Maretzek Italian Opera Company: Don Giovanni

“[W]ith a cast as nearly worthy of the work as possible, Madame Parepa appearing as Donna Anna.”

“The Arion Ball takes place on Wednesday night, so that there will be no opera after Tuesday until Friday.”

“To-night we have to have ‘Don Giovanni,’ with a cast of remarkable strength. Not only Madame Parepa-Rosa, but Miss Kellogg, Signor Ronconi, Signor Bellini and Signor Baragli are announced. In connection with the first appearance of Signor Ronconi as Leporello we take pleasure in chronicling the important fact that Mr. Maretzek has succeeded in obtaining a prolongation of the great buffo’s engagement. This will be a welcome announcement to the thousands who have enjoyed the exquisite humorous delineations of this accomplished artist. Although Signor Ronconi’s advent in this country was preceded by a European reputation, our public waited for an actual trial of his powers here before accepting the verdict of the old world. We recollect that when he first appeared as Crispino, in the Brooklyn Academy, it was with some slowness that the audience came to the point of giving any particular demonstration of applause. Before the conclusion of the first act, however, the inimitable and easy humor of the buffo won a recognition as hearty and enthusiastic as the recipient could have desired. It was at once recognized that we had at last a buffo who, while his vocalization was unexceptionable, had the power of displaying on the operatic stage histrionic qualities which would have given him a very high rank among the first comedians of the day. Since that first appearance here the popular estimate of Ronconi has only changed, in that the admiration for his acting has become a settled fact, while his success in every character he has assumed has demonstrated his versatile gifts. The part of Leporello, which he takes to-night, will be a new trial of his powers.”

“Amusements. Italian Opera. ‘Don Giovanni’ was given at the Academy last night. The house was uncomfortably crowded, every seat having been sold by noon of the previous day. The union of Madame Parepa-Rosa, Miss Kellogg, Ronconi and Bellini in the cast was an attraction not to be resisted, and the performance was all that was expected. All these artists were in excellent voice, and the music of the noble opera was never better sung. Madame Rosa, who improves upon acquaintance on the lyric stage as rapidly as she did in the concert–room, surprised and delighted her warmest admirers. Her grand musical powers were set off last night by a grace and skill in acting for which she has not hitherto received full credit. In the scenes where she denounces the perfidious Don her histrionic abilities came into full play, and the situations became very effective. Her increasing success as an opera singer causes a general feeling of regret that other engagements must soon withdraw her from Mr. Maretzek’s company. Miss Kellogg, in her familiar part of Zerlina, was arch and pretty, and sang charmingly. She fairly divided the honors of the evening with Madame Rosa, and both were encored two or three times. Ronconi’s appearance as Leporello, looked for with impatient curiosity, was greeted with the heartiest applause, and his interpretation of the character presented some novelties. Ronconi’s Leporello is not a mere buffoon, but a comic artist; his byplay is irresistibly funny, and his frights genuine alarms. The music of the part has been given by other artists with better effect, but finer acting than that of Ronconi has never been seen here. Miss McCullough, who took the part of Donna Elvira, is a new candidate for public favor, and made a most favorable impression; her voice is clear and sweet, and her manner pleasing. Bellini as the Don was thoroughly good, as he always is, and the minor parts were well sustained.”

“Amusements. Academy of Music—Italian Opera. Mme. Parepa gave new strength to the cast of ‘Don Giovanni,’ last evening by an admirable performance of Donna Anna. Mozart has given a deal of noble music to this part and the grief of the sad lady is expressed with all the supreme dignity of sorrow by Mme. Parepa. It seems certain from this performance that when there are depths to be stirred, hidden springs of emotion to be loosened, and spiritual meaning to express, Mme. Parepa is to be seen in her greatest strength—both as a singer and an actress. Her acceptance of the part was also the means of restoring the little incident and aria and which have been generally omitted. The representation of this immortal work, last night, was phenomenal in more instances than that, however. All the artists seemed to be on their metal, and even Carl Bergmann’s controlling spirit has but seldom appeared to be so predominant over the orchestra and in the concerted pieces, as on this occasion. Miss Kellogg—who can do nothing that is not charming—gave special piquancy to the several suggestive situations of the rural Zerlina. She gave new force to the dramatic points in ‘La ci darem,’ and her rustic wheedlings in ‘Batti batti’ were devised with much archness; Zerlina has some of the best melodies in the opera; and it is needless to say that, intrusted to Miss Kellogg’s voice, they lost none of their sweetness. The Don Giovanni of Sig. Bellini was perfectly sung, but as an acted character it seems weak. A hero who is presented reveling in crime with each defiant recklessness that the librettist has to end his diabolical career, giving him over visibly to the torments of actual devils, ought to be acted as if there was in him something more than a graceful gentleman, with seductive and dainty manners. The artistic success of the evening, and the most thorough, perhaps, was made by Signor Ronconi as Leporello. It was the Leporello of the librettist, the merry rascal proposed by the composer, the ideal mad wag to the popular taste. There was a certain unctuousness about his buffoonery, too, that made it welcome, even when least looked for. Being a man of original genius and by a great deal the best actor now on the lyric stage, Signor Ronconi gave as may be supposed, an entirely fresh performance of the character. He succeeded thoroughly in Leporello’s great buffo song, filling it up with whimsical details, and a comical and dramatic expression that followed and was distinct for every word. He took pains, also, to give an individual color to the part showing Leporello as a servingman with not sufficient independence of character to permit him to resist his master’s influence, or rescue him from its circle. His Leporello is a coward, volatile, ignorant and superstitious. During the short duel, in which the Commandant is killed, he crouches in the shadow of a wall, and when one combatant has fallen he quietly takes off his hat in reverence or prayer for the dead. Nothing could be more expressive. Miss McCullough made her first appearance in the Academy as Donna Elvira, the nemesis of the dissolute hero; the music of the part is not exacting nor is there much of it, but everything that Mozart has written in this immortal opera is well worth singing, and Miss McCullough sang all conscientiously and pleasingly. Signor Baragli’s Don Octavio [sic] and Signor Bacelli’s Commendatore made complete a performance that was as near perfection as human endeavors could well make it.”

