New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-05
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

new al least 10 l1H latllu0e-lo tDe shape OF N
OPERA by the redoubtable Signor Verdi We beg q.
mention as stage aside, that this opera s not new
to Italy. Years back it was born and baptized IN.
der the name of Stephen, or something of that co.
nority. But Stephen ives martyred. There WI
something in the plot worse than politics, namely
religion for the land in which it saw the light: their
was Professionalism and Olympus knows what al Il
the story and 30 Stephen was martyred aud forbM
the boards. But happily an opera has dual LIE.
! II is words and music: and although the vorda
were killed-they were but the letter, while tho
music was the spiri. which gave the work Life. 81
!St,phen was rehashed litersture-wise. A new eu
was set to music. And the result is before Us.
the plot has the merit Of simplicity. Harold, q
knight bedeyiled by the preachngs and scrseehinu
of Peter the Hermit leaves, like an as, beautiful
Young wife 10 recover the holy sepulchre. Ths
wife must love something, as Harold was away %
long banging at the heather, and assisting probably
in that memorable transaction, the capture Of Jeru.
salem, when the victors put the Jews inside the
walls to death-believng, in their ecs;acy, thai they
werea the Original Jacobs who were guilty Of the
crucifxion $50 history reporeth Of the blind zeal and
fury of the invaders, who shus and there abolished
time to the tune Of twelve hundred yearsl. The
love Of the wife Of Harold for something was ohly
sort Of Irritation after ALL but it terribly distressed
Harold on his sudden return, for no saw that Mrs..
Harold behaved in a monstrous queer manner gsa.
orally. Mrs. Harold, however, wishing TO give ovw
the Irritation, writes letter TO the gentleman, sAd
puts the note in Q wel-bound volume for hH
" single eye." The course OF true love, however,
runs rough, and this letter was picked out BY
Harold of the well.bound tome lying on table, 10
q grand ballroom. where knghts in real armor were
doing everything but dance. Harold awaited him
self Of the opportunity to denounce bis wife in mos
tempestuous manner before the whole crowd, who,
previous to that time, had been deliberately gay and
singing Ike doves to the soft accompaniment Of the
brass tubes and kettlsdruns, and cymbas and great
drum. The Harold lady, however, had father,
who interfered, and made the quarrel bis own.
The pafer-famiiias did not allow the documents To-
be read and so-forth. Finally, Harold is about 70
kill the sentimental gentleman who admires biz
Wife but Hermit, a man with beard, bass.
voice, and that truculent manner which belongs Of
RICH. to staee-hermts (who were the Broadway
squad in the rough Of the Middle Ages) interferes,
and assures Harold that bloodshed is contrary 70 the
canons of the church. Harold, being good sort Of
fellow, relsnts, spares the sentimentalis and emf
CRATES to Scotland. Notwithstanding that country
was the duest place in christendom at the time
Harold contrived to exist there, but only a. Her
mit-in company with the other Hermit. Mrs.
Harold being out on an emigratng tour herself,
happened to he wrecked, one fine morning upon the
very coast where the Herlits were. One OF the
Hermis finding that the sentimentalisi had been
Lilled by the irate father Of the lady, and being
assured that the whole love affair amounted 70
nothing but little pastlme 10 while away dull houn
during his Saracenic business, and feeling il
finally complimented thereby rushed into the !ady's
arms. Not necessary to say that this Hermit was the
Junior member OF the dry-bean and co!d-wsse,
firm.
There is Of course terrible (nusicsl pother lead
ing one would suppose TO no end Of lyrical blood
she'd and there is bitter disappointment felt by the
audience that blood did strea down the stage and
oyerwhelm the prompter in the immensely of tragic
wrath. But when authors forget their duty and
make Jolly conclusions, all the critic can do is 70
utter caveat and submit.
The music, the main thing, now claims word
Up TO the time of the spparition of BelIinis
P,rata, in or about the year ISIS, Rossinis music,
aud that Of few imitators ruled. The introdlcion
of new style, in which large smile
theory aud practice Of declamation-(and aitsf
all the talk about recent musical decla.
nation, we lind nothing superior or pursr in
ts genre than the revelations of that now old
work Il Pirate had ali immense effecton the works
Of Others Donizet,. like skillful general, changed
6ori,urI tactics and wrote bis Lneia and TO CON.
poser could hope for mercy who did not accept the
new light-that il the old one-the Guek theory VI
defamation adding thereto the higher ees'acy Of
modern, aud the nineteenth centcry, melodies, AMI
the increased sorority and prominence of the Or
chestra, with the fresh and improved INSTRUMENTS
In this opera OF Aro,do, We find the new schoal-
phrasiug, climax, decIamation-all sdoPted-pa'
with the touch OF genius OF eourse-for without tha!'
Signor Verdi could not have n AIDE his mark.
The first act--often the least impassioned one
dramas aud operas in this instance rules the nghl'
1t is the most eurcharged with melody and interest,"
We may note the fine bits assigned 10 Signor MAJ
zoleni, whose tersensss and resonance OF deh'oiy
electrified the house. Tie fuale Of the second s'S
however, is one OF the best pieces in the opera
splendidly worked-up-has good connierP0'n'' ~
running sylabled phrases, and happy CONTRAST
this in subsequent long-draSn notes.
The bartone's SODA piece Of sweet revenss -
prospectus happy inspiration.
The prima donna is oil grel-and in duleet 'one'
means to 10 poetical juiice-but the plot is asain"
her-and 1t is only i'll the fourth act that her a'Pp'
ness 10 achieved.
There was not as large an audisnce presenl ~ "'
expected--Hlt there was grea, deal OF alp'su''
and we beg to say quite rs discriminating Ms " "O"''
have been in any Ealopean Opera House.
The cast Of characters was as follows; Aro''o'
-.