The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-01
OPENING or THE ACADEMY or MUSIC,
MEN YORK.


The short season, under the objection OF Mr. Marezek,
s commenced last night under the most favorable au
sn,oes The opera was fla Somnambula
The chief event of tho night was OF course, the debut
Ia America Of Sisnora Gassier The poeiton which this
,tst holds makes it cminently proper that should
NOTE the leading points in her She Is Spanish by
birth and entered upon her operate career at her
brth Mace the city OF Madrid. Subsequently Sgnora
easier went to Italy, where she remained during
several years, and completed her musical education
She was here engaged by the director OF the Italian OPP
a al Paris where she male her appearance In 1894,
rs losina In 'The Barber OF Seville She was success.
ful with the most astdious audience in the world aud
the next she sung Ia London, at the Drury Lane
Theatre then under the direction Of Mr. jarrett Here
guora asscr laid the foundation for frst-rate Lon
don reputation which she has since fully sustained
After her engagement at Drury Lane we hnd our pflma
donna engaged by MIR. Wlcrt Beale as member OF bis
,oat concert troupe, which included Gris, Nauter-
DLlee and Mario With this galaxy Of artistic talent
he made the tour the provinces and renewed her me-
tropolitan triumphs. During the summer Of 1897 SIG
NOR, asscr was engaged, with Sims Reeves, by M Jul
lien and MS have already said she fairly divided the
applause with the great tenor. In the winter and carly
snrng of this year she returned to Italy, and made
great 6,roe al Rome During the Carnival she received
honos very rarely accorded To any vocalist under the
shadow OF the Vatican Having thus supaued itaiy'
France and England, the Sgnora crosses the seas with
her husband yo had already tested the temper Of the
American public, aud with small degree OF SUGGEST
and makes her first essay our soil She came with
reputation already assured and therefore gathered NJ the
Academy nearly all the professors aud connesseuTs OF
usc In the city at present Still it not strictly nm
opera audience many of the hoJaues being absent from
town Their places were filled by strangers, and the
house was crowded to the Overlooking point.
We have said already that the season was commenced
under the most favorable auspices The expression hardly
CONVEYS an idea of the fact which is to be recorded
Sgnor, Gasier received ovation which Is unparalleled
in our operate history From the opening ara Come
mar me Serene to the roado finale she achieved success
Il oft riu nha uew
handsome is interesting, aud affords good type OF her
race possessing both of It's strong ponsmven hair and
black eyes, full Of passion and carnestness AS an actress
she is always graceful and self-possessed Amina, with
Sgnora CASTER is not person who sleeps in her crino
line but peasant girl full of esprit and aa'pec These,
however minor matters IL OF the voice amt the
execution of the prma donna that we have chiefly to
speak Sisuora Gasser then has pure soprano voice,
full and equal throughout and extending over three oc
tayes 1t is the freshest and finest organ that has been
voichsaed to for many day. Without entering upon
invlious comparisons, artist has ever made so great
fayo,e in the somewhat hackneyed roe OF ANNA Inc
opening air was admirably rendered, and brought out
fsade of genuine applause The duet at the end OF the
first restored The tenor was hardly e1u 10 It's
requirements and the pEma donna suffered IN conse
aucnce IN the second act however, Elyno recovered
his self possession and marked Improvement was visi-
BILE on all hands But the browning triumph of the night
was Signor Casters exquisite singing OF the finale Ii
it had been written expressly for her it could not have
been better adapted to her peculiar abilities Witha PER-
feet recollection of borde and oso we hesitate not to
saw that such execution has been heard here since
the days of Mior Sgnora Gassier attempts and sue
cecds accomplishing vocal flights far above the reach oil
ordinary or even extraordinary singers At the close of
the Ah non giunge' the enthusiasm Of the audience
rose the highest possible point When the prima donna
appeared before the curtain the immense assembly rose
as person. and greeted her with long and loud ac-
CARNATIONS Gracefully acceding to the demand OF the
house. Signora Gosscr repeated the fnoIs performing
with the greatest facility the grand co which had be-
fore asonshed the audience The same scene WAS re-
peated again and then the delighted audience dispersed