The New York herald., 1873-10-23
A M U S EN- E. is.
ssDOn Giovanni 1T the Academy of
Music.

Music.
"DOn Giovanni" the cheEdGuwe OF Mozart, the
work on which, In spite OF bad iibretto he law
ished the richest treasures OF his imagination and
In which there Is not dull musical thought. Is the
rock on which many stately operatic argosy has
been artistlcally wrecked. One cannot point TO
satisfactory performance or this years past
in this city, and even in boastful London 1t has
Jared badly at both houses, Covent Garden and
Drury Lane. The Italian artists even those OF the
highest order seem at all times to fail in the CON-
prehensi0n OF the innate beauties OF this opera,
ana it would be interesting to collect the rag
ments OF ARTISTS regulations among the past Donna
Annas, Donna ElvIras Zerlinas, Don Juans, Lepo-
rellos and Don Ottayios. Representatives OF these
| roles, who shone with briliancy in more
modern works, came to grief in the music
| OF Mozart The Germans have been more success
| ful In presenting the opera with complete en-
sembie. What we remarked alter the production
OF 'Tbe Magic Fluten last week at the Grand opera
House about the extreme difficulty of obtaining
nowadays all the materials necessary Tor a
| proper representation OF an opera of Mozart
| Is particularly applicable to 'Don Gio-
| vanni." 1t is, therefore, not judicious
for an impresarlo TO subject his company to such
severe test Weakness in any one OF the eight
roles, or in the chorus orchestra is fatal TO the
success OF the opera When it is not great sue
| cess it becomes dull monot0nous and uninterest-
| ing. There is no medium Triumph or failure can
only attend representation OF the opera OF "D0n
| There have been many memorable casts in this
opera. At her Maestys Theatre, London, many
years ago, "Don Giovanni' was given with the fol-
! lowing cast:-Donna Anna, Mme Pasta; Zerlina,
Mile. Persiani Don ottavo, signor Rubin Don Gio-
AT Covent Garden Gris has appeared as Donna
Anna, Corbali as Donna Llvira, Alboni viardot,
@ savo TaDburnl Ass as Don Gas,9 GIOVANNI aDS Carl
Formes as Leporelo. Taglioni danced In the mil
| uet at Her MaJesty's and Carotta Grisi at Covent
i Garden. Later still Donna Anna found a mag
nifcent representative in Mile. Tetjens, aternat-
ing with NINE; Barbot; Donna Elvlra was imper-
lima by volpinl and Laltsky, Don ,ottavio
BY Giugllni and Gardoni, and Don Giovanni
| by Gasser, santey ana Faure. All OF these artists,
too, have identified themselves with the opera to
| an extent that their fame mainly rests upon their
success in their respective roles. The Donna Anna
OF Mile. Iietjens and the Leporeilo OF Carl Formes
| will be remembered as long as the memory OF
Mozart is green in the mind OF every musician.
The cast last evening was as foll0ws:-Donna
! Anna, Mile. Maresi; Donna Elvira, Nine. Nilsson;
zerlna, Mile. Torriani; Don OttayIo, Signor Cam
Nannettl; Masetto, Signor Scoara; Commander,
| Signor Coett The only artists who achieved
thorough success were Nine. Nilsson and NJ. Maurel.
The role or Elvlra is always considered migrate
ful one as IL possesses neither the grandeur OF the
airs OF zerna. It was SO completely neglected in
Pastas time that 1t was not even mentioned in the
cast. Yet It is simportant in dramatic sense as
the title role. The deserted wie OF the libertine
serves as necessary Toll to his heartless, licen-
| tious schemes, and she occupies more OF the
attention Of the public from the first to the
last scene than either Donna Anna or Zerlina.
| 1t Is terrible strain on an artist like Nine.
! Nilsson, for she was obliged, last night, TO fill up
the many blanks which the weakness or her assist
ants occasoned. But she nobly accomplished her un-
grateful task and it would be dicut to point to
and complete symmetry or her art were
| the former commencing with SIN quail eccessi.
| numi" ana the latter with mi tradi, quer alma
ingrata.n transposed on this occasion from the
last to the first act were delivered with that purity
and at the same time breadth OF tone and style,
clearness OF phrasing and warmth OF expression
that would have satisfied the composer himself,
squeamlsh as he in his opinions Of vocal artists
| The celebrated trio OF Donna Anna, Donna Elvlra
and Don Ottavio, "protega Il giusto cielo," was
| by the magnificent ART OF Nine Nilsson. 1t
is an extremely difficult piece of music, and
| the swedish nightingale deserves more praise
| for keeping the other soprano and the tenor from
| breaking down In IL than lor any triumph she has
iuI work to perform In other scenes the infu-
ence OF her art was felt to advantage, and her
Donna Elvira must be placed as one or the best
roles that the modern operate stage can boast Of.
1t IS only under such circumstances that the iull
measure OF her greatness as an artist can be elt
The Don Giovanni OF NJ. Maurel was worthy to be
| placed beside the Donna Elv1ra or Mme Nilsson.
A thorough artist. at home in any role and gifted
| IN tone nexIbility and training, he invested the
on the boards Of the Academv or All the we'll
known music of the role the most delightful in his
| Interpretation was the serenade, with its quaint
feet that brought instantaneous encore. After NJ
Faure the operate stage can boast Of no Don Juan
equal TO Maurel.
| The rest of our task is not 80 agreeable Mlle
| Mares was evidently overwelghted in the music Of
| Donna Anna, and made anything but q favorable
| Impression. Mile. Torriani's voice seemed to
/ shrink in tone until there was little betwixt it
| and silence in the "Batti, BATH" and 'VedIai
Carino- OF Zerltna. Campanini obtained recall in
| III mio tes0ro," though all through he
was i'll at ease in the music Of Mozart. The Lepo-
| relic OF Nannett was mere clown, and unlike
| anything ever known before in this role The
| chorus and orchestra pursued independent paths
more than once during the opera, and the mise en-
| scene was worse than ever before Facts
| are stubborn things, and every one
| gretted to fnd in last nights represen-
| tation OF this wonderful opera an utter
absence OF ensemble In the most essential points,
| When will Mozart receive justice He has been
cruelty dealt with on two occasions this season,
and unless more care is taken with the "Nozze dl
Figaro" which, we presume, will be the next OF
his works presented before the New York public,
there will be another shlpwreck OF artistic reputa-
tiouS and MANAGERIAL promises.