The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-25

AlnnSemeIits Last Might,

No fAirer fuller audience gathered within the
walls of splendid opera house than that which
assembled there last evening-an the critics, all the
people who consider themselves cognoscend but who al
ways go to Sleep and appaua n the wrong place. all the
pretty women who to adore Brigno and who have
nearly spoiled him by the same token; all young New
York, with their tight boots their studs their rings
their rrepHoachabe coa their garoe like shirt collars
their SICILY eimper and their vacant countenances
In fact, It EAster Monday night-rhe fashions-
BILE world had purified itself by week Of sackcoth and
ashes-tbere was to be new opera, on an American
subject written by an Italian, sung BY artists from
several countries and so all New York went to the
opera.
The opera ID called 'Ia Spia" The music Is the
work Of sgnor Ardit, well known excellent chef
dorchsstre and the hbrRo is by Flippo Maneta. The
story founded upon Coopers novel OF The Spy" and
deem it necessary, Cooper is not much read
days. to refresh readers with the leading incidents Of
the plot
The period s the yea $780, The is laid Ia New
York, In and about the Revolutionary camp. Harvey
can cause On an ION when was Of the highest
importance to General Washington to ascertain the
movsmsn ofth enemy, the intrepid Harvey volunteer
ed his services and proposed to the character of
should il IS :. the sacrifice f his Iis TO waahagton
ceceived BY sprss snoss puSy eenounssd hiuu hunt,
ed him ike wild beast burnt his house. and set price
has head. The intrepid Blcch hinched
his rqsgement In the county Of westchester resided
a family named Wharton, which, through its EngEsh
origin and the fact that one of its members Henry
secret corresp ance with tha. party; hence this
family became obnoxious to The American party.
The innocence OF that family being kno to Birch he
became It's secret protector One night the house Of
Wharton having been set fire by she Skinners, q
gapg of thieves under the cloak Of the ntre
pd Brch at the rick Of his nfe saved from the fla
Frsnces the daughter Of Whsrton who wss at the time
sed be married TO Major Dun wosds of the vrgi
mia cavalry, then in that neghborhood Shortly after
this Captain Henry Wharton, having come in dsguise,
to visit his parents seizsd by the Americans, and
TO sea
Kim Of the limo ence Of ths British officer who conse-
quentiy saved permitted to with Harvey
in the cig guise OF clergyman Hsrveys secret was un
known tilt many years afterwards, when he fell in
action in the Of 1s2l5 The lib,etst clears his
character however, by the introduction of letter fr
Washington and the opera closes with triumphant
finale alIAr ged to the sir Of Hail Columbia"
The opera opens with q scene in farm house. the
quarters Of corps d'el the Virginia dragons. They
enjoying themselves stage soldiers awaysldo, and
express their feelings in marital chorus, the refrain Of
Hurra VI t9fnia Hurra ALA Iegs
Viva in eterpo Ia liberia,
was exceedingly ugoIoas and resonant II eacored,
it desei we'd to be. Dunwoodie ioreD arrives, and
in most unmilitsry style informs his men Of night
attack and proceeds deliver aria, In which he
presses himself in most energetic against tie
enemies Of his country. We then have a scene be-
tween Wharton (Gasparcni-by most apropos
typographical printed Rssparoni)-and Frances
miss Hentler). In great deal Of rectatve they dis
the merits Of the tory and whig side of politics. and
In duet ( Marse quell annunzio fatale y lament
the stupidity Of The juvenile Wharton, who is lighting
the wrong side and who has been taken spy. Duu-
woodie appears and is pressed to assist Wharton but
respectfully Declines whereupon there is trio. old
wharton Is furious, Dunwoodie patriotic and Frances
thisks st~ forgive him il he is sufficiently vAlorous
sganst tie English The next scene is the interior Of
Hslvey's (BrignolD cottage. He is brought in BY q
chorus of skinners, (thieves), who express their
qualification at meeting him, and demand his
money. Mary, (dme. Ia Grange, his mother then
enters, and the chorus informs her that her son
is sry. Another duet, in which Harvey assures
Mary that he is nothing Of the sor and she requests
an explanation The chorus throws in few remarks
pressive disgust at the whole proceeding, and pro-
ceed to take Harvey gold by menacpg his mothers lfe
she pronounces a curse upenEthe gold-IA Grange
exceedingly good here--and the chorus drag off Har-
yey AZ spy which ends the first act All the perform
ers and tn. composer called before the curtain
There's not much yet except the Virginia chorus, but
the Instrumentation excellent though there Is rather
too much Yourg Italy and Verdi about 1t 10 please
The second opens in Dunwoodies tent where that
gallant ba rope officer Is oonAdentialy assuring Of
his captains that England Is nearly whipped. Harvey
is brought in guarded He refuses to explain his position
and the scene closes with Duet wherein the tenor i'm
por.s heaven to take his mother and the baritone
calls the impious wretch In another duet the
barto conveys to the the cheering that
oes at .unse and the tenor seems resigned to be the
victim Of circumstances. In another we have
Wharton's mansion and a number Of peasant women
rendering their sympathies to Frances and Mary very
pretty chorus somewhat marredby the time not being
well taken. Mary and Frances return thanks in neat
ouet, and the last named lady executes cavatina-
HCtme bdlsdmo'-in which she expresses in =
clever tr how much better she feels Immediately af
erwds she receives intelligence Of battle, In which
her lover has vanquished the English aud thereupon
breaks out into carzonct Seno ST. scaiddrm ponimd,"
&C., which is very clever, though not quite original Here
the best writing Of vocal score; but although Mss
enser sings sweetly, and executes neatly, her in
nation is not always correct and she has mot the dr
attic style necessary render properly h musc. The
pext scene Is the scst In the whole opera represents
rxx-x- -F.A ~l.t Oh