The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-04
The Amusement Season.

As we approach that gloomy season OF
Lent, so much dreaded by managers, music
and the drama seem to put on the gayest
attire, and managerial promises assume more
ambitious proportions. During the interval Of
rest that the public have enjoyed from opera
q score or two of concerts served to keep
alive the popular taste for music which Parepa,
Nilsson and Wachtel developed in the early
part of the season. OPERA 6oufs and grand
German opera were also fortunate enough to
find such artistic representatives a. Mile.
Aimee and Madame Fabbri. The future Is
bright with promise, and the close of the
musical season will be even more brilliant
than the commencement. This week Madame
Parepa-Rosa and Mrs. Jenny Van Zandt, with
their well appointed band of English opera
artists return to the Academy of Music for
short season, during which fresh opera will
be given every evening. The debut of tho
distinguished baritone, Santley, in opera will
be an interesting feature Of this season.
Mile. Nilsson will then bid farewell
to New York, appearing in those favorite
roles that won her enduring laurels before
Christmas Here we must give expression to
feeling of disappointment that this gifted
artistic should not be heard 10 her very best
r6le-that of Ophelia, in Hamlet" We
understand that there is not the slightest
of Thomas, although it was promised in
the beginning of the season. The reasons
alleged for the non-fulflment of this promise
are that there is no baritone in the company
capable of undertaking the role of Hamlet,
and that the cost of bringing out the opera is
too great. Both reasons are insufficient as q
baritone might be secured, and the public
have already shown their liberality in patron
izing true art. At Easter comes the browning
feature of Italian Opera this season. A COM
pany, comprising such artists as Madame Pa
repa-Rosa, Mrs. Jenny Van Zandt, Miss Ade-
laide Phillips, Herr Wachtel and Mr.. Santley,
will take possession of the Academy of Music
for four weeks. No stronger combination Of
great artists could be found, even in Europe.
Then we may expect the avalanche of music
that Gilmore proposes to hurl upon the world
from his Boston Coliseum-a laundering and
pyrotechnic finale to one of the most brilliant
musical seasons on record. Even In the far
East the divine art has enthroned itself and
finds a host of worshippers In the temple
erected for 1t by the liberal and cultivated
ruler of Egypt. The enterprise of the Khe-
dive, varied as are the objects to which 1t IL
directed, never was more powerfully exhibited
than in the production of verdi's last work,
"Aida." The directors of our Academy Of
Music should give the New York public IN
opportunity Of hearing the last composition
of the most dramatic of the Italian composers
In the dramatic world there is singular
yet gratifying placidity, nearly all the pr'ncl-
nal theatres having secured pieces that Will
run for a considerable space Of time. There
fore the changes are few and far between. a
ripple of novelty In the way of changes In q
cast or new appointments constitutes all. Mr..
wallack finds It hard to take 'John Garth
away from his patrons. He can only succeed
nv promising them an attraction Of equal
strength. This he has discovered in ''The
Veteran" which had seventy-night run tbir-
teen years ago at Wallack's old theatre. This
play has been selected as the successor Of
ssJohn Garth" We leave for some future his
torian to write the decline and fall Of
ssHumpty Dumpty," as that period Of deca-
dence is very remote. When the public tire
of Fox and the Martens there will be revolu-
ton In the amusement world. 'Divorce" Is
gradually drawing towards its two hundredth.
night at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, with
crowded houses. and 'Julua Cesar" in it,