here
tofore has been,.heurd in New-YOrk OPera-hOu'e'
Tc-niCbt LA FavOrita viii be produced IL
has been long in preparation. and at great expense
All the costumes win be new as well As the 'oenefy'
by Anegri The cas-, win be unrivalled and sacn as
no opera-hOuse in Europe can now present. including
Grisi Mario, Bsdiali, and Susini The four SISTERS
Rouse, viii aPpear in the incidental dances s"Pa