Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-08
ALMA THE INCANTATRICE.
FlOtOw's New Opera, Just brought
Out in Paris,

FIOtOw's New Opera, Just brought
Out In Paris.
The correspondent of the Lon.
don Daily News Telegraphs from
Paris: The production last night
at the Italian theater of Flotow's
new opera, Alma PIncantatrice.
was the greatest event at the Sale
Ventadour for many long day.
1t is highly original work, which
| describe as an operatic melodra-
ma, in which buffo scenes and
songs are mingled with pathetic
music of an exquisitely pure style.
In all my opera-going experience |
never witnessed a fuller or more
brilliant house. The central pas
sage in the pit, and the ones divid-
ing the first and second tiers of the
boxes from the balcony, were
blocked up with chairs, which the
employees were obliged to remove
and pile on each other between
every act to enable people to 90 out
to the saloon. There are few
leading characters in this opera,
which takes US back to the time of
Camoens and Don Sebastian of
Portugal. The first act passes at
Goa, to which the poet was exiled,
and opens in fonda, or inn, kept
by a funny man named Jose (played
by Rimini) and his wife, La zinga-
rella, joyous, bold-faced, warbling,
gypsy matron, who boxes her hus-
bands ears, and sings, with a truly
lively Spanish ring, songs which
are followed and remembered with
out effort by the auditors.
This character is admirably sus-
tanned by Nine SAM, rich-voiced
contralto, of Spanish birth and
pbysiognomy. Camoens falls in
love with Alma, the Incantatrice,
the slave of juggler staying at
the fonda. She is mild and pure
as the moonbeams, but not so cold,
for she reciprocates the poets feel
ing, and goes off with him, escap-
ing from the juggler. She has a
pretty talent for coaxing birds off
bushes and understanding what
they sing. The passages in which
she warns the feathered warblers OF
the approach of vultures are ex-
quisitely delicate and pathetic, and
explain wherein she is an enchan-
tress. At Lisbon she becomes a
street singer, and throws her earn
ings on the table on which her
poet-lover writes ballads for the sea-
faring population. Don Sebastian,
the king, hearing her, is enchanted,
and follows her to the inn, where he
picks a quarrel with Camoens, and
is wounded. CamOens is con-
demned to the galleys, and on this
theme Alma pours forth music that
would draw teals from harder
hearted monarches than this gay,
pleasure-loying king, who leaves
state affairs to his ministers, while
amusing himself with gipsy dancers
aud young courtiers. His too social
procllvities for king afford oppor.
tunities for introducing ballets,
sailors chorUses, and drinking
songs wherever he goes.
A very effective comic scene is
the one to which the Zingarella
teaches Sebastian and Jose the use
Of tobacco, and how to make and
smoke cigarettes. A right merry
trio they make, singing the praises
of the fragrant weed to the air OF
bolero. OF course, Camoens is
ultimately forgiven, and the curtain
falls at the end Of the fourth act, as
his majesty joins the hands of the
lovers. The part Of Alma not ad-
mitting tricks of vocalism, and re-
quiring pure, ample style aud
great sustaining power in a high
register, no second-rate soprano
could even creditrbly support it. 1t
enhances Albani's reputation. After
the performance Flotow was hardly
able to speak from sheer JOY. Nine.
Albani's perfect representation of
this part made, he said, Alma the
crowning glory Of his life, Fletow
is a venerable man, with finely
marked features, and German sim
plioity of manners, Nine. Albani
will only sing twice more in Paris
this season, and Alma Is to be
transferred TO London