Richings English Opera: Maritana

“Academy of Music—English Opera.—Vincent Wallace’s charming and familiar opera, ‘Maritana,’ was given by the Richings company last night, the fifth of the present season. In this miserable weather when walking is really reducing to wading, we should not expect to find a large audience in any theatre, no matter how great the attraction may be; nevertheless there was a fair company at the Academy last night. The opera was generally well sung, but indifferently acted. Mr. Castle and Mr. Campbell, who were both in good voice and rendered the ballads and their share of the concerted pieces which fell to their lot excellently, were a little tame and stiff in their acting. It is evident that they have to learn something else besides singing before they can be ranked as good operatic performers. There was a manifest lack of [vivre?] in the acting of both these artistes last night, although they received a fair measure of applause, which we may say was entirely merited by the manner in which the music of the author was so admirably rendered. The artistes, however, suffered severely from the power of the orchestra, which not only drowned the chorus in the vehemence with which the brass instruments were used, but in many instances absorbed and overshadowed the finer portions of the ballads and concerted pieces. This is a failing which ought to be corrected. Miss Richings sang what may be regarded as the choicest morceaux in the opera—'The Harp in the Air,' and 'Scenes that are Brightest'—in a manner that called for a well deserved encore. Upon the whole the opera was a delightful treat, and was enjoyed greatly.”