The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-09
MASSES "PAUL AND VIRGINIA" ="
Miss Emma Abbett's Opinion of the
Work in Which Ahe is About TO
Appear.

Miss Emma Abbstt's Opinion of the
Work in which Ahe is About TO
Appear.
New York SUM-
Miss Emma Abbott, who created the
role of the heroine of Masses opera of
"Paul ct Virginie" in this country last
season at New Orleans, will introduce
this work to the New York public next
week at the Grand Opera house. While
Miss Alb oft was studying for the stage
in Paris, the opera, founded upon Ber-
nardin de St. Pierre's romance, was being
prepared for production, and consider
able correspondence passed between the
young American and Nine Masse in ref
ereuce to her appearance as "Virginie, "
the composer himself being too I'll to
write. "He had heard me sing" said
Miss Abbott, in recent conversation,
"and pronounced me, of all sing
ers he had listened to, the one
best fitted for the sympathetic music
of 'Virginie,' Unfortunately, however,
] was then under engagement to Mr..
Gye, and was thus prevented from ap-
pearing in NJ. Masses work, as | would
have desired. The character was finally
allotted to Mile. Ritter, a young relative
of the pianist, who was not particularly
successful with it. The Paul of M.
Capoul was the great feature of the rep
resentation, | am told. / was prevented
from even hearing the work in Paris,
where it was so long in preparation and
so much talked about that it excited the
liveliest interest. However, if | could
not create the role in Paris could, and
did, do the next best thing; l was the
original representative of the heroine in
this country We brought out the work
in New Orleans last winter, and it proved
the success of the very brilliant season;
they had not had opera there on such a
scale for long time, and the public
turned out en- masse You may imagine
the impression the grand duo made when
| tell you Mr.. Castle and | were recalled
eight times! | had been afraid that the
music, beautiful as it is, would be little
too complicated for the general public to
appreciate, but the result proved the
contrary"
Miss Abbott describes the cotton plant
alton scene as a very spirited one, and
says that she never hears the chorus
known as "La Bamboula," but that she
feels like "blacking up" and joining in.
This scene is one of the principal ones of
the opera, although the incident which
suggests it is very briefly touched upon
in the story. Meaa, female mulatto
slave, has escaped from her cruel master,
NJ, de Sainte Croix, and implores the
protection of Virginie. The maiden not
only grants this for the moment, but re-
solves to obtain Meala's liberation from
the stakeholder, to whose plantation the
scene is thereupon transferred. Black
slaves and mulattoes are carrying loads
and working in the field under the trop-
ical sun. Moving about among them is
Sainte Croix, who induIges in outbursts
of wrath at the loss of Meala.
Suddenly the slave herself appears, ac-
companicd by Paul and Virginie,
the latter throwing herself between
the slave and her cruel master. Moved
by her beauty, the STAKEHOLDER promises
forgiveness and even freedom to Meala,
but this show of humanity is but dis
guise of his designs on Virginie's in.
nocence. He persuades her to rest from
her journey and a banquet is prepared
under the trees, enlivened by the song
and dances of the slaves. The faithful
Meala, who knows her master, inform,
Paul of his treacherous intent by mean'
of a ballad sung at the feast, and, thus
warned, the pair depart in safety. But
Meala has to pay dearly for the service
rendered to her benefactors, and her cries
of distress are heard from behind the
scenes while her fellow slaves, at thu
stern command of their master, sing ant
dance "La Bamboula." Miss Abbott de
scribes Mrs. Seguin's performance o
Meala as a very eloquent and touchin.
one; owing nothing to appearance-she i
dressed in rags-she makes a vivid pic
ture of the prosecuted slave woman.
Virginie's chief opportunities are fount
in 4he scenes with Paul, in which the,
declare their mutual passion-the cele
brated love duo, which contains them
which reappears in the course Of tn
work-and in bravura piece known a
"The Bird Song" which Miss Abbott dc
clares mass of difficulties-staccat
runs, trills, and fiorturi Of every descriE
tion, initiating the notes of the feathers
songsters of the forest. Miss Abbott lay
particular stress upon her efforts as tn
inanimate and lifeless heroine in the fina
scene, where Virginie's body is washe
ashore. She asserts that it requires a
exertion to remain limp and apparentl
dead not even second to that exacted i
love-making-in which difficult art
provincial paper has declared Miss AL
bott perfection. The vivacious prim
donna explains the success of the low
duo by saving that Mr.. Castle, who
the Paul, is happily, not "stick," {
many tenors prove when called upon t
express the tender passion. This singe
will alternate as Paul with Tom Kar
who will assume the role for the fir
L. T II T n