The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-29
ITALIAN OPERA.
Its Career in New York and Lon
don for Twenty Years.
The Leading Artists Who Have Graced 1t Dur
ing that Tims-cau Naw York Support
Opera f-Review Of the Past Sea-
son-Its Merits and Defects

Inc question mas Deen frequently ASKED Ootn mere
ana in Europe, "Can New YORK support Italian
| OperaP' and although our best citizens have ever
shown readiness desire to give this, the nigh
| est branch OF the lyric DRAMA their hearty and
| liberal patronage. yet we have always had large
minority OF doubling ThOmases; and, az for our
cousins across the Atlantic, nothing would make
them believe that an imprssart0 could give a
season OF opera, with drst class artists, and at
London prices without finding himself after the
| first week In the Bankruptcy Court New York has
just given magnificent response the above ques-
| tion The management of the Nilsson company
received for forty performances &C the Academy Of
Music (matinees includedl the unprecedented sum
OF $l60 900. average OF s. 900 for each repre-
| sentation. Surely even the most rapacious Of the
managerial tribe cannot refuse to acknowledge the
munificence of the public In this particular.
When 1t Is remembered that ali this money was
paid on account OF single Individual attraction,
Mile. Christine Nilsson the lberality Of public
will become more apparent. That she constituted
the entire strength OF the company was evident
from the beginning OF the season. On the second
subscription night sudden indisposItion COM
PEELED her TO postpone the performance OF Faust"
and Mile. Duval took her place az Rosina, in "Il
Barbiere" The excitement and heated discussion
at the box 0fce that evening" caused by subscribers
demanding their money back or tickets exchanged
for Nilsson performance, gave the management an
phatic one was administered in Brooklyn, wnere
"La Favorta' was attempted. with Miss Cary and
Signor BrgnolL Again came the representation of
LA Sonnambua," In which MlIe Nilsson did not
appear, and which proved disastrous failure. The
worst OF all was Don GIOVANNI which was given
as sort OF compromise. The role OF Zerlina, IL
wos thought, would be q relief to Nilsson, as less
trying and exacting than nor other characters. But
the other persons In the oDera were incompetent
that hnnnw t,xnv m.o
may be readily seen that the company without Nils.
son was like Hamlet without the Danish Prince.
II we also look back at the operas produced, we
Will see that they, with the exception or the single
novelty, "Mgnon" were not calculated to call forth
much enthusiasm or excite interest. The only
operas brought out during the forty performances
were ten in number, Lucia" "Traviata" "Faust,"
"Martha," ''TrOvatOre," "MIgnon" 'Don Glo
vanni," "Sonnamoula" ERA Diavoo" and III
Barblere." II Is hardly worth while mentioning the
last four, as they were not repeated. The five first
on the list cannot certainly Deregarded in the light
OF novelties or revvals, as we have had them every
season for time immemoria. The scenery and ap-
polntments were exactly the same as the habitueS
OF Inc Academy have been always accustomed TO.
No more atterng tribute then, could be paid to an
artist than a crowded and fashionable audience
every night OF the season. when the operas in
which she appeared were hackneyed in the ex-
treme. TO her brilliant genius is due the fact
that these old operas assumed new and inter-
esting aspect, and that the heroines Of the
worss Of Donizetr, Verdi and Gounod appeared IN
light such as was never known before. The
secret OF Nilssons success Is her complete original
lily IN opera. Her impers0natlOns OF roles are un.
Ike those OF her predecessors contemporaries.
or the members OF the company we can only speak
OF NJ. Victor CapOu In terms Of hign commenda-
ton. Trained in the best French schools he
evinced an earnestness OF purpose and artistic
spirit in every role ne undertook, and grew INTO
favor with the public at each performance.
Hence the success OF 'Martha," "Trovatorem &c.
Let no one now accuse the New York public o. an
inability or unwilhngness to support Italian opera,
no matter how great the expenses may be.
OrERA FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS.
we go back to the spring OF 1852, find Italian
opera IN its normal condition, pickering and quar-
relling the company divided, Stefanone, SalvI,
Beneventano and Marini adherng to the manage
ment ana Bosio, De Vries, Betuni, Lorni Badioli
and Coletu in open rebellion The latter artists
formed themselves into protective Unionn and
hung out their banners at Nlblo's Garden. Inc
manager, Maretzek occupied the Astor Place opera
House with the artists that remained 10y al 10 nm.
The usual result OF such bind opposition came to
pass IN the shape OF empty treasury. In the fan
concert, and In the spring OF $50 the company at
Niblo's Garden consisted OF AlbOni. Salvi, Msrinl
none, Bertucca, Salvi Marini and Beneventano were
the stars Of the OPERA after the Academy OF
rio. GrazIani and Susini In the spring OF 1855 the
company at this house consisted or StefanOne,
Lorini, q oonMittee Of the stockholders forming
the Board OF Management Nine. La Grange and
M fss aean m mo io ana Eovere were added
october and lasting forty nights In the spring
OF 1895 Maretzek took charge OF the Academy and
had the above mentioned artists In MS company.
The succeeding season, in the early part Of 1851,
brought out Nine. Parodi, Nine. D'Ormy, Tberlni
ndnr ,nhsS WAS
ment, and In the subsequent fail Mme DAngri
made her first appearances in opera with La
vember 2, 1851 In the same company, Ull-
mann being M manager. were Frczzolni. Big
pany ne own @n the the
public until the fall season OF 1858, when Ullman
Maurice s
impresariO in 1862 and inaugurated the fall season
Wi,h T Gazzaniga ColsSn Brgno Beaacarde Amo
November "a, 1859, Adellna Patu made ner debut IN
opera During this season Maretzek mad company
at the Winter Garden, consisting Of Gassler, Fabbr
Errani &C. The outbreak OF the civil war bore
heavily on the opera and we ind another ARTISTS
ton. On February 81, 1851, MISS Kellogg made her
deout with this company IN the roe Of Gilda IN
Academy of Music included among Its mem
MeSS KGS S su5 prime
the next year BY Madame Carozzl. zucchl, Bosislo.
brought his company to the Irving Place Opera
| House, the principal members Of which were
Mesdames GazzanIga Noel Guldi CASH Pollini, Bos-
/ chetti, Anastasl Musiani and OrIandIni This COM
| pany played only three weeks, when the Academy
| was burned TO the ground on the night OF May 81
1866. When the present building was erected and
opened the artists were Madame Parepa-Ros Miss
Kellogg, .signorlna Peralta, Signora Tesla, Mile.
| Minnie Hauck, Messrs. Pancan. Anastasi MedinI,
| Antonucci and Belni.
| In ls89-70 came Madame Briol, Miss Kellogg and
| Lefranc, and Carlotta Patti sang In 1.-The Magic
| Flute" The next season was the short venture OF
Abilities, which followed last fall by the Nilsson
opera we design only 10 mention the leading artists
IN each troupe TO show what surprising talent has
| been on the New York boards, and to point out to
managers OF the present day how careful they should
! be In their prospectuses. 1t would be extremely
| perllous Tor an lmpresar0 now TO announce ian
| assembage OF talent such has never before con.
| gregated together on the American stage" We