New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-02

~ 0pfPA-LA sONNANBULA

TIE 0pfRA-LA sONNANBULA.
NJ Narl-o.'s Company sang La Sonnamhua"
last evening 4i tac Academy o. Music. and Madame
Ger,r.r made 1.r first appearance ibis season as
Amma. Win tbe exception pe-hap- Of LiRda, there
il. ror.f- -Uat she has sung tins season which she
does So We'll As ia Luoa.' tile music
lies wel within her voice, and is Of
tie I,l- and 1.rid ch ract-r which is
soweu suited 20 Ler STYLE. and dramatically the
pq1 f.. ucr ID perfection. Madame Gerster Is not
g-,at actress even as prima donurs 90. In tie ex-
preston of intense passion whether - be love or
rGl-a.p rneut. her art morally at fault,
-ler dramatic methods are Of the most simple
and convent ora >oi,. l. parts whore she can be
perfect " SIMPLE and natural she is very charming,
bu. the charm comes from her oWA .oyely person
Atty and uoJ frol the employment of dramatic
ex1eIeu-s. so long as she Can be herself. gentle.
naive and uul f.cte1. nothing can be more attrac-
I'VE and --.a Ie1c than her im2ers nations, but
when it BECOMES necessary for her 90 lie much
more than Ja-, her resources sometimes fail
her and tlc result is more or iess unsat-
isfactory IL IS because no very great de-
mands or. made on her as Linda and Amiaa
that She is So excellent in these roles ard her per
fornance of the latter last night was on the whole
admirable. She was IN better voice, too, tlan she
has been before his season. and SO her singing was
good al almost every point. The test pi ce, Of the
part were al we'll done, espec ally tle Al! non
credea.' which was sung with simplicity
aud dirac.uess and with great tenderness
sod the All ! non giunge." which Was delivered
with admirable brllliancy and precision, and with
unwolted spirit aud dash.
Sigror CampauIni was still suffering severely. ap-
pareutly from the effects Of ms cold, FOR be
hoarse and sang with an effort winch was almost
painful This was especially evident IN his wezzl
voce which he could scarcely use at all
He vas compelled either 20 force his voice.
when II rang out clear and firm enough
it Is trUe. or else TO sing almost paulsslmo. But
the result o this was of course disastrous at times,
for sudden transitions from piauiSsmos 20 fOrtls-
sLnos, although tney may ne made necessary by
tnrUa- produce explosive Styie OF singing
which Is bv no means sui ted 10 OF Bell ms low
ing melodies. And IL really seems though there
no need of CampanInTs taking such part as
ElcsRO this year when he IL a!llng for MT.
hapiesou has a perfectly acceptable substitute for
him hgHt tenor parts IN RayellI, and while 1t 10
quite true that kaveIil ~ by 10 means CampanlDl,
II is plea .auter for the public, winch knows well
enough the mi nv which Campanlnl may 90 70 MS
voice IN subjectng IL 10 such a STRAIN, to listen TO
the former when he well than To the latter when
he Is Ill. Last spring, when Dir. Map!esOn
had no one else TO depend upon, Campanlnl
do magnihcently, and accomplished the uHheard
Of feat of carrying the whole weight OF the season
Oh hIs own shoulders. That he did not then lnJuTe
his voice lrreparaby Is a marvel: and Low tDat
himself and 10 the public u spare himself as Luch
o. may be, Tor there too many parts IN which Ne
cannot be replaced.
In other respects the performance was excellent.
De- Puente sang unusually wei a. the COUNT, ana
the minor parts carefully sung. The chorus
was well DR. led the chorus master seems TO be
DONG uucOmmOuly good Work by the way, ana
the orchestra capital.