New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-12
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MUSIC.
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

an prosperity. spite OF lne popular con-
vIcon that musical managers experience can never,
under whatever circumstances be anything but long
catalogue OF unnumbered woes and that his life not
unlike the later years of Mr. Mantalin made up
demntion financial grind, there have been periods Of
Mr.. Marezeks career sufficiently frequent and
positive to enable him TO endure this stroke Of for.
tune without fear OF intoxicating consequences. He
pursues the preparations for his promised great events
with uuabaed calmuess and perseverance, and possibly
I'm senses than one remains determined 10 stand by
the tenor Of his announcements. william Tell" is now
active rehearsal and will be brought ont at the earliest
practicable mOment-prObably the week after next
Meanwhile to have Fra Diavolo," Faust" and,
possibly, Norma" As to the exact period OF the pro-
ducton Of Hamlet" public curiosity must continue for
while unsatisGed 1t is not the managers purpose to
clog the community with embarras DIES rlchesses
The Academy was again brilliantly filed on Wednes
day evening and the entire performance OF "l Troya
tore" especially those parts in which NJ Lefranc was
prominent, received with hearty satisfaction To
the efforts of this gentleman the chief excitement of the
season. thus far due He may indeed be said to have
conquered his audience with single noe-the resonant
high c. This is circumstance not especially attering
to the artist, altogether credable to the discern
of the public and if the reputation he has so sud
denly gained had nothing better to sustain it than the
achievement It would not be likely to last long
Fortunately NJ Lcranc has others powers and qualities
both OF voice and style, better calculated to make
good his claims to distinction. 1t is not TO be
denied that a chest G, certain heroine
OF low comedy might say, is good
thing TO have in the house. The faculty OF producing IL
is guarantee of strength in other tones, which, although
less exhaustng far beyond the easy reach OF most
modern tenOr and at the time indispensable to
the complete effect OF certain OF intensity In the
works Meyerbeer and others of his school OF itself
is OF little Importance There not half dozen operas
extan In which 1t is required or even desirable In
TroyatOre" for example 1t is an Interpolation, the com
poser having thought Of introducing it, But as
have said there is "A satisfaction I'm knowing that tenor
holds 1t in his power, from the assurance 1t affords US
that the ordinary AS and fats OF Haleyy
Meyerbeer do not put him to positive torture.
How uncommon the gift is, may be
judged from the fact that other tenor we have had
here has possessed it, Stieel the best the whole,
Of robust enOrs, could not command tat least he
never attempted It. Muslani set up a claim to the
championship, but his Wanted G only b, and
bad that He aferward rdiculed out OF Paris
for attempting there. OF Mr. Maccaterris effort in the
same direction only say that, whatever else 1t
might have been, IL certainly not chest C. There
was a tenor named Nitrate in New-YOrk some fifteen
years ago whose friends claimed that quite within
his scope and remembering the magnificent power and
ceaess OF his voice. think 1t not improbable but
he gave proof, either in operas or concerts.
or NJ. Lefranc's c. however, there can be no
question. attacks 1t without fear and yanquishes
II without reproach The manner in which he leaves it,
and gdos to the below shows, moreover that he does
II without excessive effort But after all. intereced
high like this II TroyatOre" is only earcatch
ing trick, and good musical purpose. In evil
liam TELL" on the contrary, 1t is employed with dis.
tnct and important meaning and has IA positive value.
as NJ Lefranc will doubtless he able to demonstrate.
There thrilling effect In the whole OF
the lyric drama than in the spirited air OF the last act,
"Suiyczmoi." the bold progression upward from the
middle q. marching rapidly 10 the octave above, and
hon uuffu will moi me
semtones 10 the towering climax The artist who can
successfully accomplish II genuine triumph In
the first act OF civilian Tell" may observe an OPP
portunity Is given for still higher chest note, sharp,
but nothing would be gained by utterng it in this way,
would be TO pass unheeded by the mass OF the
audience, besides needlessy ana pIematuIey Iausuhg
the singer.
on one account the vt n, poirine deserves little his
orc corner Of its own IL IL sort OF landmark In mu'
steal annals. It's introduction and recognition may be
looked back upon as one Of the chief signals Of new
method In lyric composition aud yocasm. We speak OF
IT, Of course only as symbol Up 90 the period OF "W-
liam Tell" the modern romantic school compare
lively Uniformed and that noble work shows many
traces Of adherence TO the older types We are
not acquainted with any preceding opera In which
the large dcclamatory style OF delivery was
demanded, or was desirable "Masanello' can
hardly be considered exception. The idea
Of calling upon a tenor for the display OF such peculiar
vousy been entertained There is reason to doubt
whether Rossini himself intended To draw so heavily
upon the OF the operate hero OF bis day The
writer's OF period do not record the manner In which
Nourrt the original Arnold produced his effects in this
particular opera, but told In general way mat
he was especially distinguished for extraordinary and
unique strength OF head voice, or faiseto IL is pos
sible then that the famous m de pOitne may first have
been sounded by Duprez, his immediate successor one
thing Is certain that Dpon the latters assumption
OF other roles first created by Nourrt-especially
in Meyerbeer's operas-it was universally acknowledged
that they received entirely ewinterpreaton 80 FAR
"a we may now Judge, Duprez was the first complete
illustrator Of the broad decamaory school or his more
or less robust followers few have rvaed his fame or his
capacty Before yenturing 20 assume place
beside him, that dreadful OF course must
be surmounted-a necessity which has OFTEN
been an impossible barrier in the way OF am
bilious tenors There never but one man who could
lauyb IL TO scorn and he was-n artistic
sense we can no longer say he is-Tamberllk'
who used TO play pitch and toss with II at
WILL and who accustomed to Ming II out as II III mere
snort and reckessness whenever opportunity Afforded
TamberKs not likely to get nor even Monglhs'
SO we must content ourselves with what we really De-
eye ia about the best thing for the immediate pur
pose a tenor like NJ Lefranc, who enjoys faculty
with which very OF his class endowed and who
is at the same time thoroughly agreeable and accom-
pished artist.
This evening Fra Diayolo" will he represented with
Miss Kellogg ana sgnor Roncon it their familiar roles OF
Zerina and the ignoble English tourist.
AMATEUR CONCERT AT LYRIC HALL.
A party of distinguished amateurs appeared
last evening at Lyric Hail. establishment situated IN
the remote and unfrequented regions OF Fortyrstst
and sxthaye in "A concert for the benefit OF the New
York Hospital for Women aud Children The audience
was large and uncommony brilliant So fashionable an
assemblage in the OF toilet ana othef exterior
decorations at least Is not often in New-Nork.
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