Preceded by a long description of the opera, which compares it to the works of Shakespeare.

“The representation of Don Giovanni last night was the best, in many respects, that we have enjoyed since La Grange, D’Angri, Gassier, and Formes were the vocal pillars of the work. The orchestration was careful and skilled, if not always warmed by its opportunity. The ensemble of the voices was without any serious defect, and the orchestra and the stage together exhibited the effect of good rehearsal and intelligent directorship. The scenery alone was sometimes to be complained of, and in this respect, at least, Don Giovanni had none of the elements of a special revival. A good sense of art was evident in the method of the singing, and the exquisite dramatic passages (notably the first scene) were given with some appreciation of those delicate lights and shades of the harmonic drama which are the last things to strike the minds of miscellaneous auditors, but whose effect lingers long in the impression upon the memory. It was a good fortune to hear the Don Giovanni of last night. Add to its merits that Ronconi made musical chatter through Leporello—the most individual Leporello that we have seen. The difference between Ronconi and Formes in this part is the difference between a Leporello who is a vagabond of servants and valets, every inch of him, and one who is also factor and fellow cavalier of the Don. The voice of the latter is, of course, superior to that of Ronconi; but the force and style of our present buffo fill the part characteristically, and almost brimmingly. The famous mocking aria in the first act; the ludicrous prayer of Leoporello [sic] when discovered in the dress of his master; the scene in the graveyard and before the statue, and the musical ague running about the bones and into the voice of the affrighted valet in the last act—were also instances of the inimitable pungency and fun which the genius and experience of Ronconi enabled him to distil into the character. A trifle too stylish in the scene of the first duet (La ci darem) just as Bellini (Don Juan) was unemotional. Miss Kellogg’s Zerlina was such a performance as her fresh spirits and fine voice could not fail to offer; and what could be more charming than her ‘Vedrai carino?’ Some qualification of Bellini’s Don Juan may be borrowed from what we have already said. He sang the Serenade poorly enough for Bellini; but a more presentable Don is seldom seen on the stage, and withal Bellini is a capital actor. Miss McCulloch’s Elvira was distinguished for a pure vocalization, lucid and felicitous, and several times delivered in the true spirit of Mozart. This is much to say of a lady comparatively new. Signor Baraglia’s Ottavio was disguised by a vicious tremolo, but otherwise was good in feeling. Madame Parepa has realized our anticipations. Her Donna Anna is intrinsically superior to her other performances, almost in proportion to the character. Her delivery of Mozart’s superb recitative was all that could be asked, and for many years nothing has been heard on our stage more gracious and genuine than the utterance of ‘Or sai chi.’ In the pure melody and fiorituri of Mozart a voice so rich and true as Madame Rosa’s has its best element; and no other performance of her’s [sic] will give the observant opera-goer more pleasure than this.”

This was the best of all Parepa performances. There was never a better representation of this role. Parepa portrayed the “Anna” as a figure of “noble femininity,” which delighted in combination with her accurate and beautiful singing methods. She even did something no Italian singer did before: she included the “letter aria” in the second act.

Kellogg’s “Zerlina” was an effective performance, although she could have been less elegant and coquettish. McCulloch at least did not ‘spoil’ the part. Ronconi played with humor which was transferred to the audience. The orchestra under the direction of Bergmann contributed much to the success. 

“Don Giovanni fairly rendered. Parepa admirable tho’ a very plump Donna Anna. Her vocalization perfect. It made even Non mi dir (which is commonly cut out) interesting and attractive. Miss Kellogg’s Zerlina charming.  ‘Batti batti’ and ‘Vedrai Carina’ were perfectly rendered. And the young lady acts those great melodies now with ease and freedom and as if she understood their meaning. Don Giov. and Don Ottavio were sticks. Leporello (Ronconi) disappointed me. He did better as Figaro. It was a ‘brilliant’ house. . .I like the interior much better than that of the old Acad. of Music.”

“Parepa-Rosa has sung in Italian Opera through the past week with Adelaide Phillipps, Brignoli, &c., to great acceptance. Her characters have been Leonora in Il Trovatore (!) Norma, Donna Anna (best of all).”

The opera was a big success. The house was completely filled. The German and German-American press consider both Don Juan performances as “the best, the Italian opera has offered in several years.”