New-York tribune., 1871-11-06
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA,
MUSIC.

THE OPERA sEAsoN-MIss NELSON'S MARGHRRpr.
IN. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. PERPoRhAr.
CES.
We are promised nothing new at the on.-.
this week, but Miss Nilsson s 10 repeat the hroe "a.
sonstons which hsve been most generally liked OF n.
I've In which she has thus far appeared Il IA MAJ
enough by this time that Of the membera N a.
company have decided popular favor except N,.or
and Capou, and that neither In the mise setn. tA
orchestrs the chorus the general drill arc ts rur
scntatons OF this to differ materially from tao.
OF former years And yet Italian opera this Winter %
be judged by @ very high standard. The manager has
secured two Of the foremost singers Of the world
induced people TO pay nearly twice the ord,p
ary prices, obtained great assistance froc,
the directors OF the Academy, and received
every encouragement from the public. We have arebt
thon expect that every work shall be produced with
careful and good cast and the performance
be worthy, as o whole, OF the distinguished arttsts
whose names head the bills Perhaps II Is 10 make tina
for the proper mounting and reheaEsal Of works
that confined this week 10 repetition Of the old
But any shall not be sorry TO witness again Tie
Faust" "Traviata" and Martha which have beenso
much successful than the other ventures Of Tia
season. We have done full justice to Miss Nilsson,
wonderful dramatic Interpretation OF Gounods heroine
1t not to mind the BEST but II Is by far the mot
Interesting OF tho impersonatOns which she has gYen
New-YOrk. Every scene Ia study; every motion iss
little stroke OF art; every turn OF the head
every glance OF the eye, every posture Is part OF ea
full plan whose art Is most artfuy concealed Her song
at the spnningwheel Is charmingy natural that Oos
almost orgets to he pleased with IT, Her Kayety In tie
Jewel song, when she admires herself pretily ia Tue
glass; and shakes her finger at the reflection Of her own
laughing face, Is absolutely infectious. And what eaa
be more exqustely simple than the embarrassment Of
her meeting with Faust In the garden, when she reooc
nzes the stranger who had accosted her In the marf
place. and Is artessy conscious OF the real purpoed
his visit The garden duet, the terrible scene In ths
church. and the mad In the prison. display powers
OF higher kind than many OF Miss Nllssons best
friends believed her 10 possess We hope ever
the passion Of the young girls surrender the horrOd
her hours Of remOrse, the wildness Of her insanity
or the triumph OF her death and forgiveness, mora
vividly represented. But the Margherita Of GounOd
not merely the heroine OF tragedy. The music with
which the composer has illustrated the loyeeDsOde Of
Goethes mysterious drama In ITSELF quite apart from
the meaning OF the text, poem Of peculiar delicay
dreamy, tender little vague little fragmentary 70.
fined IN expression, and deep in genuine sentiment
There Is q tine flavor VI romance In this music which
Nilsson does not catch. There pathos In the greaer
part Of the third well In the prison scene which
she certainly does feel Her action foil Of pssOn
voice cold Her face refined and thought
full and yet her sentiment is unreal The song "a deli
and expressive to remarkable degree but not
in the fullest sense OF the word sympathetic.
NJ CapOul corresponds perfectly with Nilsson In this
Opern. He has q refined and flexible voice, which u
pleasant all through the register without being actually
sweet, and If he only little genuine he wh
be an ideal Faust His "salve dimOra" Is so tendry
passionate, his "Notte damor" earnest and aluOs.
poetic that hearing alone could easily
to rate him first tenor Of the day. But the fn
French school In which he trained does not prdos
really great artists. 1t makes accomplished vocalist
after certain method,-and 1t Is the destruction OF good
honest simple singing. In that overrefned sentimental
school, II. Capou is almost perfect. his facility
derful His faults besiGes the frequent use Of tho
falsetto In places where his chest voice would be
sufficiently are the characteristic vices Of French
tenors, - e1aggeraton OF manner and violent
contrasts OF light and shade. And the characte r Of
his singing also those OF his acting Both artificial
to the very degree Both at variance with every
natural emotion Both are apparently governed chiefly
by considerations Of personal display careful writer
in the weekly press well said OF another pub
lie Eperformer, that "the art is only truly noble
which subdues the personality OF the singer 70
itself and puts the sentiment OF the mush
first in Importance, the vocasm second the artist Last"
NJ. CapOul this order. He thinks first Of n
Capoul; secondly OF the mechanical art Of vOcalkm;
thirdly the meaning OF GounOds music. There
curious exhibitions OF this last Wednesday AEh
While AcphiStOpheles uttcr!ng the words which
changed the old philosopher into the young CapOu
yisiby concerned in the arrangement OF his hair
gesture was to fix bis hair. No Impulse OF love-
Or hatred fear joy divers his mind from his
head But in the last Of the opera he induldh
gesture comca that cannot believe II TO have
been intentional. When Faust Margherfa in chains
one Of his first excamatOns is OF horror at the infant
eide for which she is to die" cie ucciSc II bGn
bin " and at the word bambin NJ. CapOul stretched out
his arms and went through the motion of danding
baby. He doubtless unconscious Of t-but he could
have done it If he had really felt the music. Such
criticism this may seem too minute But CapOul and
Miss Nilsson are famous singers Of whom expect
something little short of perfection and judge them
accordingly with care not worth bestowng upon tho
lesser lights of their profession.
OF other musical performances during the weekWe
have little to say. Wachtel has been repeating familiar
roles IA. the stadt Theater pending preparations fos
The HuguenOts" with which he is to begin his fare.
well performances this evening For this work the man
ayers have engaged Madame Lichtmay,-aDd We need
hardly say that the strength which this lady will bring
to the company has been sadly needed. 1t seem pity
that the great German tenor should leave heV-ion
while his popularity still great but presume ha
viii return before long, and hope lie pIay thenh '
heard under pleasanter circumstances.
Opera boufe still kicks up its heels at Lima EdSns
Theater, whore Mile Aimee seems TO have made lor
tunate venture Perhaps this will not add materially to
the happiness OF the world still We may admit nA'
LecocQ's "Fleur de The" which Mile. Am6e's " pr
icular vanity" lust at present neatly and efficiently
put upon the stage and capitay acted NJ Edgard And
the lady herself make most Of the fun Edgards
Eaolin being especially coInical. n. NUe, the eadns
tenor sings quite well enough for opera boufe. NIL"
Aimee is inimaby vivacous and delivers all the quet
tionabe tests with the most charming neakpeSs and
relish.