Maretzek Italian Opera: Un Ballo in maschera

Rigoletto was announced, but postponed until the following Monday.

Forthcoming debut of Dr. Valentine.

“In the production of this admired opera for the first time this season, Max Maretzek introduced to the operatic stage a new baritone, in Dr. Valentine, a musical amateur of this city. The gentleman has a voice which may be called either a high baritone or a low tenor. In the earlier parts of the opera the lack of power was such as to seriously impair the effect of the concerted pieces. In the last act the debutant improved, and sang the aria Eri tu with such taste as to secure an encore. His tones are very pleasant to the ear, and it is timidity alone that veils his performance, when this wears away, his singing will be decidedly agreeable. Of course, as the gentleman appears to the public only as an amateur, he is not to be judged by artistic standards.

“Lefranc sang superbly at times, and had to repeat the barcarole in the second act. It is to be regretted that so splendid an artist as Lefranc has no true professional friend who will tell him that in his repeated efforts to sing high notes and display great vocal power, he is inevitably destroying his voice. Several times last night huskiness and temporary loss of tone occurred, causing a sympathetic shudder to creep over the audience. Lefranc is so finished an artist in other respects that he can afford to spare himself the dangerous efforts which, if persisted in, will in a few years render him a melancholy wreck as a singer.

“The ladies last night were entirely satisfactory. Madame Briol always sings with carefulness and artistic taste, and her Amelia was another addition to her list of successes. Mlle. Lami’s pure, high soprano we have before had occasion to note. Last night it appeared to special advantage in the light, pleasing music of Oscar. Madame Lumley, as Ulrica, took an ungrateful part in a creditable manner.”

“A performance of ‘Il Ballo’ last night calls for notice only in the particulars wherein it differed from late representations of the opera at the same house. Signor Lefranc, Mme. Briol and Mlle. Lami sang, respectively, Riccardo, Amelia and Oscar as before—or even better in parts—and as before greatly to public satisfaction. Poor Mme. Cellini, whose loss we were called on some time ago to lament, was replaced on the present occasion by Mme. Eliza Lumley, who gave a rather hard, but a sufficiently accurate and trusty interpretation of the unprepossessing character of Ulrica. The concerted pieces were well and trippingly sung, and although Signor Lefranc was not in his best voice, and failed in the barcarole and other choice bits of the second act to evoke the enthusiasm he easily excited in December, he came up, as he usually does, magnificently at the close. Mme. Briol, on the other hand, was in the best condition and surpassed, as the heroine, her former efforts; and Mlle. Lami secured a tumultuous encore for her first song, and kept up to the mark very nicely throughout. Renato was sung by Dr. Valentine, announced as ‘the American amateur,’ and as making on the occasion his first appearance in public. It would be mistaken kindness to say that Dr. Valentine proved himself in all respects to be equal to the demands of this very exacting rôle. He has a pleasant baritone voice—which, for lyrical purposes, and in so large a theatre, at least, he has yet to learn how to use—an agreeable person and face, and a total ignorance of the exigencies of the stage. Dr. Valentine was ill-advised in attempting for his primary essay so dramatic and trying a part as Renato. Something lighter and less responsible would have been a far more judicious selection. We do not mean to imply that he may not hereafter become a great operatic artist. The noble powers of Mr. Sautley [Santley], the English-Italian baritone, were but imperfectly indicated in his earlier performances, and a similar experience may be undergone by Dr. Valentine. For his sake we trust it may; but neither for his sake nor for that of his audience can we encourage him without further practice in smaller houses and easier parts to challenge criticism in the characters of the leading baritone range.”

“The performance of ‘Il Ballo in Maschera’ last night at the Academy of Music was an interesting and in several respects a very good one. It presented Lefranc in a part which gave full scope to his most truly artistic qualities, the sympathetic qualities of his voice, the delicacy of his phrasing, and the truth of his method, without overtaxing those phenomenal physical powers upon which he is but too much inclined to place his dependence. His singing therefore was even more than usually grateful to cultivated ears, and in the principal gems of the opera, such as the barcarole in the second act, was truly delicious. In the duet with Amelia, however—the Non sai tu—he allowed his enthusiasm to carry him away, and for a few minutes he consequently lost control of his voice. We hope he may profit by the lesson. Madame Briol found in the role of Amelia a part well suited to her powers, and earned a great deal of applause, and Mlle. Lami as the Page was unexpectedly excellent. We are happy to have it in our power to record for her a gratifying success. Mrs. Lumley’s Ulrica offered no points worthy of special remark.

“The interest of the audience was aroused chiefly, of course, by the debut of Dr. Valentine as Renato. During the first three acts this gentleman was entirely disabled by stage fright, and his evident unhappiness was the subject of general commiseration. He found his voice and his self possession at the opening of act fourth, where it will be remembered the baritone has a beautiful scene. The voice, when at last it came forth, proved to be of pleasant quality, fair compass, and power ample for the requirements of the stage, and the relief of the kindly disposed audience found expression in a hearty recall. Dr. Valentine and his friends should remember, however, that a degree of cultivation which may suffice for the parlor may not suffice for the opera-house. He has nearly everything to learn before he can be called an artist.”

“Five Italian operas have been sung in New-York during the past week—‘Masaniello’ on Monday, at the Academy; ‘Maria de Rohan, at the Union League Theatre, on Tuesday; ‘Linda’ at the Academy, on Wednesday, and ‘Il Ballo in Maschera’ and ‘Fra Diavolo’ at the same house on Friday and Saturday. …[Discussion of Masaniello, Maria de Rohan, and Linda di Chamounix]. On Friday Dr. Valentine, an amateur, made his first appearance in public as Renato in ‘Il Ballo.’ The experiment was hardly justified by its results. Renato is one of the most difficult parts in the range, and it would be simply miraculous if a novice could give it anything like its proper dramatic effect, even were he capable of doing justice to its vocal requirements. The fatal blunder made by almost all tyros in art—that of thinking that what looks easy must be easy—has apparently not been escaped by Dr. Valentine. At times when he evidently thought he was on the same plane of intelligibility and general forcibleness with the artists around him he was merely inaudible; and his action, without being exactly either offensive or grotesque, was painfully tame and unequal to the needs of the situation. Dr. Valentine has a good voice and a good stage presence and may do great things yet; but he ought to understand that he has a vast deal to learn first, and that they are no true friends who would fain persuade him otherwise.”