Parepa-Rosa English Opera: La Sonnambula

“This evening the young debutante, Miss Rose Hersee, will appear as Amina in ‘Somnambula’ [sic]. She brings with her from England an excellent reputation as a pure soprano. She is a young blonde, of evident genius, which will have to be tested here for the first time to-night by an American audience.”

Brief. Part of announcement of multiple performances by this company.

“DEBUT OF MISS ROSE HERSEE, the most successful Prima Donna Soprano, from Her Majesty’s Theatre and Lyceum, London, in her celebrated role of Amina in SOMNAMBULA [sic].”

“This afternoon, we see, ‘The Puritan’s Daughter’ will be sung, and to-night ‘La Sonnambula,’ with Miss Rose Hersee, whom rumor declares a songstress of rare accomplishments.”

“The curtain drew up at 8:20 last evening for the performance of ‘La Sonnambula’ at the French Theatre, and the first appearance in this country of Miss Rose Hersee. The house was well-filled by a curious and attentive audience, prepared to be critical, but disposed to be generous. Amina is regarded as a test part in this community, which, partly by tradition and partly by practical experience, has been rendered familiar with its best representatives. Miss Hersee was successful. She has a clear, bright soprano voice, best in the upper register, but even and well-trained throughout. She phrases with neatness and precision, and her execution, without being faultless, is remarkably good. Her action has been learned in a good school, and her natural powers are developed to good advantage. The tenderness and sweetness characteristic of Bellini’s charming pastoral—the opera which of almost all others is best liked by those to whom it is most familiar—are brought out by Miss Hersee with very satisfactory effect, and hearty and genuine applause repeated testified to the favorable impression. Miss Hersee is slight in figure, with blonde hair and dark eyes, a charming smile and a manner of musical grace and fascination. In the first act there was perhaps a slight want of abandon, but this was fully made up for afterward, so that the applause at the end almost swelled into a triumph. Mr. Castle was an efficient and manly Elvino, and performed his share of the duets and concerted pieces to general satisfaction. His singing was a trifle uneven in parts, as was also that of Mr. Campbell, whose noble voice came out, however, in Rodolfo’s [sic] great and ever popular song with magnificent effect. The chorus was occasionally uncertain and straggling, and betrayed the want of rehearsals. In so old and familiar and opera, this is scarcely excusable. On the other hand, the orchestra was excellent and very well led. We purpose to speak more in detail of the merits of the fair debutante of the evening hereafter. For the present, in addition to the above, it will suffice to say that her success was decided, and that since Mme. Anna Thillon, we have had no lady among us more likely to make a substantial mark in the lighter parts of English Opera. ‘La Sonnambula’ is to be repeated on Tuesday.”

The second review of this performance by the New York Times, somewhat longer than the first. “Operas, like human beings, do not always please in proportion to their real worth. It would, perhaps, be going too far to extend the comparison, and say that operas are sometimes loved for their weaknesses and condemned for their merits. Such a saying, for all its smart paradox, might smack too much of the common but superficial judgment that looks to the qualities of the head, but takes no account of those of the heart. It is, however, certain that as, with most other human products, there is such a thing as luck attending musical compositions, for the work that falls flat in onecity [sic] often meets with great success in another. And this is even true of the same city at different times; so that failure in it at one period has been followed by a triumph at another. There are happy moments, and well-adapted artists, and enthusiasm growing out of particular circumstances, and other accidents that serve to evoke exceptional and not always deserved popularity and fame. ‘Masaniello’ [sic] and ‘William Tell,’ for instance, in moments of patriotic excitement thus become greater than in others, the extraordinary powers of Braham made several operas famous that are now forgotten, and the elaborate histrionic genus of Macready made of ‘Werner’ what Byron did not usually try to make his dramas, a successful acting play. Sometimes, again, there are combinations of circumstances that make a work locally famous, possibly to the surprise of all the world beside. If you take a middle-aged Bostonian—and you will not have much difficulty in finding him anywhere and at any time—and he has a liking for opera—which is almost inevitable, he will tell you that ‘Ernani’ is one of the greatest lyric productions ever composed. On inquiry into the occasion of an opinion that may seem to you rather exaggerated, you will discover that somewhere near a score of years ago music-loving Boston was hungering and thirsting for Italian opera; that when the unsatisfied craving was at its height a certain troupe appeared whereof four artists—Truffi, Benedetti, Rossi and Benedantano—happened to be curiously well suited in the parts of Elvira, Ernani, Carlo Quinto and Silva; that the opera was nicely put upon the stage in a very pretty little theatre, and that Mr. Max Maretzek was in those salad days a vivacious and inspiriting conductor; and that thereupon Boston became ‘Ernani’ mad and swears by it to this day. We would not depreciate Signor Verdi’s noisy masterpiece, having indeed a high estimate of its beauty, but it is pretty certain that neither London nor Paris, or either of the Italian capitals, ever rated ‘Ernani’ at the current appraisal of the American modern Athens.

