The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-02
ITALIAN OPERA.
Opening Of ria Easter Seasca-Gs's Might at the
Acadelsy-a Nine thousand On Hundred
Dollar House IL Troyatore,"
with parspa gosa, Phillips
Wachtei aua 3aatlsy,

Tie most exlriyagapt expectations formed OF the
Easter season or italian opera whlch opened last
night as tie Acadcmy fell tar snort o ne reality as
WAS evidenced i, the performance or I'll lrova-
tore" with tue following casl:-- leonosa. Madane
Parepl-hosa; Aznccaa, Miss Adelaide Philips;
Malrco Herr Warhtel; Count ~ luha Mr SAINT
Icy. 10 say that the house was crowde would put
family express the number ul people that
Nstenet to thls performance. The receipts
reached The nelsahofhooi OF 50, 00 an un-
patedcel sum or ! single representation. The
gehcaa gfice OF Gears placed al 80, but OF
The Spectators readily ool aiued double that amount
BEFORE thr performance commenced. IL oaly
proves wuat we aave oItea sad before, that New
York Is Wiling pay FOR The best talent in llalaa
Opera, no m tier what The blt may The real
cause oil tae reported failure OF operate managers
IN the past 4. due 10 their penny wise
and pound foolish" VIEWS OF manage
ment, and not 10 The public. We can
jost "a well pay Tor oper, here as
London or Paris, even II the government subsidy
Is not IN existence. Missions great success was due
to her own SURPRISING faeuts aud lao size such sur
r0undines "a those which gave the opcra last night
SUCH te'af she might not have louad Al necessary TO
brave the perls oil Western tour.
II Is now some seventeen yeas s.nce La Grange,
Brigno! ana AmoIp introduced "l lioyatore' 10
the American pno,c. aud The immense popularity
winch tue Work attained At once, made 1t q
prominent feature every season since But much
abuse at the hands OF incompetent trouocs have
shaken lis hold on the public OF lac years,
and IL has come 10 be regarded only convenient
opera to iii out season or 10 be used as Il subsl
tate In case OF disappointment. 1t is needless 10
enumerae the various casts OF distinction In this
opera since II, first representation in New York. but
nnquesilonsbly Laat OF last nsh' waS the best ever
Known mere. me voice and scnoo OF Madame
matte character and passionate nature OF Leo
a f acea "a SSe q aua me sa a
r0see' especially tue cabaleita 10 the former:
rem ae 9 the msa e 81 mo MISS Ph y Ms
known, and in the second act, in the scene with
Mayco her acting rose 10 the standard OF tstori.
Her beautiful, sympathetic voice has lost some in
roundness and ccarness IN The upper notes but the
lower and middle tones are as iul OF dramatic fire
The TWO features, however, OF the opera. in
polnt o. novelty and pubic eSpac'a'lon, were
tenor WAS IN fine voice asd splits and
sang mucn better tfan on the night Of
The Acaacmy. lie invesiei MS opening serenade :
"Desero sua terra'--wlth an exquisite grace and
the tenor line than his uneQuaiicd rendering OF the
scena, "Ah 81 ben MO. oi course the erect OF
the "Di qnea plra." Az The close Of the .1ird act
ing hun before The curtain oar tunes. But we liked
MIN best in tue scena referred tQ ahqye, as
,here was tender express'og aid passionate
seldom from tenors nowadays. The on, defect In
his Manrco Is IN the tower scene. y! Wnicl nc Ial.5
to communicate 10 The can che Ia horeo the fer.
vor ami expression that Is Recognizable IN "Ah! 81
ben mio.' Mr.: Waohtel's acting Is fully equal 10
ms Singing and IL hc would cndeavort3 tone o9W4
little oil the ini ense excitement under winch ne
evidently labor; ne could ne tenor sans ,eD.oche
III Balen' suue I'll IA style which Is as nearly AKIN
to perfection - a human voice could make 1t.
Santley mad already made a deep and lasting lm-
preston on the minds OF the New York public,
IN opera, oralorio and coYccri, but last night
was his eliminating truaipn. Such superb
voice, nt.n musical training and perfect vo.
casm have rarely been united baritone.
with expression and passion. Inc line culture OF
his voice il shown in the perfect ease WIN which he
sings ana his complete mastery o. rae Ills act
ing IS rather quiet Tor Ncrdi representative, but
mol devoid OF grace and ease
II may be Interesting here to give rac dates OF the
first appearance IN public OF cacn OF tii- ccebr:Ned
ton. Mad9mc Parera.R Rosa made her debut III
Malta, 1856, as Ammo, IN LA Sonnanibula' Wach-
tel at Vienna in 1Sis: and Santley CermOnc, in
"frayiata" ~ IariA III 1896. Madame kosa's
American d. hut TOOK place IN sos.
The chorus and cIcacs III last night were I'M
measuraby superior 10 auythng IN that line we
have had IN New York Tor years. WITH he eNcep-
ton OF a yGttl gas III the ''Anv ChGrus1 win the
anvs aud an occa lonai hurrying Of tae teHlpo the
choSs ana orchestrA might be said 10 be letter per-
icct. II was something To he eiel TO hear
The eject Of those si&ty instruments uduer .ari
Infused into the Instrumentation. We would suS-
sest that III future representations ol lhs opera
here that the tower III the last ACT be paced IL the
back instead OF the wing a. the elect oil the
tenors voice would be UNLIKELY better II would
only neee5slate sllght change ~ the setting OF
the laat scene. On Wednesday Verii's mastefwork,
''Rignetto," VIII lie given, with Tie i0it0Wlu9 pow
erful cast:--uida, Nine. Parcpa .Rcsa: MahGalena,
iaiss Phillips: luke OF Mantua, WaChtcl; RlgUettO,
Santie.; SparapIche, Aynsey Cook.