The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-15
THE OPERA AT THE WEST.

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Grau's Chicago Opera COmpany-The
New Opera HOuse-Immenso Strength
OF the Company-Personnelo OF the Now
Artists-An Young, Fresh and Fair.
OUR CHICAGO CORRESPONDENTS BIZ MAIL.
CHICAGO Nov. 10, 1885,
In my telegraphic notices 1 able only to sketch
lightly and briefly the qualifications Of Graus artists
now singing at Crosby's Opera House propose to
speak Of them and their performance more fully now
But first Of the Opera House ITSELF Externally and in
teriory 1t is structure of great beauty 1t has front
Of hundred and forty hundred and eighty feet
deep, and Is built Of white marble and Of exquisite
design The auditorium is ninety feet by eighty-sx and
sixty I've high The stage is sixty feet Deep II
seats comfortably over thousand persons and
emergency accommodate four or i've hundred more
The psrquet boxes dress and family circles, Of which
the auditorium consists larger than those OF the
New York Academy The construction Of the house Is
similar to that of Covent Garden theatre London the
sweep of the boxes being arranged that perfect view
OF tho stage BIO had from every part Tho interior
decorations are in excellent TASTE The seats fur
nished with pale blue damask, and the ornamentaon
Is Of white and gold, giving light and aerial
aspect to the whole. The proscenium boxes.
three each side, are superbly furnished
with draperies Of rich damask and velvet,
imported from Paris The lower boxes decorated in
amber and maroon. the second tier in amber and the
upper tier in amber and blue. The ceiling Is paneed
lightly tinted gray and pale salmon color and frescoed
with the portraits Of tho principal Italian and German
composers set in the panels surrounding the DOME from
which the whole auditorium Is lighted with soft but
brilliant radiance. There lamps around the boxes
chandeliers except in the under the second
tier Over the proscenium Is very fine fresco from
Gudos celebrated picture Of Aurora There not foot
Of space lost every part being available for good seat
which adds considerably TO Its capacity paying
adjustment There is but little lobby for the
accommodation Of oungers and Allah be praised there
stockholders to dilute the profits Of the impress
sario The house built by Mr. Crosby alone, young
gentleman who having realized fortune Of eight hun
bred thousand dollars by commercial transactions,
solved TO his great credit TO devote to the advance
ment OF and the lasting interests OF Chicago. There
is vast difference, therefore, between this Opera House
and all others in the country The New York Academy has
two hundred and sixty stockholders Brooklyn Academy
Ave hundred that of Philadelphia five hundred and the
Boston house three hundred The Chicago Opera House
has but The building contains also very fine art
gallery capable Of seating hundred
and fifty people, several large for teachers
and clubs and host Of studios and Offices all OF which
occupied
GrauS company Consists OF nve prime d0nne sOpran-
Gszzanira, Noel Guid, Boschett, Lucy Simons and
Moreo Cell; two contraltos-Cash Pollini and Olga
Olgni; four tenors-Musiani. Anastss. 10th and Ia.
marc; three baritones-Orlandin Brandini and Fell
lin; three bassos--Miller Pollin and Colle; basso
buno-sarti; conductors-Muzo and Nuno; danseuse--
Mile. Antonini
II be said for these artists that all their voices
are young and fresh There nothing approaching
WORKOUT organ among them. II must also be said that
there are sticks among the male artists They all
good actors-Anastasi Brandin, Fellni and 0rlandin
especially Good looks in lyric artists other things being
equal though not necessity always attraction
and contribute often 70 In this respect the
company fortunate The peyOnnei Of Gazzaniga and
Musani too we'll known TO require description Noel
Guid has captivating stage presence, rs exceedingly
graceful her movements and dresses strikingly we'll
Her face which IL oriental, Ia expressive than
strictly beautifu but smile Of sweetness
smile not Of the stage, but OF nature-and eyes OF in
tense blackness compets the picture Boschetti has
face not deviating much from the Greek model. Her
ngrrs somewhat above the usual height and her action
on the stage dgnned and easy. She IL gifted with
prsfusion Of splendid hair and eyes full Of IRE Lucy
Slmons (Sgnora Muzio) every one IN New York knows
full we'll
The pet Of the troupe is decidedly sgnora Olga olgn
apste Poonaise Of nineteen, and pupil OF the Paris
Conservatolrc In style not unlike the Pccoomin type
she Ia perhaps the handsomest prma donna we have
r u her.
ns her soft young check from delicate pink 70
rich carnstion Al 10 her eyes and lips they are Dan
gerous 70 NEEDLE with, even paper. Her voice H. .
contrao Of the purest kind nol Deep but flexible In
sebel the only part she hes yet played, her winning
manner gave . new phase 20 that character and has
already made her Q favorN Sgnora Cash Pollini, cor
tralto Also Of the pure Italian STYLE DARK full rounded
but not handsome attractive. she seems almost
designed for AzucenA which part she looks dresses
and the life Her voice 10 clear and powerful and
Of rare quality. Few people who heard her IN the duo
MIN ss'1 - =. ys aa,
that donna fcannot speak
viii take the new male artists In group and describe
them BY SAYING that they all good looking and young
without the touch Of the base actor about them.
what OF power the voices Of Of them may want In
fully made up by their freshness The tenor Anastas has
an excellent presence and acts with much passion but
rant His movements are controlled by a natural ease
which inspires one with the consolation that he will
never do anything awkward He takes the upper notes
without the least effort, and jumps to them Or
landin baritone and Mller besso, both decidedly
handsome, and withal admirable actors. Meri made
perfect success At his dsbG this evening Silva Ia Erd
He Is one OF the purest we'll the most dramatic
bassos we have had In America, wish 1ne compass OF
voice and not harsh In the entire register Sgnor
Brandin, the baritone, has strictly Napoeonic lace an
olive complexion, and wears Napoleonic mustache
His voice approaches tenor and therefore he acts better
than he sings Mephistophcles.
These artists have had much TO contend with and cannot
fairly be said 10 have developed themselves yet First,
they but recenuv " at all recovered from the mise
RES OF stormy Atlantic voyage next they are suner,
ing severely from the and cold, nppng air OF
this northern region after being so lately tansplante
from the bIny airs Of Italy, and next they have %