New-York tribune., 1874-10-22
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
MUSIC.
MISS ALBANI-sONSAMBuLA.

II ia satisfactory TO record at last A brilliant
and unmistakable triumph at the Academy Of Music.
The clever artists presented during tho earlier part
the season have met with somo favor. but reused
little or no enthusiasm. With Miss AlbaDi, however.
the case Is very different. Her debut last night
lacked none OF the the most exciting popu
lar success There q densey crowded house. and
the manifestations OF delight which began before
the prma donna had fairly finished her first aria In
creased in heartiness till the very end. There 10
not much in LA 5onnsmbula" except the
few backneyed show pieces for Amtna. and
else there is ndiferently performed that
Miss Albani may said have carried the burden Of
the evening alone Her appearance prepossessed tho
audience and she greatly increased the favorable i'm
preston by neat elegant and expressive delivery OF
the little scens Care compagDe." Introductory to the
Come per serene" This famous air showed her V
be the pOssessor Of clear, firm, homogeneous voice.
rich and nute-ke in the middle register and sweet In
the very highest tones, specially sympathetic but
perfectly flexible, and cultivated almost TO
the point OF perfection. She phrased the
aria beautifully and without lavishing upon 1t
any supernumerary embellishments gave charming
grace and brilIancy. The audience broke into exclama
tions OF pleasure, which repeated with additional
feryor end OF the Act The Act perhaps
little disappointing, for II disclosed Miss Abans''
weakness in the concerted pieces; but the third TO
doubled the Of the first the All non credea
and Alb non giunge" calling out perfect storm of ap
pause. These arias illustrated the two pecuares
of Miss Albanis Dging the Two pet Accomplishments
we may use the expression. by which she makes
her best effects In the had charming use OF
the and delicious delivery OF soft sostenuto
passages; In the second brilliant employment OF high
staccatO after method which only TWO singers
within our recollection have practiced WITH
equal success, namely, Madame Lagrange aud
Adelina Patti. There was nothing extravaganty
horid in Miss Abans treatment OF the finale but such
ornament as she bestowed upon 1t In taste and
faultless In execution. After the CLOSE OF
the opera the audience paid her the compnment-
unusual in NewYork at that time OF
the evenngof five calls before the curtain. Her act
ing but conventional Her personality pleas
ing but not magnetic Her voice and her vocalsm are
both beautiful, but she a genius and we Judge
though perhaps Sonnambula" does not offer good
test-that she will never deeply stir the feelings, or
take rank among the great dramatic artists. That Is
not say. however. that she Is not already prims
donna OF rare value.
The Elv,no last night was Sig Benfratei; Rudol1.
sg Forini Lisa, Miss Cooney; and Teresa MISS W,c-
gand
THE LATE CARL FORMEs
A cable dispatch announces the death, at
some place Europe not specified, of the famous basso
Carl Formes-n his day one OF the finest dramatic
singers generation has seem He was born
at Muhem, In Baden in 1918, and was
sacristan Of the church his ma
tive place when at the age OF "a he made his first ap
pearance the stage Of neghboring city. The part
chosen for his debut SardsrO in The Magic Flute
and decided that he almost immedi'
atey received engagement at the Imperial opera In
Vienna. He implicated in the revolutionary move
ments OF lS4S and forced to leave Germany going nst
to London and In 1857 making his first visit to America.
The sensation which he created at that time will not
be forgotten. He Joined Mr.. Ullmans company at
the Academy Of Music. Of which the principal mem
bers were Mime. Lagrange, Nine. DAngn.
anID DnNnn
voice OF remarkable strength and richness and phe-
nomenal Depth rolling huge musical three
notes below the staff, like the diapasons OF
a great organ, he combined fine method
and magnificent dramatic powers His personal
appearance added little to the mpressiyeness OF
his action. He had q noble head with thick flowing
black hair regular features and deep piercing eye He
was equally at home in tragic aud in parts Ber
tramaln Robert" PlunkeH in Martha" Figaro In
Mozarps "Nozze di Figaro" aud LeporeHo in " Don
Giovanni" among the most famous OF his persona
tions He in his prime when ne first came here. but
he began his before he had been here long,
and four five years ago 1t was SO completely
gone that he abandoned the lyric for the dramatic
stage, appearing a few times in England land If we are
not mistaken Ireland aso) with Indifferent success
Under the of his wife, who Is educated ply sicau
he partly recovered his great gifts, and he came back
to this country sing at the Stadt Theater, where we
heard him in 1871 his famous role of FdtsaG In
Nicola's Merry Wives Of Windsor" There was some
of the old richness left In his voice even
then, and wrecked 1t was he made
a marked sensation. He sang once or twice
for Madame Parepa Rosa Marcel in THE Huguenots"
but in this he was not successful Since his last return
to Europe he has been singing in concerts.
ILLNESS OF Mr.. S. C. CAMPBELL
We regret to learn that Mr.. 5. c. Campbell,
the popular singer lying at the point OF death IN Chi
cagO. He returned this Summer from a long visit
abroad during which he Travelled In the East spending
some time Egypt for the benefit Of his health, and
afterward singing with great success in London. He
has appeared several times this month with Miss Kel
loggs company in Chicago. apparently In excellent
physical conditions but the disorder OF the liver which
troubled him great deal during his last engagement
with Mime. Parepa-Rosas English Opera Company In
New-York seems to have thoroughly undermined his
constitution. Mr.. Campbell has always been great
favorite Of the public and universally liked by his
associates and esteemed by wide circle Of personal
friends.