Parepa-Rosa English Opera: Martha

“It is probable that towards the close of next month the Parepa English opera troupe will give a brief season here, producing ‘Don Giovanni’ and reviving the late success, Weber’s ‘Oberon.’”

Two announcements on one page; the first for the troupe’s performances in May 1870, the second as follows: “C. D. Hess, the present manager of the Parepa Rosa Opera Troupe, is organizing a new party for next season. Parepa goes to Europe this summer to settle up some property left her by her mother, who lately died there, and she may not return soon to this country. Mr. Hess has secured nearly all the company of the Parepa troupe; also Mr. and Mrs. Brookhouse Bowler, Mr. Drayton and the two Peakes.”

Brief.

“The musical feature of the week will be the reappearance of the Parepa-Rosa English Opera Company at the Academy of Music. ‘Don Giovanni’ will be given on Friday and at the Saturday matinée, and ‘Oberon’ on Saturday night. The casts in both operas are exceedingly strong, and it will be the last opportunity this season to hear this company.”

Lists cast with roles. After the company’s departure, “it may be long before we see such a good English opera company again. Mr. and Madame Rosa sail for Europe next month. They will probably return next season, but whether to place themselves again at the head of an English company, or to lead a campaign of Italian opera, or merely to give concerts, is entirely uncertain. By this year’s operations they have succeeded in making English opera both popular and fashionable; they have proved that opera will pay if it is properly and liberally conducted, with a well balanced company and due care for minor details; and we have no doubt that Mr. Hess, who purposes after their departure to continue operations with Miss Hersee, the Seguins, Castle, Campbell, the Bowlers, and other good artists, will profit by the prestige accumulated during the winter.”

Lists cast with roles. After the company’s departure, “it may be long before we see such a good English opera company again. Mr. and Madame Rosa sail for Europe next month. They will probably return next season, but whether to place themselves again at the head of an English company, or to lead a campaign of Italian opera, or merely to give concerts, is entirely uncertain. By this year’s operations they have succeeded in making English opera both popular and fashionable; they have proved that opera will pay if it is properly and liberally conducted, with a well balanced company and due care for minor details; and we have no doubt that Mr. Hess, who purposes after their departure to continue operations with Miss Hersee, the Seguins, Castle, Campbell, the Bowlers, and other good artists, will profit by the prestige accumulated during the winter.”

For Don Giovanni.

For Don Giovanni.

Brief; for Don Giovanni.

Don Giovanni and Oberon are “the chef d’œuvres of the lyric stage.”

“Mme. Parepa-Rosa, Miss Hersee and the full troupe whose performances at the Academy of Music a few weeks ago afforded so much pleasure, are to give three final representations at the same house on Friday and Saturday. Friday evening and at the Saturday matinée, ‘Don Giovanni’ will be sung, and Saturday evening ‘Oberon’ is to be interpreted.”

“The farewell performances of Madame Parepa Rosa on Friday and Saturday will doubtless attract a great deal of interest, late as the season is. The admirable artist to whom New-York is indebted for so many tuneful evenings, and to whom our citizens have paid for several years such unwavering allegiance, is going back to England for an indefinite period of rest, and under what conditions we shall hear her again cannot yet be predicted. During the last year especially she has rendered a substantial service to the cause of art by establishing English Opera upon a far better basis than it has ever had before in this country, and producing several splendid works with which our audiences were previously unacquainted.”

Brief. “The work has been cast to the full strength of the company, Mme. Rosa and Miss Hersee embodying respectively Donna Anna and Zerlina.”

For Don Giovanni. “Our oldest opera-goers can scarcely remember when this opera was played in anything save Italian; certainly no recent English opera company has ventured to produce so difficult and elaborate a work.”

