The New York herald., 1873-11-23

RaJanes. pctro Mongni
Amners alegnora ir2ssi
Mini
IL would have been pleasant to have Mme
Nilsson in the cast at the Academy of Music; but
since the opera is presented on It's own merits 1t
would be maniiestly Unfair TO impose any advice on
the management. The cast Is as ioows:-
Aida. Mile. Osiova Torrani
kadames.. signor Campanini
Amperis Anne Loulso Cary
Rams Soror nns mmgei
The opera is in four acts The libretto, by A.
Ghslanzoni, has been very poorly translated into
English by Mrs. G. G. Lawrence. The action takes
place at Memphis and at Thebes during the period
when the Pharaohs were IN power. There is
chance OF scene in every act excepting The third,
N which the banks OF the Nile are represented
The opera opens in hall in the Kings palace at
Memphis. To the right and left are coionnades
with statues ana towering shrubs. AT the back is q
large gate, through which are to be seen
The Pyramids and the temples and plains
81 Memphis. The story is about as foolish as most
operate stories are, and, were the actors to be
contemplated simply as the actors in drama, 1t
would be impossible to have much respect for any
of them. Egypt and Ethiopia at war with
each other. The Egyptian King has a daughter
named Amneris and the Ethiopian King has one
named Aida. Aida has been captured, however,
and is slave to Amneris. Radames Is the Captain
of the Egyptian hosts, and with him both Amneris
and Aida are in love. He returns the love OF Aida,
and thereby directs the jealousy OF Amners against
her and redoubles the Princess passion for him.
eeaG. In one OF the contests between the two ma
tions Amonasro AYda's father, is taken captive;
but his captors do not know that he Is the Ethi
opian King. In common with all the rest of the
Ethiopian captves he is granted his life and
liberty, and the first he makes OF them
iH to induce Aida to persuade Radanes to
give her such information as viii enable the Ethi-
opfans to gam the upper hand She does so. The
misplaced confidence OF Radames DOR he intended
NO Ieachery) IS overheard by Rainfis the chief
priest, and Radames s condemned 10 be buried
Affve. Amneris whose hand has meanwhile been
bestowed by her father upoa Radames IN reward
for hts valor, tries to him. but in vain. AYda
who has mysterousy disappeared, secretes herself
m the tomb beneath the altar OF osiris, in which
Radames is immured, and here the two hapless
lovers die together. Certainly, the final impress
sion Is not pleasant one.
There Is room for much good acting in this
opera as well as Tor effective scenery. The first
scene OF the first act we have already described
ol Vulcan, at Memphis, hlled with mysterious light
Long rows Of fcolumns are lost IN darkness. Statues
OF dcities abound. In the middle OF the scene
above carpeted platform, rises an altar, sur
mounted by sacred empems, ana from numerous
tripods rises incense. The song of the pristesses
accompanied By harps, Is heard rom the interior
The first scene OF the second act shows hall IN the
apartments OF Amnens who is beng adorned for
she triumphal fest val. The second scene portrays
the entrance to the city OF Thebes. In the front is
group OF palms. To the right is the TemHle OF
Amrnon To the lett IS a throne, surmounted by a
purple canopy. At the back Is a trlumpnal gate.
Egyptian troops and chariots of war file in, and
ensigns. sacred vases, statues OF the gods and
danclng girls bearing the treasures OF the defeated
contribute to the ensemble. The third act consists
OF but one scene, which dencates the banks OF the
Nile. Rocks OF granite are seen among the palm
trees The Temple of Isis CLEANS amid foliage
upon which starlight and moonlight shine. boat
The first scene OF the fourth and last act presents
q hall in the Egyptian Kings palace. To the left
Judgment. passage to the left conducts to the
prison, where Radames is confined. The last
scens Is % ratS, pecna ~ Is avden s into Two 70
tine Temple OF vulcan, respendcnt with light and
gold; the lower foor subterrancan hail. Long
rows Of arcades are lost in the darkness. colos-
sal statue OF Osiris, with the hands crossed sus-
tains the plasters OF the vault. In the subter-
,iust closing the stone over the living tomb AS
they do so AIDA and Radames embrace. and,
.clingng to each. otner in the darkness the songs
and dances OF the priestesses in the glitterlng
scmple above contrast with the lovers agony and
despair.
In ''AYda" the soprano has two solos, one
sL,Insana Parola,n ut the end Of the first act. in
which she adjures he gods 10 forget the insanity
Of the moment which had made her wish her lover
would return victorious against the hosts led by
her father the otner 80 cieli azzuri' 60 azure
wheee she indulges in rapturous apostrophe to
her native country. The tenor has one solo,
sJeicSte Alua' t'Ceieslal Alud'], al Tue DC
ginning OF the first acr, devoted to lovers
Passionate praise OF his mistress. There are six
duettos two between the soprano and tenor, two
between the cOntra.tO and tenor, one between the
soprano and contralto and one between the So
prano and barytonc. The only terzcto occurs in
The middle OF the third act between the soprano,
contralto and tenor, "Vicni, diletta" t"Come,
sweet onc''). OI the duettos one occurs In each
Of the rst two acts and two in each OF the last In
the first act we have the duet between Amncris and
Rodarues, sForse pafcano amorea tierlaps the
hidden love'J In the second that between AYda
and AmneriH sAmore amOreln (''Lovel ioyepD.
In the third net AIda and Amonasro interpret the
duet "Revedrai lie oreste inbalsamate' t"l shall
see again the balmy f0rests'') and Aida and Ra-
DANES the "Pur te riveggo, MIA dolce AYdan t.I
see thee again. my sweet Aida'D. In the last act
occur the duet "Gia sacerdoti adunanst' cal
ready the priests assemble'l, between Amneris aud
Radames, and that between Aida and RadaIDes,
's.Morir s pura bcar ('Io die, so pure and
bcautilu Then comes the fndte. with Aida, AM
neris, Radames and chorus and the curtain falls
In the general treatment OF the composition
Verdi has endeavored TO rid hiInsal OF several OF
those old conventionailries which have hampered
some OF his best efforts not less than those OF
equally powerful and popular composers. lie mas
endeavored introduce tie various melodies upon
less stilted and formal plan, and what we have
heard OF the oper2 leads us 10 thnk ms aspiration
has not been unsuccessful "AldaN Will be pro-
duced at the Academy on Monday evening. TIC
part ;or the contrato Is very strong. but the so
prano has opportunities which no prima donna
assoluta need dcspise. The public l. warranted IN
expecting an interesting novelty.