New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-09

anon 60: 90 have changed the pert pretty,
mischevOus ROsiaG has become in the later comedy
proper and yet yvacous COHntess In whom few years
have not extinguised this spirit Of intrigue and tho rel
! ish for fun Al8ldriva has grown TO be precisely
saCh husband might have sworn he
would be--a seasoned gannt. In whose breast tho
flames OF adventure still burn too brightly 20 be
satisfied with domestic joys, who loves his charming
wife well as ever but IA not TOO strict for little
Irritation with her maid. And Figaro how naturally and
pleasantly he 900 has ripened Tue gay gOodnatured
shrevd kndhearted Barber has into the service
OF the Count whom helped to OF wife, and in
his maturer days he pursues his account the
tcng objects which he hunted for other people It
was fitting that be should be vexed now with some OF
the perpexites which in his earlier time he delighted in
Creating Through all has troubles however, shines the
bright humor and quick spirit which made him VI old
the most exhilarang Of eompaniOns and keeps akO
the substantial excellence purpose which raised him
so Tar above bhe character OF a mere intrguer The
FOLLY OF Bertoio and the malice OF Bdsili0
qualities that only grow stronger with
age In them we iud change. yet they intro
duced with sufficient variety of circumstance. Two
new characters created; the pretty maid Susanna
whose yiyactY just q little subdued by her love for
Figaro and the fascinating little page Oherubino the
most winsome OF all pages in the modern drama.
Such was lie Marriage de Figaro" when Beaumarchais
hight of his extraordinary career brought it
IN 1874 in the midst the widest excitement Louis
XVI had declared that IL should never be performed
during his reign; but people learning TO laugh Mt
royal prohibitions In those days. and the comedy
PLAYED in Paris before muttudes of ladies and gentle
men OF high degree who fought for places and beseged
the doors OF the theater from early morn TIL evening
We boast nowadays Of run" OF hundred nights but
lie Marriage de Figaro ran for years. It in the
first flush of its success when Mozart proposed 70 use IL
for an opera Da POnte the same who afterWsrd wrote
the Hhretto of Don Giovanni" adapted the text, and
the music written In six weeks The difficulties
which boset Beaumarchas did not spare the composer
The play had been forbidden in Vienna, where Mozart
! was then established. and it not without some
trouble that the imperial license obtained for the
production OF opera greatly the plot and dialogue
had been modified in the adaptation AT the hrst per
formance in May 1885, the singers, inspired by one OF
the clques which looked upon Mozart as pes
lent pretender tried TO damn the opera by singing out OF
tune. But in spite OF ALL the work made its way Taken
from the stage at Vienna, after nine triumphant repre-
sentatons the composer went with 1t to Prague, where
IL ran a whole Winter From that time its place has
| been so far fixed that there is question among
! musicians except whether 1t shall rank as the
first of operas the second. "Don Giovanni
think should be placed before H. because the subject
Of that work admitted Of grandeur of treatment which
in lie Nozze d Figaro would have been misplaced But
the "Figaro" has never rivaed except By Mozart
himself Don Giovanni" contains nothing more beau
tuI than the exquisite Zephyr duet nothing more de
licOus than the songs Cherbio, Vol che sapete
and sNOn piu nothing more refined ana tenuel
than the COunteSss Dove sono," more graceful and
elegant than StlsaTna's Och vieni tardar" Nor
it only in these principal the Of melody which
Mozart distributed with impartial hand to his three Re
male characters that the charm Of the opera consists
all respects 1t Of the most perfectly finished
! compositions. Every phrase betrays the e1ubern
fancy OF musical poet, and the chase style Of an ac
compshed musical scholar The concerted pieces arr
marvels OF ingenious and effective construction and TN
accomplishments incredibly rich in those minor beau
ties which genius scaters the least conspicuous
! we'll as the most striking OF It's works.
Properly the work requires exceptionally strons
cast 1t needs sopranos Of almost equal excellence
a mezzO-sOpranO OF the very highest class baritone
special merit, first bass Of quality seldom found now
adays good second BASE second sopranos, who hay
pretty fair share Of melody to sing and two subordi
nate male characters The role is wonderfully In
significant The difficulty Of arranging such cas-
| is no doubt the reason why the opera
80 rarely heard in NewYOrk. Thirty thrtynye year
ago II used TO be given in English by company under
the management Of the late Mr.. Walaek, wherein MIS-
shlrref and Mr.. and Mrs segun (the parents OF IN
present generation Of seguins) the leading men
] " - r'~'i~- - a. 4 dam
/ OF Music, with Piccolomini as Cherubino, ana CaI
Formes as Figaro. Then it laid aside again unit
/ March 1876 when Madame Parepa Rosa revived 1t Il
English and made OF the most successful venture
Of very successful season. We ought TO be graeiul
Mr. MaretEek for bringing it forth again. however IN
perfectly The distribution Of parts last night was
! follows