New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-28
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MUSIC.
Tile OPERA SEASON.

THE OPERA SEASON
The past week at the Academy Of Music has
been abundantly spced with variety six different
operas have been presented and al OF them except Fra
Davolo" have drawn good houses When the Marriage
OF Figaro" sung Friday night, though there
vacancies usual in the stockholders places OF
the auditorium crowded; that desolate topmost
OF boxes-the filtration boxes"-was filled, and in the
passages down stairs ladies left standing.
After this hope TO hear more OF the horrible SIAN
der upon the taste Of that people cannot
love Mozart and cannot relish OF the oyeest operas
ever written. Madame Rosa full OF voice aud vi
vacity as ever Miss Hersee and Mr. Campbell. who had
been ailng, decidedly better. and Mrs seguin
charming she always is At the matinee Saturday
an admirable representation OF Martha given by
Madame Rosa, Mrs. Seguin, Mr. Castle. and Mr..
Complimentary the best quartet We have
ever had here in English opera Mr..
Castle has been heard very little this season whenever
he has appeared he has surprised his best friends
by the improvement in his and method within the
past year or two, and in Martha" on Saturday, he
made hit quite decided as in "Trovatore" on
Wednesday. Mr.. Campbell appears 10 especial adyant-
in the part OF Plunke On Saturday evening" con-
trary 70 all expectation. there was another good
audience, the bill being 1.-THE Bohemian Girl" The cast
the weakest of the season, but the result the
whole, satisfactory. Miss Rose Hersee made de.
nghtfu Airline singing and acting sweetly and looking
unusually pretty. The Gypsy Queen was Miss Geraldine
Warden, who has been heard here before though
she is not novice. She has strong clear rather hard
voice, imperfect information, bad taste in dress and
the wonderful stride that Gypsy Queen had
In the world Mr.. Nordblom did very well Thnddeus
better than we expected Mr.. Seguin thoroughly
good Deriishoof Mr.. G. F. Hall made paterna and i'm
pressive Arnhe, and Mr. De Sofia acted the part OF
FlOreStne with ali the needed imbecilty, though he
be compmented his singing. The stage tableaux,
PROFESSIONS mobs, rruptons OF picturesque but dis
heveed gypses, and other spectacular arrangements
were managed with excellent effect
Tonight we shall have Mariana" and tomorrow
Webers "Oberon is to be heard. we may say for the
first time within the memory OF the present generation.
Forty years ago 1t used TO be given with more or less
completeness at the Park Theaer, but if not mis-
taken it presented then rather as musical drama
than opera any it is to now. 1t has
great advantage most of the operas IN Madame
Rosas repertory composed expressly for the En-
glsh stage and will not therefore, suffer the agones Of
translation. Weber 1t for COvent Garden at the
request Of Kembe in 1926, and Planche furnished the
lbretto. The ilustrious musician was dying OF con-
sumption when he began his work, and lie lived
Just long enough to superintend its production, to
witness its triumphant reception, and to write touching
letter his wife in the hour OF his triumph, thanking
God for this blessing He had not strength TO get
home again. but died in London three weeks after the first
performance. The romantic subject OF Oberon" gave
full play least phase Of Webers genius and the
OPERA though ltfacks tnc maDesuc Oh DtT
Freschiitz" is full OF poetry and ranks little, If at all,
below the more familiar composition with which the
legend OF the Wild Huntsman has been committed to
Immortality. As originally performed. "Oberen" CON
tanned more liberal proportion Of spoken dialogue than
modern allows and recitatves were afterwards
added by weber's pupil. Jules Benedict.
The opera season closes this week and the company
go next to Pittsburgh en- route for Chicago. With their
departure from NewYork they will lose the services Of
their excellent stage manager. Mr. Harry Jackson, TO
whom we indebted for many scenic effects entirely
unprecedented at the Academy OF blusio-such for in
stance as the elaborateliFair scene IN Martha" Mr.
Jackson is to play lowcomedy parts at Nibo's. and Mr.
Edward seguin succeeds him stage manager in the
opera.
MUSICAL NOTES.
Signor Ronconi purposes giving another per-
Torrance of Maria do Rohan"i at the Union League
Theaer with the assistance Of Mrs Gulager and several
other amateurs.
The opera season at Drury Lane is to open
on the 10th Of April The prDcpai artists are Christine
Nilsson Mesdames Yolplni, snlco, Monbeili ard Ire
belli Bettni. Mdes. Savertal and lima di Murska,
Mongini Bettni Gardoni, Saney, CASTER Faure, and
Foil Several works yet performed in England are
advertsed-among them Ambrose Thomas's "Mgnon."
Mozarts LOca del Cairo" webers Abu Hassan,' and
wagner's Fliegender Hoander" in its Italian dress
"LOlandese Dannato," which being interpreted is
"Tbe Damned Dutehman." At the rival house (Covent
Garden) the chief attractions to be Patti Lucca
Tietens sessi, Watchte Naudn. Mario. GRAHAM. and
Mdlle Carl American cOntraltO Patti is 10 sing IN
new opera OF Campana's, entitled "EsInerelda,' and
founded upon Victor HugO's novel
THE DRAMA.