“Now the, [sic] ‘Sonnambula’ has a hold on popular regard, which, with æsthetic differences, is somewhat akin. Its hold is deeper, for it reaches down to the affections, and wide, for it extends to both Europe and America. But it is similar to that we have described in so far as it is palpably greater than its intrinsic merits deserve, and that this has been brought about by exceptional causes. The liquid sweetness of the melodies, the touching simplicity of the situations, the universal character of the interest all must admit as they do the romantic sensualism [sic] of ‘Ernani,’ its richness of instrumentation, the picturesque splendor of its groupings, the massive resonance of its climaxes, its dismal and lurid story and its tragic catastrophe. Yet measured with other works, and by critical tests, both operas rank higher, at least in certain chosen places, than their desert. We have mentioned reasons for the fortune of ‘Ernani;’ it is hardly needful to give them for the wider love that is felt for the ‘Sonnambula.’ Perhaps the mention of two names will convey explanation enough—two names very dear to the playgoers of the generation which is passing away, and to the sound of which even the playgoers of to-day listen with interest. We mean, of course, those of Malibran and Mrs. Wood. These two singers—the latter in our own country, the former in Europe, but more particularly in England—made the part of Amina famous. They both not only touched but struck with a master hand the profoundest chords of human sympathy and affection. They brought the story of the artless village girl, enmeshed in the web of apparent guilt by mere psychological accident, straight home to every heart and every fireside. Both women had lovely voices, both were overrunning with feeling, both possessed uncommon dramatic power; both carried their audiences, as it were, in their hand clear to the end, until with the upgushing ‘Ah non guinge’—for all the world like the carol of a skylark set free from its cage—the pits of Drury Lane and the old Park went down on their knees to them and have remained there, metaphorically speaking, ever since. And thus it happens that, with the help, too, of other clustering associations dear to the public heart, Bellini’s simple little pastoral has enjoyed exceptional success, and that whenever it is acted there are always a great many people delighted to revive tender recollections, and, perhaps, to live over again in fancy the love passages of their youth.

“We alluded yesterday in brief terms to the promising first appearance of Miss Rose Hersee in this opera at the French Theatre on Saturday night, and were happy to be able to speak in commendation. The young lady has much in her favor. Youth, good training, a nature apparently mobile and susceptible, a dark, expressive eye, a profusion of fair hair, and a manner which is winning without being familiar or meretricious, are very good aids to the indispensable first requisite of a fine voice, for gaining success in Amina. Miss Hersee’s organ is a pure, sweet soprano, not very extensive in register, but full, even, and generally flexible. She has been well taught, and nature or art, or both, have given her not a little brilliancy of execution. Her singing is characterized by much neatness and finish; and she has successfully tided over the critical time when these accomplishments, once acquired, are apt to impart constraint or a lack of abandon. Of this latter she has not always enough. There are scenes when more of it would add greatly to the effect. Notably is this the case in the more trying passages with Elvino and in the eclaircissement at the end of the opera. But Miss Hersee is obviously not an old actress. She is far from being a novice or from giving the impression of a novice, and she has at command a certain rustic quaintness and naïveté admirably suited to the character of Amina. But she is not yet a thorough mistress of stage arts, and so has something to learn. As a matter of detail, for example, she does not shrink as if appalled by the earrnestness or intensity of Elvino in his chief scena, just before the words, ‘Do not fear, I will not harm thee;’ yet only such action on her part gives any significance to what he says. Her embraces of her lover and moreover too conventional; her action here lacks freedom and spontaneity. Miss Hersee need not fear to trust herself in these matters. Her acquisitions, both histrionic and vocal, are quite substantial enough to carry her safely though. It is fair to say that she deserved and had much sympathy from her audience on Saturday in the infliction of some very awkward stage waits and misunderstandings between chorus and orchestra at the crises of her most important scenes. This should not occur again, and we trust that to-morrow night, when the opera is to be repeated, such embarassments [sic] will be provided for and avoided.