“Mme. Parepa-Rosa and her associates sang ‘Martha’ at the Academy of Music last evening, in presence of an overflowing audience. ‘Don Giovanni’ had been announced for representation, but the substitution of De Flotow’s [sic] tuneful work became necessary at a late hour in the afternoon, in consequence of the indisposition of Mr. Nordblom. A record that ‘Martha,’ in spite of the familiarity which a local audience may be fairly presumed to have with the opera, afforded the liveliest pleasure, speaks with sufficient eloquence for the excellence of its interpretation to dispense us from alluding in detail to the performance. All the artists were in excellent voice, and sang with a spirit over which the fatigues of traveling appear to be altogether without influence. It will be remembered that two entertainments are to be given in this City by the troupe previous to its dissolution for the Summer recess. These occur respectively this afternoon and this evening.”

“A gay and crowded assemblage last night welcomed Madame Parepa-Rosa and her company [illeg.] to New-York, and though the evening’s entertainment was not free from disappointment, the occasion up the whole was a very pleasant one and the applause was abundant and genuine. ‘Don Giovanni’ was the opera announced, but the prophecies, and a supplementary poster on the doors gave notice that in consequence of the illness of Mr. Nordblom it had been found necessary to substitute ‘Martha.’ There is a great difference between ‘Martha’ and ‘Don Giovanni,’ yet the change did not seem to affect the audience as a very severe misfortune. Flotow’s lively work has always been popular in this city, and it is one which Madame Rosa’s company renders exceptionally well. It is presented by this troupe with a completeness of detail, especially in the [illeg.] scene, which is seldom equaled on the stage of the Academy of Music, while the principal parts are rendered by Madame Rosa, Mrs. Seguin, Mr. Castle, Mr. Campbell and Mr. Seguin with an infectious merriment and vivacity for which Italian artists lack the condescension and German artists the specific levity. Musically, also, the performance was entirely good. The soprano and contralto duet in the first act, the quartett [sic], in the third, the scenes between Madame Rosa and Mr. Castle, and between Mrs. Seguin and Mr. Campbell were all admirable; while Madame Rosa’s ‘Last Rose of Summer’ and the famous tenor and bass duet, of course received the usual empathetic encores. To praise the former of these pieces would be a waste of work, for complimenting any ballad-singing by Parepa-Rosa is like gilding the lily. As for the duet, we think that Castle and Campbell sing it with more taste than any other artists we have heard since Stigelli and [illeg.] Fermes sang it together many years ago. Mr. Campbell’s voice last night sounded at times somewhat worn [? difficult to read] for he has lately been much overworked. Mr. Castle must have either a phenomenally strong larynx or a great talent for taking care of himself, for he never seems tired. Madame Rosa apparently is insensible to fatigue as she is to difficulties of all kinds, and if it were not for geographical difficulties we dare say she much set out from Jersey City on a tour round the world by rail, traveling without food or sleep the whole of every day and singing the whole of every night, and arrive in Jersey City in the course of a season or so rather fresher than she started. The one other member of the Company [sic] upon whom hard work seems to have no effect is Mrs. Seguin. Delicate as she looks and severely as her powers are tasked, she is always in voice and always in spirits.

“There were some few things lacking in the stage appointments last night, and the chorus, though reasonably good, was more imperfect than it usually is; but in consideration of the sudden change of performance the small defects must be overlooked.”

“The illness of Mr. Nordblom last night necessitated the last minute change of programme at the opera house, and ‘Martha’ was substituted for ‘Don Giovanni.’ An immense audience was attracted by the announcement of Mozart’s opera, and after few feeble murmurs of dissent remained to hear Flotow’s pleasing little work.

“‘Martha’ has been often sung here by the Parepa troupe, and its admirable performance of last night calls for no special comment. Parepa, the Seguins, Castle and Campbell, all were in good voice and sang well. The auditors were liberal in applause, and enthusiastically demanded a repetition of the finale to the fourth act.”

“The three performances given for the last two days by the Parepa-Rosa English Opera Company at this house were brilliantly and fashionably attended. ‘Martha’ and ‘Oberon,’ the two best works in their repertoire, were given with all the care, finish and artistic spirit that marked their previous representations. The matinée yesterday was crowded. The company go first to Boston and will probably return here before the close of the season.”