The New York herald., 1872-10-03
PAULINE LUCIA.
HER TRIUMPH AS MARGUERITE.
The Wealth and Fashion Of the Metropolis in At
tendance at the Academy-A Lyric
Idyl Of Betrayed Innocence
and Departing Love.

Last night might properly be called the American
debut OF Mad ame Lucca as II was the first oppor-
tunity afforded to her to display her remarkable
talents. "LAfricaine," albeit the connection or
her name with the pOsthumous work or Meyerbeer
led every one to regard 1t with q special interest,"
Is too labored production and too unpopular in its
lack OF taking melodies and slngleness OF purpose to
give prima donna fair chance. But Gounod's
"Faust' has become household word with opera
goers since 1t was first introduced here by Miss
Kellogg, and every scene and every note OF the
music tells with New York audience. The Gretchen
or Goethe is one OF the most fascinating creations OF
the inspired poet. Beyond the mere charm OF the
character as she appears on the stage, there Is in
her the embodiment OF high, noble dramatic idea.
II is the struggle OF innocence against the power
OF the demon, OF maideny virtue against the snares
OF the world. II lays open the human heart and
makes every feeling OF passion and tenderness
vtbrate, until In the last scene the heartstrings
snap asunder In the agony OF woe and the
bafied demon recos before the apotheosis OF pure
soul mounting to the realms OF bliss after its fiery
ordeal In the crucble oftemptaton. One remarkable
illustration OF the heroine Of G0ethes poem-drama
was given here by Nine. Seebach. With her
Gretchen was something more than poor, inno-
cent peasant girl, mere automaton In the hands
OF the willy tempter and his dupe. Seebach threw
around her halo Of angelic sweetness that seemed
to be above taint even In her fall. and the German
actress made her the unconscious victim OF Fate
whose misfortune, not fault II was to meet with
Satanic power beyond her strength to withstand.
Miss Kelogg's name has been so long and 80
fav0raby connected with the lyric Illustration OF
OF her conception OF tho role with her the pre-.
vailing idea is somewhat akin to that OF Nine. See
BACH innocence passing unscathed under the
Of fpun nnh uvn min
cumstances. Mile. Nilsson took the same view or
u, but lacked the ingcnuousness and warmth OF the
American prinla donna. Nflss0n's Marguerite, or
Gretchen, was beautiful specimen OF art, finished
In all its Details but that would call forth from
the audience the PRAYER that Pygmalon addressed to
handiwork Of Ris talent, and called upon Heaven
for the Promethean fre that would call the ex
quiste statue into life. The perfection OF the art OF
the Swedish sOngstrcss was more apparent In this
role than perhaps In any other that our public have
IN her ney love Making and Guinness GRACEFUL and
beautiful though 1t might be, that precluded even
In the jewel scene the idea OF girlshness. II was
too stately and too ETHEREAL representation to be
When Mr.. Grau brought his opera company to
the Old Academy fortnight before 1t was burned
he introduced Marguerite in the person OF Mile
Boschetti, who came nearer TO the IDEAL or Goethe
aa any We me the a.
and to have made the wonderful pictures OF AIRY
Schener and Kaulbach the models OF her acting
But, like Miolan CarvalhO, she could not do JUS
tice to the music, having high thin soprano
voice. that was blurred with all the faults Of the
the roe and destroyed the true character OF
Gretchen by ponderosity OF style, which, how
ever effective IN ro'es IKE Norma Meaes es and n
creation as the village girl OF Faust"
Nine. Frederick Hlmmer is the only Marguerite
found impression in the part; but her tnpersona-
ti0n lacked the essential element OF poetry. She
others ID but was unable to linn her subject with
all the nna,sces and delicate touches Of art that
lift o Characterization above mediocrity. Again,
her voice was one OF those heavy German organs
that regard quantity OF tone essential than
quality. Lastly, there Is popular Marguerite on
the stage at present in the person OF Adelina Patti
But the ttle black-eyed, merry Rosina, OF .Il Bar
biere," brings to the mpersonatiOn OF Gretchen the
volcanic passion OF an Italian and the chic and CO.
quetry OF Parlsienne-a rather lncongruous mix
ture.
The last claimant for public attention in this
night. Her Marguerite diners in many respects
fr6m all those or her predecessors. First, she
eschews the blonde tresses and wears her own black
hair In braids. In the next place her tmpulsive
at the wheel and In the Kermesse: When she is ac-
she does not turn around with that sweet,
composed smile and depeanQr of Nilsson WHICH
is ICY chaste as snow and statuesque In It's dig
nifty. Lucca starts and becomes confused at being
addressed by a handsome cavalier and hurriedy
refuses his escort. The former conception Of this
latter pndcubtedy the more natural. In the jewel wei
scene the girlsh and exuberant spirits OF the Mar
gusrite were displayed 70 the fullest teS, extent,
the first glimpse OF q Christmas tree than did
Madame Lucca when she saw the cleaning toys Of
M aVsy as w aus ns gsss scs
passionate phrases, "Sempfe amarn and III voglio
amar'. were rendered with tenderness and senti-
trophe to Love, on which the curtain fell
e. Ssen 'ns SHss here f before with
and abandon. In the famous church scene her
dramatic genius mounted still higher. The scene
represented the interior Of church, and was
given, as far as the appointments are concerned,
for the first time In an attractive shape. The
ings)., and grouped outside the ratings
are the villagers. Marguerite enters, oppressed
endeavors to pray to Heafen for forgiveness and
strength to burst asunder the deadly bonds with
Is seen the ominous form OF the tempter, mock
ing her prayers and bidding her to cease
her useless struggles against M st m MS power win
floor OF the church, and while the astonished
congregation gather around her, the curtain falls
The last scene was the climax OF dramatic talent.
Marguerite, reused from her rude bed OF straw In
the dungeon by the sweet accents Of voice so
fatally dear to her, regains for the moment con.
Of the episode in, in her life. ife . when ,s SIC
softly the waltz movement OF the Kermesse,
she sees before her in imagination the scene in
which she was accosted by the strange cavalier
the moment in the sweet vision and the large, ex-
pressive eyes Of the prima donna glow with melt
Ing expression of tenderness Then comes before
her the mocking face OF the tempter. The vision Is
rudely dispeled; a stony glance q horror comes
into the beautiful eyes, and then, as in
supreme effort, the last fervent prayer
of departing spirit bursts forth. 30 del
ciel angel; immortal" The grand phrase
in which this prayer Is musically Illustrated Is re.
peated three times, rising higher and higher until
the soul bursts from its prison This has the effect
OF an ecstatIc climax which has nothing to equal
II In the entire range OF opera. Madame Lucca
gave it with all the passion and fervency OF her
nature and reused her hearers to q pitch or en-
thusiasm such as they never experienced before.
ViZZani, the new tenor ieggier0, who undertook
the role OF Faust made very favorable impression.
His personal appearance is considerably in his favor
and his voice il pleasant and well cultivated. the
tone s ra ther lighter than what one would wish Tor,
but the expression and finish with which he sings
ca ch nOrceau makes amends. His acting is grace