New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-16
MUSIC
TIE RUSSIAN OPERA.


Mr.. Dmitri AgreEef Hlaviansky introduced
his opera troupe last night at the French Thea
ter in the comic IoDera OF "AscOds Tomb" by Yerstow
skago. or the composition may say in brief that
offers little which please the American ear ready a.
Americans are to welcome anything from Muscovy In
its structure resembles German music more than any
thing else. and wherever scientific culture appears, that
culture is evidently Of German origin. The national
character which modifes it Is Of uncouth and bar
barous kind, notable chiefly for monoonous infections
aud ungracefu intervals Nothing in the whole opera pro-
duced pleasant impression nterlude by Glnka
played between the first and second Of the third
act; aud Gnka, though Russian by birth and MEM
Der of family distinguished in Russian literature is
German in the style and spirit Of his music The plot OF
the OPERA il the bretto fairly represents it, has but
little interest and certainly not distinguished for clear
ness The principal performers call for very little cr
cism. Mr. Agrenef slaviansky, the tenor, has good
voice, OF rather light quality, and is the only mem
Der OF the company who manlfests much artistic
culture. In his case however, culture has been
carried Beyond It's legitimate bounds, and his
style is unpleasant because 1t is unnatural.
He has moreover a bad habit OF taking note about
quarter OF a below the proper pitch, and then
executing With 1t crescendo which would be very fine,
only it is unfortunately not iii tune The prma donna,
Mile. Levitzkaa, has strong mezzo-soprano-perhap
one might say high cOntralto-yoce, almost entirely
without training. There four other ladies. who sing
in the minor parts and also in the chorus and several
manent daes OF the theaer who wear Russian dresses
and do not sing at all The male characters are sufficiently
numerous sufficiently picturesque, and sufficiently insig
nhcant In musical 10 deserve no particular men
tiou except that they look very much like Russian
peasants and sing very much we should expect Rus
sian peasants TO sing may that we are not hos
ptabe TO strange visitors but truth has It's claims
and the public has right to plain speaking and what
can we say The music which NJ. Agranen Sayiansky
brings US ia poor music and such as 1t his people don't
know how 10 sing IT, They did much better In their con
cers wherein they gave excellent choral singing
by the male voices There very little OF that KIND OF
performance the opera aud some OF the best voices ID
the company have chance to be heard The dancing
upon the whole was dull and decOrous
ACADEMY or MUSIC.
The elixir Of Love" last night brought for
ward Miss Pauline Canissa who having sung here few
years ago In German opera Secondd donna has since
passed through the usual routine OF going to Europe and
coming back again. We find her about as pretty and
pleasant az she was before and somewhat improved In
her vocazaton though her debut last night was not
brilliantly successful Errani and Coleu were IN the
cast-the latter being especially bad. Roneoni by hn
admirable acting saved the fortunes OF the night as re
has done many time before. The audience was small
The subscription season closes with the "Baf@ IN
MascheraD on Friday when Signor Lefranc will make
his appearance and draw, suppose. fun house
There will be one supplementary performance next week
probably william Tell fOr the last time) on Wednes-
day-and after that need expect no more itaiiah
opera until February
The Bellevue Hospital concert is postponed
uElA OlOHuaS'