Richings English Opera: Bohemian girl

“Mrs. Richings-Bernard closes to-day her very successful season of English opera, and flies away to the desolation of the provinces, bearing the good wishes of New York with her. She has given us many excellent performances during her stay, and whenever she returns she may be sure of a welcome. The programme of today is ‘The Huguenots’ in the afternoon, and ‘The Bohemian Girl’ in the evening.”

“With the week’s performances, winding up last night with their real success of the season, ‘The Bohemian Girl,’ the occupancy of the Grand Opera House by this company terminates. Their season has proved substantially fortunate. Good houses have been frequent with them, and they have had some great ones. The result was hardly expected by even the most intelligent observers. It was supposed that the public appetite for English opera had been satiated by the excellent performances of the Parepa-Rosa Troupe. Events have proved the contrary; yet there is no doubt that the completeness and liberality with which the Richings Troupe have done their work gradually won the public over, and converted languid interest into generous support.”

“The four weeks’ season of English Opera, under the management of Mrs. Richings-Bernard, which closed at the Grand Opera House on Saturday evening last, was not so much of a success as was supposed, notwithstanding the fact that the house was nightly filled with a good-sized audience. We have seen a letter from Mr. A. S. Pennoyer, business manager of the company, in which he states that ‘the season was most disastrous,’ and resulted in a loss of $5,000.”

“The Richings English Opera Troupe closed their four weeks’ season at the Grand Opera House on the 11th inst. Meyerbeer’s ‘Huguenots’ was performed for the first time in English on the 6th inst. and kept the boards during the week, excepting the 10th and 11th. ‘The Bohemian Girl’ was given on the 11th. It was placed upon the stage in a manner that surpassed all previous English opera productions, the mise en scene being splendid. The interest was heightened in the third act by the appearance of mounted musicians, and the scene was a most spirited one. The opera dragged continually, and is altogether too heavy for an audience that goes to hear English opera. This troupe appear to greater advantage in ‘The Bohemian Girl,’ ‘Martha,’ ‘Maritana,’ ‘Crown Diamonds’ and similar ones, and should strike all such operas as the ‘Huguenots’ from their repertoire.”