The New York herald., 1873-10-08
AM q s E M EN- rs,
Debut Of lima di Murska I'm Ella SOM
nambuia" Mt the Grand Opera House.

Debut Of lima di Murska I'm Ella SOM
nnmbuia' mt the Grand Opera House.
The first appearance OF lima di Murska in this
country was almost unheralded and the desire to
hear her was far from being adequate to her mer-
its. There were many empty benches in the Grand
opera House last night though "La Sonnambua"
had not been sung in this city for number OF
years. 1t seemed as II Di Murska had been left to
fight her battle alone but she fought 1t nObly and
gained very great triumph Her victory was a.
most repetition OF the Lucca enthusiasm OF the
previous night, while, as q singer and artist, she
showed herself possessed OF exceptional merit.
Bein Is one of the most tuneful OF the Italian
operatic composers, and his works can never fail
to hold their own with any public while pure,
spontaneous melody retains precedence over the
new tangled theory OF musical metaphysics which
has crept into the German schools. The Swan OF
Catania as Bellini has been happily called in the
opera OF LA SonnambIlan conceived a delightful
pastoral, an elegy rather than dramatic work,
delicious in its very aayDet6. 1t was writ
ten In Milan for Nine. Pasta, and has re-
nected the ustre OF some OF the brightest stars OF
the lyric stage since that time. 1t has become
stranger TO the American boards in late years,
owing to the inability OF procuring cast adequate
to its demands. In fact Belni's works, as well az
those of Rosslni, have well nigh disappeared from
our stage, owing TO the same cause There Is no
chance for an ill-trained or patchy voice in the
great works OF these two masters solid art and
slnglng-n the true sense or the term--can alone
suflice. The semiramides, Normas, Othellos and
Rosinas OF the past can hardly be revived in this
degenerate age OF music, when bawling is mis-
taken for expression and when half dozen notes.
given with trumpet like force, is called grand
aria We hear move the sPuritanin of Bellini,
which he wrote for the immortal quartet, Grisi,
Rublni Tamberini ana Lablache because singers
nowadays are trained only in the noisy school, not
in that Of true melody. The success OF Mile. ID
Murska last night in one OF Bellini's operas,
IS, therefore, OF more significant value
more modern work. "La Sonnambula''
has had many brilliant casts in this country.
Boslo, Savl and Marni sang In it twenty years ago
at Castle Garden, and the year alter Sontag re-
placed the little Turinese nightingale. Lagrange,
Brignoli and Badali made 1t popular for three
years at the Academy and Patti aud Kellogg, with
MOrel and AmadO won their laureiS IN 1t some
years later. The principal drawback to the sue
cess OF the opera IS the number OF its rectatives,
which, like those Of "Don Giovanni" and ''Nozze di
Figaro" nave no interpretors at the present day.
the rising generation OF singers.
After the opening chorus simple but interest
ing village pean Mile. Feretti, the Lisa Of the
cast, sang the first aria, "Tutto giojan ana con.
sdering the smalness or her part, which Is now
generally given to chorus singer, she was an un:
her voice and the ease with WHICH she sang
the fOrid measures OF the aria. Before the ap-
pearance OF Amina there were favorable indications
gwen OF the quality and promptness In attack OF
the chorus and, very in.av0labe ones OF the
caliprs q t9s orchestra Mr. Maretzek should in
the clar0nets and a little more attention to the
baton on the part OF the violins would be desr-
able. The chez datoQ,e might be changed for q
better medium OF Interpretation between the
leader and the orchestra.
The first appearance OF Mlle di Murska was
hailed with an Outburst OF applause; but when she
passed the trying ordeal in the aria, "Come por
me sereno" and "sovra il SEM the house rose in
an uncomfortable state OF excitement She closed
the series OF tOrtltrf passages at the end OF the
latter aria, with one OF the most daring most DIM
that has been heard on any stage for many years.
1t would require pianist OF Rubinstein technique
to give it due effect even on the piano. vizzani,
as Elvln0 IN MS opening aria, "Prendi, Ia mel Il
donO,o satisfied the audience that his voice was In
better condition than during his first season in
this country, and the succeeding duet with Amina
was triumph Tor both artists. Count Rudoph0
next made his bow IN the person OF new BARI
.Vl ravvIso," received ample justice at his hands,
The descriptive chorus "A osc0 cielo,u was given
with effect ana the act closed with the duet be-
tween Amina and Elvino another gem In the rem
dering anu expression.
the genius of Mile. dl Mnrska as true artist
independent OF the exceptional character OF her
voice, which revels in vocal pyrotechncs even
beyond the reach OF Carlotta PATHS organ, was
shown IN an eminent manner in the
second act, when she first appears in her
character as a sonnambulist III the Counts bed
room. Her defamation and phrasing and her
loving apostrophe 10 the absent Elvlno were all
delivered with rare expression, feeling and power
Wnen reused nom her sleep by the wild repr0aches
OF her lover the taun IS sl her uncOnsconable rival
and the cries OF astonshment OF her neghbors she
gave expression to ner mingled feelings OF per-
plexity, grief and despair in singing and acting in
a manner that was never exceled by Nine.
Gassier IN her palmy days. The magn,1cenJ
ensemble commencing with Amina's wall ND'un
Pensero,v and ending with the harmonious
swell OF all the voices OF the chorus given with
an effect that gave stu further evidence OF the
careful rehearsas to which the chorus OF this
pany have been subjected. The scene between the
discarded Amlna and her deceived lover in the next
act was another success for the prma donna. An
guish, pleading, despair, thrilled in every tone OF
her voice. vizzani sang the aria "Ahi perche
called iorth applause. but the best part OF the
scene was lett out. After another long cut. the
great scene OF the OPERA, in which Amina crosses
the bridge over the mill wheel, came on. This
was the crowning triumph OF Mile. Di Murska,
as her rendering OF the melodies "Ah non
concert 'An non giungi" was really marvellous.
In the latter aria she wOve around the measures OF
arpeggt aIh every conceivable kind of embelsh-
ment, until the house was filed with her voice as
with that OF some tropical bird, showering forth
its wealth OF melody. Twice she touched G In alt
with much ease as II it were an ordinary note in
her voice, and in several instances her staccato
passages and rapid leaps, an octave at q time, :
made such an impression on the minds Of the au-
dience that they brought her out again and again
executant of vocal fireworks Mile. Di Murska is en-
titled to high praise and she further enhances the
ta W tha v rea Of art and the enonas IL
intelligence and expression, OF q composer. II il
such rare thing nowadays to find singer VINO
can warbe like mocking bird, or B0sio, and vet
declaim recitatyes as an artist, that one cannot
avoid being reused out OF the apathy OF the critic
and putting in q plea for the vocilerous people at
the Grand opera House last night
Musical and Dramatic Notes.
signora Carlotta Patti sister OF Nine Adelina
Pattl-Caux) was to make her first appearance at
NJ Rviere's Covent Garden Concerts last Saturday
At the stadt Theatre last night quite numerous
audience witnessed the opera OF 'Die Judin." or
course Frau Louise Litchmay as Rachel and Frau
lcin Canissa the Princess Eudoxia were the life
OF the performance, the former being frequently
appIauded. Herr Hermanns Cardinal Brogoi was