The New York herald., 1872-11-10

celebrated pilgrimage to Lourdes," full and
interesting reports of which have already
appeared in these columns.
The Hebre,o Leader discourses upon 'The Old
and the Modern Jewish Pulpit and Preacher"
italian Opera I'm New York-The Critics
and tho Criticised.
Audi aAeram partem is trite but useful
phrase Hear every side is perhaps closer to
what the astounding differences Of opinion on
the operate company now performing at the
Academy would require From superb to
good, from good to Indifferent, from
indifferent to bad and from bad to
execrable range the various verdicts of
the critics. 'It is an unequal company suits
q great number, because it is vague and
non-committal 'tit is a snap company
suits another brigade, because it implies
that the critic was not consulted when
the members were being engaged Much
more difficult would it be to generalize or
classify the judgments passed on individual per-
formers from the prima donnadown to the big
drum man. As if to involve in stygian gloom
of doubt those who patronize Italian opera,
some carefully written letters are sent to us
for publication, which, as they have the single
common merit Of being representative of what
we might term the factious in opinion, we pre-
sent in another place to our readers 1t will
be understood that in doing so we decline be-
ing held accountable for the extravagances of
any Of them. The austere rage of ''Musicus''
OF "the desire to find fault and incapac-
ity to judge" may have much justice
in it; but mark how the angry "Free
Of Mlle Lucca, and see how the purple life
streams of Auber and Mozart follow it. Lucca,
says the first, is greater than Nilsson, ''because
the artistic power is more important than mere
charm. Lucca does not stand as high as
Nilsson in London; she pumps her notes,
when they are written down cantable She
has occasional bursts of magnetic force, but
she should not arrange her hair before the
audience, is his sinister compliment s'She
is an eagle and nightingale rejoins
.tMusicus" defantly, mystically and ornitho-
good. kind word, tempered with neat con-
demnation of her defective method" of that
cold-blooded kind which critic enjoys in the
approving depths of his self-consciousness.
Free Lance" says she was deservedly encored
on Friday night, although some appreciated her
'@pure method by kissing. After reproving
the gods he then tells her to act better himself.
The rest of the company "Musicus'' thinks
evidently not SO bad as they might be, oil
things considered and from this and
the difficulty of obtaining perform
ers, on which "Viator" dwells so
pathetically, he thinks New York not SO badly
treated after ALL "Musicus," when he says
sthere seems to be parti pris with regard to
certain artists" some to be praised beyond
measure, others to be abused beyond human
endurance, reaches an undoubted source of
much Of the evil Of this disordered criticism.
The daring which attacks a great composer
may be excused for swooping down on per-
former without many friends.
Apart from the ignorance of some critics
and the merits of the performers actually be-
fore us, the question of supply and demand in
the vocal market is one that will interest
great many. "Viator's' information points
to the difficulty of procuring complete first
class company as arising not only from
the high prices demanded, but from
the scarcity of the highly ly-fnished article.
''Fxee Lance" as though about to plunge
into some fiery fray, from which he never
hopes to return alive, asks in frenzy, "Must
we sit through performances where the scores
have been previously mutilated that they may
he the more readily murdered by so-called
artists?' syiator' responds that the compe-
tition for talent forbids perfect ensemble
A manager, he says, cannot train his
company sufficiently; he is hampered
BY the shareholders, and SO on.
We do not think the case is SO bad on the one
hand as "Free Lance insists it is, or so
hopeless of reform as 'viator'' would lead us
to believe. The great fact to be borne in
mind by managers and singers is that New
York will pay the best price for talent, and
that no second rate article can pass current
here as first rate. If Lucca has been pretty gen.
orally praised, Kellogg and janet moderately
Landed and the remainder offered up as vica-
rious victims on Che altar of criticism, it bears
its lesson. No matter what the discordance of
opinion, the grade we have marked is that on
which, in varying terms, the press and the
!. public have placed the artists. With these
few admonitions the triad of letters will be
found well worth reading.