Grand English Opera Combination: Crown diamonds

“Caroline Richings and her able troupe certainly deserve all possible credit for their efforts to entertain the amusement and music-loving portion of metropolitan society. In doing this they are not content with appearing in one or two favorite operas in which they may find easy and agreeable parts, but each night presenting a different work and proving beyond a doubt their abilities and versatility as lyric artists. Last evening Auber’s sparkling operatic comedy, ‘Crown Diamonds,’ was given, and was, of course, well received. At first the performance seemed to drag somewhat, but when the hearty, whole-souled tones of Henri Drayton’s voice came in and the ‘Muleteer’ was sung by him with fine dramatic force, the others warmed to the work, and the playing sparkled and glistened through to the end. Miss Richings seemed rather weak at times, but was on the whole very good. Mr. Brookhouse Bowler was for a time rather stiff, but he became more earnest and easy in the song, ‘Thou Art So Near and Yet So Far,’ for which he received a well-merited encore. Mr. Seguin, as the Chief of Police, was as fussy as could be wished for. All the members of the company, in fact, acted their parts most commendably. The chorus was very fine, but a great improvement could have been made by the use of a little prepared chalk on the faces in the change from coiners to lords.”

“Last night, Auber’s charming opera of ‘The Crown Diamonds’ was rendered. It was a satisfying though not a remarkable performance. So slight is the story of ‘The Crown Diamonds’ that it demands the utmost animation attainable for its recital, and so delicate the music that only the most accomplished of light singers can display, to the fullest advantage, its delicacy. We hold in pleasant recollection a delightful representation of the work, which occurred at the French Theatre about four years ago. In last night’s entertainment, the singing and the acting of Mr. Drayton (Rebolledo) made an especially good impression. Mrs. Bernard, however, executed her share of the duet of the second act with consummate skill, and the singing of Mr. Bowler of ‘Thou art so near and yet so far,’ though it was not exacted by a meagerness of Auber’s score, was a telling part of the recital. The other characters were assumed by Mrs. Bowler, and by Messrs. Chatterton and Seguin. Mr. Behrens had the orchestra well in hand, but would have improved its reading by an occasional departure from an unchanging forte.”

“Last night ‘The Crown Diamonds’ was given, with more care and spirit than the piece of the night before, though the cast was weaker. Mrs. Bernard was more pleasing than usual, and Mr. Drayton had a role which exactly suited him. Of Mr. and Mrs. Bowler a word of general commendation is all that is necessary. Mr. Seguin was again well placed in a buffo part, and contributed much to the hilarity of the evening.”