Maretzek Italian Opera: Il trovatore

“A new voice is to be heard, that of Miss Parker, a native singer.”

Cast, prices.

Brief mention in ad.

“First appearance of the American prima donna, Miss Parker”

“Miss Parker’s first appearance in New York.  We hear that the lady has sung with success in other cities.”

“Miss Parker—an American lady from Boston…Miss Parker has been starring in Italian opera in California, and in Australia also…The late director of the opera in Paris—we say late, not because he is dead, but because he was detected in cheating at cards, and condemned to prison therefore—said that Miss Adelina Patti made the fortune of his last season.  We hope that another American prima donna, Miss Parker, may be equally successful here: for now is the time for America to show herself in arts along with arms; let us set aside precedents, and prove, such are our national resources that the best and most cheerful of the arts can crown like a rainbow of hope the smoke and agony of battle.”

Full Ad with cast.

“Maretzek offers us tonight a piquant novelty.  It is an American Prima Donna who arrives crowned with Californian laurels. Miss Lizzie Parker debuts in New York in Le Trovatore.  Mlle Sulzer, Mazzoleni and Bellini sing the other roles.  The new venue could not present itself under the auspices of a more brilliant entourage.”

“There was a poor attendance last evening when ‘Il Trovatore’ was performed.  The work seems to be out of favor with the public, except on extraordinary occasions.  Last evening was not one of these.  The performance lacked spirit.  Signor MAZZOLENI did not seem to be in good voice, and, indeed, was unable to finish the opera—Signor SBRIGLIA assuming his rôle.  Signor BELLINI sang with much power, but was, nevertheless, a little hoarse.  Miss PARKER—a lady who made the acquaintance of our public some eighteen months since at a concert—was the Leonora, but failed to satisfy the audience with the performance.  Miss PARKER possesses a good voice, but is destitute of the culture that should enable her to use it to advantage.”

“We are ever anxious to encourage native talent; but in this instance we find it in too crude a shape for indulgence.  Miss Parker, whose voice is sweet but feeble, has no cultivation, and seems utterly ignorant of the first rudiments of the stage business.  Her movements are devoid of grace.  In fact, it is easy to see she is totally unaccustomed to acting, which fact, added to her want of cultivation as regards singing, renders her attempt to appear upon our operatic scene entirely too bold.
It was a relief to listen to the fine voice of Mlle. Sulzer, who, as usual, sang and acted admirably.  The same is to be said of Signors Mazzoleni and Bellini, who were immensely applauded.  At the end of the third act it was announced that Mazzoleni was too hoarse to continue the opera, and Signor Sbriglia, at a moment’s notice, assumed the role, which he did most successfully.”

“‘Il Trovatore’ was last night given at the Academy of Music to a small audience.  The new soprano did not make the favorable impression her friends hoped for.  She has sweetness of voice; but she has also small power and no cultivation; to which defects should be added a painful unfamiliarity with stage business.  It is always easy in such a case to use meaningless words, and even to make the vocalist think that a sort of success has been achieved.  It is better, however, to speak plainly, and to say with distinctness that severe and long-continued study or an abandonment of the stage are the alternatives which alone ought to be thought of by the lady, whose failure we are sorry to record.”

"Yesterday's performance was one of those unlucky evenings that ill fortune doesn't spare even the most able administrators. In consenting to have miss [sic] Lizzie Parker heard in the Trovatore, Maretzek had done a good deed which didn't work for him. The Californian prima donna lacks almost everything that could constitute a passable opera singer. It had to be the extreme charity of the New York audience that let her go on to the end. To crown the disaster, Mazzoleni found himself indisposed at the end of the 3rd act; Sbriglia had to take his place unexpectedly for the fourth, which he got through remarkably well.

          Miss Lizzie Parker will no doubt take it for granted that she shouldn't attempt a second trial at the Academy of Music."

 

“We understand that Miss Lizzie Parker, who recently arrived here from California, is to make her debut before a New York audience at the Academy of Music on the 11th.”

“Four performances were given last week, namely: on Monday, ‘Il Trovatore;’ on Wednesday, ‘Ione;’ on Friday, ‘Aroldo;’ and on Saturday, at the matinée, ‘Ione’ again.  There were unfortunate drawbacks to the first of these performances, but on Wednesday and Friday they were unusually excellent.  If the season had run into another week, we were to have had PERI’S biblical opera of ‘Judith;’ but Mr. MARETZEK has reserved this for the Fall, when he will also produce VERDI'S latest opera, ‘La Forza del Destino.’”