The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-10

The Re-estabIishment of Italian Opera
and the Prospects Of the Next Season.
The genius of Mile. Nilsson made not only
possible but practicable the success Of an
opera season of forty performances at the
Academy of Music and, judging from the
present enthusiasm of the public, as shown
in the large attendance at the three first repre-
sensations of the farewell season of this emf
nent prima donna, there 10 every reason to
hope that the re-establishment of Italian
opera in this city will not be of feeting
character, but will be the Inauguration of a
long and prosperous career. The lyric drama
has had hitherto checkered and uncertain
existence partly through the Encouragement
of those to whom its interests were entrusted,
and principally on account of the apathy and
indifference of those gentlemen who controlled
the building devoted to it, and whose wealth
and commanding position in society gave
them full. power to foster or destroy
Italian opera. The talents of young
prima donna have succeeded in awakening
the operate public to the necessity of
encouraging and practically assisting in the
re-establishment of Italian opera in this city
on a firm basis, and dispelling the delusion
that New York is unable or unwilling to sup
port this, the highest branch of musical art.
Such revival as we have witnessed here this
season is sufficient answer to the charges
which inspired the delusion referred to. Nine.
Parepa-Rosa gave English opera In October
and February with unvarying success, and
Wachtel, even at the least promising theatre
in town, enjoyed such triumph during his
thirty nights season as was not surpassed in
his palmiest days in Europe. His successors
in the same house, the Fabbri troupe, met with
degree of patronage such as in former sea-
SONS would have been considered beyond ex-
pectation. Mile. Aimee, in her little band
box of q theatre, contradicted the assertion
that the days of opera 6outs were gone for
ever, and drew crowded houses during her
engagement.
But the main feature of the lyric drama,
Italian opera, which alone can draw an
audience of fashion, intelligence and refine
ment, found such an able interpreter in
Mile. Nilsson that its lost glories were revived,
and we may now hope for its presentation
each season in style second to none Of the
opera houses of Europe. 1t was triumph
Of the highest kind for an artist
to galvanize into life, aud even
endow with freshness and beauty,
such hackneyed and threadbare roles
as Lucia, Leonora, violetta, Martha and Mar
querite, and this was accomplished by the
Swedish nightingale. But such a feat cannot
be repeated in New York during the same
season. Novelty and change are inherent
ideas in the mind of the operate public; even
the venerable ''Trovatore" cannot be always
expected to gain hearing, and "Mignon"
has lost its gloss Of freshness and novelty.
With due knowledge of this fact, and en-
boldened by the generous response she met
with from the New York public, Mile. Nilsson
proposes to give tomorrow night her match
less impersonation Of Alice, in Meyerbeer's
immortal work, ''Robert le Diable," and
before the close of the season her grandest
role. Ophelia, in "Hamlet." She has made
strenuous exertions to induce the manage
ment to present these operas. and to her per-
sonally the public of New York will be In
debted for the prese ntation of both works.
The Nilsson season will be followed on
Easter Monday by remarkable combination
Of operatic talent. A troupe, comprising such
artists as Madame Parspa-Rosa, Miss Adelaide
Phillips, wachtel and Santley, will then CON-
mence four weeks engagement, the roper
toire consisting of such works as 'Les Hugue-
nots," civilian TELL" ''Rgoletto," 'Don
Giovanni" and 'Il Trovatore." The subscrip-
ton for this season has already reached nearly
TWENTY-FIVE hundred dollars for each perform
auce. II will be brilliant close to q season
of remarkable success.
The engagement Of Mile. Pauline Lucca
baroness Won Raden) and the arrangements
entered into by Mr.. Jarrett with the manage
ment of Her Majesty's Opera, London, for the
next season, give assurance of brilliant sea-
son at the Academy Of Music in the fall. The
stockholders have agreed to extend every en-
enlargement to the management Of Italian
Opera at the Academy of Music next season,
and there is every reason to expect that the
success of the present season will be entirely
ecupsed by Ia successor.