“Mr. Castle, the Elvino of the occasion, is a good singer and an acceptable actor. On Saturday his smooth and telling voice was a little out of tune at times—not at delicate or momentous at times—and a trifle more fire would improve his acting. His bearing, however, is agreeably distinguished from that of most tenors in being alike manly and modest, and there is a conscientiousness about everything he does which is decidedly pleasing. His best passages were warmly applauded by the audience, and they deserved to be. Mr. Campbell makes an effective Count Rodolpho. A little more graciousness of manner than he gives him would not be amiss, since a nobleman and a gentleman, always surrounded, so far as we see him, by his inferiors, would be, if anything, urbane. His acting is notwithstanding unrestrained, and his superb voice would make ample amends for more than the trifling drawback we have named. He sang ‘Vi Ravviso,’ or ‘As I View Now,’ to the immense satisfaction of the public, with whom he is certainly a great favorite. The gentleman who acts Alessio would do well to moderate his flashes of humor, which are a little too commonplace to be in keeping with the rest of the performance, and which will light it up quite enough if more sparingly bestowed. The orchestra and chorus are numerous and good, but between them they managed several unpleasant botches on Saturday, which, if repeated, will prove mischievous. Taken altogether, largely of course in consequence of the decided success of Miss Hersee and the painstaking support of the old favorites, this performance of the ‘Sonnambula’ was a very satisfactory one; and this, when we bear in mind old recollections, is saying very much indeed.”

“Last Saturday evening ‘La Sonnambula’ was produced at the French Theater, chiefly for the purpose of introducing Miss Rose Hersee, the new English singer and actress, in the principal character. Her debut was a striking success. No young artist within our recollection has received more prompt and decided manifestations of popular favor, or given pleasanter promise of permanently establishing herself in an excellent artistic position. She was cordially welcomed, warmly encouraged and applauded throughout the representation, and at the close was complimented by a series of demonstrations, the heartiness and unanimity of which fell little short of positive enthusiasm.

“Miss Hersee is a lady of agreeable personal presence—fair, small of stature, and well acquainted, so far as could be judged by a single performance, with the exigencies of the stage. Although in fact quite young, her appearance is still more youthful, and as Amina she showed more of the child than of the woman, both in aspect and demeanor. In this respect, it would be difficult to imagine a more satisfactory representative of the heroine of Bellini’s tender opera, and but for the bad mistake of dressing her hair in the uttermost extremity of modern fashion she would have presented as pretty a picture of the exceptional blonde Italian peasant girl as could be desired. But if any idea could be more distressing than that of an Aima with any chignon at all, in any condition of attire, it would be a little Amina with a big chignon in her night dress. Miss Hersee’s acting really left very little to be wished for. The affectionate simplicity of the opening scenes, relived by its occasional touches of archness and coquetry, was charmingly portrayed, and in the more exacting business of the second act—as the opera is now divided—where the romance of the story is for the moment turned into tragic purposes, she displayed an earnestness and a depth of feeling which, if not fully equal to the demands of the situation, were nevertheless sufficient to prove that she possesses ability far beyond that required merely for the illustration of light and playful sentiment. In a word, Miss Hersee appears capable of realizing, as far as her power goes, the long sought ideal of an English prima donna who can satisfy the dramatic as well as the musical conditions of the characters she represents.

