The New York herald., 1873-11-18
A NJ U S E M E N is.
Academy OF Music-Italian Ope

| Academy OF Music-Italian Opera.
Each representation OF Meyerbeer's cher dGucre,
"Gli Ugonotti," by the admirable opera company
OF Mr.. Strakosch surpasses in finish OF detail and
| general spirit its predecessor. The performance
last evening had many points OF merit which were
| hitherto wanting. The most notable last
| evening was the excellence OF the impersonaton
OF Queen Margaret by Mile. Maresi. This artist
was in better voice than usual, and the few de-
rects which we observed before in regard to osloven
illness in recitative singing have entirely
| disappeared. Miss Cary's two arias as the page
| were faultlessly delivered, and Signor Nannetti
was quite at home in the music OF Marcei. The
military band, the orchestra. and the chorus the
finale of the third act, III Desun,n were Tor once
ertions Of Maestro Muzo and the fine
barytone voice and finished school OF NJ. Maurel,
lent an air OF dignity to the r0e of st. Brs. The
indignant refusal OF the Count De Nevers to par
tcipate in the massacre of ST. Bartholomew
the celebrated "Benedizione del Pugnau and the
| "Rataplan" left nothing to be desired Had
% nothing been presented but tue grand duo Of the
Campauini, the expectations of the majority OF the
audience would have been satisfied IT is, without
| exception, the grandest exhibition OF lyric aud
/ dramatic power witnessed on American operate
| boards for many years. The trio OF the filth act
| which serves as farewell between Valentine
I RaOu and Marcel, was an impressive close to this
fine representation or the grandest OF operas. 'l
| Trovatore" on Wednesday aud ..Rigoietto" on
| Friday. with Saturday matinee of ''Gi Ugonott"
constitute the other operate attractions of the
| week.
MIR. Gilberts Fairy Comedy, .'The
| Wicked World" Mt the Union Square
Theatre.
Mr. w. S. Gilbert's fairy comedy, the wicked
| World" was produced at the Union square Theatre
last night for the first time in this country. The
play in blank verse; and deals with the loves OF
fairies and of men, the fairy maidens being jealous
|
out takes place in fairyland. Selene the queen OF
| the Fairies, summons to her realms three mortals
the counterparts OF fairies Ethais, ghylon and
Lutin. All the action depends upon the rivalres
among the fairies for the love OF these, Selene
loving Ethais who is also loved by her fairy sister
Darine. Lutin is an earthly leecn and squire OF
Ethais, who is loved by Zayda, among the fairest
of the fairy maids Selene was taken last night by
Miss Clara Morris, Darine by Miss Maude Granger
and Zayda by Miss Kate Claxton. Tne two knights
were Mr.. Charles X. Thorne, Jr., sir Ethas, and
Mr. Mckee Rankin as Sir Pnyllon and MIR. stuart
Robson as Lutin. Mr.. Gilberts play Is poem, and
in the representation last night nothing was over
looked except the poetry Fairyland was exluls-
! ately painted. and the sairies were adorned with
Judgment and taste. But Miss Morris alone seemed
able to grasp the imaginative character allotted to
her. Selene is not by any means her best creation.
1t is indeed, part in which she shows
but in a few episodes, as the close OF the Sec
ond she is very strong, indeed. II Miss Morris is
| this part than in some others, upon which her
| reputation mainly rests, she is ut times weaker
| than IN any play in which we have seen her. Her
voice. so singuarly sweet. always aided her action,
| but its monotone IN blank verse becomes almost
| painful at times. In the first act, Tor instance,
where. speaking OF love- Selene says
II is strange enchantment which invests
The most unlovely things with ioveliness.
eaersthng as he W Would un haye be-
Is sf nea shrubs a2e Groves stately es
IL hrna driy dyyith
| Aud OF all marveIs the most marvellous
| The coarse, unholy man who rules her love
wise in his folly. biameiess in his sin
great and ever glorious demigod.
the measure OF the line is closely followed without
| any infection or emphasis. In an actress of less
than Miss Morris power this would be fatal. lii
| another passage she turned Mr.. Gilherts rather
| high flown verse into mere bombast The other
| young ladies whom we have named would have been
| well enough in an ordinary comedy, but they were
not the fairies of 's.alry verse The Knights
| and Sir Etharis henchman were three rough, rude
| fellows. They dressed their hair ike young
butchers and staggered more outrageously than
New York politician on Washington lobbyist.
| They were as rude and uncouth IN the delivery OF
! their lines as in their manners and appearance.
| If 1T was he chose a dress stranger even than
| that oil his ideal knights. Both Mr.. Thorne and
Mr.. Rankin were as rude as the fairies described
| them. Mr.. Tnorne especially being az Ill suited To
| the measure OF the verse as he was unlike the
knights OF any age except among ladies OF the
verse had an excellent opportunity for ihe
measured cadence OF his voice. II II had not been
for the verse 1t is possible should have had no
| fault to find with the performance: but. even with
! its shortcomings IL Is well worthy OF public atten-
! tion, both on account Of the novelty OF the dra-
| matist's idea and the approach 10 the realization
OF that idea which Is made by the Union square
/ Theatre Company.
Musical and Dramatic Notes.
| Mr.. John Brougham makes his first appearance
| as a reader at the Lyceum Theatre this evening.
verdi's "AIdar will be produced at the Academy
! OF Music on Monday night, with Mile Torrian
Miss Cary and Messrs. Campanini, Maure and
Nannetti in the cast.
A benefit is TO be given ut the Academy or Music
on Thanksgiving night in behalf OF Father Nc.
Donal's church. Among the artists who are to
appear are Mr.. Barney Williams, Mr.. George
Fawcett Rowe, MI. W. ]. Florence. and a number
OF others OF almost equal celebrity.
The frst symphony concert OF Theodore Thomas
takes nlace nt Steinway Hall on SATURDAY. the Dol