The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-24

We shall have to night the first representation In this
country Of the famous opera by keyerbeer-The Star OF
the North" II founded tho romantic story Of Ca
erne the wife OF Peter the Great adapted 70 the no
cesses Of the stage, and necessarily departure in Its
details from the circumstances produced In Paris
In February 1854, under the supsrntendence OF the
maestro himself and afterwards ct Covent Garden, In
July, 1855, with the advantage. II has also been
put successfully upon the Continental boards Aaretxek
deserves great credit Tor his introduction Of It here and
judging from the rehearsal Monday evening, must
become !avorite with the public.
Abroad it equals in popularity the "Trovatore"
OF Verdi The first scene % laid OF Wyborg In Finland
instead OF Saardam In Holandor the sake probably Of
the untes and easier cement OF the Incidents
Peter in disguise is learning the trade OF ship carpen
ter, with eye TO the future increase Of the Russian
navy BE seen on the stage driving his jackplans In
the costume Of . working man. Catherine keeps =
public house the dockyard, and Peter falls In
eve with her. band Of Cossacks enter the village
the purpose OF sackng and pundering II. She dis
arms them by her ulnees, and amuses them by tell
ng their fortunes she had learned the art from her
mother, who had predicted her rise to greatness
Struck with her talent and beauty Peter offers her
rage TO which che consents he viii alter his habits
become soldier and rise to the rank Of officer The
Cossacks, though they restrained from plumber by
her influence nevertheless determined obtaining
married. and is arrant coward is frightened lest he
may be carried OF By them She boldly resolves TO take
his place the garb Of peasant and departs with
the soldiers.
In the second act she appears In uniform In the Russian
camp, and drilled by corporal subatern whom she
recognizes as the same she had seen at Wybog he sup
poses her to be the brother, whom he had seen, and
places her guard a the tent Of ocer-in fact that
Of Peter himself Still in disguise with the curiosity Of
woman she peeps inside, recognizes her old admirer
and Is dreadfuy shocked q. seeing him drinking deeply
with friend and amusing himself suspciously with
couple o, yivandleres Of the camp She gives way to
her horror Of this nfdelty orgets her discipline and is
ordered to her post She refuses and strikes the
officer in his face is seized and condemned TO die. She
ruhes into the tent appeals TO Peter, and exclaims
is l." She is forced away but escapes from the soldiers
throws herself into the river Is fred ut and wounded
Peter gradually shakes of his drunkenness, recalls her
appeal and would save her but Is too late. She has
disappeared. AT this moment . conspiracy breaks out
among his troops he discovers himself and tells them
to murder him they will Overawed, they fall on their
knees and pardned The third act represents Peter
at Moscow, In imperial state. Catiarina appears
under the pressure OF her motunes TO restore her to
reason Peter builds cottage like her own and surrounds
from her mind consciousness returns, she throws her
sell TITO his arms, crowned and becomes the Empress
The music u admirably adapted 10 its illustration. The
overture is Of military character, nterphrased BY
the regular orchestra and behind the scenes
combining together with defective grandeur The
chaunt prayer for Finland accompanied by bell call
ing the people to work. Verdi accompaniment In
aes iOr. sings ceaa,p ar WIN hs Laughing
Then we have moroccan from Prasceria, expressive OF
her fear Of he Cossacks and as the act
rondo by Cattarina, . chvarous duo with Peter and q
comic enc with Prascera next We have two chorusses
uniting their voices anda concluding solo by the he
rome.
The music OF the second act is considered to be the
best. II commences with . waltz the contra baSsos
producing singular and pleasing eject Then. among
other ihpgs, we have a song from cavalry officer aud
another om an ofcer Of infantry each extolng their
the Sacred March" rs u called universally popular
in Germany To the volume Of sound now produced two
orchet the Stage contrbutele drums, DIES and
brass instruments, do their partthe chorusses unite
their voices, and the curtain drops with tremendous
In the third act which is short We have an exquisite
Y sweet allegro for two flutes g Jenny Lind Kind Of
Some OF these pieces omitted in order TO reduce the
opera 70 The ordi AIRY time Of theatrical representations
In Paris, Duprez took the part q Csiarina, and Bat
siiic that Of Peter In London, Herr Former the one
and Bosio the other; the Corporal was Laol,che The
whole cast WAS fine, including the names Of Lucches,
Aarai, GaIdoni, Jenny Bauer, and Mad. Ruiersdorn.
Nasetzek bA mounted this orsra in his best style.
The company is arranged dh creetly. Amodio though
The music Is thought 10 be . little below his M
tural pitch, sings and ats with great excellence
Brirnoi gives US his sweetest tones Madame Maretzek
has lost none OF her vivacy or power, and admirably
comic and elective and the vivandieres sing very pref
ty though they do not come quite up 70 the mark But
AL else were POOR and rnimpressive, the magnificent
la Grange would answer for all she appears in several
different costumes In the Of the opera each Of
them graceful and becoming. In oil her songs she 10 ex
qulsitey chasming-her voice riots n harmony and in
.xscutor-everything beautifully done-her tones
firm and true The tremolo laid aside-she like
the iarkshe MARBLES like the nightingale In short abe
~ role where all her talent 10 turn most admirably
displayed Such the opinion entertained by the cri
tics al the rehearsal and such win be the verdict OF the
audience 10 night.