Strakosch Italian Opera: Barbiere di Siviglia

“A brilliant ovation to the superb genius of Miss Kellogg was the gathering last evening in the Academy of Music. Such a magnificent display of the fashion, beauty, intelligence and wealth of the city is rarely seen, and only on rare occasions like this is there such an exhibition of rich toilets. As might have been supposed, this being the closing night of the present appearance in opera before a New York audience of America’s famous Queen of Song, if not, in fact, Queen of the World, the spacious Academy was crowded to its utmost capacity, making even standing room in demand. The ‘Barber of Seville’ was the opera. Miss Kellogg was in splendid voice. She was herself, and this is the highest eulogy that can be pronounced upon her personation last evening of Rosina. Her acting, as it always is, was inexpressibly fine. A more exquisite appreciation of the character cannot be imagined, and certainly it was never more correctly rendered. But all the humor of the complicated plot and grotesque situations, and the admirable illustrations of that well established apothegin in matters of love, that the course of true love never runs smooth—although in this particular case subsiding into a smooth current in the end—were nothing to the singing, and particularly her singing. We will not attempt to describe it or the enthusiasm with which she was greeted. It was one continuous ovation. A feature not to be overlooked was the admirable manner in which she was supported. Signor Lotti as Count Almavivo was most excellent and so were Signors Petrilli and Coletti. In the music lesson of the second act Miss Kellogg sang ‘La Giardiniere,’ a new valse expressly composed for and dedicated to her by Signor Giorza, and on being encored sung ‘Home, Sweet Home.’ Here was pure English that came home to the bosoms and understandings of everybody; but of the thousands listening to the song not one except [those] having previously heard Miss Kellogg sing it, ever heard it sung before with such superb sweetness of voice and expression. On Saturday there will be a grand gala matinée, in which the same opera will be repeated, and she will also appear this evening in Brooklyn. The matinée will be her last appearance before a New York audience, as she leaves for Boston next week.”