Maretzek Italian Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor

“‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ was given by Mr. MARETZEK’S artists last evening. Although this exceedingly sentimental opera has long ceased to have any very strong hold upon the public, it always commands a good audience, and will ever be listened to with pleasure. It is by all odds the tenor’s opera, and yet there are few light sopranos who have visited this City who have not impersonated at some time or other Edgardo’s ‘bella alma inamorata.’ Last evening Senora PERALTA assumed the rôle of Lucia, for the first time this season, and Signor BARAGLI sang the music of Edgardo as well as he could—which was much better, perhaps, than some tenors could sing. Nevertheless, he was not as effective as ANASTASI (who was first announced for the part) would have been. The rehearsals of the ‘Huguenots,’ now in progress, prove too exhaustive for the latter artist, however, and so he was excused from last night’s performance. The character of Edgardo is no doubt a little out of fashion just now, but it is hardly likely that it ever would have been in fashion if it had always been played as tamely as Signor BARAGLI plays it. Someting else besides pretty singing is required to make the part interesting. The composer and the librettist have certainly done their share toward this result.—For DONIZETTI always keeps closely to his story—eschewing musical and choreographic interludes and musical hors d’oeuvres of all kinds, and yet he has always written to please, and has succeeded in pleasing the great majority of persons. He tells his tale charmingly, taking care never to be too grave—even when a considerable amount of gravity would seem to be required by the nature of his subject. Senora PERALTA is at least heard to advantage in this opera, even if she is not seen to advantage. She is brilliant, if she cannot be sentimental, and she sings to perfection if she cannot act. In the episode of the malediction and in the mad scene, the vocalism was superb. Such ornamentation as Senora PERALTA’S has not been employed in the Academy for a long while. Signor BELLINI, as Ashton, sang with his usual warmth, and Signor BARILI, who was intrusted with the little part of Raimond, did the little he had to do very creditably.”