National Republican., 1883-02-20
MUSIC AND DRAMA.


THE MAPLEsoN CoMPANY-"FAUsT."
There were seats enough vacant in the Ma
tonal theater last evening to suggest that tho |
stress laid upon the subscription sale and the |
uncertain giving out of the list of operas had |
a somewhat depressing effect upon the sale of
single tickets. The auditorium was about |
two-thirds filled and this in the face of what |
had been expected, and in greeting to a COM
pany bearing no less q mark of merit than
"Her Majestys" name, had somewhat chill |
ing and discouraging effect.
Those who were there had reason TO COR
gratulate themselves. The performance of
I" Faust" was not in its totality good one
but it had points of excellence sufficient TO
compensate its prevailing tone Of shabbiness.
No performance that includes the work Of
three such artists as Albani, Scalchi,
and Galassi can be anything less
than we'll worth attention. Albani
comes back to us with voice melowed.
beauti fed, unworn in power, and far more
responsive to the dramatic sentiment than
before. To one who had not heard her
sing since her season with Strakosch in
1s7a-5, her Margherita must have been
full of surprises. The maturity of her
voice has brought with it a maturity of fig
ure and face that disfavor the visual phases
of such a character; but under Che influence
of certain graces of action and thoroughly
earnest assumption of the dramatic burdens
of the part, these impairments fade
from notice. Tho music of Margherita
was delivered with conscientious fidelity,
as well as with fineness of feeling that de-
veloped its beauties in every detail The ex-
qusitely sweet and tender music Of the Sec
Ond act thus9got its full value and the
splendid trio in the last act-the eliminating
point of the opera-became tour de force
for all three singers through the in
fectious power Of an enthusiasm that
sent Albani's voice ringing out in
full and magnificent volume. Galassi sang
also with degree of accuracy that is most
uncommon with voices having so much sensi-
bility. His Valentino was staid, deliberate,
and sometimes absurdly slow in action.
At the end of the duel in the fourth
act he had to fall as though wounded,
The leisurely manner in which he
picked out a soft place and stretched himself
out upon it, would have made farcical q far
more serious situation. But he sang the part
with resonant fullness of tone that would
have condoned oflenses twenty times as bad
Scalchi wrested two recalls from the little
part of Siebel, to which she lent of her own
personality enough dramatic interest to
make it a salient figure in the operas group
| of characters.
Aside from these three there was little to
be pleased with. Ravelli, the tenor of tho
cast would rate very well up among the good
seconds He is conscientious, but insufficient,
and sometimes absurd. His most distinct
failings would appear to proceed from GER
tain lack of intelligence. The "salva
di mora" served to demonstrate at one
and the same time his high G and his dull
ness. The @ was taken with a determined
rush and at strain that came dangerously
near ending in bark and the rest of the
number was almost unrelieved by any in
telligent accentuation. The Mephisto, Mr.
Durat, was as frequently Off the key as on
very bad actor and without either serious
force or the force of humor which is some.
times 30 successfully employed in this part
NJ Durat escapes failure simply by dint of an
occasional good note and the glory of his as
sociates,
1t may not be reasonable to look for proper
scenery and stage equipments in so brief an
ngagement-thOugh where such prices are
asked the public is fairly entitled to expect
, high quality and good finish in everything
But there is good reason to look for better
D than was given in the way of chorus
and costumes. The chorus Throughout
is rusty in looks, in years, in dress, and in
the choruses Arditi is a great director-ont
of the greatest we have ever had in this coun
! try. He directs with every finger of hi
hands, every glance of his eyes, every nerv
. in his system. Once last evening at the be
) ginning of the fourth act, ho may b.
: said to have bodily lifted tho mon o
the chorus out Of quagmire o
uncertainty and to have set them straight
But even Arditi cannot restore voices tina
: time and too much chorus singing hav
: notched and rusted. The chorus is large
There Is but one way to make it worse
and that would be to make
9 larger. If the costumes were ever worn Il
, sight of her majesty, ii is to understand VIII,
0 her majesty's company is absent from he
majesty's territories. Tho one really goo
s feature (after the principles) is tn
orchestra Though bit unsteady now an
then by reason probably of tho presence o
. unrehearsed local musicians, this department
is quickest, surest, and truost in its respons
to the touch of the director
/ FoRD's-" IoLANTHE."
= The production OF Gilbert and Sullivan
latest opera was matter In itself importan
5 enough to call out |urgc audience AZ Ford
e last evening, The Eeo.ua.yl tgu ho pie.
l. has had In three Oh, thg Ii.eiul! e..L .