The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-06
ADJUSTMENTS.
ACADEMY OF MusIc-"MreSoN."

Nine ANDRE appeared AS Mignon last evening at
the Academy of Music before audience that was
of fair and willing to encourage her in her un-
dertaking She was Judiciously and warmly
sppisuded. and il her Mignon fell short
of success 1t was not owing to the
GOODNESS of the house. The cast nota-
bly, strong one and the setting OF the piece
good. 1t will be from this that Mme
ANDRE appeared under pleasant circumstances
She sang much Of the score very we'll; in her ORA
matte treatmentsof the role there something to
praise. but more to blame. The chief fault
OF her Mgnon was that It lacked clear
ness and boldness of outline There Was
character that gave to it an individuality Of its
own and, q result, Nine. ANDRE lett no i'm
to her conception Of Goethe's heroine. It
not the refined and ethereal child OF the poet nor
was it the forcible and 'demonstrstive being
which some OF our lyric artists have made
1t. 1t was not an embodiment OF the sim
plicity and grace. of nature. nor was IL
the representation of the force aud power of ORA
matte art. 1t evidently intended q medium
between the two, but 1t WAS not broad enough to
take the color OF either and as q result It was
vague, underlined and shadowy But 1t must be re-
membered that this was the impression Of the pic
tnre rs whole; in some OF its details it very
good. as. for instance in the sixth scene-that with
Guglielmo-in the second act where Nine Andres
pose. her whole bearing and her vocalism we're
markaby clever. Her manner, her voice, her face,
all expressed world of pathos she sang.
Tomorrow. VINO knows where shall be to morrow
Ills known alone God who this world doth rule
In direct contrast to this her unpicturesQue
posing aud la,nbike method of skipping about the
stage. in o costume that was marvellously unbe-
coming. in the earlier scenes, and her careless
phrasng Of passages which should have conveyed o
depth of sentiment. In fact. IL Is better and more
just to her to abandon criticism of her Mignon.
and simply consider the opera as q series Of num-
bers which she sang This will admit of q closer
estimate of her vocal ability.
The famous air mon Conosci II bel suol was
sung In parts with good and full voice. and
many passages were OF very sweet quality.
The fault lay in the fact that the in
troductory phrases were not invested with that
dreamy, mysterious character that they should
have possessed. calling up "reminiscences Of
distant. bygone time The duo with Lotario which
succeeds it was really remarkably well done. and it
pity that the fine cadenza omitted, Us it
would have greatly added to the fine result Mme
ANDRE effected.
Mignons scens in the second act very credit
able the recitatve was good and the runs and tris
weak point of all resting in the fact that it lacked
q dramatic finish to make 1t strong throughout
some pits or rectasive later IN the scene sne aid
always seems to necessitate proportionate motion,
detraeted from an otherwise good effort.
Ambre's best work in action and vocalsm. the
"deh perche mai lrs del cielo &C.. possessing
siderable vocal force and showing marked dramatic
ability. The prayer. "Oh virgene Maria" was de-
hvered with great feeling. and throughout tho
whole Of this finale there was great Improvement
observable in the Mignon of the evening.
It was midnight when the house was emptied, and
only q brief note can be made Of the general cast
individual member assumed prominent place in
every act
Signor Campanini is without doubt the greatest
living Guglielmo, and he sang with vim. . dash,
. brilliancy that was superb. Every note in the
crescendo passages rang out clear . bell.
and his phrssing of the delicately shaded
music with which his part teens was
simply exquisite. So much Of the work OF the even
ing falls him that to detail it all is impossible
Mile. Valera sang very well; her polonaise was
brilliant and effective in the sustained and de-
tached notes. but the rapid passages were not
clearly emitted.
The conception Of the piece was good. but when
hurried by the brisk movements she fell
o tribe Hat than once. Miss Cary
was a. dashing and charming Federico. and
her famous Rondo-gAvotte ''Ci sono"
very well rendered. Both Milo. valleria and Miss
Cary made marked Impressions in their parts. and.
with Signors Campsnini and Del Puente. earned
deserved laure,s Signor Del Puente's Lotzrio was
. most finished performance and his aria In the
last of the features or the evening.
OF the opera 1t may be said that it did not make
marked success but possessed too many good points
to be declared . failure.