The New York herald., 1872-04-04
ITALIAN OPEEh.
The Master Wcrk OF Verdi. with an Unprecs.
doated Cas.-Ihe Rigolotto of santley-
a Remarkable Performance

| Forty years nave passed since Victor Hugo frat
placed on The Partisan stage his powerful piay OF
lie Roi s'Amuse." and 1t has since become we'll
known on the English dramatic and Italian opera
stages, through the medium OF Tom Taylor, III "The
Fools Revenge" ana verdi IN the best OF all his
operas, "Rigoletto." Tne opera was produced
last night at tue Academy, before an over.
whclming house, with the best cast ever given
10 IL IN this country. Mme Parepa- Rosa appeared
as Gilda, MISS Adelaide Phps as Maddaina,
Wachtel as the Duke ana Santley as Rigoletto.
lnls work has been very sell0m presented to the
American public in comparison to Nerlrs ether
operas and as 1t was gwen last night Tor the frat
time In Its entirety. short explanation OF music
VIII not be found uninteresting. The mu lc Is utterly
unlike Verdi in his other compositions rs In it he has
endeavored TO unite his wonderful iecundity Of
melody with a dramatic design, by which each
character Is individualized and each scene the
play Is limned In the strongest and most distinct
coiors IL Is. AS II were, the bridge between
Tue TWO Styles or the comaoscr-t one IN
which he pours Iortn melody alter
melody from his fertile Imagination without
reference TO dramatic exigencies as IN s.ErnanL"
"lraviata" ana "TroyAtoren ana the other IN
which, having lost the freshness OF ms early powers
he plans each opera dramatic prEciples alone US
In 'Forza del Destino" aud "Don Carlos,u which
are elaborate and esthetically perfect but heavy
ana ponderous III meodio point OF view.
But In "Rigoletto' the intensity or paterral
love, the egot,sm and neartessness or tie noer-
tine, the purity, atdirete ana afterwards shame,
despair and sefsacrcing affection OF an outraged
MAIDEN ana the coauetry ana espid0tes}e or the
stereotyped femme UGrGent III we may be allowed
tne eXpresS0nl, are photographed IN music with
remarkable fidelity. These various aud opposite
traits are particularly shown al he same time
the magnificent quartet in the last act, tlan winch
no more expressive concerted piece exists in opera.
santley bore or The Chief snare OF the honors last
night 10 would be exactlng too much rom an ope-
ratic artlS to look for teer representative OF the
Kings Jester. la acting he has evidently taken
konconi for model ana mas carefully avoided
the harlequinade OF some OF the otner Italian
1arltones III this role. There was real terror
siHu shown :. In MS countenancc when Monterone
at MIN the terrible malediction ana the cry, ia
Maedlzone p which burst from MS lips at The end
OF the second act wnen he discovers tho abduction
OF nis daughter, was fraueht with intense anguish.
Again, IN the melody which he sang in tue ocgnnlng
oi enc third act-the refrain OF one OF the cdansons
OF tho bufoon-he combined fathers anxiety
a and fear with the tripping, clownlsn measures.
Then the desperation with whicn he sought
70. 70 break through the ranks OF the jeer-
Ing Ing scsna Sousters MS defiance them ana
third act TO close IN sucn manner tnat the
entire audience became convulsed win excitement.
In the last act. the action beng evenly divided we
can only speak OF tae horror expressed by INN
on On discovering the corpse OF his beloved daughter,
his bellous satire on women, "l.a Donna oblle.U
baritone could no! looS Tor greater Or mxse com.
Wachtel brought gayetY, elegance, unconlroliabe
impulse ana the manners Of verilabc Don Juan
10 TO- lne roe OF the Duke. HIS irst ARA, "Quesla
ration. and the wei known ella Donna e MoDne,n
Were Were given WIN rare encct Inee y one grave
ana that Is srainng aiier sensation. In
beyond the pitch and mars waat otherwise would he
delightful in The opening melody OF the quartet
ge'la Tns ,n ga" a. Gas NJ sang cos M %s an,
OF vocaliZatiqn IN the second act for which Madame
hosa's voice + admiralty suited. the lovely ARA,
Ia nunrh hpr prnr "a Uahy ynnna iona
ing interpretation. AT the Uiidte OF this aria the
saSS a y y % d sfps Il s Dra Ts .c
lhow Ike the lovely phrase, ''Tute yese al
lenpio,"l TO melody II the grand duo or Lies
quartet she quite Oversnadowed her father, lover
and rival.
The careless coquetry, irresistible laugh aud per-
rect ease OF manner OF Miss Philips lent peculiar
charm to the roe OF Maddalena. Mr. Aynsley Cook
as ,ne cuttlroat l sparairaiie was effective ana
e9mmendaSly. The woaceriu DISCRIMINATION
works always suoordinale to the slluatlon
aud sometimes used to express 1t instead OF the
voice, received most satisfactory rendition from
the orchestra OF sixty pieces, under direction OF
Mr. NcuendOrf La The fifst act there was mill
the effect recalled memories or C0vcnJ Garden and
Costas orchestra. The chorus. consisting or sixty
three voices, mas been trained to degree such as
few hdbitueS of the Academy would have reason 10
expect IN the chorus OF the aouuciors IN the sec.
ond act 'zG, zni;,' the changes rom ptontssi,no
to fotissino were given with unanimlty OF spirit
ana expression deserving Of high praise
For an opera demanding sucn nicrtg OF coor1ng,
such dl5tlnctnesS OF characterza zatton such a Va
rletv OF sentiment ana sucn harmony in all Its
parts, the performance last night was one that
any director might be proud o. on Friday night
"DOn Giovanni VIII be gwen, with cast Including
Madame Parepa-kosa Madame Van Zandt, Miss
Clara Dora, Wachtel, Sautey, Cook, Ronconi and
Ryse. Three military bands VIII be heard IN the
ball scene. On saturday a matlnee or "Trovatolc'
Is promised aud on Monday McyerDeers chef
d'GnU9ie, "Gli Ugonott."