The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-24
Msnager Grau's Grand Opera Troupe at

| Manager Grau's Grand Opera Troupe at
The operatic criticisms by telegraph which
we publish from day to day have attracted
marked attention from the press OF this country,
and will doubtless cause considerable comment
lin Europe. The feat of publishing in the next
mornings paper q detailed criticism upon a
De rformance given on the previous evening
thousand miles away has never before been at
tempted, and its successful accomplishment by
the HERAsD inausurates new era in journal
ism. Instead of celebrating the mere local
news the press must how embrace the whole
country, and give full reports of Everything that
transpires, using the telegraph whenever 1t can
surpass the mails. Instead OF criticising
only those performers who happen to be in
this city the press must comment upon good
performers and good performances, no matter
where they may be located. There Is no reason
in the world why we should devote portion
of our space to treating of bad company here,
while we ignore an excellent company in an
other city. Merit should have the preference
wherever 1t is, and this truth should be practi-
cally recognized in dramatic and operate criti-
cisms. We hope, therefore, to perfect such ar
rangements as will enable us to give every
morning the complete news of the previous
day from St. Louis, Cincinnati, Philadelphia,
New Orleans, Richmond, Boston and
other cities, including such criticisms
as are now transmitted to us from Chicago.
And this new era of journalism will not be
o<aJ v,1o hofn
our readers the same class Of daily reports
from all the European capitals by way Of the
Russian and American overland telegraph.
We devote so much trouble, space and ex-
pense to the operate company of Manager
Grau simply because it is the best on this con-
tinent, and therefore deserves our notice.
Manager Grau, with unequaled energy and
enterprise, has imported a full company Of
eminent artists, and has taken them to Chicago
and opened new ana beautiful Opera House.
Not satisfied with this, he has introduced to the
American public new American prlma
donna, who bids fair to rank among our bes.s
native artistes. In style this new prma donna,
Miss Lucy Simons, very much resembles Miss
Clara Kellogg, but is pronounced by good
judges to be quite superior to Miss Kellogg in
her acting and vocalization. Gazzaniga,, the
leading lady of Grau's troupe, is prima dom
ma of the grand school, and is without an equal
in the country. Noel Guidi is Of the passion
ate, Oriental cast, with full, rich voice and
great dramatic power. Boschetti, "the queen
Of Marguerites," has face of the classic,
Grecian type, profusion Of golden hair, and a
voice as fresh and flexible as her face is
fair. Olga Olgni, petite Polonaise,
only nineteen years old, is enthusiastic
cally described as pet and rosebud. In
style she is somewhat like Piccolomini,
but her voice is pure contralto. Cash Pollini,
another contralto, is dark, full, rounded
Italian lady, with voice Of the rarest quality,
clear, powerful and thrilling. She looks and
acts such parts as Azucena most admirably.
Musiani, the leading tenor, is well known in
this metropolis as capital artist, and Lott
and Tamaro are also familiar to our city readers.
Anastasi, new tenor. Is an admirable actor,
with fine, manly presence, and he sings with
great spirit, but without effort All of the new
artists are young, and nature seems to have
done as much for them as art. Orlandini and
Brandini, the baritones, and Milleri and Pollini,
the bassos, have excellent voices, and act as well
as they sing. Add to this excellcntly strong COM
pany the names Of Moreo Cell, prima donna;
Fellini, baritone; Colletti. basso; Sarti,
basso buffo; Muzio and Nuno, conductors, and
Antonini, danseuse, and we have troupe
with which Manager Grau could carry on
most vigorous campaign even in London and
Paris, and which enables Chicago to rank as
one of the four great operate centres of the
world. New York, the real metropolis Of the
country, is thus cast temporarily into the shade;
and, while we hope for better things in the
future, we must candidly and reluctantly admit
that the theatres and the Opera of this city
are going down, down, down!