Anschütz German Opera: Joseph

“German Opera.—The approach of Lent has probably induced Mr. Anschutz to produce Mehul’s opera of ‘Joseph in Egypt’—a serious but beautiful work, in three acts. As an oratorio, it is already well known here, but in its complete form, it was, we fancy, given last night for the first time. The music is written in a style of simple grandeur, which can be hardly excelled, and although a little old-fashioned, is full of melody and broad, open choral effects. Its production last night was hailed with frequent applause by a very full and attentive audience. The principal parts were sustained by Mad. Rotter, Herr Lotti, Herr Quint, Herr Weinlich and Herr Graff, most of whom will be heard to greater advantage on Wednesday next, when the opera will be repeated.”

“Large audiences have witnessed the two performances at the German opera house of the biblical and religious opera of ‘Joseph in Egypt,’ by Henri Etienne Mehul, and the opera will be repeated this evening. The composer was born in France in 1763, and died at the age of fifty-four. The opera of Joseph was first given to the world fifty-six years ago, that is, on 17th February, 1801, in Paris. The author’s character was marked by a singular conscientiousness. He had a melancholy and sensitive nature, which delighted in the cultivation of flowers and music. His parents were poor and designed him to be a monk, but the supremacy of nature made him a musician.

            In addition to many occasional compositions he was the composer of forty-two operas, a proof surely of great fertility. He imbibed much of his musical instruction from Hauser, Edelmann and Gluck, who seem to have given him a German method of composition, and, as a natural consequence, his operas are more popular in Germany than France. His musical genius seemed to unfold naturally and gradually until the great success of Cherubini broke the continuity of its natural growth. He then tried to be erudite rather than natural, studied rather than spontaneous, and degenerated somewhat into mysticism. It was at this stage of his musical life that he composed the opera of Joseph. It is certainly a work of genius, showing the beautiful harmony of his faculties unfolding themselves through religious aspirations and deepening into dramatic sentiment.

            The finale of the first act, the song of the Israelites, and closing part of the third act, are instinct with genuine music and find a sympathetic echo in every musical soul. Such music must refine the taste, mellow the feelings and raise the artistic standard of our people.

            Great praise is due to our indefatigable Anschutz in getting up such an order of music, and to Madame Rotter, Weinlich, and Lotti in their conscientious execution of it. Madame Rotter and Herr Weinlich act and sing to great advantage in this opera. Their personations of the Hebrew character have all the intensity peculiar to it.”

"The German opera company has given, during the last week, three excellent performances of Mehul's 'Joseph in Egypt' to very large audiences. The music, though somewhat old fashioned, is elevated in style, and possesses genuine melody. Rotter, as Benjamin, and Weinlich, as old Jacob, both made a signal success."

“The revival of Mehul’s opera ‘Joseph in Egypt,’ must have given satisfaction to all those, who will accept anything which will give relief from the usual emotions, caused by the plots of modern opera. A musical drama without dagger and sword, without fighting of any kind, without the wailings of the tenor-lover and the despair of the soprano beloved, without even a heroine and the exhibition of all those horrible resources, which passion but too frequently indicate to her in modern works, is certainly a very acceptable entertainment, even if the music his here and there a little old fashioned, and does not quite come up to the expectations of modern writers on aesthetics. The story of ‘Joseph in Egypt,’ as told in the opera, is eminently one of peace, of virtue and brotherly and parental love, it is moreover so skillfully arranged by the librettist, that due regard for so colled [sic] dramatic effects is by no means lost sight off [sic]. The music recalls a time, when counterpoint and polyphonic treatment were not considered superfluous matter by the composers of operas, and very few will say, that this consideration does not lead to any good dramatic effect. At least the opera in question is full of them. Really this Mehul must have been not only a man of genius, but also one of intellectuality and observation. Although, with exception of ‘Simeon,’ all the characters offer very simular [sic] features, yet how finely does he distinguish between them! What childlike music is given to ‘Benjamin,’ on the other hand, how truly patriarchal appears the character of ‘Jacob.’ Then again ‘Simeon,’ with his ever-present guilt before his mind, with his despair and repentance, how well is all this illustrated in the music! Really, we know of very few operas, so eminently dramatic as this. Mehul’s model, Gluck, stands revealed by almost every number of the score. And the treatment is so clear, so free of all heaviness, that not one moment of monotony is offered in this last work of the classical school of operatic music. Although written at a time, when Beethoven in his ‘Fidelio’ had introduced that romanticism in Opera, which has led to so very curious developments in our times, it is in form thoroughly classical [sic, no period] And yet the music is much more modern, than Gluck’s, and partly even Mozart’s, and only in its instrumentation points to the past century. In this respect there cannot be a wider difference than between ‘Joseph’ and for instance ‘Fidelio,’ which was written a few years earlier. But that Mehul did not neglect to characterize even in the orchestral treatment of his opera, may be best seen by the preponderance he gives to the viola, which in this work is occasionally of a very characteristic effect, just as it most likely was in his opera ‘Utal,’ in the score of which, strange to say, the violins are entirely omitted.

            The performance was partly very good, especially in the ensembles. Less satisfactory to us was the grand harp-chorus, not only because no harps were to be heard, but mostly on account of the want of light and shade in the performance. Mr. Lotti sang the part of ‘Joseph’ well, but acted poorly. Mr. Quint, as ‘Simeon,’ did not sing well and acted a great deal too much. Mr. Weinlich, as ‘Jacob,’ and Mad. Rotter, as ‘Benjamin’ were acceptable.”