The New York herald., 1871-10-31
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

,ss, ovor,nc It was the first opera that gave I,
.,n.,oSoa so, 'sfaction this season. and we q
sa@ 20 +. ahs n g. sr0nicle that the new tenc
A. -, .oul acted aid sang for the fiji
.;..., style commensurate with the ere
renn,o,,on ~ brought with Sm from Europ
v,p,s.." n u' 'l In which Nile. Nilsson DIR
shona .' 'w before the Parisian al
Iondon n,,,,. a,,, 'ly her impersenstions
Lonuoh puOtlc' Anu cerraA - the sn,endor Of III
| Lucia and Martha pale Defe> yas : vIo,o,,o va,
'Dame aux Camelass'' here. ~ hitberto aeon
different from what we have been = or raso,o,
toned to- Gentleness and dignity instsA> race an
Ior sensuous languOr and enrontery 4, ,,n,
ArueSsness, and IN place OF recklessuess N
cehce-why 1t was quite a revolution tn
character OF the Lady Of Camelfas. We have
been accustomed 80 long TO thoss brunette yl0etas
OF Southern origin, who seemed to incucate only
the principle chat a the world Ia folly except that
which Is pleasure" who think that the heroine
should oe naughty, seductive Circe dissolIte and
vulgar, that when the new star appeaned amad the
glare and dissipation or one OF those aasembsagcs
that musS not be specified In polite society
she seemed as much out OF place as dove
in council of hawks 1t was Violetta shorn
OF all her naughtiness vioetta with fa1v hair. light
blue eyes, calm brow and spiritueste expression.
There was not the slightest trace of the Sybarise
Aspasla IN this graceful girl that sang the "Libi-
amo," but al air OF purity was around ber that
seemed to rebuke the reckless wIckedness Of the
disciples OF Lais around her. It was pure, un-
strained. unspOiled simplicity, and for the
"Dame aux Camelias" we must say thae it
was entirely at variance with received notions
Then came the declaration OF the lover
Alfred GermOnt, and the first act closed
with that never to be forgotten "Ah
rors lui," which when sung as Nilsson alone
" n no naar ,,tba inf
love. The second act revealed sublimity in the
character OF this love In surrenderng it at the call
OF duty Never was anguish more powerfully por-
trayed on the stage than when the unhappy Vio-
etta wrote the fatal letter that was to separate her
from her lover. And then came the return to the
wild scenes OF the Parsan salons In which she was
much out of place, and the deadly insult offered
ner by Alfred when he nung the purse OF gold
at her feet. But In the last scene Nilsson
was sublime. In her case there was no consump-
tion; IL was clear or broken heart. All the
hackneyed tricks OF little coughs and fainting fl
which Bosio and Plccolomln originated Were alb
sent here. She died SO naturally, ftom the excess
might be, caused in ner heart, that no
one present Thought for the moment OF sucn
IN her death she seemed to rob the grim destroyer
OF all his power and TO enter, guided by him. into
nty And he. VOICE. 'Ho pure soprano s5osaio
bright and tender as May morning. and clear and
llmpid as mountain brook, penetrating IN its dual
kind-n0w 1t thrilled the hearts OF that immense
audience Before the curtain fell fell for the last
ceptbo e Of deaS in sne
frequent attacks of weakness in that frail system
and tnat passionate outburst dying SO young that
seemed to rend tne very heartsrings. THIS was
e nav aT SeT OF last nga and o we
OF celebrated French critic, the Lais OF this mo-
ment may be described in these terms, "Her sigh
fa y,tnIn hnr nnrn Mnrn vnrfIp
cannot convey fully the effect of Nnsson's Violeta
II must be seen to be appreciated.
lover who fifty responded to the devotion OF the
Violetta. He removed all the impressions of his
He threw @ aside Tor the the nonce his French super.
fetal school and made Alfred Germont worthy OF
the Love OF srr Hs 3 s No @ pre Is
father hs sang and acted better than
sans letr e, sans rep,oche. 1t was truly mag.
niacent performance. throughout, and we hope tina,
nesday we are 10 have the Gretchen OF ali
observation-disclosures Marguerite, with Miss Cary
Capoul and Janet Only please Mr.. janet shave
that heavy beard Tor the occasion and give us a
MepnIsto with the traditional musiache corners
up) and imperial Make this sacrifice for the sake
oil art.
A Brilliant Prosra mme of Italian Opera.
The programme for the present week at the
Academy OF Music Ia one OF unusual promise. la
rravata." with Mile. Christine Nilsson as violetta
which was given yesterday evening, will be followed
on Wednesday evening by tho first representation
this season OF Gounod's "Faust," with an entirely
new cast-Mlle Nilsson as Marguerite, Miss Cary M
sicbel, NJ Capoul as Faust, NJ. Barre as Valentine
and NJ. janet as Mephistopheles. Neither of these
artists has yet appeared in this city In their re.
spective parts. Each Of them has met with extra
ordinary success in the principal opera houses OF
Europe. On Friday will be produced Mozart's 5
masterpiece, "Don Giovanni This VIII, doubtless
be memorable event In the annals of music mas
much as 1t will for the first time Introduce TO the
public Mile Nilsson as zerlins. Mile. Corani from
La Scala at Milan, ana II Teatro Regio, at Naples
Will assume the r6is OF Donna Anna, and Mile
Leon Duval who was 80 successful last Wednesday
as Roslna In the Barber OF Seyile,' will appear as
Donna Elvlra. The cast win be further strengthened
sE l55 1T II ~ N safs ss Ten
sgnOr Ronconi has consented, by request OF Mile.
Nilsson aud the management 70 take he part & Of
for the first time In Italian the roe OF the
Commandatore. by such combination OF 'stars"
the hopes 70 eclipse all previous aI
urday Martha" Will be rendered OF matinee,
with Mile. Nilsson as Lady Henrietta, together with
Miss Cary, NJ. janet and NJ. Victor Cap0ul.
IL may be added that the Committee OF Arrange
ments for the reception OF the Grand Duke Alexis
have accepted the Invitation OF M. Max strakosch
rial visitor Finally NJ. straSosch is now making
arrangements for the reappcarance Ia this country,
next season, OF Nile. Adelina Patti
Waiiack's-Mr. Charles Mathews Mar.
plot in tho s'Basybody..
'.Por the first time in many years. as the an
nouncement ran, Mrs. Ccntivre's "Busypodyu was
revived at Walack's last evening" But for the per.
feet acting with which it was produced 1t would
have been extremely stupid and an utter failure.
with Mathews, Gilbert and Brougham on the same
bill, however, such result was impossible. The
piece belongs to that old type Of comedy
so popular In the last century, IN which
age in this case, represented by an ava.
ricious old Knave and jealous father are out
wltted by youth and love. The plot Is absurdly I'm.
probable and the dialogue scarcely be described
as sparkling. Mr. Charles Mathews in Marplot,
however, found one OF those whimsical characters
which he knows so well how TO personate--
an eccentric creature who spends all his
time in minding other peoples business, and
Is nS OF Oaff, a