New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-17
L'SIC.
THE OpERA-IL BARBIERE.

| If Mr.. Maprson needed any assurance Of the sX-
pedency OF giving fresh operas occasionally, instead
of trusting to the well.vorn stock pieces
rs he did last SEASON, comparison Of the
houses Oh Monday evening and last night
oHCht T. prove sufficiently convincing. Last night
Eus,ln,'s bright and rollicning opera served to
crowd the Academy Of Music to Its utmost capacity.
while La Sonnambula.' on Monday, with the same
artists in the leading parts scarcely half filled tho
auditorium.
Everything considered, last evenings perform
orcr was b tier than any other which the Maple.
son company has given during either the last
season or this 1t was remarkable not Oniv for the
especially brilliant imperSOEauOnS gwen by the
principal artists. Madame Gerstcr. Ra-
vclli, Del Pucutc aud Coreini but also for
the exceptional degree OF excellence which was
reached IN tho MINOR characters. Everybody was
cooG-solo singers chorus and orchcstra-tho lat
Ter. except for the fact that once IN n while it
played too loud bang particularly efficient, and
one of the p"osan'cst features of Tho
performance was tho unexpected cirvcrrcsS
OF some Of the sngrra. and notably OF ''gnor Cor
slni. who surprised everybody by his droll humor.
and by the thoroughly aEt>!i, character OF his
netting.
Ii Ecsjaa Madame GCrs'cr has added another to
the list Of part, IN which ah" conspcuIIsly lis.
II suits her admirably IN every way. RoS.inl's
iight and ford music Is precisely adapted To her
voice md to her brilliant style. and the character
affords ample room for the display. of her best
uualitics - IN nctrc,S-grace dainty Coquet.
tishnc,s, naiyotc. mOdcS'y, and gentle,
playful spnit of miiih. The pictWRquc Spanish
dies, becomes her wonderfully, and she
looked a. if she had stepped ont of ono
OF those quaint pictures that one sees on Spanish
fans Her singing was delightful. She gave the
m IA llv o,,I ti,.
singing lesson, where She introduced variations
on the Carnival Of Venice" and a concert
polka by Arditl, size aroused tho house TO an almost
unprecedented pitch OF enthusiasm.
RaYrili, rs C0Haf IiRariUd was equally good. The
difficult music OF the part, winch demands of the
tenor rs 1acile and brilliant execution rs
We are won't TO find in any ordinary
eoprauo nowadays was given with faultless
sm00thncss and hucncy. aud he DISPLAYED far
greater dramatic power than he has in anything
else. HIS acting in the last sceae OF the first
act, III which he Stimulates intoxcatiOn
was remarkable ioI discretion, for freedom from
agQsratiOn, and for lightness aud spirit. Dol
Puontc's Figaro IL too we'll known here TO need de-
tailed description. 1t exhibits exubernnt animal
spirits, roiicung humOr and an Astounding sense of
iun.
signor Corsini, who has heretofore proved but O
drcary comedian, came ont wonderfully as Don
BartolO. His picture of tho fussy.
pcppery old SpAnard was eminently
comic, without boinR grotes que or exaggerated, aud
his pose at the end of tho Ast act when he is petr
fled with ast0Ui3hment, was an absolute study
1t was so marvclOusly perfect that ono
almost suspected that 1t must have been
copied from one of the great actors Of the Coincide
Franchise. His acting throughout the part was
pleasant surprise TO everybody, and showed that