The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-19
THE TENOR CAMPANINI.
The Only Successor Of Mario and Giu-
gifni.

The Only Successor OF Mario and Gtu-
gitni.
The rdrd Gvfs In the operate world since the
palmy days Of Mario and Giuglini has ever been
tenor. Many limitations Of the desired songster--
some clever ones, too-were brought 1Or-
ward, but generally some necessary quality
was wanting, and q season In London dis
posed Of their claims adversely. Year after
year the cry Of the impresario went up to
Apollo or his modern representatives, the voice
builders OF the Conservatives, clamorng piteously
for tenor, but he came not. Like the prophets Of
Baal camoring for fire, Messrs. Gye and Mapleson
called upon the lyric deites to send down tenor.
Yet there was the same unvarying round Of medi-
ocrity in the heroic and amatory roles
Of the repertoire. Tae Orlando Furioso was
addicted to disjo,nted tours de .for,e which
were not musical, and lnnamorato warbed
IN infantic accents At length rumors were
heard Of young man named ltalO Campanini, who
had created quite fs1Ore in Bologna, Mllan Flor
ence and Rome, and who was gllted with voice Of
singing and acting formed the chief element OF the
success OF Wagners "LOhengrln" In Italy. Although
of great tenors, yet the two London managers en-
tered into race for the new songster, which was
won Dy meek" by MaGes9n; Sa~Panini made
In the roe OF Gennar0, In "Lucrezla B0rgia," May
4 1872. Since the DEBUT OF Guglini, sixteen years
before, there was nothing on the London boards 70
equal the success OF the young tenor. He has held
sway since for two long seasons before the most
According to the Judgment Of the most eminent
critics in London, Siglor Campanini's voice Is
singuarly sweet, pure and equal, mis- high b nat
being Of the most exquisite tone. His method is
admiraDle; they say he sings In the pure Italian
school He places no trust in the detestabe rtbrato
and other wretcbed tricks or vOcaliZatiOn which
operate artists SO often AFFECT; his style OF singing
being as pure as his voice, which Is saying great
has ntensss where is reSurea but IN ali cases
avoids "tear1ng passion TO tatters," Is the
melancholy Prince OF Denmark observes His COM
mand OF the cdntdbte Is perfect ana his pnrasing
an exempldcatl0n OF the true principles OF vocal
ART. II is not ''still small tsweep voice." but an
voes Is delicious and the Uoix iar~soyante expres.
sive beyond conception. There Is an unspeakable
sweetness and charm spread around the singer
waen ne utters passages OF sorrow and tenderness
IL is said oil him, AS once was remarked Of RuDini,
che has tears In his voice."
emily the pure style of Italian vocazation cannot
but revive attention TO the true principles OF art in
accent in nhrasing and in REIN ID method' the
London opera houses, since Verdfs influence be-
came potential. have been inundated with singers,
with whom strength OF lungs and facility IN norid
exercises were predominant. scarcely an artist
appeared who had not the ptorato and treDsolo to
distressing extent Then the Italian language had
become utterly tortured aud distorted expression,
style and taste were equally lost sight OF. From
Slgnor Campanini win be seen what Infinite charm
can De conveyed when the voice 10 produced with
out strain o. effort, when the words OF the poet
two is, alter all, something In the lyric drama) are
Claimed and not sung, when the sounds are deliv-
ered IN accordance with the dramatic situation,
and when power Is put forth at the right moment.
With the retirement OF Mario and Ronconi IL was
imagined that the Italian school had disappeared.
As an actor Signor Campanini surprised the
hdottues OF the London opera. He possesses in
tenslty. undishgured by any approach to extravo.
gance. There Is Intelligence In everything he does
and, In the death scene In "Lucrezia Borgia,r he
manifests an amount OF genuine feeling aud
dramatic power which alone would stamp him AZ
great artist. His stage manner Is always OF the
most refined description, and Is considerably en-
HANGED BY his due figure and handsome face. In
this respect ne Is superior to Giugltni, who was
always deficient IN personal and dramatic aLtrac-
tions, and whose voice, though cloyingy sweet,
was never heroic In It's tones.
The youth OF C3mpanini was signalized by his
active participation In the GarIbadlan war against
King Bomba Of Naples, and at later date by his
first operate experience In the small towns Of
Russia. He studied music under the best OF all
Italian mdestrf, Lampert, OF Milan He is now
twenty.four years Of age, In the prime OF lyric
talents, and may be considered as the most inter
estlng feature, next 10 Nile Nilsson, OF the
strakosch Italian Opera Company at the Academy
ri Music nexl season.