The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-19
PAULINE LUCIA.

Aasthis great prima donna comes 10 this city In
the fall account OF her benefit and last appear
ance at Covent Garden win be Interesting. Mr.
J. w. Davidson, OF the London Times, thus de-
scy1bes the EVENT.
The combined entertainment FOR the beneht and
last appearance OF that deserved.y popular artist,
Madame Pauline Lucca, attracted avery crowded au-
dence. and was genuine success. Madame Luec ,a
has not been afforded too many opportunities this
OF Sv a % s S
among them was fhs opporfaa afSs Of Appearing appearing
Deiofe tne English public as Agatha In "Der Fre-
Schultz" the most poetica OF all the creations Of
weber, VINO IN writing for this, his favorite hero
Inc, went to work with an enthusiasm which, what
ever may be said surpassed the enthusiasm ex-
hibited In "Euryanthe,n his next great opera-and
for sufficiently intelligibe reasons, seeing that
Agatha Ia a real creature OF flesh and blood while
the other heroine is at the best a myth In no
character she has hitherto undertaken has Madame
Lucca more triumphantly shown her dramatic ge.
making music speak as Il It were the natural
language OF emotion otto The second act Of
In the great sce@a (..sonly sighs'Min EngisIj,
produced, If possible, greater effect than on any
previous occasion, and was, as usual, compelled,
by the unanimously expressed wish OF the audience,
which she did even with increased effect Madame
Lncca's next appearance was In the third net Of
very ORIGINAL and enchanting way Of represent
ing the character oil Margaret how She
sings the quaint legend OF the 'King Of
Thule" and with what spirit, grace and
brllllancy she delivers the famous "Air des
bijoux.n This last created more than ordinary
sensation, and was enc0red UNANIMOUSLY by the
audience, who, after the duet OF the garden scene,
recalled Nine. Lucca three times before tho lamps,
bouquets falling in profusion. About the final act
OF the ..Africaine, the death of the unhappy Sc
lika, under the poisonous branches Of the MANGA
nilla tree 1t is almost unnecessary to speak. All
opera-goers know that this is one Of Nine. Luccas
most remarkable efforts, and understand easily
enough why Meyerbeer should have insisted upon
her being the representative OF Selka when his
last great opera was produced at Berlin,
and that he should have earnestly wished
her In Paris to undertake the same service Similar
demonstrations followed upon this, as upon the
other performance OF Mme Lucca, who could
hardly have taken leave Of her English admirers
(Which means all the subscribers to COvent Gar
den and all the general public'-that myth" to
which the Pau MdU Gazette so playfuy refers) in a
more triumphant manner. Her entire performance
was as nearly as possible absolute perfection. When
at the end, after listening and listening to the
gradually recedfng voices OF the crew, who
rule the ship which. carries or lnez and
the too tickle Vasco di Gama(Dand with them
all Sellkas hope of happiness, she sinks
under tho Outspread branches Of the fatal
tree, and dies, thrill seemed to come over the
tire audience. Everybody was sensbly affected ;
and everybody, at the fall OF the curtain, rOared
with enthusiasm. Three recalls for Lucca and
s:san bouquets In pr0fusion were the result. A
more exciting scene has rarely been witnessed.