Venue(s):
Academy of Music
Manager / Director:
Max Maretzek
Event Type:
Opera
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
8 February 2016
“The ‘Huguenots’ will be presented for the third time this season at the Academy of Music this evening. It has been by far the most successful opera of the season, and could be profitably run for a few nights more, but on Friday evening will make way for the first production of the comic opera ‘Don Bucefalo,’ which has many elements of popularity in the gaiety of its music, its amusing scenes and its effective tableaux.”
“Poverty has its compensating advantages. Were I a millionaire, I might be weak enough to own a Box at the Acad. of Music, and feel bound to appear in my Place two nights out of three. How dreadful that would be! I feel it keenly for Travers very kindly sent us his nice proscenium box for tonight. . . Opera was Huguenots. I sat out three acts of laborious feebleness and then came off, with the sensations of a Norwegian who has been supping on bread made of sawdust and no butter. The party in the Box was pleasant, but Meyerbeer’s music, with all its elaboration, seems to me utterly barren and vapid.”
This opera was a splendid success. Parepa-Rosa’s performance as “Valentine” was artistic and full of warmth and soul. Peralta as “Queen” excelled and stunned with the incredible precision and purity of her coloraturas. Anastasi’s “Raoul” was rather clumsy; his beautiful voice made up for it, however. Medini’s “Marcel” was also notable.