New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-26
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.
THE NEW OPERA OF THE SPY

La Sra, music by SignOr Arditl, ltahan WOiUS py
Signor Manetta represented for the first time at
tho AOsdemy Of Music on Monday night, and drew
good but not an overhowing house. owing TO the bad
ness Of the weather-but in Paris and London under
such circumstances rain is not considered We rec
pmmended-when we read some three Of the pieces Of
this opera in manuscrpt-that by all means it should
be performed and the result on Monday evening but
confirms ouropinion, originally favorable. The opera
was q success. The composer enjoyed every advan-
!. tsge that splendid opera house, large and well
provided orchestra led by himself, who has been
for the last ten years the musical director Of the Italian
Opera at Havana New-York, and elsewhere; and
besides this prima donna like Madame Lagrange,
and her coadjutors, Miss Hensler Messrs. Brigno
Morelli, Co. and an ideast OF scene. painter like
Aegri were in requistOn; but all these duly consid-
cred, and the exoelenc, Of the music abstractly
viewed, is not the less remarkable We hayo
in opposition TO the habit hitherto pursued at the
American Academy Of performing exclusively Euro
pean operas, held uniformly that the American public
are just ready to listen approyingy to American
work Of musical art composed in this country
rs TO foreign one; and oply required manager
here with speck Of brains to prove the fact Mr.
Paine happily possessed the comprehensive under
standing to rely on the judgment of technical crit
icism. La Spa has been produced, and with success
30 far as applause first night can determine it,
At this moment we DO not pretend to offer a def
mite criticism on the work in question. We have not
been able to get the entire score for a pcrusal and
cannot therefore enter upon analysis Of the Opera,
with the exactitude which only result from actual
reading and study. Our remarks accordingly must be
general in their character.
Mr.. AIditi is Italian, and therefore compOses as
one. Composing, too, to the Italian language, his
phrases shaped accented and colored accordingly
and must 30 be judged In academic w1iting-n that
particular skill established by long orchestral expe-
rience and knowledge Of vocal requirements and mu-
SEQ dramatic necessities, Mr. Arditi Is master lie
understands when, where and how to place principal
and subordinate melodies how to display eondRts to
The main IDEAS how to huny his defamation and how
10 retaId IT, and above all, how to render his cli-
MAKES He is conyersln with the requisite forms of
musical pieces and shows that he has closely anayzcd
the works Of the best compo-ers Of his country.
The scene of the opera is laid in America. We can
not sympahze with the enthusiasm Of the author and
composer in their choice of an American subject If
the situations were equally good we would quite as
lief that the action had taken place in Italy Spain
The interest Of the situations in opera Is the sole
thing TO be looked to in the construction of plot
less there be national music such in William Tell
or Masanicl!o in question, which is not the case with
Of this opera is drawn from Coopers clever novel
The variation from Coopers characters lies in the in
PRODUCTION of 4 character named Mary-the mother
of the herO-evidently inspired by the mother of
Meyeibeer's Prophet.
The opera is divided into three acts, and is quite
long enough. IL has no overture. The sudieoce was
put in good humor at the start by briSk chorus of
Virginia Dragons, which was duly eucOred. Another
piece, which particularly drew forth applause
romance sung by NJ. Brgnoli who dd the character
of the Spy. The chief aria of Mad. Lagrange
handsomely applaudtd The composer called for
three times and the principal singers were also sum-
moned before the curtain
There was some scenery and stage effects
view on the Hudson; moonlight landscape; house
which was set on fire and burnt apparently to ruins
The walls falling III, TO the great satisfaction of the
audience, and the smoke and flames discovered rising
with surprising naturslness. This effect partieu-
larry good and was redolent Of Alegri's taste and
ingenuity The dresses of the revolutionary troops
were, We are informed, accurate in every detail.
AK growS-nc slowly as Mr. Story said in his in-
spired lines the recent Inauguration of the statue of
Beethoven at Boston-but in every detail where it
meets the fantest protection, very very fast in this
country. Here we have TO record the production of
grand opera. True it is not an American opera, the
composer being American neither by birth nor
adoption bat it has been evoked in this country by
the means available for muslcodramatic representa-
lion. This shows t>O an improvement, on the very
mean and squalid eXcusveness heretofore exercised
by musical establishments in New York toward works
composed here. Grand operas have been written in
this country twenty years ago which never have been
heard in New York, owing to the want Of lberalty
The part OF managers, anG the want, too Of lively
Of justice on the part OF the public who shoald
call for original works Had there been common hon.
crsble fairness exercised toward composers in this
country during that time as many good operas as
Europe has produced in the same period might have
been composed bere--but how can there be supply
when there Is no demand when, too the highest
idea tf osthetic morals in this country has been
brgand.like TO steal the works Of R,ssini, Belni,
Verdi Meyerbeer and other Europern dramatic COM
posers and never render then the first cent reward,
while singer ran away with all The profits Masiesl
ar would have grown many times faster than 1t has
original composition would have been as wide aud
deep and strong a. could be desired mad there been
extended to it the protection that there has been
70 The manufacture OF piano fores But without pro-
"o'"n 10 IDEAL any more than physical, infant can
properly thnvs. We trust therefore that the innova
~ On Al the Academy that MIR. Psipe insugurated on
.Oaaay night may lead TO & Systematic I'd production
- "" establishment Of operas composed in this
S"eH''{' Two of three new GRAND Amer;csn operAs