Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-14
Letter from Boston
Weaiher-Parepa-NI Seguiu-
Miss Cary-Binck Crook
IcoRREspoNDEScE OF THE srr.l
Boston. March Is. is

| bracing air and sunshine as the daily course,
and growl worse than our British brothers about
the Alabama claims, if once in awhile old
Boreas stirs himself and threatens to assume
that control over Winter who has lately
adopted March-he has exercised from earliest
time His occasional visits, as if to compensate
for previous neglect, are accompanied with such
undue severity, as TO inspire great dread and
terror of his slightest whim and caprice. It
was certainly an odd and amusive, yetvery
obedient procession, he conducted up Washing
ton street the coolest night of last week, when
the various places of business sent forth their
reluctant occupants. With heads down, bodies
inclined forward, arms angularly crooked,
turning neither to the right nor left, they
charged out at a quick, vigorous pace for the
comforts of home, appreciated most keenly
after enduring the inclemency of such bitter
blasts.
The great events in the musical world have
| been the appearance of Parepa-Rosa in English
and Nilsson in Italian opera. The advent of
| either would have been hailed as the attraction
of the season, but coming in rapid succession
| they stirred up the musc.loving Bostonians to
| the highest pitch of enthusiasm. OF course the
latter created the greater furore, and met with
the most complete success, if the receipts are a
fair indication of popular favor, although indie
pendently of such a gross criterion, other I'M
mistakable evidences, as the critical tone of the
press, and of musical circles generally, attested
its genuineness The chorus, orchestra proper
ties and other accessories were excellent in each
troupe, but upon the question of the superiority
of the leading artists, considerable difference of
opinion has prevailed.
| We may confidently assert that all the quail
tiles of a perfect voice have been divided with
such excessive nicely and refinement between
Parepa and Nilsson, that it would involve in
inextricable confusion whoever should presume
or attempt to decide preponderance. 1t is SIM
| ply a matter of choice. The preference is I'M
doubtedly for Nilsson, perhaps on very much
the same princpe Of popular taste that calls a
face more beautiful, though not so regular and
classical in outline and feature as another we
do not like so well; yet in neither case can we
assign a satisfactory reason.
1t is, however, as an actress, that Nilsson has
won the most golden opinions, indeed perfect
showers of praise. A comparison jim the same
stance as Lenora, in the famous prison scene in
II TrovatOre, she not merely sings with
the passionate abandon of misery utter
and desolate. but her action inspires a
deep conviction of the intense living
reality of the scene, which in Parepa's
representation, in spite of her magnificent voice,
is almost totally wanting. Parepa is so huge
and monstrous in person that it is difficult to
eradicate altogether the sense of her dispropor-
ton. Many, perhaps, will remember the curios-
ity excited by the first announcement of her ap-
pearance in opera, considered by all in the ma.
ture of an experiment, and although the earliest
criticisms proclaimed her success, they were in
variably accompanied and tempered by illusions
to her immense size, which compared with hel
support is truly like the appearance of GulliveI
among the Lilliputians. The most diverting ex.
travaganza we ever remember of seeing upon
the stage was at the conclusion of scene in
"Maritana," when Parepa waltzed away with a
little man barely five feet high and exceedingly
slender. Missions complete identity in the
character she assumes, her carelulness in
details, the peculiarly fascinating style
of her beauty, the iudescribable charm of hel
person and manner render her appearance il
opera an unusually rare treat. There Is, too, il
her vocalzation such refinement and delicacy o
feeling, sweetness and purity of tone, that, like
a talismanic charm, it insensibly transports u;
over the invisible, ideal boundary of sense; and
when the occasion demands it, is by no means
| lacking in power.
The atmosphere of Nilsson, by its magnetic
influence, melted even the usual fIigidity oil
Brigno, who alone of American tenors renders,
with almost absolute perfection, the famous
creation, "Ah Che la Norte," in the same opera
of Il Trovatore. His voice sounds forth with
clear, ringing, piercing tremulousness that pen
etrates the very soul as the cadences rise and
fall with the measured regularity of hopeless
| despair.
The respective merits of Miss Cary and Mrs.
Seguin have provoked much diversity of criti-
cism. If we were to state the chief character
istc of each, we should say Mrs. Seguin has
tenderness, Miss Cary force. Miss Cary's voice
is clear, precise, perfect perhaps, and her acting
with tendency to excessive energy ELECTED con.
slant praise. She is a Boston lady, and thar
may possibly account for some of it. Mrs. Sc.
gum, with her graceful bearing and winning
beauty, is fine actress, and possesses a voice
exquistely sweet and sympathetic, and has, as
it seems TO us, decided precedence in popular
favor. We are attracted by her as by the char.
acter of Charles Lamb in literature. He inspires
a tender sympathy and interest entirely foreign
to the fierce, impetuous individualism of posi-
tive Sam johnson. The qualities of each ar,
admirable, but Charles Lamb appeals to thu
gentler, kindlier moods of human nature, and
SO it is in music with Mrs Segun. As much as
Nilsson excels Parepa, so far does Mrs Seguir
surpass Miss Cary.
We have not proposed to enter. into any ex
tended criticism of the respective castles, bu
only to sketch briefly the impression generally
entertained, think, regarding some of the lead
ing singers, and so must rest content with mere
ly an alusion to NJ. Capoul, whose vivacious
acting and silvery clearness of voice received de
served encomium, though altogether not supe
riOr to Castle. The prices of seats of the Stra
kosch troupe were about double the rates Pareps
charged Some idea may be formed of the siz,
of the audiences when it is stated that at eacl
appearance of Nilsson the receipts were owe
$4,000. The Boston theatre is the largest in tn
country, seating nearly three thousand, an,
several times it was packed to its utmost capac
ity, all available standing room being occupie,
besides.
The Black Crook, that most brilliant spectacle
of modern times, has been produced at the Bos
ton theatre with all its beautiful scenery, gorge
GUS appointments and magnificent costumes
the unmistakable language of the posters ha
drawn crowded houses, the male element pre-
dominating in the ratio of about nine to one
The wicked go, of course, the good too, for
variety of reasons, to see how bad it is, whethe
they can Withstand temptation, and perhaps 10
the purpose of warning others; but all, whethe
good, bad, or indilferent,-and the latter is prob
ably the most numerous division-6nd unmeas
urcd delight, each in the form adapted TO thei
special taste.
Perhaps there may be insuperable objection
unknown to any but managers, but it does seen
as though drama more properly legitimate
might be equipped with scenic effects as startling
and wonderfully beautiful, and meet with a
large measure ofsuccess, financially and other
wise.
In the first act two waterfalls are presented