The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-07
THEATRICAL REVIEW.
sTrn BallO iii Maschera" and n
Sketch of "Aida."
Something About Theatrieals IN Gen
eral. the Grand Opera House
and the Academy Of Music.
AIDA.

OT fha pnrfnrmanra W Aida Rsi night. we
can aay hut little. We are amazed. and In the
confusion arisng from the fret addition of
such puipsant Htrenma Of harmony. We oonleaa
that we are powerlesa TO mako an appreciation.
Az we come from the Opera Hall, we have an
indiHtinrt idea that we have heard Verdi Wag-
ner and Meyarbeer. The fact Ia that Verdi IN
Aida, stil retaining hs identity and indiyi-
duality nf expression haa become mere aerioua
and classic. and given more power TO the In
strumentation OF his work. The muaio all tho
way through IN full Of deaa and Intentions. and
the orchestra. moro than ever, giyea the thought
OF the author In eloquent undertonaH.
In the grand Heene Of tho fret net tho 'Hitorna
vincior' Of Aida, admirably auug hy Miae
Singer In all its shades Ia OF magnificent style,
and reminds Jig OF Mayerbeer. Ut looks like an
idea taken from "IAfrcalne," and approrri-
nted by Verdi by tho right Of Ronlus.
The Triumphal March In tho eoeond act Ia
grand and was admirably represented In iiH
spectacular aspects.
The Haptuor that fallnwa II was Hplandidl
rendered in the ouaemhia II "a one Of the
finest pages Of music over written and was nd
mirably interpreted Tho grand finale which
closes this nj was magnificent IA u whole and
III all lta Details
In the beginning of Tho third ao afior tho
departure Of Amneris. Iamphia md others
Aida remains alone and Mtsa Ringer there, IN
She grand mir @Qni Radamea vorra gave the
score with rare perfection.
The duct which foIlowa between Aida and hnr
father was noticeable FOR grandeur md elo-
uuenee of expression. Htorti ana Mas Singer
interpreted tho author 10 tho very point ana
we're vociferoutly encored. Then comes the
duet between Aida and Ridamoa. Thia owl
IDENTITY In nm orig inR idea Of tho maestro: IL 10
similar to nothing that we have heard In the
musical rapertory. and Ia sufficient to crown
Verdi With the aurenlH Of nniying fame RI
wa interpret i admirably hy Maa Singer and
petrovich aud the finale was onoornd by Tho nu-
dienee with tremendous applause.
But we muat etop. Wa must haya Aiia again
more than once before Undertaking To give
full appreciation Of ita morfa or avnn OF tho
singing Of the artiata who laHt night We nre
FREQ tn any, interpreted the work aa we'll na our
conception of the narta cRn warrant ,is tn ,udE
Ina on this The first addition. Tho house waa
crowded from pit 70 dome with MI That was
lovely and appreeiatiyo III Tho land md We
bopn that thia viii encourage Mr.. Strak oHch III
give ia AZ soon Rs possible another representa-
ton of what appears to MA TO he Nerdi'e chef
d'nuvra.
might Bellini's opera Of LA snnnamhu
a. with Mics lsaRlannhe as Amina Mias Ian
caster, Louisa Miss Arian Teroaa :sgnor La7-
sarini, Elvino; Gouschalk, Condo Rudolfo md
TaGliapetro. Alessio.
We will now, according 10 rromise. attempt u
brief outline or the idea and music Of
IN pAIto IN MAacHERA
A concerns the lihrett 0. II is certainly better
conducted as dramatic work than II Froya
tore" and yet the actors appear less interest
Ing. The defect Ia In the story which places
oil the principal pereonngas In fRlRe positions
fr ON tho start Richard. Count of Warwick and
Governor of Boston. Ia Remarkably high toned
and chivaroue tenor. who falls desperately in
love with the beautiful wife Of his private SOC
Rotary Renato, who is NJ the same limo his
bosom friend and a harytone full Of faith and
good intentions. Amelia. tho Wife II highly
virtuous primR donna me51o soprano. but nov
ertheess recprocates vehemently though ylr-
tuousy. the love Of her husbands friend II II
evident that suCh u state OF affairs nj the very
beginning announces u rapid development Of
the plot. In which the barytone looms M In the
inevitable character that Bazae has called
"predeatined."
In order TO cave her own virtue and the
threatened dignity Of tho barytone. she finds
no better plan than to consult negro sorceress
named Uirica. who does not appear to he
her OF magic plant which grows. OF course In
a very dismal spot out OF town. near the place
of public executions. The herb Is naturally
worth nothing II not culled by the fair hands Of
the lady herself and exactly nj midnight. Vir-
ne overrides fear and Amelia determines upon
daring the venture, But tho tenor who is con
. ealed somewhere III tho building disguised IA
sailor. oyerheaTs the whole conversation. and
1 n d few brilliant notes. makes UP his mind that
he also win take his chances III that lonely
place.
And so they meet aud sing SO beautifully
about Love aud Virtue and get SO dangerously
close to each other that the barytone's house
hold stock falls ever ~ many points and ap-
pears to be a. II wore drug In the market.
Happily for practical virtue the blrytone
comes Id at this critical iuncture ana his stock
momentarily rises. He comes to advise his
friend that a ferocious band OF dissatisfied
politicians. Known as 'Mackerel Guards. arc
lying In wait to assassinate him. He must go
and so alone by some other route and do II
p. d. q. But what Of the lady She has yelled
her face and is left under the protection OF her
husband who swears u solemn oath not to try to
ind her out 50 he does. but scarcely has the
enor disappeared but the Maekerel Guards
come In led by Tom and Sam. who are outs
hey attempt to lift the veil from tn face Of the
ady. but the BARITONE draws his rapter aud
fight Is imminent when she throws herself be-
ween the comhatants aud tearing open her
veil diseloses her identity 10 the astonished
gaze Of her husband, whose feelings can be |
better imagined than described. After recoverS
ing from the first shock he very properly
swears vengeance against the tenor makes up |
with Sam and Tom. agrees to murder his false
friend and effectually does 1t at 9 masked ball
n the last act. Hence the title.
Really we prefer the blood and thunder.
though incomprehensihle story q II Trova-
tore" There Is something grand aud noble ii
the Condo de Luna. with all his cruelty; Azuee-
ma Leonora aud Manrico are all interesting.
and though we never know exactly where they
stand at any given part of the plot. vet we fol-
ow them throughout with real and unaff ected
interest.