Richings English Opera: Maritana

“‘Maritana,’ Wallace’s exquisitely beautiful musical reconstruction of the story of ‘Don Caesar de Bazan,’ was given at this house last night by the Richings English Opera Company to a large, stylish and enthusiastic audience. [cast]. . . . Our operatic circles are familiar with this charming music; but we have seldom, indeed, witnessed a more enthusiastic recognition of the leading artists than was accorded those of last night. Mr. Bowler, the tenor, has a clear, elastic, ringing voice, and in his spirited rendering of the cavatina, "Yes, let me like a soldier fall," he was recalled with a spontaneous outbreak of approbation from the parquet to the mountaineers. Drayton has a powerful organ as a basso cantante, and in his strong, but delicate execution of the pretty ballad, "In happy moments, day by day," he brought down the house in splendid style. He is a fine singer.

“Of Mrs. Richings-Bernard it is something to say that her delightful voice seems to improve from season to season in fulness [sic], clearness and flexibility. Her singing last night was superb. Of Mme. Annie Kemp-Bowler’s execution we may be doing injustice in the opinion that while she gave us evidence of an organ equal to almost any requirement, it seemed to run somewhat of its own will and rather wildly at times. The opera, however, in all its parts was given not only to the satisfaction, but to the admiration of the house, and from first to last.  It is called an English opera company, but it is really American, and is a troupe of which Americans may be honestly proud.

“The orchestra is good and the chorus is large, disciplined and harmonious—in short, an excellent chorus. It contributed very largely to the brilliant success of the whole performance and to heighten the effect of the gems of the play. Judging from the pleasure and enthusiasm awakened all over the large audience by this really inspiring last evening’s entertainment we are sure of a successful season.”

“Mr. Fisk’s magnificent theatre on Eighth avenue presented last night a scene of unusual gayety and attractiveness. It was well filled by a cordial and highly gratified audience, assembled to welcome the return to the city of the Richings opera troupe. This tuneful band is considerably changed from what it was in days of yore.  Castle and Campbell fight under another banner. Their place last night was filled by Brookhouse Bowler, who is pleasantly remembered for his singing in ‘Lurline’ at the Academy of Music, and by Henry Drayton, for whose last appearance here we will have to roll back old Time’s hourglass half a dozen years ago. Both of these gentlemen, in their respective parts in ‘Maritana,’ sung and acted in a spirited manner, and met with a warm reception. Miss Richings—it is difficult to bury her identity under her new title of Mrs. Bernard—was, of course, the Maritana of the evening, and found that the New York public still cherished her as a tried favorite. Mrs. Kemp Bowler took the part of Lazarillo in an acceptable manner. 

“It is pleasant to see the great spaces of the Grand Opera House once more filled to their limits. Neither Miss Lucille Western, during her long engagement, not the Irish drama, during its short and more recent one, were able to bring about that result; but Miss Richings, with her English Opera Company, succeeded in it last evening.

“The opera was ‘Maritana,’ and the prima donna Miss Richings. Her voice is clear and strong, and she certainly knows how to sing excellently well. Of this fact her audience at least were well convinced, since they received her efforts with much enthusiasm. If her dramatic capacities were equal to those she possesses as a vocalist, Miss Richings would certainly hold an enviable place in the list of prima donnas. She is supported by an admirable company, having not only good artists, but evidently a good stage manager, for the stage business is prompt, the situations well planned and effective, and nothing is allowed to drag.

“The tenor is Mr. Brookhouse Bowler, a gentleman already favorably known to our audiences. Mrs. Annie Kemp Bowler is the contralto. Her voice is sympathetic, and some of her low notes exceedingly fine. She was cast in the part of Lazarillo, and made a pretty boy, though in some respects rather an exuberant one. The company is especially fortunate in its basso. Mr. Henry Drayton, a gentleman who last evening, made his first appearance in this city. He is an actor as well as a singer and has a rich, smooth, clear, weighty bass voice, and uses it in an artistic, well taught manner.

“The opera itself is too well known   to need any special criticism. It is a thoroughly enjoyable work, replete with pleasant melodies and effective concerted pieces.

