The New York herald., 1865-02-25
ITALIAN OPERA.

The Academy was crowded last night by the mose
brilliant audience OF tho In beauty and elegance
Of toilet have rarely anything superior TO the
appearance Of the house this occasonthe productoo
for the nrst time Of verds grand opera Ia ISrso -
Desno the latest Of all his worksand think public
Judgment will pronounce il here, in g. Petersburg
and Madrid, upon It's presentation in those cities
tho best. The plot is highly, tragic, but the
music IL brilliant, the Instrumentation sspec ally
90. The first performance Of new opera
which requires much from the artists does La Fos
is expected to be free from faults Yet must
ess that it went of with remarkable smoothncss allow:
ing for the difficulties which necessarily appertain to
first production OF work elaborate in its scenic
we'll It's musical effects The artists were all fully up
to the occasion and the audience most cordial in
their appreciation Of their efforts We do not say too
much, we think, when we pronounce the new opera
complete success
We have already told the story in brief The plot b
taken from the Spanish DRAMA by the Duke Of Rvas,
Don Aly.yo Ia Fuerze del Syne The opera is written
in four acts In the first the is laid in Seville in
the palace Of the Marquis of Calatrava Don Alvaro
(Massmian youth Of Indian birth and noble ancestry,
loving and beloved by Leonora Carozz zucch daughter
OF the Marquis persuades her to copc with him. and a
the critical of Their departure the father who
is hostile to the alliance enters upon the and for
bids the banns very emphati ally. Alvaro submits to
the authority OF the father and In surrendcrng hmeel
throws away his pistol which accidentally goes OF and
kills the Marquis, who, when expiring, curses his
daughter. Is sA4 lss s7
The second act opens with inn in tho village Of
Hornacuelos Don Carlo (Bclln brother Of Lconora s
there the dress Of Salamanca student bearing the
assumed name Of Pcreda He relates TO the muleteers
and viiaycrs- In a hStfui dri0 IN Peyedd ,iscs
the death Of his father and his resolve to avepgs
it, Leonora, in male attire, appears at the door, and,
psuu.s hrx.th to onaYV mad md
accompanied by Trabucco, muleteer, who refuses 70
tell anything Of his mysterious companion. Prszo-
and finally nd.ces The pasans to enlist for the war fol
ths freedom Of Italy, In this scene we have an in
cidental ballet village dances and two or three very
Following the fortunes OF Lconora end her IN The
next asking shelter and permission to % enancs
for her sins from the Abbot Susin and the rar Mitone
orin at the door Of the convent OF the Madonna dGy
Ingei which she receives; the Abbot allotng her an
warning the monks that whoever enters seeks to dis
tho story Of the penitent shall be accurssd The
scenery here il excellent and the dramatic effects most
striking Zucchs acting, when she embraces the cross
and dcvees herself to God, Is splendid Tho chorus Of
the Illuminated altar Is very grand This scene made
great impression and elected very marked applause
In the third act meet Avaro and Carlos under =
sumed Names and unknown 70 each other serving u ths
ros and Carlos as Folk Bornos Alvaro Is wounded IN
friend Borncs With nsrncssn: 70 burn ns letters ses
his DEATH But In the vase Bornos finds picture OF hs
Sister LeOn0ra discovers ldentty
The latter however, from his wound and they
hgh duel In which Avaro fancies that he has killed
Carlos and he that he will enter monastery The
tragedy and mystery Of this act relieved BY scene
In whish we have very lively chorus Of utrandisTes,
consrpts and gypsies-a funny scene, with
the Friar Mlitone army chaplain, and rousine
rstapan by Prexoslla and the chorus which was en-
Enthusiastically enorcd The duo Of Alvaro and Carlos IN
this act Is delicious, and was very well sung.
The fourth act opens with very humorous scene-the
distribution Of TO the poor in the convent yard hy
Triar Militonc, which received with much enjoy.
far tto rIrlAn abO tnf
the story is taken up Don Carlos enters, and seeks
Father Raphael under which name Don Alvaro Is now
recognized a monk. He nnds him, reveals himself
and that he he's been searching for him for vo
years take vengeance for his fathers DEATH He chaa
lenges him to mortal combat which Avaro declines until
goaded by abuse and finally by blow, he throws on his
pricsy obligations though not his priestly habit and
takes the sword presented by his rival and they retire
the prescribed spot in front Of Lconoras cave wheps
they engage In deadly combat Don Carlos falls, and
Lconora entering, recognizes him. In dying he stabe
her and she dies. The abbot and monks enter the
at this junctre, and Alvaro ascending prccipcs
declares that he " not the priest Raphael but mns
ter Of Satan, and huSls himself from the rock.
Such Is the stssy; intensely tragic, as may be per.
ceivcd but rendered In such brilliant music and rerved
BY such fine effects that lose the darkness Of the his
tory the richness OF It's Interpretation The opera will
be repeated Tuesday evening, and no doubt Will Be
enjoyed even moie fully than Il was last night Mean
time Nine. zncch will compliment our neghboB In
Brooklyn by taking her first benet In this country atths
Academy there on Monday evening, the opera being
Erndnt Fsaf