New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-23
ACADEMY or NrVsrC.
Quern or Faust.


Tho production Of an absolutely new Lyrieei
Drama "a an object of gravity and importance Irae Ii
but oppressive sound bpt are the words OF Shakes
,aare and human life is but the breath when enh~ H.
Zach an sppartion fresh opera momeh'ous' DC
eause Of the hideous poverty o. tic hst OF iepoy o.
uusical works possessing all the Sraces and beauties
H,amstic hneua vocal and instrumental necessary 70
,aocess co,lete and cosmopolitan: not the triumph due
dmnly the fanatcism Of musical squad or sect the
.S,copate memories OF prides Of particular town.
xhs IDEAL tastes end faculties Of special hcater anu IFS
auditors Up to this time. without entering into the
poltcs Of languages the asperiies Of patriotism IL
q fact that the only cosmopolitan language FOR opera
4, Italian and only operas In other languages which
possess the meodic graceby this, harmonious ccnbna
sion is no, meant-vbich through translation bear
he suaye impidtes sd inherent uunetres aud mag
efficiently oratorical ooptnutes 81 Ishsn yerewith-
out hobblng metres may hope 20 BE carried round The
world in the universal language ri the musical stagc
We mean by this statement that the genius Of Italian
nelody. from which all operas have sprung, is BASED
spon the genius Of the Italian language rather Of
Italian poctrymelodic forms for the voice being sub
jsct to lie syrahi.aiion of verses ce mode OF their
sequences and particularly the foundations of lines and
phrases. The origin Of opera in Italy and the preva'
hundred years before any other good nascual opera
arose. hot due 10 accident hut these Inherent
saperories Of the italian language for musical ends
and aso the asccndency Of Italy the rest OF Eu'
rope elegant arts science aud classic culture at the
tine The opera was instituted in Florence few years
before Calico lourished.
We have said the production Of now opera was An
important event. on accour, OF tho poverty Of the list
~ ffs piefnputs reODrel for mi.
vsrsa End permanent success. which is now only pract
cable through the Italian language The truth Of this
remark win be eyiden. If We bear in mind how much
geniuS labor and capital have been bestowed on operas
and with how small result as TO mere numbers Of
works II is some two hundred and fly years since the
opera-in the effort 20 revive snccn. Greek dramatic
,susc-was first eyove Cd and Cor the last half oentary
OF more other polite nations have had composers
setting the languages OF their several countries 10
music. The works of The great masters Of the past
century Handel ard Haydn live but on the sing.
Ing stage although they w0o opera and the former
composer was especially yo,uminous. Glu2, the re-
sormer (wlose contributions 70 tho illumination Of the
philosophy Of tie opera can hardly be oFeisiaied)
ewing the defunc nature o. the Greek fables which
10 set and Eewise 20 TIE Improvement IN tie beauty
and ecsiacy OF melody, since his dag, has now only
psrsl life and ;he EFFORT wake him into berc II this
country ended in signal fureall in OpAeus
and Euridice being dead much in the alegories
on an old ceiling. So TOO Beetboyens OILY opera
Fideiio uron which he spent so many years Of bis
pessona.ely artistic life, played three times Of tie
Academy-twice with Carl FoTTncJ the most fanouS
bass OF Germany and more recently by MI scha'zs
paeeut company, aud each time 20 ros,T erp5
benches rendering Il impossible FOR the most classical
manager TO continue srch loos.rg game ofCinsToss
Winter Joneli, picon!, TIajeta, PasieLo, Chorniin
E2ontini Grstry Lesceuf Ss Henry Bishop. and many
Others who made na.no Is. essi nationally n not mil
velssy in their day, not single work may be said 10
hsve possession O; tho sogo living opsra
Known throughout The audiences Of the different nations
II fact any oonnosseuE can readily call 20 mind Tie
thirty standard operas Of some hascore composers:
Mozart Won Weber Rossini Bclini, Donezetti Verdi,
Herold, Auber, Noyorbeerwticb comprise Tue eniire
repertory Of permanently attractive works 70 all ma
lions although the pauciy ofis supply has oaused II
70 De so much drawn upon az 20 hackney about one
third Of TIE small list beyond endurance.
The yery late, additions 70 opera have AFFORDED veiy
h,uo or no hope toward extending THIS standard end
threadbare LIST. Take. Tor example. the Two Italian
sDeras producea a. this Acadery--Iore ard JHdtfh.
lore was as regards IDEAS Qhough accidentally vel
cons,ruc.ed) fun Of sound cad fury sFnlfyng moth
Z.
notes can Live after the frat echoes OF its exaggerated
t.pes have died awav Ju4.,l witch we DID not hear,
we are told was almost .tiborn. Beside these. there
WAS proouced some tao years since Mere beers opera
OF Dino-ah written with great elaboration aud listened
N with Tic moo. deso.ed respect. which was ALLURE
here.
This view o, TIE difficulties attending the composi'
ton of any opera destined % live and have cosDopo
tan accep;atop and tie claims pat forth for work said
70 possess prominently these attributes lead us 10 the
critical consideration II the production last night at
the Academy o. Music by Herr AnscAutz's German
oompony. Of the Opera OF Faust. composed by 81 Con
nod Of Palis and not only justify in lengfhensd ar
tiole, but demand such s1alysis at or hands.
This opera IS of French origin. We have copy 0!
.he work with III. gua Frelch text the Italian and
the German versions being Transitions. Tho 'trlo'
ture o, the vocal music therefore is French, If tbs
French poet has no. written his npon tie models
Of another nation and lie has not done Hence tue
rnosic has much that ia inclodicaly dsproportoned:
soue bars crowded with notes otheIs without enough
10 III them 90 ss TO secure continuity OF phrasins
We ere told that il had immense saccess in Paris
where il has in is favor it, nationality lard tie
French are national though IN New.fork We aro not
so) besides tho Ofthe immortal creations Of so
ehs additionally yitazed by the genius Of AIRY Sehe
fer the most spiritual painter OK tne ceE'uTy-iho
moreover popusrzed by tie entec,dent uo Of aspead
sdly illustrated play end Of ballet on tho ssme sac
,ect and TO this mus, be added the magnhcen. stage
settings and tho INTERCEPTED ballet and soorb. which
ss,ended the opera itself in Paris. With all this the
sriticsm OF the music pure and simple has nothing to
DO except 10 insist OIL .hs necessity Of ha5ing good
dramatic subject and scenes ard 10 work upon
Given, coed theme Ior musico-.healricai trc'tnen'
The FIRST thing to look 10 70 mslodyor the sequences Of
single note. in tie mouth OF Whatever single singer
There are mary things beside thisits settiags-Ihe
toyiosl treatment, harmony iustrumentalons, and
l.. lIra-n