The New York herald., 1864-10-25
The Real Opesisg 90 the sessen-rhs
CaAt OF CrftActsm.


Caat OF CritActsm.
Donizetti's magnificent cpers, II Poliuto, Wal
be repeated at the Academy tonight, with Ca
rozzi Zucchi and Massiniliani in their greaA
roles. We expect that the opera season wiz
really open in splendid style this evening.
Hitherto, for one cause and another, some q
our fashionables have neglected to attend, al
though the general public has crowded the
house. Tho artists, too. have felt strange aAA
timid. Massimiliani, who can act as we'll a. hs
can sing, has been hampered BY an excess d
medesty--a rare and pardonabls fsult,-sad
has not developed his best powers. Last Fei
day, however, in this same opera, both he and
Zucchi achieved a splendid artistic success
This shows that the ice ia brOken-that the feels
ing Of strangeness is beginning to wear or
and undoubtedly we shall have even grandcs
performance tonight. Let us regard the pest
representations, then, es mere public reheaTs-
ais, and begin the season anew and with eclG&
The singers and the audience are now well 90
quainted; the opera Of Poliuto is one OF tia
finest that Donizetti ever wrote; the CITY IL fnu
OF wealthy aristocrats from Petrolia and shs
provinces; our own aris!0crats cannot afford -
allow the opera to succeed without them; the
election interregnum, when the Academy win
be closed, is close at hand the fall fashions ar
all decided, or ought 10 be. il we are TO havs
any fall fashions whatever--and, In . word
everything conspires to convince US that tAis
evening will be the real opening OF the season
There is no earthly reason why the operate
season. thus !naugurated, should not run aioAS
brilliantly until Christmas Msretaek kindly
suspends operations during election week. in
order to give his artists and his patrons Q
chance to vote; but after that there will b
nothing to hinder or interrupts his success
Thanks to an overruling Providsuce, the
HERALD and licCleilans letter, the country h
sure to be saved whichever Presidential oaadi-
date is elected, and 80 we need no Longer
trouble ourselves about that Honest Old Abs
is for the Union, and Little Mac Is for "ths
Union at ell hazards" and consequently ths
Union will be preserved no matter which a
them enters tho White House next March. In.
deed Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Farrsgut ~
Porter will take care OF the Union, and The
people will take care Of them, ell tho polills
clans to the contrary Notwithstanding. But n
order to settle the question beyond peraas
venture, we lay down our platform -tha
peoples platform--the true national plat
forn--the American platform-in anothsa
column this morning, and according as tha
candidates accept or reject this platform
the issue will bc decided at the polls Ths
members of the. best society may therefore
W. ,ck 70 nok md rsaim
yet awhile. As the French say, there azs
politicians and politicians; but behlad
tho politicians are che American people
and they have made up their min6
not to consent to destruction during this gensss
alton at least There is too much money, toa
much petroleum, too muck good wine, eee
much good music, TOO much sunshine, and TO-
much happiness generally in this great country
for any considerable number OF people to bA
willing to give up the national ghost for ~
sake Of any candidate or any convention. Ls(
our fashionsbles eat. drink, be merry, buy rich
dresses and 20 to the Opera. The HERALD WIN
manage the election for them. Until the tve
candidates resolve whether they will stand -
or off our platform there will be q luil IN
politics, which the public may improve ~
hearing Poliuto sung by two Of tho best artista
we have had in New York since Grisi and Mario.
After the candidates announce their intentions
the election will be so simplifed that it can -
settled in days voting without any further
bother.
This election aside, the musical critics asa
greatly to blame for the backwardness which
we have previously noticed as a Characteristic
OF The season. Zucch Massimiliani and the
New York public were strangers to each othsRs
and it deyolved upon the critics to INTRODUCES
them. II We had few genuine eperatic critics
among us this would have been done long age.
But the New York musical critics either have
fish Of their own to fry, or are SO technical ~
to be nnintelligibe, or SO silly as to be unread
able. They writo but seldom, and when they
do write their readers wish that the criticisms
had been crowded out II by some chance
quarter OF a column is devoted to the Opera
the principal artists are dismissed in few
lines, and the remainder Of the space ID fritz
tered away in foolish notices OF, operate No.
bodies. Now, the leading artists are Tho
Opera, just as the leading generals are praoa.
caly the army. Grisi and Mario sung all Over
Europe for years; but who Knows or cares whs
sang with them !! When we talk Of julius
Cesar, we never stop to think who were his
subordinase.. When we mention "The Peopls1
Lawyer" We recollect no one but Solon Single.
Sheridan has proven that he is the Army Of the
Shenandoah. Pecksniff and Jefferson Brick
are Martin Chuzzlewit." Napoleon was
France. Edwin Forrest is all OF "Metamora-"
Why should We waste time and space with fu-
ferior persopsgcs in criticism any more than II
history If Zucchi and Massimliani succeed
the operate season Is q success. II Grant auS
Sherman fail the military campaign Ia failure.
We are surprised, therefore, that the critis
should deprive great artists Of their laurels il