The New York herald., 1872-11-21
AM sEMENTS.s,

interesting, not only to the average opera- -roer
but also TO the cultured musician In this opera we
nave the highest form OF lyric art ever attained by
avery extraordinary opera writer An eminent
critic has said OF Meyerbeer 'He unites the enamel
OF italian sunshine to the light graces OF France and
the vaulted earnestness OF Germany Calculation
s his private secretary surprise his messenger
orchestral effect his advocate, and he places dra-
matte point behind the scenes. Unlike Guck he
does not place empty chairs for lphgenia and
Orestes. formally personating their existence to
himself; he arranges q whole row of chairs for the
great public and on them seats cosmopolitan au-
dience." Meyerbeer has under all circum-
stances sacrificed the stern purpose OF
lyric art, as Richard Wagner would have
it, to the tricks OF mere passing effect.
Had Meyerbeer chosen to write with the moral
earnestness OF Wagner where would Lies Hugue-
nots'' stand, and where 'Lohengrinf The produc-
tion OF this opera, which Is accredited the cher
d'9upre Of Meyerbeer, Is always serious undertak-
ing for an tmprcsario. 1t has ever been an un-
grateful task. The demands, not only in the grand
outlines, but even In the details, are exacting
that nowadays even satisfactory performance is
something to be vainly hoped for. Success has
rarely characterized its representation.
glance ut the history OF the opera Will reveal
checkered career such as no other operate
work has encountered. Forty years ago or more
.
Opera in Paris with the following artists In the
leading r0ies:-valentine, Nine. Cinti Damoureau;
Queen Margaret Nine. D0rus Gras; Raoul, M.
Nourrit; Marcel M Frederic Levasseur (who died
last W1nter). The Parsians did not like It
even as well as "Robert lie Diable," which
was brought out about the same time, and
Meyerbeer's next attempt to give 1t change OF
base for success at Covent Garden, in London, met
with even more lamentable results. A few years
after, at the same London theatre this opera was
| produced in German and for the first time 1t
| achieved wonderful triumph. We doubt very
much II ever 1t has been represented since under
such favorable circumstances. Every one in the
cast was brilliant star, and chorus and
orchestra did ample justice to Meyer
beers grand conception. Here is the
cast:-valentine, Nine. Henefetter; Queen
(the Raoul OF Raous) Marcel, Herr staudigl The
last-mentioned artist was the impresario Of the
d ana certainly for the only time It's exist
into the box Office Herr Lachner was the cher
d'orchestre. Twenty-our years ago this opera first
the annexed cast:-Valentine Madame Viardot
Garcia; queen Margaret, Madame CASTELAR,; Raoul,
Marcel, Marini There was bitter Ha'o feeling Of
opposition to Meyerbeer at this time predominant
Michaei) was at the head Of the opposition and a
| secret understanding was arrived at that none OF
works should be the
eye mad nothing a TO say IN ace o. the tyranny ne
end9red RON m ms ms aTs 1ut AM mr. III HARRISON, r mn
or Mayerbeer o and he br9Ht sucien H inn
ence to bear on Prince Albert to cause this
TO issue an or9er i0r tne prOouctlon OF 1i ugo-
notti." Accordingly It was produced. Mario
sukeu % s"o,s % tanor ahat puar rro ncs no
took h place Hs made sHp such
feature tmaI Mao hat % sUJn h "'Hos ns 81 npess p anu
~ the Ttsa sta~s and cari Fnrmea tns
fgCee" ~ .o a'"' n n,aSc @ ~u 80 0ata ~ .ne
presented at Covent Garden, with Lucca as vaien.
as Raoul, Grazian as Nevers Faure as st. Bris and
Baggiolo as Marcel. We have had IN this country
era rule no cast complete enough to call for special
mention.
lows WIS., n's' '''' 'O''' "''' ''''''N % ~
Valentine ne...................... Madame Pauline Iucca
Marguerite de Madame leyslii SsIn
Eaoui &c Nangis .Sgnor yizznni
ount dc St Seyers sjenoI sparSpnn
Tavannes Signor Rech2r
De Brett .sgnor Weinch
Meru. signor Bertachi
It NAV appear strange in a criticism Of opera to
refer to the sectaran preiudces OF librettist but
NJ Scribe who has supplied MeyerbeeF with mate.
rials TO work upon for his operas has under ali cir.
form dramatiG story n iiRobnrtH Se rcs;sci' Y
tates nuns who have sold themselves TO the MOVERS
in lie Prophete" he srtates ',1o again the
a.,, per. tween the Church Of Rome and certain
struggie 10, tricainei, hn nacs ~ h IA mia
0pponents, III -. p"sS az oUyu III, ns u,s
hearers tne inquistnn " Stn;n h;on aS iensioes s,
engine anu IN Les nug9enose @ u.1"vps' tH % .numns
anu pIesM.s M tn III ~ the h,"od nS tho protastsnts
so0n 10 pe stecpeu III 'he o'oou VI 'ho iioes'"n@S
OF france. ,.c. oo,, =, .no .oooor,v
n3aand ~ 'as, usv hp az ND J il af a
OF Music closea at very la.e hour, anu @ ~ usv oe
SPOKEN o in detaii 70 arrtae az , nsa
DICT upon IT, Let Us dispose OF .nose t graha lounaa
| tion stones OF Mcyerbeer's operas tne cnorus ana
orchestra, nrst. Inc chorus was py no means Wnat
one Wouid expect IN .nese Gays Wnen tHe cry M VI
| ears me volnme OF voice was INN, tne
| movements sluggish ana tne enect not inspiring.
Ine clocKwork precision wnicn ID 80 emneh.y
necessary for Meyerbeers cnorai IDEAS was en-
tircly absent, anu notaply III tne halaplan" tne
| voices were at skies ana sevens. Again, IN the