The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-08


latest OPERA the Masquerade Ball." work which has
had its vicssitudes, and enjoying it's trumphs
The official title Of the new opera Is Gun Balo In Mas
chera melodrama, in three acts by g. Verdi, Officer OF
the legion of HONOR 1t is "full' work. requiring
two r Sopranos and baritone Of the highest
grade contral,o and two bassos. From the score and
the Italian and French papers We have coated some in
teresng facts with which We proceed 70 acquant our
readers.
The scene is laid in Boston, America" in
the latter part of the seventeenth century. 1t
should have been placed in Spain or Italy,
rather than annoy the Purtans Of Massachusetts,
Bay; but 1t appears that Boston was taken in
order to avoid political censorship According TO the
European view of the matter Kamschatka might as well
have selected The plot after the thorough SEN
saon STYLE full Of love- jealousy, revenge, conspraces
&C., and ending in a murder. The tenor, Ricardo,
Count of Warwick and Governor of Boston, ID enamored
of the wife OF his Secretary Renaro, and confidential
friend, the baritone The lady (soprano), by name
Emilia returns the passion Of the Count and is presumed
to struggling TO free herself hererom when the opera
About this time Clrica (contrato), black
fortuneteller, arrives in the vicinity Of the Counts
palace, AMI is duly complained of by the authorities
Oscar (soprano), the Counts page pleads for her &C
ql,ttal, and suggests visit TO her abode,
ror the fun Of the thing The Count falls
with the proposition OF Oscar, and goes
visit the gpsy where Emilia has preceded him. VI
ca, after hearing Emiias confossi and receiving her
application for q charm which will Danish the Count
from her affections informs her that there is an herb
which grows solely where criminals have executed
and which only be gathered at night This herb has
the peculiar property Of being antdoe TO love- how
ever strong it may be Emilia, though terribly frigh'
ed agrees accompany Ulrca in her botanical exped
ton and the Count unknown 10 the females makes the
third of the party Here IL must be noticed that the
fortuneteller predicts that the Count VIII die by the
hand OF the next whom he touches He laughs at
the idea and takes tn, land Gmias unsuspecng hus
band and his most intimate friend. Tho second act
oIens with the rendezvous at the place Of execution.
Emilia comes alone, and is Immediately joined
by the Count. After stormy scene, in which,
usual, the tenor is repulsed, but finally
embodied in the Of the melting Soprano
the loving couple surprised by the entrance OF the
husband, who has come to the CouLt OF conspra
cy against his life. The Count goes home by another
way while the Secretary takes his wife, who closely
yelled by the road which the Count pursued previously
the Secretary encounters the
with them in the melee Emilas ven falls OIL and she is
discovered by husband. Enragod by this discovery
the Secretary joins the consprators against the Counts
lfe and is designated by lot TO assassinate him at
queaae ball. Emilia ascertaius the fact, and endeavors
TO prevent the Count from going to the ball. lie, how
ever insists upon being present and at the same time
resolves conquer his passion for emilia by sending her
with her husband to England. This yrtuous resolution
comes The iaurated baritone refuses 10 believe
that his wife has not been guilty OF crinnaty and,
while the merriment OF IT, bah is at its height, sabs
Count TO the heart he dies in Christian frame OF
mind, forgivi,g every body, the chorus included
II win be that this plot gives Verdi every oppor
or
through music, the workings of the grand passions.
the general drift OF the French and Italian criti
cisms, we are incl. TO link that tnis opera is the
master work cl composer. The Prd.G OF Milan, de-
clares that IN this work Verdi has sencod the critics
who blamed him for being too NOISY, and that the opera
is remarkable for the art displayed in it as for its fire
and inspiration. The prelude is an elaborate instru-
mental work, and introduce beautiful tenor melody.
Succeeding there is lively duo FOR the tenor and the
page, enameled with the most brilliant motives The
Of this entire IL marvelously clever
The barcarole for the which follows is considered
the master piece Of this act. The scene between
Ulrica and the Co At said to DO very artsticaly
worked up and the hyr which follows is full of melody
and sonorcty In the second act Emilia has tender and
sentimental romance the duo and tcrzetto exquisite,
and the finale is grand picture, painted Ia Michael
Angelo. In this piece the composer has succeeded in
deineating, without confusion and in one harmonious
WHOLE the irony OF the consprators the rage the in
jured husband and the grief Of the errng wife n the
thId act have two beautiful romsnzas AM the
meeting Of the conspiraors is illustrated by novel
Instrumental effects, as welcome as they unexpected.
delicate cabaleta here recommends itself TO the atten-
ton O. connoisseurs and followed by tenor romance,
expressive Ct the Counts determination to send Emilia
away. The ball scene is distinguished by some very
charming dance music and the denoucmcnt is in the usual
vigorous style Of the master
The French critics the opera first given the TIA
liens the 18th of january all speak very highly OF
the "Ballo." The Detdts declares that II Is the most
charming and the most meodious of the ilustrious
posers works Tie cons,i.uionnd the Pays and other
Paris journals equally enthusiastic This work was
composed for the San Carlos Naples but its reprcscn
tation prohibited under Bomba the "book" having
dssgreeabe illusions tyrants and the proprety
of assassiuatng them, The Apollo theatre at Rome
Wis then in bad way, and the director, having
recc I'd permission from Antonel to bring out
the work, applied TO Verdi, who consented
TO its producto1 there. II had a rsn of twenty
consecutive nights, and the director, Jacovazzi,
Las to thank Verdi for saving him from ruin The Bao"
has since been given in Milan, Turin Florence, Parma
Madrid, st. Petersburg, Lisbon with Gazzanga) and in
PARIS. We subjoin the Paris and New York distribu.
TONS
Ricardo. .............. Mario Brignoli
Renarto.. GraZiani. Ferri.
Emilia. ............... Pence Ceson.
Crica ................ AbonL Phillips.
The Page ............. Battu. Hinley.
Mr.. Muzo has been very ectlvely at work getting mp
this OPERA and led to expect from the rehoarsals
very excellent performance. IN the ball sceue is
said 90 number Of ladies' and gentlemen will appear
with dominos and there win be ballet advertisement
including raopade, new quadrlc and the "Alazur-
ka, referred to above. The mise will DO
fully attended Ia.
Wc have given this sketch Of tho chief points musical
and dramatic, Of the opera, that the public may
have l.tle information upon its merits than that
shich is afforded by meagre lbretto That the opera
really very superior work, have doubt Its rcccp
tion win far 70 show whether the musical
Of New York has departed altogether in the direction OF
Greenwood Gun Balo In Maschero" will be performed
for the nrst time hero Monday next.