New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-17
yERDrS " OTELLO."


stgnor CampanIni's enterprise (Which can sca0oy
10 overestlmated no matter what may bc the Ultimate
Indictment upop the representations u Italian oper"
which began last night at the Academy Oh MUSIC mas
favored New-York with earlier opportunity Una"
any Of the European capitals outside Oh Haiy, s"'o
Wanna have had TO become acquainted with inc
latest and doubtless the last operate creation OF
Verdi Much has been written about o'eiio' su
lt has been made plain that tho defenders Oh 'no
Italian opera look upon II as Iorn'uaOio
against the aggresslons Of tho modern herman ino.o
mcnt Tho haste with which 1t has been put upon
the American stage the ateness OF the arrival Oh i's
scenic outfit and some OF the singers VINO picson'D
t. made adequate rehcsrsals impossible ana u 10 'no
fore equally Impossible for reviewer 10 express q"
opinion which shall be fair toward the oompos,.'op'
tho public the performers, the art and himscH SO
soon after the fan of the curtain on the hrst ropre
sentation. Such an opinion can only De iorineo W
study of the work on the stage, and for TINS sum
opportunities lave been wanting as might have ooe
from attendance rehearsals. We shall not a''ep'
an estimate OF otello's' merits on this OCCASION,
nor discussion of it's relation toward the PAST anu
present tendencies of tho lyric drama IL Is aiioay
a tribute to the work to say that such an estl's'e
and discussion would be next to worthless IL pasca
soIeIv upon n study of the printed book. Verui oiu
not walt fifteen years between :" Aidap and "otelo
for the purpose of lowering his artistic aim no
sought TO exalt IT. one hearing OF "otelo" is SUM
lent to prove that II anticipation had not Dee
aroused by the length OF time which he permitteu "
clapse between the completion OF the score anu .'o
first performance in February Of last year. Inc
work Is one which attsins vitality only In the repro
sentaton and deserves, therefore, to be approacheu
with the utmost seriousness and circumspecuon. ~
the rpest product of the most gifted OF living opera
composers the quito ONE Of of the most remark
able careers that the history OF music mas 10 snow
There is scarcely page in It on which the musician
% cftduc
sued since Aida, was completed We mention out
a single one of these fruits. In of his previous
works not even In "Aida,' does Verdi show such
knowledge Of Instrumentation as In this Inc olnor-
epce between the acrd and vulgar accompaniment Oh
such a work as Tulsa Mlller,' for instance, or La
Travata" and the orchestral part Of oteio' is as
the difference between the work Of sign painter and
a Messonier. Yet to q great extent tho Verol Oh
otello' is the Verdi of generation ago. His point
of view has changed his style has been bettered his
mechanism refined, his inspiration waits moro upon
refectlon-but he is still Verdi Thus much we ore
willing to say about the opera this morning-aho no
more.
As for tho performance it does not demand so much
elaboration. Considering all the diculties unoer
which signor Campanln labored IL must DO admitted
that there were features in which It reached all rear
sonabe expectation. But there were more features
In which It was disappointment. signora Titrazzni'
of whom perhaps the least was expected, gave much
keener pleasure by her singing Of the music assigned
to the role of Desdemona" than did signor Marcom'
the otello" Of the evening, concerning whom the
management had succeeded in arousng great expecta
lions. His voice doubtless affected by the nor
yousness which is naturally consequent on first ap-
pearance In strange country; at any rate, he sang
better than he did last night at rehearsal OF inc
orchestra last Saturday afternoon. But had The an
nouncemen made at the close of the representa-
ton that signor Campannl would himself assume tho
part during the remainder of tho season We have no
doubt that It would have been hailed with delight
by all anxious that serious effort by so serious
composer should be tried its merits By the Amer-
can Jury. AS 1t was, Sgnor GalasS had no dmouity
In monopollZng the favor OF the audience all evening
SO far as the men were concerned blSnora Scaich
has nothing to do In the opera that Is c0ngenai 10
her style, and " Desdemona' and Emilia" are tne
only women characters concerned In the play Inc
chorus IS effective, the orchestra excellent, though
moderation on part Of tho brass choir Is much 70
be desired In the costumes and the greater part OF
the scenery generous outlay of money is manifested
The audience last night contained Q large contin-
gent of enthusiasts who not at ell temperate In
their manifestations Of approval signor Galassi
was called on for repetition of the Credo" whcn
has been heard here in the concert room, ana rappur
Gus applause followed dozen other numbers In
the work least. The Will be repeated on to-
morrow evening