The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-08
/. II ". lslf NJ ra8 lLI.
The New Operation Bobo.

event that produces quite a sensation In any
of the large cities of Europe, and especially in
Italy or Germany. Such an event is marked
as an epoch, and affords a grand subjet of con-
versation and of newspaper and magazine ar
ticles. In musical circles it is the all absorb
ing topic of social talk, and the dilettGnti new
er cease then admiration OF it until another
one is composed and introduced upon the lyric
stage. We are now speaking of Operas that
have great merit and name to live. Many
are brought forth which die soon after they
are born, and their authors fame dies with
them. -'e'. % 'iSi' '.7i- ''i--.i7'i
Musical genius of the highest order is scarce
lie this world, and always has been, and it
probably always will be. But few possess that
inspiration which is essential to the writing Of
an Opera which is destined to live andinterest
coming generations. How happy Rosini must
now be in his old age, when he looks out up
on the world from his retirement, and reads
the accounts of the performance of his Operas
and Oratorios. How pleasant to know that
he has afforded so much refined pleasure to
millions of his contemporaries! Such an old
age is indeed happy one. But we did not in
tend to stray so far from the subject which is
the burden of this article.
Portland is the birth place of new Opera,
and that, too, under Northern skies, and at an
inclement season of the year. Genius has no
sex, neither is it confined to any particular
spot of earth. 1t often springs up under most
adverse circumstances, and the "Promethean
spark" shines out in all countries and in all
climes.H When we speak Of "Don Bobo,"
new Opera brought out last Tuesday evening
at Deering Hall, under the auspices of the T.
F. Society, we intend to write just what we
think. ,,,--.- .. x. --..-.,
Our brief remarks must not De construed
into indiscriminate putting. 1t is not our OBJ
ject to plaster the author, G. W. Marston, of
our city, with untempered mortar, nor to be-
| spatter the performers with fulsome and I'M
| qualified praise. We are not going to say this
musical composition beats all others, nor that
the ladies and gentlemen who brought it out
so successfully before the,puble and performed
their respective roles so acceptably to full,
fashionable and appreciative audience. are the
| 81 4 :. i "
best singers in this or any other country, but
we do say, and with emphasis too, that we
were most agreeably disappointed. We con
fess we did not expect such an artisticcompo-
sition, nor such good acting and singing. or
the Opera we say distinctly and emphatically
that it really contains some music OF high
orler. The melodies were very appropriate,
touching and beautiful, and the choruses were
lively, spirited and full of good harmony
Both in the songs and concerted pieces, the
sounds were an echo to the sense; or, in other
words, the music spoke the sense of the Ii
bretto, for, be it known, that music has Ian
guage peculiar to itself, and is capable of ex-
pressing the emotions aud sentiments Of the
human heart The author OF e Don Bobo
understands this, and herein lies his great
merit. This music is not meaningless, and
could not be adapted or sung to any words or
sentiments. The sounds and the sentiments are
in strict keeping and here our author shows
that he possesses amusical genius that is wor-
thy Of continued cultivation. 1t is born in
him, and perseverance in its cultivation will
give him name and fame Of which he may
well be proud. .,-,.r
The dialogue parts of this Opera are better,
much better, than we expected. A good reel
titiye requires fer its composition a genius of
high order, and every good ballad singer can
not master it. The rendering requires great
strength of voice, as well as heart to feel.
Explosive tones-and more or less of these
must be used in recititve or dialogue music
are difficult, and require great practice to man
age them skilfully. IT they are not so man
aged, they become either harsh or weak, and
in either case they are not appropriate. In all
Operas much of the sentiment, or rather a
large portion of the ideas must be conveyed
to the hearers in recitative or half singing and
half talking. We think our author has very
well succeeded in this portion of his coMpsi-
ton. We advise the author to perseyere, for
we believe that he has a musical genius that
will yet make its mark in the world. II bus
ambition and disposition to work are eqlalto
his genius, he will become more widely known
than he is now. eiAeA'3si iIA10O
1--WE have but little space left ior the perfor-
mers, but in closing, we say that their stage
walk, gestures and facial expressions were re-
markedly appropriate and natural, and bin
ksepmg with the general sentiments Of the
piece We confess we detected but very little,
If any, awlzwardnesso of movement or position
and we are free to say that we have seen many
professional singers and actors do much worse.
We have, not space to enter into particulars
and where all did SO wen we shall not attempt
any comparisons. The truth is, they seemed
to US to be veterans or old hdbitues ofthe stage
so much at home they appeared, and so much
at ease.f ~ cyl, y ,sr~,-,-g1 ,,r,.
D., So far as we could Judge the music of this
Opera is original, and not borrowed or stolen
from others. True, there will always be more
or less of sameness in music whichis intended
to convey the same feelings and ideas, but we
discovered nothing in this composition unus-
uaI among authors, and nothing to lessen its
claim to originality. If an author would rep-
resento the extreme sentiment in music of
.False one, 1 loUe thee stiH," he would be like
ly, if a true genius, to make use Of chromatic
passages similar to those Belini used for that
purpose, and yet both might be originals but
we have not time to discuss this question
more at length. ,5} OszaTs1VF
We hope this Opera will be repeated, for it
will bear it more than twice or thrice. And
we trust it will be performed for the benefit Of
those who got it ups We ask not repetition
for charitable purposes; we have not the heart
to do that after they have done so much in that
I,,A r. AZ. L cAg H.
have spent their time and money in thus ca
otering for the amusement of the public. Let
US have the Opera again soon, and sure we are
! full house would greet the performers the
author, and the R. F. Society. +. ,-,s.s y
KNEES LApY's Book for March is out, and
locke as neat as new pin. 81 f" Tall oaks from
little acorns grow" and this little book is one
of the sound and sweet acorns which viii GER
=. = .-..I,s n fo1rishino oak If it-keepe IN