The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-30
MUSIOAf.
Gounod's "Faust, In ,
at the Aoads. 10 En na gIish Dress


GOunod's "Fauato In ,,,,
-, , iOU' ,' my Of Music.
Last evening the Academv of Mns,o r.o
sen'ed scene WI .Ich, for briuiancv and down
Ilsn. ue"iluer .ng enthusiasm has never been
equaheu OD any other occasion when a musical
sse plosss'hme was presented in that historical
puuulng' Notwithstanding the execrable state
ol tne weather, every seat in the upper portion
oI theh house from which the stage was visible
nau an occupant, while the aisaeB Of the lower
noOr We're crowded with the holders Of 'stand.
ing hekets." From brst TO Lass the enthusiasm
WIZ unoounded, and at the close of the third act
~ reached point which absolutely partook of
- Sehzy' IN response, Miss Rlchings and Messrs.
ei"PpeHand Castle Jresen ted themselves before
sne ,'aVsln ou.Vsln Anotf l0r wild outburst followed,
~ onu Ine same trio appeared again. But this
was not enough, nd the enthusiasm continued
@ uI.ii MIS- Segu ~ made her appearance, es-
s' Dy Mes bs. Campbell and Castle The
11i14S ing y endits still continued and Mr..
80, .ne hader Of the orchestra, to whose
80 anu ski I'the success Of the evening was In
60 , re owing. stepped to the footllghts;
~.' IA aus ger to still another round of cheers,
~ riiss hlch Ings,and Mrs. Seguin alone appeared.
nVen ate thisuuprecedented ovation, por-
I'll .on VI u Jeaudience were disposed to continue
INC SpI fnuse, but the EFFORT failed through
'~cere nee thaustion.
Ahe secession of all this uproar was the first
station on an American stage OF Gounous
repT t,,.. - ,i,,e .s,..atooi o., dia5cnlt
cor ,.,- -, : -. . ..,,., 4, s,,,,
y Aat questionable; and yet, when we remem.
er the fact of it's being the first attempt to
produce IL in English, and that this attempt
was rewarded with an essentially decided
success, we do not think the audience exceeded
the bounds of propriety. Miss Richings cannot
#ing poorly If she should strive to do So Still
her voice lacks that deeply sympathetic vein
which the TOte of f-"Marguerite" imperatively
demands; and although she performed her
part exceedingly well in English, it was
as awhole, unequal TO what a critical audience
would have demanded of an Italian or German
>prima donna. The same may be said of Mr..
-CampbelTs "Meph,stOpheles." He had a de-
.-cidedly satanic air, but there was not quite
enough of the dioJieTie about it. His nose was
too short and blunt, his mOustach,os not long
and .wiry enough. land his fingers might have
been more crooked. He made an earnest effort
to reach the low, rumbling notes of the hend,
ard succeeded well in the main, but will doubt
less succeed much better with the practice of
the future The Faust" of Mr. Castle and the
a ''Siebel" OF Mrs Seguin, however, were fully
equal to the requirements, and, in TRUTH
, far in advance of the style in which they are
usually rendered; while Mr.. Seguin as "Valen-
tine' was quite good. Putting it all together,
the audience were gratiied,with the whole per
formance and Justly so, in the minds of the
more critical portion. The first presentation
of Faust in English certainly event in
the musical world, and even moderate sue
cess would have been sufficient reward for
the endeavor. THIS afternoon, the present
: season will be brought to close with another
representation of Faust. and we are glad to
know that the troupe win visit us again in the
spring, Na-- - rvt