Richings English Opera: Martha

“The delightful opera of ‘Martha,’ (as given in the English is far more pleasing to an American audience than the Italian rendering), was the entertainment last evening at the French theatre by the well trained and always acceptable Richings opera troupe—Miss Richings as Martha, Mrs. Seguin as Nancy, Mr. Castle as Lionel and Mr. Campbell as Plunkett—a quartet as completely meeting all the requisitions of the several characters and our ideas of the pretty story as any that we have ever seen or heard in the English, German or Italian version. So surely, too, in this opera, as in this case, does this harmonious troupe draw a first rate house that we wonder they do not oftener give us this ever-charming story of ‘Martha,’ with its sweet and never failing music.”

“The Richings English Opera Company have certainly had a season of great success this year. Not only are the operas they present well chosen and well sung, but the charming theatre they have been fortunate enough to secure has been so long a favorite that every evening they have been greeted with full houses. Last night ‘Martha’ was given to one of the largest audiences of the season in a manner thoroughly satisfactory, even to the most captious critic. The melodies of this opera though perfectly familiar to every one are not at all hackneyed, and last night received a new beauty by the careful and discriminating manner in which they were sung by Miss Richings, Mrs. Seguin, and the well-known Castle and Campbell. Mrs. Seguin’s voice has improved very much of late, and she is now, we think one of the most pleasing contraltos on the stage. The choruses were well given, the orchestra better than usual, and the opera was certainly an unqualified success. We regret that this is the last week of the season, and look forward to the return of the company before many weeks for a longer season.”