New-York tribune., 1868-02-15
THE OPERA.

The Winter, 80 far, has been trying one fol
musical entertainments Of all kinds and few
of the theaters have Jared as wei as has been
their wont. No enterprise, however, during
the early part of the season, was so unfortunate
"a the opera. While Maretzek's company kept
possession Of the Academy Of Music, disasters
were heaped upon disasters In vain one singer
after another was brought out-many Of them
good, nearly all of them better than we are
used to /; in vain the great buffo, Ronconi, was
prodi& of his fun; in vain bright
little American girl, by her successes on
the lyric stage. added to our growing
reputation as o musical people, or the best
baritone We have heard since CASTER and one
of the best bassos we have had since Susini's
prime, roared their manly melodies The pub
lie was cOldly Indifferent. New operas we're
produced. and well produced tOo before half
filled houses; and the manager at last, with an
empty treasury, went away to moro hospitable
cities. Music for while in New-York was
almost one Of the lost arts. At length came
the reaction, and, as usually happens in
such cases. the excitement of the reyi-
val was fully proportional with the apathy
of the past period. The enterprise of Pike
and Strakosch on the west side of the town,
the novelty Of the gorgeous house, the return
Of old favorites, the awakening OF pleasant
old associations, combined to render the last
operatic season more successful in a pecuniary
sense than many of its best wishers burst
hope il would be; and. now that Strakosch,
and La Grange, and Brignoli, and Phillips
have gone over to the old Opera-house In
Irving place, good fortune still Clings to
them. 1t is characteristic of American haste
and impulsiveness that in the first Hush
of this new prosperity, another opera COM
pany should seek to divide the honors
and profts Of the musical renaissance. On
Monday night Pixies Opera House will reopen !;
and while La Grange and BrignOli are playing
"The Masked Ballp in Fourteenth-st, Miss
Hauck and Ronconi will frolic in Petrella's
Carnival on the Eighth-ave. The rivalry
between the<two houses, whatever effect it
NAV have upon their respective treasures, can
hardly fail to be of profit to the public. On
the one hand we shall have excellent artists
whom it has long been our delight to
honor, and with whom our pleasantest
recolections of some of the most popular
operas are inseparably associated. On the
other there is O strong and admirable
company, made up of many of the best mem
bers of Maretzek's former troupe such as Miss
Hauck, and Bellini, and Antonucci, together
with Madame Gazzaniga, and the German ar
lists under the direction of Grover. Among
these last are the sweet-vOiced tenor, Habel-
man, and the great basso, Joseph Hermans.
In ordinary circumstances such rivalry rs this
would probably entail ruin upon both mana
gers. But we should not be surprised il both
did we'll The excitement Of the fresh
interest in operate performances will do
much for them; and there is this thing
also to be considered: Mr.. Strakosch, by
his three weeks season at Pixies, devel-
oped an entirely new musical public, which
had never frequented the opera before.
The crowds which surrounded his ticket-ofice
were Indigenous 1t had never been their habit
10 go often to the old opera-hOuse; that was
too far away for them; but when the enter
tainment was brought to their doors, they
rushed to see it, and very brilliant and very
appreciatiye audiences they proved. When Mr..
Strakosch removed to Irving-place they. did
not follow him; but he found awaiting him
there the old Academy audiences, athirst for
melody after their long abstinence. SO one
side of the town runs after La Grange and
Brignoli, while the other awaits Maretzek and
Grover. Why, with two sets of patrons, should
we not have two companies of singers The
experiment, which at first sight would appear
to folbode disaster, may, after all, prove
substantial benefit to the public.
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