The New York herald., 1879-12-08
ADJUSTMENTS.
ACADEMY OF Musrc-coscEnr.

ACADEMY OF MUSIC-CONCERT.
Mr.. Mapleson's opera troupe gave q very enjoy
able concert last evening at the Academy of Music.
the programme including q number of excellent
selections. neary all of which most admirably
rendered. Nine. Ambre. Nine. Lablache; Signori
Campanini. Del Puente. Runcio; Herr Behrens and
the full orchestra and chorus took part under the
able direction OF Signor Arditi.
Why these called 'ssacred concerts" Is quito a
mystery, as they include both religious music and
selections Of such undoubted worldly complexion as
the ''Mgnon" overture and the Bullfghters' song
from Carmen" 1t is as inappropriate to tack
this ecclesiastical title to tho excellent but
miscellaneous programme as 1t would be
were We to refer to it now "Rev Mr.. Mapleson q
sacred concert. in which he had the assistance of
Deacon Campanini. Brother Del Puente and other
members OF his choir" Most people 10 to the
Academy simply to enjoy the hearing of good music
and they are generally through with their
religious exercises by evening the title OF sacred"
is extra inducement to draw them thither for
recreation; those who go there under the delusive
idea that the entire affair is OF service
concerts afford is recreation that is ro-
bustly healthy in tone, but entirely de-
void of anything offensive to the most
staid and quiet auditor and quite compatible
with good observance oi "the day of rest" These
concerts need cloak in the way of sacred title
to make them consistent with. the day, and undoubt
edly the audience would have been larger last
ina had the title suggested the true of the
aair-an evening of enjoyable music. religious and
secular and not ''sacred concert"
Nine; A%6rs sang s.Is,n remarkably Mlly well Adams
"Crucifxus," with Herr Behrens, and Gounod's
"Ave Maria" The '.Sancta Maria was specially
good. the spirit the phrasing the quality OF voice
throughout being excellent & and & far ahead OF any
is wonderful really. how well Nine. Ambre can
sing music Of this class and yet how poorly she
succeeds in that of different style. In one she is
thorough in the other she is really failure.
Signor Campanini sang .Pieta Signore" in superb
style. with grace and decacy in the plano pas
upper notes that were charming. 1t is
when we romember the great variety of music
which he sings. and sings SO evenly well, that we
recognize how thorough and finished artist he il,
and what command he possesses over his rich and
most enthusiastically last evening. Sgnor
Del Puente's "Mio povero Cor" (Guercia)
was well worthy 81 the eacore 1T received tor Its
tanned high in the finale most telling one
aud he promptly brought back to the audience.
when he sang 'rhe Torreador's Song" with great
effect He should have had orchestral accom- pani-
ment with it, however.
Nine. Lablache made q very pleasant impression
in the 'Crucifxus," from Rossinis ..Messe Solen-
nellie" and with Sgnori Runcio and Del Puente in
the 'sCsratias Agimus" from the same work.
Herr Behrens announced to sing, from the
Mendelssohn oratorio Of "Elijah." cit is enough"
which proved. it be said more than sufficient
Herr Behrens sang it presumably in English but as
it was an unhappy medium between England and
Germany, it was entirely ineffective. and did not do
the artist any special credit.
The orchestra and chorus were very good, the one
in the 'Mignon'' overture and the other in the
40 sgnore.'' from "Lombardi." and Mozart's
..Grand Isis" chorus.
The one positive, absolute and unequivocal failure
was the "Dal tuo Stellato' from ''lIoses in
Egypt" The entire thing fat, spiritless
and unfinished, and was anything but salts
factory. Nile. Valleria Nine. Ambre. Sienor
Csmpanini and sigaor Del Puente were to have
sung in this selection. but not one of them ap-
peared. To their absence may be credited, in great
measure the failure of the piece There may have
been good reasons for their absence; but as
three Of them the stage a few
minutes previously the audience naturally
connected their failure to appear together
with peculiar circumstance which occurred
on the occasion of the late performance of
"Mignon," but which nesd not be referred to here.
The concert enjoyable, however. even with this
one drawback. and Mme Ambre who more than
once filled the place Of an absentee on the pro.
gramme. deserved much praise for that which she
did, even il she must be blamed for that which she
left undOue.