New-Yorker Stadt-Theater Opera: Lustigen Weiber von Windsor

“Nicolai’s charming little opera, ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor,’ was produced last night at the Stadt Theatre before an overflowing house. The chief interest of the occasion lay in the return to the operatic stage of Carl Formes, who took the part of Falstaff, written for him by the composer. Mlle. Lichtmay and Mme. Frederici took the other principal parts.

 

The performance was an admirable one. Formes, barring a tendency to flatten in the earlier acts, sang so well that a general desire was expressed to hear him in grand opera. Of course, his acting was thoroughly and entirely good.

 

The spontaneous encores were well merited. The aria ‘Vor Lust und Schmerz’ (Mrs. Fluth), ‘The Drinking Song’ (Falstaff), the duet ‘Wie freu ich mich’ (by Formes and Vierling), and the terzet ‘Du reizend liebes Schatzchen’ (by Lichtmay, Frederici and Carl Formes), were the gems of the evening. Neither the minor parts nor the orchestra and chorus were wanting.”

“Nicolai’s ‘Merry Wives of Windsor,’ presented last night at the Stadt Theater, is by no means a great opera, and the few pretty numbers scattered through it, though they are good enough, when properly interpreted, to save it from the reproach of dullness, are hardly good enough to raise it above the rank of mediocrity. Still it is light, lively, and pleasant, and last night gave abundant entertainment to a crowded and demonstrative audience. The occasion was particularly interesting, as it introduced to us once more an old favorite who has been affectionately remembered, though he has long been absent. We have heard sad stories during the past few years of the destruction of Mr. Carl Formes’s splendid voice, and rumors also of late that it had come back to him with all its former power and richness. On his first entrance upon the scene last night he was gloriously received, with round upon round of applause, shouts, bouquets, and a huge laurel wreath, which, when placed by Frau Lichtmay upon the brows of the rubicund Falstaff, had a striking if not altogether poetical appearance. Falstaff used to be one of Formes’s famous parts in old times, but it was with some misgivings that we heard he had selected it for his reappearance on the American stage; it affords such free scope for his dramatic powers that it was natural to suppose he was trusting to those powers to compensate for musical deficiencies. During the first act we found a great deal of justification for our fears. He was hardly ever in tune for three consecutive measures, and the performance, despite its unctuous humor, was quite painful. But in the second act he was a different man, pouring forth his magnificent tones with nearly as much strength and mellowness as in the days when we first knew him, and producing with his Drinking Song and duet with Herr Fluth, or Master Ford (Mr. Vierling) a decided sensation. No doubt he has lost much since he was here before; his voice is less massive, especially in the lower register, less smooth, and perhaps a little less certain—though it never was very certain at the best of times; but he is still an admirable singer, while as a dramatic artist, he has few equals on the lyric stage. It is not easy to imagine a singing Falstaff, but Formes does far more with the part than any other basso we know of would even attempt.

 

The other singers call for no special remark. Frau Lichtmay as Frau Fluth (Mistress Ford) several times elicited the marked approval of a house with which she seemed to be a favorite. She is an artist of fair culture, has some fine natural gifts, and for one or two of her pieces deserved very warm praise. Frau Frederici was an excellent Frau Reich (Mistress Page), and Fraulein Römer was an indifferent Anne. Mr. Habelmann, in the part of Fenton, was as melancholy but not quite as tuneful as usual. Herr Homann, who played Dr. Caius, made of himself an admirable likeness (as to the face) of his ex-Majesty Napoleon III, and threw in a bit of extra satire by assuming the dress and gait of Mephistopheles. It is needless to say that, in the Stadt Theater, his appearance was hailed with enthusiasm. Mr. Wilhelm Formes was Master Ford, and Herr Alström Master Slender. Of Mr. Neuendorf’s orchestra we have little to say that is complimentary.”