Year: 1878




music and the powerful dramatic interest or the
libretto Reoletto" has not Of late years certainly
achieved more than success of esteem with the
American public. Upon hearing Nine. Gerster IN
(ila last night the cause Of the hitherto Indifferent
impression produced by this work became most pal
pably evident The explanation is found in that not
since the days Of Bosio have We had Gilda- lhe
rdc combines somewhat peculiar characteristics. AZ
demands both ngenuousness and tragic force dramat
icaly and the highest technical skill nusieally.
That Nine Gerster possesses all OF these attributes
her Lucia conclusively demonstrated. Her perform
ance of Ga is absolutely complete from beginning
to end. In every phase Of the music OF the part
whether in recitatiyes solos or concerted NUMBERS
the individuality Of the part is consistently and truth
fully sustained, and the artists personality is
completely merged in her interpretation There
is no striving for effect. no straining for points
II the artist gestures are not invariably appropriate
they always apparently spontaneous ana her ac-
ton is always selfcontained Musically her triumph
complete as in Lucia, although the paif ADMITS
Of few OF the de force possible il Donzettis mu.
sic Never before has the ''Care nome been delivered
with such dccacy, with such beautiful ornamenta-
tion. How few artists carry expression into the
rendering of horid passages But IN Mime Gersters
cadenzas there is not asotpco or metallic inechsnns.
Each trill is saturated with tho spirit and feeling
which belong to the music, and even in her most
daring flights in alt the artistic proprietes OF the
part lost sight Of Signor Frepollis voice
peemed somewhat clogged. and some OF his high
notes sounded forced: but spite OF these dsadvan-
tanes he sang with fire and feeling that carried his
part through than well. and his phrasing OF
II Ill sol dell anima, in the first act.
and Of ia donna mobile" in tho last, was
worthy of the trne artist that the tenor is.
Si.nor Galass achieved his greatest success of the
season thus far as Rigoletto Although his vocalza-
MON is some what lacking in refinement for such
role and his acting deficient in the subtley pertaining
to tho character. his performance teens with such
earnestness such pathos and abandon as to convince
and impress few other renderings Of the part
that we can recall have done. Mime. Lablache as
Maddaena showed what real artist can
do by creative skill with part in itself Indifferent.
How much she makes by her byplsy and her finished
style OF her part in the quartet i'll the last act must
he seen to be fully appreciated. Signor Foil took
great pains with his makeup in his thankless part,
and both he, with Signor Pyatt and Sgnor Frances
generally good. especially in the stirring
"Scorrendo unit remonta" in the second act.


It did not 10 well With the finale OF the first act.
The performance was attended by the usual crowded
throng which Mme Gerster has from the first at
rscted, and received with every possible demon
straton OF favor. Nine. Gerster's Carl
nome" Sgnor Frapolii's la donna mobile,
and the quartet Bella fglia in the
third act were encored, and the principals
The only serious blight upon the performance was
m unaccountable and tedious wait of twenty-five
minutes between the second and third acts Such
breaks most pernicious in disturbing the con-
tnuity of performance. As 10 encores. where
theme da capo frequently as in Care
nome" the repetition Of the entire number is alto
gether undesirable and unnecessary the repetition OF
the finale would have suficed. The performance
altogether is well worthy of repeat