Strakosch Italian Opera: Barbiere di Siviglia

Part of larger announcement about Strakosch's activities in the fall season.

“Italian Opera.  …At any rate, let us be thankful that the cheerless ‘operatic concerts’ are at an end, and that some at least of the mediocre singers and players who have lately been heard in the Academy of Music will be heard there no more. A real opera, after the weak concerts upon which we have had to depend of late, and the unwholesome stimulants with which we are drugged on the other side of the town, will be truly refreshing.”

Follows announcement for operatic concert on 10/24/68. “We are glad to see, by the way, that Mr. Strakosch has resolved on giving a few performances of opera during the week. Miss Kellogg is essentially an operatic singer, and is only seen and heard to the best advantage in ‘character.’ It will be a treat to witness her Rosina once more. The ‘Barber’ will be played on Monday.”

“Next week we shall be permitted to hear Miss Kellogg in the opera which, more than almost any other, enables her to display her powers both as an actress and singer—‘The Barber of Seville.’ The opportunity will be improved by as many as can fit comfortably into the Academy.”

“The spasmodic revival of Italian opera last night at the Academy of Music enables Miss Kellogg to appear in a charming character, and to renew the lyric triumphs by which her past career in New-York is so pleasantly remembered. The part of Rosina, in the ‘Barber,’ suits her voice remarkably well. It rang out last night with delicious purity and freshness, and in the una voce was especially sweet. She sang this famous air with excellent taste and with genuine artistic culture, the same praise being fairly due to her vocalization throughout the opera. In the music-lesson scene she introduced the Jardinière waltz, written for her by Signor Giorza—a lively and pretty composition, which will no doubt become popular, and on being recalled she gave ‘Home Sweet Home,’ with the usual effect. Her acting was full of a piquant spirit of coquetry and mischief, which enlivened an otherwise very cheerless performance. The honors of the evening belonged to Miss Kellogg exclusively, the cast, with the exception of Rosina, being one of rare badness. Signore Petrelli was a very poor Figaro, and was barely tolerated by a good-natured and undemonstrative audience. Lotti was by no means successful in the part of Almaviva, and Coletti and Fossati, in the characters of Don Bartolo and Don Basilio, achieved merely the negative credit of not being so very inefficient as the rest. The chorus and orchestra were weak and ill-regulated. We are not disposed to blame Mr. Strakosch very severely for the poverty of his company. The public are evidently content to accept any entertainment in which Miss Kellogg appears—loading the young prima donna with flowers and applause, and looking with philosophical indifference upon the rest. The house was well-filled last night, with the exception of a number of the stockholders’ boxes, and the audience was fashionable.”

“The friends of Miss Kellogg were very much gratified last night by seeing her in opera, where alone she displays her full powers. ‘The Barber,’ which was selected for the occasion, is, next to ‘Faust,’ the opera in which Miss Kellogg appears to the best advantage. Her Rosina is the best, dramatically speaking, which we have had on our stage for many years. Full of archness, vitality, vigor, grace and humor the character as depleted by Miss Kellogg always is and must be, no matter how inadequately she may be supported, as she certainly was last night.  The florid and difficult passages assigned to her in this part only seem to inspire her to new efforts, and she triumphs over difficulties so easily and handsomely that one ceases to remember how arduous the achievement is.

The attendance last evening was worthy of the first appearance this season of our favorite prima donna in full opera, and suggested that Italian opera, even when inadequately represented, will draw well, in spite of the rival attractions of opera bouffe presented by two excellent companies.”

“The Kellogg concerts, three in number, and matinee were so successful musically and pecuniarially, that Mr. Strakosch has decided to give to Kellogg opera nights. The performances are to take place in the Academy of Music this evening and on Wednesday evening.”