The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-28

MEYERBEERS SEARCH AFTER A SELKA.
"L'Africafne'' and Its Music Ana.
lytically Considered.

AS the Inauguration of the Italian opera season
approaches the excitement of the musical public
increases. Not only Is 'LAfricaine" (the last and
one OF the greutest works Of the iustrious Meyer
beery quasi novelty In the United States but the
fact that the heroine Is TO be portrayed BY Mme
Pauline Lucca, with whom the opera Is Intimately
associated nom Its very inception invests che oc-
caston with q peculiar charm. To the creation of
"DAfricaine" Meyerbeer devoted the last years OF
his life. He took almost Incredible paths with 1t
and intended 1t to be his cher G9uue. No opera
was ever so much talked about previous to It's
representation In public-none had ever been
promised 30 frequently only to be Withdrawn at the
last moment by It's composer. Some Of the greatest
lyric artists of the day tried In rehearssss at
the Academic Imperiale-among others no less
person than Mlle Ttetens-but Meyerbeer would
nave none OF them for his Seiika and 80 'L'Afri-
caine" was put Off nom year to- year until 1t be-
came tho Greek Calends OF Music. Meyerbeer,
always very hard to please, was In this instance
extravaRant In his demands. At length In Mme
Lucca he thought he found the ideal of his SeIka q
fitting artistic TO emb0dy his conceptions. The
composer who entertained quite paternal regard
for this gifted lady, taught her the music of SeTka
himself, and how well satisfied he was with his
pupil may be readily inferred from the fact that he
selected her from some or the greatest singers of
~
nrst produced at the Academic Imperiae, in Paris,
In 1864.
Tho unexpected refusal of the King of Prussia to
allow Nine. Lucca TO quit Berlin, where she was
then, as now, q concert singer" obliged Meyer
beer, entirely against his WILL to accept Mme
Sasse "a substitute, for he was too far committed
to the director Of the opera to recede any more
with honor The following year, however, when
Mr.. eye applied to Meyerbeer for permission to
bring out "L'Aricalnen at Covent Garden, the COM
poser only accorded It on the express condition
that Lucca should be the Selika. She accordingly
made her appearance IN the role at the Royal
Italian opera, with Wachtel as VascO di Cana, aud
hcr success was OF splendid character.
In choosing 'I'Africane" for her debut in the
New World the fair artist not only places herself in
the most advantageous light possible before the
American public, but pays at the same time afrec-
uonate homage to the memory OF her attached
friend and MASTER who contributed sOlargely to her
fame.
.L'Africaine"i is a story of unrequited love, of
tremes OF good or evil. Selka loves with that
deep, burning love known only to such chimes,
where
Now melt into tears, now madden to crime
she loves and 10 betrayed; but that which In
binary nature would call forth only revenge,
ev0kes In her such magnanimity as constitutes
heroine of the grandest type Her anger Ia but
bref her sacrifice eternal After an almost super
nives at the marriage and subsequent departure of
her beloved with one more dear to him.
tanly one Of the most striking aud Il" IMPRESSIVE n H
within the whole range OF the lyric drama. Seka
seeks the deadly mancani!la tree which stands
upon prom0nt0ry, from which she can behold the
vessel which carries her faithless lover and his
bride away from her forever. The death-fraught
she has sought, produce ecstatic visions, and she
ro a, Ike dsembodied spirit through the wide
G er fns 81 as aa e ner eyes are fixed
voice becomes suddenly hushed and her fond heart
beats no more The Icy dart of the King OF Terrors
mas mas t LOU. IT, beautiful Euthanasia; but one
A rapid glance at the other features OF "L'Airi-
st Which, vsco 81 Cana aSese % 1 no
only OF INSTRUMENTATION but actual mpiety, and re-
ceiyes the maledcton Of the Grand fnquisitor for
daring to assert that there Is some unknown land
Music. the Grand inqusitor in his narrow wv
tors at the present day, who ever ready to de-
cry enterprise and courage. selika's love song, In
which S the thought that she Is queen in her own
the wild, jealous rage Of Nelusko, who
loves Is seika Wlsh savage Affection expressed
duet between the dusky queen and the imprisoned
discoverer, fun Of love and tenderness, and the
concluding septet. In which all the principal char
acters OF the opera make up the musical attrac-
tions of the second act; chorus OF mariners, an
nouncing the break OF day on the ocean, the fer
song Of NeluskO, where he recites the legend OF
"King Adamanastor, monarch Of the deep, and the
interest to the third act. The curtain falls upon
the wreck of the Spanish vessel and the massacre
OF the crew by swarm OF hostile savages. In the
musical illustration OF this scene Meycrbeer has
put forth all his power.
The fourth act, with It's gorgeous scene of bar
barrie splendOr In the oriental realms OF Seika, is
ushered in by the celebrated Indian march, one of
the most characteristic and effective musical
numbers that ever Meyerbeer wrote After the
glitter and hurlyburly Of the grand festival, by
which the subjects OF Seka welcome her return,
comes the lovely tenor romance, 80 Vago Suol,"
with It's remarkable Instrumentation. We have
already spoken OF the last scene and its strong dra
matte cOlOring. The manager, Mr.. Maretzek, prom
ises representation OF the opera as TAR as mise en-
sc6ne choral and orchestral excellence ia con-
cerned, fully commensurate with the abilities OF
his gifted prima donna. Public expectation Is
The Academy of Music,