“Miss Richings has a capital force at her command, including a well-drilled chorus and orchestra; and there is no reason why the season should not prove an acceptable one to the public and profitable one to herself.”

“The Richings troupe sang at the Grand Opera House last evening, in the presence of a very numerous audience. It were rather late to write at length of most of the artists of the company, who are well known to the habitual playgoers. Mrs. CAROLINE RICHINGS BERNARD, who was Maritana yesterday, in WALLACE’S delightful opera of that name, is a very accomplished singer, whose rather worn voice can still be listened to with pleasure, that to the purity of style displayed in the use of it. Mrs. ANNIE KEMP BOWLER, who represented Lazarillo, is a contralto singer of no great culture, but gifted with an organ of special excellence in the lower register. Mr. BROOKHOUSE BOWLER, a personator of Don Cesar de Bazan, with little humor and ease, has a strong and not too flexible voice, which is heard to greatest ad[van]tage in a large house. The newcomer—for a ten years’ absence makes an artist a stranger—is Mr. HENRY DRAYTON, who embodied Don Jose, and gave the music of his part throughout, and especially in the ballad in the prison scene of the second act, all the effect a full, sweet and very extended voice could secure for it. There is, of course, no need to dwell at present on the salient points of the representation of an opera familiar by many charming melodies, and worthy an enduring popularity for the elaborateness of the instrumentation. All the known airs were applauded, and several of Mr. BERNARD’S songs, and the trio, ‘Move on, Old Time,’ the martial cavatina, ‘Let me like a Soldier fall,’ and the air ‘The Happy Moments’ were, with one or two other pieces, repeated. The chorusses [sic] were very satisfactorily given, and, to be brief, though we recollect performances in which fresher voices have delighted the ear, we can recall none in which more cheerful cooperation and more individual proficiency were apparent.”

“During the past week the programme of English opera at the Grand Opera House was necessarily confused by the illness of Mr. Henry Drayton. An opera was given every night to good houses, though it was rarely the one that had been announced. On Saturday evening ‘Maritana’ was repeated for the debut of a young lady with a soprano voice, exceedingly sweet and enjoyable in the upper notes, and hard and deficient in the lower. The young lady has lately arrived from Australia by way of California, and is a sister of the Howsons playing at Wood’s Museum. She was an entire stranger to the audience, and, we must add, to the company with which she played on Saturday; but she very quickly won a cordial recognition by her sweet and unaffected singing, and was encored for the ballad, ‘Scenes that are brightest.’ In ‘Sonnambula’ she would find a part specially suited to her powers, and we hope to see her name soon again on the programme. Mr. and Mrs. Bowler gave their well known and acceptable personations of Don Cesar and Lazarillo, and Mr. Peakes met with favor as Don Jose, though he took the part at brief notice and was obliged to read the dialogue.

“. . . The debut of Miss Howson was a most successful one. Her voice is a pure soprano, of good range and thorough cultivation. It could not receive a more severe trial of its quality than in this large opera house, where the voice that is esteemed a good one in a small theatre or saloon loses itself. Her voice is a most pleasant and melodious tone, delighting the ear with its harmonious excellence and stirring the heart with its sympathetic echoes. She is a fine actress as well, one who feels what she sings, and throws her soul into the part which she assumes, regardless of stage traditions or forms. Her voice was hardly strong enough, which was probably owing to the nervousness attending a first night, as well as the large theatre. However, her debut may be pronounced a success. Mr. Peakes did very well as Don Jose, and several of his songs received hearty encores. Annie Kemp Bowler was excellent as Lazarillo, and Brookhouse Bowler made a satisfactory Don Caesar. He was enthusiastically applauded throughout the performance, and received a number of encores, which were most deservedly given. This gentleman possesses a good tenor voice and knows how to use it with effect. As an actor he is not as clever as many tenors we have seen, but he is competent and attentive. Mr. Arnold as the King was also good. The business of the troupe has been very good indeed all week. The troupe has exhibited an ample number, all fairly drilled in their professional vocation, and have rendered unqualified delight to the audiences.”