Year: 1872

--4--- Is Iii.
The Queen OF Lyric Tragedy Takes mp


the sceptrc or Comedy-zerIina IN SRA


Diavolo., W t aE


Auber's opera Of FRA Diavolo," old ana popular
though il be, does not call for any extended COM
ment In musical point OF view. 1t Is Frenchy.
glittering and sbounding in military noise and
blase. 1t has never attracted even the passing
attention Of Q real musician. Therefore In
this country only one artist has, heretofore given
any sort Of vitality to the opera and brought II
forward as feature. This was the tenor, Mazzo-
lenf who came out six years ago In the role and
carried the metropolis by storm at once. The public
spoke OF Mazzolenis Fra Diav0!0 o revelation In
sensational opera, and certainly they stood 20 him
a. long as he had shred OF voice lett. After the
artistic demise Of this singer ERA Diavalon was
quietly dropped from the operatlc repertoire, and
never has commanded attention.


Last evening there was new departure The
queen songstress. Madame Lucca, essayed the
role Of Zerlina. Now this role Is by no means an
interesting one In musical point OF view. The
music Of the OPERA from beginning to end, is bet
ter suited to the opera oo,sce stage than that OF
the "grand Italian opera" The role OF Zerlina is
particularly barren OF real melody There are
few fashy subjects conceived in the spirit OF the
salon more than that of the lyric stage, and these
subjects do not command even q moments atten-
tion nom musician. When, In face OF these facts
Madame Lucca carries the opera through with a
dash, success and brilliancy such as no one has
ever known 1t to possess here before, some
idea may be formed OF her wonderful
impersonation Of the role OF Zcrlina. cold de-
scription In words cannot give adequate idea Of
1t. The mind that can thrill the audience with the
tragic power displayed In the roles OF Selika and
Marguerite Is here as potent In representing the
light-hearted peasant girl and innkeeper's daugh-
ter Nothing In opera can be more commonplace
than the song In the first act, known in English as
ION yOnder rock reclining" yet the verse or this
song sung by Madame Lucca called forth perfect
avalanche OF enthusiasm.


But the scene OF the second act, when the pure
minded, joyous peasant girl, in the supposed pri-
vacy OF her chamber, gives way to her own girllsh
feeling, was one that should make the opera OF
ERA Diavolo" great popular success II there was
nothing else to recommend 1t. Her acting was the
quintessence OF comedy. There were none OF the
little French arts in the undressing business that
mar the purity OF the character. She sat down at
her toilet table, singing the maidenly 20 quaint 10
sono elice ~ with an artless grace and unconscious
charm that were irresistible. Here and there were
nameless little features OF the most attractive kind
When surveying herself in the mirror she INDUCED
In the pard0nable vanity Of an apostrOphe
to her beauty, "Qnesta vta non c'e NAL"
her acting was simply the climax Of the come
diennes art. This one scene constitutes the en-
tire feature OF the opera. Can any greater proof
be given OF the genius Of an artist than this won
derful exhibition of comic power by Madame Lucca
before her audience, already thrilled by her tragic
impersonations Of such roles as those Of Selika
and GretcnenP We are not inclined to fall into the
common mistake of saying that her Zerlina is the
Madame In 10 tu,po ha hoc
simply invested a very commonplace role with
an interest that only genius can give.


To refer to the other members Of the cast, we
have only words Of sincere praise for the Lord All.
cash twhy on earth should the libretto call him
Lord Roeberg y OF Ronconi. There has been Is and
probably will be, only one Ronconi. Such con-
sum nate artist can only exist IN one generation.
seem to be better acquainted with the artist than
ourselves this brilliant star OF opera sh0ne with
lustre that has never been dimmed since. When
ROnconi tand he Is the junior OF Mario leaves the
operate stage there is no one living to be his
worthy successor. Half the operas OF italian CON-
posers which are popular to-day were written Tor


Vizzani sang the blatant measures of the title
role for the first time in his liie His voice was
in better condition than at any time since he
made his debut in this country His acting was
quiet, probably more so than what one Is accus
wy es a RDg "a e ns sod s
resort TO the fasetsO In the only hat that OCCURS
and that, too, without an efficient falsetto, are
at loss to know. A falsett0, except under pecu-
liar circumstances is always Objectionable, and in
this case 1t destroyed the air. Madame Frida de
Gebcle, called upon at moments notice to under
take the role Of Lady Allcash Lady Pamela in the
llbretto), owing TO the severe illness OF Scnorta
SAM, made very favorable impression and proved
herself capable artist. She gave universal salts
faction. The stage manager, Dubreuil, and Herr
Weinlich took the parts Of the brigands, Beppo
and GiacomO The former did very well and the
latter very bad. The Lorenzo, Mr.. Reichhart, was
the worst actor and singer we have ever known in
the rOte. The chorus made no particular feature
In the OPERA and Mr.. MaretZek brought the orches-
ira through In very satisfactory manner Our
old friend, the Swiss scene, seems to have made
legitimate demise, for substitute was provided
last evening.


There will be no matinee at the Academy OF
Music to-day. Nine. Lncca will sing the role OF
Marguerite in Brooklyn tonight, one OF her best
and most original impersonations.