“Of her qualities as a vocalist we can speak with sincere pleasure. Her voice is certainly of the lightest and most delicate class, and can be heard to advantage only in parts which require little breadth of intonation, intensity or declamatory force. What there is of it, however, is sweet, pure, and thoroughly sympathetic. Its flexibility is remarkable, and so we should also consider its extent, since she found no difficulty in compassing two octaves and a half in one of her airs, but for the fact that at times the lower notes are almost inaudible. In the quintett [sic] (so called), which closes the second act, they were, on Saturday, entirely so. But when not overpowered by surrounding weight of sound, she succeeds in diverting attention from this weakness by her clearness and amplitude of expression. The special charm of her singing, after all, lies in the refinement and delicacy of her style, which were best exhibited in the earlier part of the opera, especially in the opening cavatina and in the duets with Elviro. Toward the close, she seemed affected by fatigue, and she failed to execute the brilliant finale with the accuracy of intonation which her precision in the earlier scenes had led us to expect. But notwithstanding these and other slight deficiencies, Miss Hersee’s first appearance was a distinct and well-deserved success. That she will prove a most attractive acquisition to our lyric stage is beyond a doubt.

“The general performance of the opera was on the whole good. Mr. Castle sang the music of Elviro with more than common spirit and force, and acted with creditable energy. Mr. Campbell’s beautiful voice—than which there is none intrinsically finer, if even there be one so fine, extant in any country—was as effective as ever in the slow movement of his cavatina, but was scarcely recognizable in the allegro by reason of the rapidity with which it was taken. Some of the choruses, particularly that in which the petition is rehearsed, in the third act, were very well sung—others badly. A tendency to headlong speed was the fault of most of them. The effect of the ‘Phantom Chorus,’ such as it is, was by this means wholly destroyed. The scenery was appropriate and apparently new. Nothing can be gained, hwoever, in an opera like ‘La Sonnambula’ by the introduction of irrelevant floods of mechanical light, after the fashion of modern show-pieces. The attempt in the second act was particularly anomalous. While the peasants were speculating as to the propriety of arousing the Count, Amina lay upon his bed, so glaringly distinct in the calcium blaze as to make the mistake of identiy impossible even for an instant.

“‘La Sonnambula’ will be repeated to-morrow evening. For to-night the second performance of The Bohemian Girl’ is announced, and on Wednesday ‘Maritana’ will be produced.”

“The New Prima Donna. Rose Hersee, who made on Saturday night, at the French Theatre, her first appearance in America, is a slight young girl, possessing a clear, high soprano voice, exquisitely true in intonation, cultivated to a rare degree of flexibility, and of a tender and almost childish timbre. In the lower register it is lacking in power; but for the ordinary range of light operas, and especially in the sweet melodies of Bellini, it is quite sufficient and always enjoyable. Most opera-goers are so familiar with the Italian words of ‘Somnambula’ [sic] that the language of the English version seems peculiarly uncouth; but even with this disadvantage, Miss Hersee gave great satisfaction in her aria of the first act, in the concerted music of the second act, and in the final bravura of the last act, in the repetition of which she introduced some brilliant variations, showing her facility in staccato passages. Altogether the new prima donna was most favorably received, and may hope to share a fair degree of popularity. She will sing again on Tuesday night in ‘Somnambula’ [sic]. Mr. Castle and Mr. Campbell afford her good support in this opera, the tenor especially doing himself great credit.”

“At the French Theatre, on Saturday evening, the Parepa-Rosa English Opera Company produced ‘La Sonnambula,’ Miss Rose Hersee making her début before the New York public in the part of Amina. This charming young artist, from Her Majesty’s Theatre, London, possesses a very pleasing, high soprano voice, fresh and canary-bird-like in quality, with a tone whose sweetness and purity make up for a lack of volume and breadth. Her execution is admirable, the rapid passages and staccatos being given with a clearness and precision that are evidence of a careful and judicious trainin, and of faithful and conscientious work on the part of the singer.

