Grand English Opera Combination: Martha

Includes company roster and repertory.

Members of the company; season opens with Bristow’s Rip van Winkle.

Members of the company; season opens with Bristow’s Rip van Winkle.

Principal artists; repertory.

Roster; repertory for the first week.

Includes roster and repertory.

“The English Opera Company—the only one now performing in this country—opened a two weeks’ season last night at Niblo’s Garden before an excellent audience that substantially filled the theatre. The troupe comprises a great deal of excellent material, having a double quartette of first-class artists and an unusually efficient force of secondary singers. It is not only one of the best we have ever heard in the United States, but, according to all reports, it is better than any company that can be organized now in London. But for the recollection of Parepa’s admirable performances last Winter, we should all be delighted with it. We should say that ‘Martha’ proved a very fortunate selection for the opening night. It was one of Parepa’s best operas, and we are inclined to think it is one of the least satisfactory in the repertory of the repertory of the present troupe. True, most of the principal singers are the same. Mrs. Seguin is still the charming and piquant Nancy, Castle and Campbell are the Lionel and Plunkett, and Mr. Edward Seguin is the Tristan. But then Parepa is not the Lady Henrietta, and Carl Rosa does not conduct the orchestra. For a good rattling, pleasant, sentimental, humorous performance of ‘Martha,’ we need, in the soprano above all the other parts, just those qualities in which Mrs. Richings-Bernard is most deficient. She is an excellent and most pains-taking artist, a woman of indomitable enterprise, a musician of high culture, to whom the English lyric stage owes a heavy debt of gratitude; but it is unnecessary to pretend that she is a very lively actress, or that she has any spontaneous fun, or that her voice is fresh enough to be grateful in ‘The Last Rose of Summer’ (admirable as was the spirit in which she sang it), or the other sentimental numbers in her role. Her Lady Henrietta, in short, was both musically and dramatically uninteresting, and diffused a mild atmosphere of decorous dullness over the whole opera. The honors of the evening belonged unquestionably to Mrs. Seguin. Always charming in her manner no less than in her beautiful voice, spirited in her acting, and conscientiously artistic in her delivery of the music, she is a singer who never fails to please. She returns prettier than ever, and her notes have lost none of their sweetness and none of their power. Mr. Castle, who has for some time been making rapid progress toward the highest place in his profession, was exceedingly good; he sang with spirit and with delicacy, and showed that too much familiarity with provincial boards has done him no harm. Mr. Campbell’s fine voice we understand returned to him at the opening of the season in all its pristine power, and lasted unimpaired through an arduous Chicago campaign. He caught in the vile atmosphere of Pittsburg what is known professionally as ‘the Pittsburg grip,’ and slight remnants of that disorder were perceptible last night—more in a necessity which he seemed to feel of sparing himself than in absolute hoarseness. A day or two of this weather will set him right again. Mr. Seguin and Mr. Howell were good in the subordinate parts. All will probably sing better when they become more familiar with the acoustic properties of the house. The stage is well furnished and the dresses are [illegible] and [elegant?]; but neither the chorus nor the orchestra is by any means perfect.”

“The performances of English opera at Niblo’s were commenced last evening, and ‘Martha’ was sung. The representation of the work calls for as few comments as the composition itself, which is hardly more familiar than are its latest interpreters. Its smoothness was its most conspicuous feature. An English opera season, extending over a few months, would make impossible the hurried and imperfect renderings of Italian works, which the proverb relating to the worth of half a loaf has heretofore caused us to welcome. The principal parts—the well-known quartet—were most capably filled, and the chorus and orchestra did their duty with spirit and precision. The scenery too, was quite fresh and appropriate, as a knowledge of the resources of the theatre might have led one to foresee. In a word, the singing and acting, and the stage-dress of the work gave unlimited satisfaction. Mrs. Caroline Richings-Bernard was Lady Henrietta, Mrs. Z. Seguin Nancy, Mr. W. Castle Lionel, and Mr. S. C. Campbell Plunkett.”

“The performance of ‘Martha’ on Monday, with the well known cast, Mrs. Bernard, Mrs. Seguin, Castle and Campbell, was admirable, and was received with the utmost enthusiasm.”

Lists cast. “The opera was creditably placed upon the stage, and as far as the solos and concerted pieces were concerned, the music was exceedingly well rendered. The orchestra lacked evenness at times, and the choruses were not quite up to the standard. Mrs. Seguin as Nancy bore off the palm in the sprightliness and excellence of her singing and acting, though Mrs. Bernard was heard to advantage in the leading solos, especially in ‘Home Sweet Home,’ but her Martha lacks in warmth and style. Campbell was not in his best voice, but Castle sang very sweetly. The fair scene was the scenic feature of the performance. [Comments on other operas performed throughout the week.] The attendance on the opening night was large and fashionable, but on the remaining nights there was a decided falling off in the sale of tickets, owing, for one thing, to the election processions and meetings, and also to bad weather.”