The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-12
OPERATIC AND THEATRICAL.
The New Opera mt the Academy OF Mu-
sic-Mr Booth ms Shylock.

The New Opera mt the Academy OF Mu-
sic-Mr Booth ms Shyl0ck.
ACADEMY OF MUSIC" UN BALLO IN MAsCHERA."
The announcement OF an entirely new opera by the
eminent composer Of the day attracted, might
have been readily predicted, crowded, and what is
termed "brant and fashionable audience" last night
All New Yok-the high and the low, the upper and mid
die strata Of metropolitan socety-appeared in grand
ray: pretty women, budding maidens and buxom
irons, antique dowagers, venerable spnsers, grave
judges heavy merchants and ponderous bankers Young
America pervadng the lobbes and doing the killing in
private boxes snuy professors wild looking pianiss,
inchoate prime donne, magnificent artists without engage
ments sapent critics and Jlde dlleanti all mixed
up grand Ola podridd talking in many tongues
the celebrated artfcers OF Babel and representing as
many cliIues and shades OF opnon-politcal, artistic
and soca-as there are separate soveregnties the
continent Of Europe.
We have alluded to Verdi as the most eminent COM
poser OF the day, and IL any proof of his right to that
title needed it could be found in the Of the
.'Balo in Maschera." As in "Ernan, the "rrovatore
and the Traviaa the composer Of this work deals with
the grand passons-ove, jealousy and revenge--with
powerful spice Of didec and treason to add to the in
tensty of the play We have already made readers
acquainted with the incidents Of the bretto The plot
is substantially the that of "Gustavus I'LL :, the
music of which opera written by Auber to the words
Scribe From the beginning to the end Of the play
find the tenor and soprano struggling TO repress guilty
passion and the climax is assassination the
by the husband of the latter. interviewer with
the music demanded for the Illustration OF the
main plot find a number of melodies Of
the brightest, gayeet and livciest character, and
the careful manipulation which is visible throughout
the score, the thoroughly legitimate employed TO
produce the effects known sensational show that
the composer had determined invite the closest criti
cism with the utmost confidence that the verdict would
forever silence his enemies. We have in the "Ballon
all the vigor all the light and shade, all the fine color
ing which distinguished the earlier works of the
poser, with more finish, more sweetness more origi.
nay less clap.trap, and infinitely less noise. The form
OF this opera elegant than those of its predeces
sors its mcodc phrases distinct, aud have
Of that struggling for effects at the expense OF taste
which has hitherto marred the best OF verds operas
Dramatically considered the work vigorous the action
never ceases and the contrasts 70 arise from
tura causes and the development Of the accompanying
passion rather than contrivcd for stage effect.
Con nosseurs in instrumental music have been both
prsed and pleased with the elaborate prelude, which
tells In delcatcy shaded form the story Of the opera,
and leads up TO charming tenor romance, "La rvedra
nell estas" The burhen Of the song is, Of course the
grand passion love- and nothing could be sweeter than
the melody Of this moroccan The succeeding and
cantabe, Gala vita che orrido gives the baritone
fine opportunity The next noticeable piece is the scena
and baata volta la terra rontc allie STEELE" which
succeeded by vigorous and ringing streto, ending the
The brliancy gayety and vvacty Of the music
throughout this something remarkable, and at
the time there Is under current Indicative
the impending catastrophe We obtain In this the
first view Of the pleasantest role Of the operahat Of the
Page The role has fallen into the very best hands, and
brilliant music affords the happest relief TO the
sombre features OF the opera.
The next brings all the personages in the drama
Except the bartone) together in the abode Of the
trologcr (contrato) Hher comes the agated soprano
striving for some whereby she may conquer her
unlawful passion, the melancholy tenor and his merry
Page the conspiratcrs (bass Of course) and the omn
present chorus. The writing FOR contralto Is not re
markable and there very little Of IT, The invocation
IL curious rather than interesting and tho succeeding
scena "E lu lu is only fair. We find, however, 10
this scene fine terxctto, "Della cta all occaso Tor
the soprano contraoand tenor delicious tenor solo,
finely written quntete for soprano tenor two bass and
contralto which leads up to the anslc which IL In the