The New York herald., 1868-05-10
The Operate Excitement in London.


The London journals are full of comments
on the extraordinary successes of Mile. Van
zini (better known at home as Mrs. Van ZandD
at the Royal Italian Opera, and of Miss Kel-
logg at her Majesty's Opera. We published
yesterday some of the eulogies bestowed upon
the appearance of Nile. Vanzini in the char
acter of Margherita in M. Gounod's ''Faust."
The five journals from which our extracts were
made seem to concur in the opinion expressed
by the London Star, that ''perhaps, on the
whole, Mile. Vanzini gives US a Margaret
which is more like that of Goethe's drama than
almost any of her predecessors. 1t is simple,
sweet tremulous, pathetic" On the other
hand, copious extracts might be given from
London journals endorsing the opinion of the
London Reoieao, that in the character of Gilda,
in "Rigoletto, Miss Kellogg, by ''the genial
and natural charm of manner which distin-
guished her earlier scenes with her father and
her surreptitious and anonymous lover, the
Duke, contrasted with the intense pathos and
deep agony of the subsequent scenes Of ruined
hopes and bhghted love-" proved herself ''to
be an artist whose versatility renders her
equally efficient in the delineation of refined
geniality and elegant grace as of genuine
pathos and tragic emotion"
Indeed, the Juror which both Miss Kellogg
and Mile. Vanzini-formerly Mrs. Van Zandt-
have created in London bids fair to occasion
an operatic war that will minister as fierce
delight to the Bohemian oyster house critics
there as our own recent operatic war minis
tered to their brethren here. Americans can
not but exult in the fact that the two artists
about whom the London press is so greatly
excited are both American prime donme.
The time seems to have arrived when
America is beginning to repay with full inte-
rest whatever debt it may owe to Europe for
the Malibrans, the Crisis, the Jenny Linds and
the other vocal celebrities whom we have
heretofore welcomed and enriched. Our PATHS
and Vanzinis and Kelloggs are now heartily
appreciated abroad. Another encouraging
fact is the extreme pleasure manifested by
European audiences at hearing from American
singers what the critics admiringly call
''bright, clear voices"-''voices clear, resonant
and agreeable" They vie with each other in
praising ''the quality and tone" of these fresh
American voices. And there is, happily, no
lack of such voices on this side of the Allan
tic. Something electrical in our very atmos-
phere is favorable to their production. Not a
few of these voices, destined, we believe, to
surpass even those which the English and the
continental press have lately united in applaud
ing, are now in the course of thorough train
ing in the best European schools of music.
And we hazard little in predicting that ere
long the foreign triumphs of Miss Kellogg,
Mile. Vanzini, and even Mile. Patti, may be
transcribed. Europe will be amply justified
in its newborn enthusiasm for American
singers.
But we must not forget that the success Of
operatic singers, and that of actors and
actresses, depends not solely on their own
gifts and accomplishments ''bright clear
voices" or on superior dramatic talent. The
unprecedented triumphs of Ristori in America
are largely due not only to the unrivalled
genius of that great tragSdienne, but also to
the rare tact and indomitable energy of Man
ager Grau. And none will deny that the in
imitable chic of la Grande Duchesse Tostee
has been most efficiently seconded in bewitch-
ing the public, not only by Offenbachs music,
but also by the irrepressibility of Manager
Bateman, who bearded even Duncan in his
den. An excellent manager can almost work
miracles, provided always that he exercise
such exceptional judgment in selecting his
L. L.. l~~~ 49,
whom we have named. We trust that our
American prime donne who are ambitious Of
winning renown in Europe may never suffer for
lack of efficient managerial aid.