The New York herald., 1921-02-16
Opera Under Maretzek.
Regimes at the Old Academy Be
fore the Triumphs Of Strak0sch.

To THE NEW York HERALD: Among
the "reminiscences Of opera at the old
Academy of Music you have printed I
have seen none going back to the days
when the redoubtable Max Maretzek
reigned supreme and that wonderful
octagonal moon shone down as sweetly
and serenely on the stage lovers as could
any modern moon of the most approved
shape.
could make many allowances for
the moon, but the huge chandelier which
hung down from the ceiling and shut
Off considerable part of the stage from
the view Of the gallery gods was an
obstacle to perfect enjoyment of the
performances. However. I never be-
grudged the fifty cents which paid for
the privilege of climbing to that sacred
precinct, for those were the days of real
sport, when the heroes and heroines who
strutted the stage were more real than
they have ever been since.
In the season OF 1S67-s Maretzek's
stock team consisted of Carmelina Pooh,
prirna donna soprano; Natalie Testa,
contralto: Mazzolini. tenor; Bellini.
barytone, and Antonucci. bass The two
women were what might be called fair
to middiing, Mazzolini had a voice Of
strident quality that would hardly be
acceptable to-day. but Bellini and An
tonucci both were fine singers who
would be heard with pleasure on the
stage of the Metropolitan Opera House.
Besides these others were heard occa-
sionally but whether they were under
regular contract or not I cannot say.
There was our old friend Srignoli, with
the ''silver voice and nothing else"
Nine. Anna la Grange. the greatest
Norma Of her day: Peralta, Mexican
coloratura soprano. ard Baragli q tenor
with an aspen leaf voice which to-day
would cause him to be put In the musi-
cal stocks. The company was supposed
to be particularly strong =. 'L'Afri-
caine," and to see the Indians board
the ship In midocean and Pooh die under
the upas tree always shook the gallery
to its centre.
wonder IL any OF your readers ever
heard of an opera called don Bucefalo,"
by Cagnoni. 1t was given at the Acad-
emy In 1867 with the world famous buffo
barytone Georgia Ronconi in the title
part, and. so far as know, has never
been given since: indeed, 1 have never
met any one who ever even heard OF IL.
l have the libretto. but not the pro-
gramme. go that l am unable to give
the names OF the others besides Ronconi
In the cast.
In the season 1s6e-70 came that
greatest of all oratorio singers Parepa.
and the fascinating little canary bird
Rose Hersee. heard them together in
"Nozze de Figaro" the great difference
in their size adding immensely 10 the
effect of the duet r'arepa was not so
well suited for opera. owing TO her un-
wicdy size, but her magnificent voice
carried her triumphantly through some
parts such as Donnd Anna and Norma.
l think IL was in the winter OF 1869
that Parepa- Adelaide Phillips, Theodore
wachtel and Charles Santley united in
n season of opera at the Academy. Ad-
elaide Phillips was one OF the most
thorough artists and one OF the noblest
women America has produced. Wachtcl
was the tenor with the high G that al
most took the roof OF. and Santley, the
English barytone. was famous for his
superb voice. hearl them III "Trova-
tore" and the Position" and can
testify that wachtels skill In cracking
his whip In time with the music was
second only to his high G.
think Maretzek must have retired