New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-31
MUSIC.


feet performance of an Opera which, like Les
Hnpuenots" demands az least half dozen firstrate
artists an army Of chorus singers, battalion IN the
orchestra, month of steady rehearSas aud veal h
of stage appointments, the bare thought OF which
would frighten any Israesh treasury into immediate
bankruptcy. On Monday evening we had four excel
lent artists good orchestra for ordinary work, and
choius certainly bad enough, but yet not entirely
given over TO error. The result not mmerical
performance but one which, falling behind s,me
REPRESENTATIONS we have before had in general effect
was superior to them in many of its passages. Of
Formes nothing need be said, bat that he was himself
He is never upon the stage for five minutes without
making every one Of his hearers feel the wonder
full magnetism Of bis presence, a. once changing
the entire atmosphere and movement of the
scene. He is the only basso now on our stage
who makes living and ineligible dramatic creati IN
of his characters. HE pray Grand the pf paf" song
in the first act and the duet with Fabbri in the third
we're very finely sung Madame Fabbri, who has al
most nothing to do till her great scene of the fourth
act there rose to hight which she has not before
reached her singular power over her audience was
never more clearly demonstrated, nor has she more
forciby shown the entire selforgetfuness which AL
ways marks her impersonations, which, indeed, al
WAYS marks the great artist 1t is not extrayagant 10
saw that Fabb has had no superior when We consider
her singing and action aud as have before said In
looking at the effect of her performances, these cannot
be separated Stigei was also very great in his part
of Rdoul II is high praise to say that his splendid
SINGING makes us forget his cumsness in acting which
at times is almost grotesque. His air, Pin Blanca,
in the first act was exquisitey sung and some chest
tones in the fourth act superb OF Miss Heron,
we have already spoken. The choruses were
rather bad; in point of fact very bad. The
singular effect produced by the intervening
of the "Rataplsn' and "Ave Maria," in the
third act was quite lost, and the magnificent
" Blessing Of the Poinards" was mixed up and
muddy transaction whether considered from muaical
or dran ATTIC point of view The finale of the third act
too, with its cavalry and naval arrangements, was
hopeless tanele; the double band and the un "ieldy
chorus eroped aboutin utter darkness Till the fall Of the
curtain cut the knot, which would never have been
united. Recurring to the remark with which we COM
menced we repeat that IL would be foolish to expect
excellence in the rendering of Meyerbeers Choruses
when only day or two has been spent in rehsarsing
them and the adverse criticism just written is rather
in the nature of an abstract statement than token Of
censure. word must be said, however uuwilingly,
Queen part She ia not fitted for the character in any
particular she lacks dramatic ability and che has no
voice worth speaking of certainly not which ought
TO be heard iu such music. When there are 80 many
good singers in the country almost at tue doors OF the
Academy, it is wrong for the management to place
important parts in the hands of incompetent
persons. For the faithful and cheerful manner in
which Madame Maretzek attempts TO do her vocal and
dramatic duty she al ways receives the gratitude given
by Just souls. But she cannot sing and the interests
Of art suier wrong by tuch feeble efforts as she mus
ever necessarily make. If it were ouly on single
OCCASION or TO I'LL an unexpected gap that weak singers
were put into places requiring strength not word
would be said; silence in such cases is always more
pleasant than expressions of blame; but repeatedly
this season the audiences at the Academy have been
imposed upon by medocrity where they expected eX-
celen,e and they begin to feel that they have some
rights which operate managers are bound to respect
The house on Monday night crowded to the cell
ing; the people mostly Gsrmsus, and the free
lis aqeeaby small 1t is probable that week or two
of such marked pecuOiary success as has smiled on
the Fabbri-Formes reign will have wholesome effect
On the manner in which other operas are to be pro-
duced. This evening " Der Freischtz' will be per-
formed, including in it's cast Madame Fabbri Madame
Won Berkel, Formes, Stge