The New York herald., 1879-09-09
ADJUSTMENTS.


"pAuL AND VIRGINIA" AT TIE GRAND OPERA
HOUSE.
Miss wa E%Is Albeit A.
Neaia muiatto slave Mss Zelda seguin
Margaret mother Of Paul Miss Gilbert
81 croix rich planter. Mr. A. Z. Stoddard
negro boy Mr. & Archer
The Grand Opera House was crowded to it's fullest
extent last evening. The occasion was the first ap-
pearancc in New York of Miss Emma Abbott in her
English creation of Virginia in Victor Masses opera
Of Paul and Virginia." Miss Abbott received
such an enthusiastic welcome Us must certainly
show her that her efforts to popuiarize English opera
or opera il English whichever we choose to call it.
in this country thoroughly appreciated. She
tainly has won for herself of the attering
positions in the limited realm Of popular operatic
fayorites. Wherever she goes immense audiences
assemble to greet her. She has secured popular
favor for several reasons of which, especially to
be commended. is her determination to give her
audiences opportunity of listening to the works
of modern compdsers. such our Italian impre-
sarios usually leave until a nice. classic mould
ent short in New York Miss Abbott
promised us, besides her regular repertoire victor
Masse's Paul and Virginia" and Gounod's "Roneo
and Juliet In both of these the prima donna
takes the character of the heroine. Last night was
devoted to the rendering OF victor MASSES s w0ra
ceiyed with very great applause ali through.
Many of the pieces had to be repeated in
while the scenic effects were far beyond the average
of what are accustomed to get at our operate
entertainments. Among the audience last evening
sat NJ Capou the creator of the role OF Paul when the
opera was first given at the Theatre Lyrique, in
Paris in the fall of 1876. His serves to call
to mind some events connected with the earliest pro-
duction of the opera. The authors Of the French
libretto were NM. Barber and Carre. who took
their material from Bernadn de St. Pierre's story
OF Paul and Virginia.. book which has become
the property of all nations and has charmed young
and old its simple sweetness and poetic beauties.
Though the story has never lent itself
well to dramatic treatment. it offers to the musical
poetic mind rich source OF inspiration. Victor
Masses treatment of the subject from the first
recognized wonderfully illustrative OF St. Pierres
ever secured in Paris than that gained by him
in Paul and Virginia" NJ. Capoul sang
Ssre ne ros o sarE tod how Nile Ritter W WAS n
duced to sing the part. which seems very apropos.
There seems, indeed. to be kind Of affinity in the
Virginia in French and in English. Mile. Ritter
then scarcely seventeen years Of age,
in Marseilles when she was asked to undertake the
role. She had not completed her musical training.
Besides that she had devoted herself to promoting
the comfort Of "a number G OF poor people in her
But finally induced to go to Paris she called all her
poor people to her and took leave Of them. Before
parting she shared the contents OF her little purse
OF $50 francs among them; then gulping down
her tears the poor girl sobbed out. Mes amis
they did So for Mile Ritter made brilliant
BIT to the opera. Everybody knows the story of
paul and Virginia" brought up amid the tro al
scenes of the Isle of France brother and sister
until love awakens in their hearts unconsciously.
In the opening act we are introduced to Mme
lie Ia Tour. Vrginia's mother and Margaret the
mother Of Paul. who inform us of all that is neces-
sary to be known OF themselves and the early
to a mulatto slave named Domingo (Mr. Ryse),
who, however. exerts but little influence the
progress OF the drama. Then comes a scene which
for picturesqueness and charm has few equals
the lyric stage. storm has broken out suddenly.
and sheltered by large banana leaf. Paul and Vir
ginia come upon the scene, as described in the
original story
.virginie accourat vers la mason la tete couverte
de son iupon qu'ee await relieve par derri6rc pour
sc METRE d labri dune ondee de plule ellie tenait
Paul par lie bras, enveoppe presque enter de Ia
meme couverture, riant un ct lautre etre ensem-
BILE Ii abri un parapluie de leur invention
Nothing could be more charming than this
picture although we must criticise the represen
tatves of both hero and heroine for coming out
of the stage picture and singing to the audience in
stead of each other. Miss Abbott otherwise grasped
the character Virginia with true poetic feeling and
vocally did full justice to the part. We have
time tonight TO either enter into details OF the
opera or to do more than to call attention to few
of the more notable scenes and pictures. There is q
dance. the 'Bamboula." executed bv the slaves
the plantation of NJ ST. Croix which IS wierd, mel
anchoy and characteristic.
This dance forms an effective finale to the first set.
The second act has many gems especially where the
composer has relied upon Wagner for the expression
of the love passage between Paul and Virginia. In
tho employment of the lett MOTIF. however. Masse
does not show himself by any means skilled,
for the repetition OF the melodous strains remind
lug forcibly of the music in 'Lohengrin,"
becomes ut las: rksome. Still it better to bor-
row good music if you cannot invent better. The
parting scene between Paul and Virginia was given
full of passion and had to be repeated. Then
the bird song in the closing part of the second act
showed Miss Abbotts capabilities to the greatest
advantage. For this she received well merited
encore. Act second is one tull of scenic.
prises. Especially to be noted is the dream
Of Paul when the vision of Virginia in a
drawing roomin Paris is revealed to him. Charac-
terstically Wsgneran is the idea of bringing in the
let mofir in this scene by the repetition of the love
song. "By the air that breathe, &C." The closing
scene represents the ship in which Virginia is
returning to her native island wrecked the
during terrible storm The vessel is driven on to
the breakers. and virgina's body is borne by the
ana places it on the sands. and, in the midst OF
sorrowing group, he falls the lifcless body
Of his love- This scene is also immensely effective
and would be made even more by the judicious
OF lime light cast upon the dead girls body as
done in Paris. Then the curtain falls.
ss a1t abso r ns
called out. Miss Abbott received innumerable
floral offerings. Mr.. Castles delineation of the
he was evidently not in the best OF voice. Miss
Sequins singing of the role OF the mulatto woman
Meala was; unsteady considered. one of the great
conrato voice aud possesses dramatic ability such
as is rarely found the lyric stage. The orchestra
cannot be praised; but it is only Just say that the
unavoidable deficiency is due to changes that have
been made within few days. thereby prevent
ing satisfactory rehearsals This evil will
much of the beauty of Masses
original score. We cannot close however without
of hearing new operatic work of such
acknowledged merit paul and Virginia."
1t is to be hoped that she will continue
American public. in their language. the
masterpieces of the great modern COM
aSty and sed in Which to exeraiss them as
much tor her benefit for the pleasure and in
struction of a large music-ioving constituency.