“Miss Hersee was particularly happy in rendering the innocent girlishness of Amina; the artless joyousness of Bellini’s lovely music in portraying the young girl’s happiness at the thought of her approaching marriage with Elvino, appearing to suit the débutante exactly. In the passages requiring profound pathos, as in the almost matchless finale of the second act, the want of power and depth of tone was somewhat felt. So also in the duos with Mr. Castle (Elvino). Miss Hersee’s voice seemed overborne by the tenor, and in the concerted pieces was often drowned by the chorus. The same slenderness of tone likewise made her unequal to the overwhelming burst of rapturous joy which Amina utters at the close of the opera, though the variations in the recurrence of this great aria gave her an opportunity of displaying the wonderful flexibility of her voice and the purity of her style. With these very slight drawbacks, Miss Hersee’s Amina was a very charming and artistic performance. The young lady made a most favorable impression upon the large and appreciative audience, and her efforts were greeted with prolonged and hearty applause and numerous floral offerings. Mr. Castle sang the part of Elvino with much taste and feeling, combining sufficient vigor with the sweetness and tenderness which make up the chief sum of Bellini’s lyrical creations. Mr. Campbell was acceptable in the rôle of Count Rudolph. Miss Fanny Stockton appeared fully impressed with the thanklessness of the rôle of Liza, while Mr. Harrison made his part of Alissio [sic] more contemptible than was necessary by his clownishness. Miss Gonzales as Teresa was a kind mother to Amina, but sang very false.

“The chorus was commendably good for a first performance, though they were badly out just before the finale of the last act. The opera was very handsomely put upo the stage; and though we keenly miss the dulcet Italian, and abominate the trashy English dialogue, yet we cordially congratulate the enterprising managers for having given us, on the whole, so capital a performance of this ever-beautiful work.”

Reviews multiple performances. “English Opera—French Theatre.—The admirable manner in which English opera is put upon the stage at the French theatre [sic] by Mme. Parepa-Rosa, as regards scenery, orchestra and chorus, is winning its own reward… On Saturday night ‘Somnambula’ [sic] was sung, with a young debutante—Miss Rose Hersee—as Amina. Although petite in figure, and possessing a voice the volume of which may be measured correspondingly, Miss Hersee has a good stage presence and an excellent conception of dramatic effect. Her voice is pure, clear and flexible, and remarkably true, as was noticeable in her debut through the whole opera. Even after the exhaustive labors of a first night before a strange audience she maintained her powers and command of voice to the end, and was indeed better in the difficult scenes of the last act down to the trying finale than in the beginning. Her reception was very warm and enthusiastic. She was called out after every act, and, although her debut was evidently watched with critical attention, her success was unquestionable.”

“Debut of Rose Hersee.—That sparkling, pathetic, joyous ‘La Somnambula’ [sic] was presented by the Parepa Rosa English opera troupe at the French Theatre, on the 18th instant, for the debut in this country of Rose Hersee, an English prima donna lately arrived from London. The part of Amina is well suited to the plump little figure of this lady, who is evidently young in her art, and has not yet overcome a tremulousness and hesitancy of both voice and manner, which at times mar the effect of her fine appreciation of the more subdued portions of the role. She was wanting in force and passion in the grand situations of the piece. She has, however, a voice of great transparency and justness and capacities for execution. Her youth, her pretty face and sprightly easy action, gained her general favor, and throughout the opera her reception was such as to warrant the belief that she has made a good impression, and will become quite a favorite with the public. There were some drawbacks to the performance, the curtain not rising until nearly half-past eight, and there were several stage waits, which ought not to have occurred. In the sleep-walking scene, last act, Miss Hersee kept the stage waiting quite a while. She was ably supported by S. C. Campbell as the Count, Castle as Elvino, and Fanny Stockton as Liza. The same opera will be repeated on the 21st instant, followed on the 22d with Parepa as Maritana.”