New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-07

gravity OF age-a light for which the world VIII
ALWAYS turn It's back scholarship and wisdom, and
for which the sad-eyed philosopher himself wonld
gladv barter his weary burden of knowledge, his
mOurnful patience. his apathy, and his thankiess
fame. Because she Is handsome woman, because
the sight of her pleasure and refreshment De-
cause she possessed OF rare qualifications Tor
theatrical career and because her present achieve
meDt though neither incOm Darable nor surprising,
is n good ATTEMPT and full OF promise. Mrs. LangTy
should be welcomed to the American stage; she
will be wise not TO mistake for admiration the ihle
curiosity and frivolous pratte that have followed
her ever since she landed on these shores. Inc
ultimate victory depends upon the Shaving power
not uDon what other persons say, but upon whht
the actress actually is No woman ever had tarer'
broader ned. OF entered upon 1t with more aus
picious popularity.
PATTI.
There was something little odd in PATHS re-
ception last night. The house was large and
brilliant contrasting very strongly WIN
most of the audiences of the past three weeks;
ard yet it must be confessed that until near
the end of the opel it trife cold. The APP
plause which greeted Lucia di Ldmmermoor on her
entrance was cordial and not too briefs II
would have been accounted warm welcome
to almost any other prima donna pu'
when we remembered that TINS was vho
most famous singer of the world, returning in the
best years of her maturity the stage which she
won her first laurels in grlhood the acclaim seemed
disannointinp 1t was not fervid. nor
was there anything like outburst of feeling untn
Patti extored enthusiasm in the mad scene
Then there was demonstration from the
slurrisb audience which bore the strongest
possible testimony to the spendOr of her perform
ance 1t is strange that the Juror Should nave
been so long delayed 1t would have been ]ustiheo
much earlier in the evening.
OF the quality of the performance it is easy enough
to speak, If Pat. is not the greatest singer Of TINS
age II is because she acks great soul. Her ART IL
uncomfortable her voice is rayishngi she Is the oie
divInely endowed woman from whose DeauIlIui
throat all melody pours as perfect and as easy as
tho song of bird in spring. An eminent musi-
clan once declared that Patti was the
only woman who knew how to sing; certainly sue
is the only one in whose singing we can detect
neither fanlt nor effort, and it is not the
least of her charms that it seems
more natural for her TO flood the world
with music than to keep silent In everyone else
we are sensible of difficulties overcome and accom-
plishments painfully acquired but never In her'
TO come to technicatles, the most
remarkable thing i'll her singing Is tno
union of qualities of voice aud style which are gen
orally thought Incompatible She as the only
soprano. so far as we know. who exhibits III equ IL
purity and abundance the broad method and ample
volume of voice in the middle and low tones
which belong to the dramatic prlma donna, ana the
exquisite freshness, fineness, and agility III
the upper register with which the light soprano
produces her best effects. No one can say
that one part of her voice Is better than another
and from the highest note to the lowest 1t is
thoroughly homogeneous, flexible and lull
When she first sang in public her chief
fascination lay in certain delicate and hute-
like little high notes. which she used to sprinkle
about the air in a most piquant and captivating
manner. Those graces OF extreme
youth which have gone with the SHOWS OF
vester wear; but greater gifts have replaced
them; she does not play with her music any more ;
she has come back an illustrious serious artist IN
her golden prime. 1t seems to us that her voice
never was more glorious than it is now, and that
she never was more lovely to look upon.
She SHARED herself little last night at the begin
ming; yet her delivery of the first aria was so
| fine, and the "Veranuo a to" duet was
so dainty that we were left in no douDt
of her being in perfect possession of her powers In
the duet of the second act with Ashton she showed
no little pathetic power; and her action all
through this scene especially at the reading of the
forged letter, was mpresslve-we had almost said
unconventional In the scene of the wedding contract
she was highly dramatic, and the first wanderings
Of her mind we're indicated with great art. The
sextette of course was repeated. AS to tho mad
scene. it is enough to say that while some other
singers have gwen q more daring eX-
hinton In ono or two passages of 1t,
Patti SURPRISES all in the even brilancy and
brautv of the whole Interpretation, and in the
extraordinary volume and richness OF
tone with which she pours forth the
| most astonishing vocalization. Patti, in short has
only one fault-whch is signOr Ncolini.
OF this gentleman, who afflicted us last night
with Edgardo 1t is impossible to say much tn t is
good he presents n lmsrlf in America in the
nncomfortable and MISUNDERSTOOD character OF a
| drawback and we must make the hest of him.
As "A counterfeit we had noble AshtOn
i'm Signor Galass who Is always good aud who last
night was not less welcome Than usual. The whole
| performance was smooth and spirited as II the
company felt the inspiration of great Occason,and
Signor krdti's tact and knowledge were more than
| ;l.,o mo