National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-26
mRAusru LAST NIGHT.
Triumph for Campaninf and Cary
The House Packed-Tom Thumb.


The House Packed-Tom Thumb
There is charm about the opera of e Faust
which, always makes itself felt in the audience,
and even an Indifferent representation Is always
enjoyed The story, perhaps. has something TO do
with it, for too trusting love and subsequent re-
pentance is met with in everyday life and makes
one of the saddening romances of poor frail hui
mainly That the opera does not fully follow the
Goethe story does not matter, the theme that he
has taken is sufficient to enlist the sympathy and
to attract the interest of the beholder. +" Faust"
may well be called GOunOds masterpiece.
In this opera he has shown his melodic power,
his full knowledge of harmony, and his wonderful
skill in orehestration, and the result is work fuil
OF melody, rich in concerted and choral effect, ana
with an amplitude OF rich orchestral ACCOMPANY
ment that thrills the ordinary listener and makes
glad the heart of the true lover of music. 1t has
been the good fortune of our people to have wit
messed the most perfect representation of Mar
0ere that has tcen seen this side of the Atlantic,
nor can a more perfect embodiment of the German
maiden be imagined than was given here some
years ago by the divine songstress, Chris
tine Nilsson. Consequently every representation
OF this character is necessarily subjected to COM
parson with Missions superb creation and on that
account Mile. Alwina Valleria suffered. Her
Characterization was, however, one showing the
evidences of marked study. and in the execution
OF her conception of the role she displayed excel
lent acting qualities The virginia. simplicity OF
the earlier portions; the dawning of womanly
feellngand passion in the garden scene and tne
anguish and despair with glinmering of hope in
the final act were all given with full artistic effect
Her voice was pleasing, and she eXered herself to
her utmost to meet the requirements of the score.
The star of the evening, however, was undOubt
edly Signor Campanini. His clear, pure tenor di
grdzid was never heard to better advantage. There
is q novel quality in his voice that removes all
thought of effeminacy in his singing, While his
acting is so full of dramatic force that he at once
commands the attention of his audience and en-
lists their wermest sympathies. His rendition of
the beautiful solo in the third act, Salve di Mora,
was most exquisite, and at its conclusion the ap-
and again bow his acknowledgements. He was
also rewarded with many beautiful floral tributes
This solo is the gem of the opera, and its
execution is the test of tenors ca
pacity; and SignOr Campanini rendered it
throughout with delicacy of phrasing and
purity of tone that has neverbeen surpassed, while
he gave the high in the closing movement with
an ease, diStinctness, and freedom from effort
that was simply delicious.
Next TO SignOr Campanini, and dividing the
hOnOrS with the silver-vOiced tenor, was Miss
Annie Louise Cary, whose representation of Sieba
full of artistic and vocal merit. Her full, rich
contralto voice. with that reedy quality that IS so
rarely met with, was heard TO peculiar advantage;
and in the Flower Song" she was rewarded by
most emphatic encore.
The Mephist0pheles of Signor NOvara was far
above the average, both in singing and acting, but
he lacked the artistic finish of Janet, or the dia
bolic effect of Hermanns. The chorus and Or
chestra were most effective, and fully justified the
praise extended them on yesterday. 1t is TO be
brief and il is 10 be hoped that Colonel Mapleson
may be induced to again bring his excellent com
pany to Washington before the season is con-
cluded