Albites Italian Opera: Ernani

“’Ernani’ was given at the Academy of Music last night to another large audience. The performance was not as thoroughly satisfactory as those which have preceded it. Orlandini as Carlos was tame and ineffective. Susini showed some of his old grandeur, but his voice did not always respond to his efforts. The tenor Villani sang admirably throughout the entire opera, and won hearty and deserved applause. Mrs. States as Elvira displayed to advantage her rich wealth of voice, and in her first aria—the well known Ernani Involami—sang most delightfully, a prolonged trill in the final cadenza awakening unusual enthusiasm. In the dramatic trio of the last act Mrs. States acted and sang with force and judgment, and made an excellent impression.”

“The latest of the large and brilliant audiences which it has been Mr. Albites’ good fortune to attract and to his credit to deserve, witnessed last evening a representation of ‘Ernani.’ It was the first this very melodramatic work had had in several years. Its absence from the bills for so extended a period is easily accounted for. One of Signor Verdi’s first contributions to the lyric stage, its musical qualities became pale after hearings of ‘Rigoletto’ and ‘La Traviata.’ After the success of ‘Il Trovatore’ and ‘Un Ballo in Maschera,’ its performances were more unfrequent still. To the rude strength of the younger scores. Signor Verdi added, in the offspring of his maturer forces, richer effects of instrumentation. In that freshest composition of the maestro which has held the boards to this day—in ‘Un Ballo in Maschera’—with a much increased display of his resources as a writer for the orchestra, he has also shown creative might of an order different from any exhibited previously, in the whole rôle of the page, and in the delicate music of the last act. ‘Ernani’ contains no number to be compared with the superb quartet of ‘Rigoletto,’ or with the almost equally fine quintet in ‘Un Ballo.’ The music of his second manner is, of course, not reached, and what has been aptly called the naked ferocity of his scoring is shown in the brightest light. That the general impression made by the opera is violent, but by no means so deep as the blindest worshiper of Signor Verdi might wish, is, therefore, not to be wondered at. Even the pieces to be commended as purely ‘telling,’ are few and far between. These were done ample justice to yesterday, by the artists to whom the parts in ‘Ernani’ were distributed, while the remainder of the opera was sung with an equable excellence which made the entertainment as interesting as could be expected. Signor Villani was Ernani, Signor Orlandini was Carlo Quinto, Signor Susini was Da Silva, and Mme. States sang Elvira. Under no circumstances could a more conscientious and steadily-satisfying artist than Signor Villani be hoped for. It is felt that his voice and method are trustworthy, and the intelligent spectator can well afford to be a little less exacting in respect of startling incidents, when assured of the absence of that sense of uneasiness attendant upon the sound of voices of greater freshness and vigor, but smaller tunefulness and certainty. Very finished in the delivery of the melodic recitative which enters largely into ‘Ernani,’ and full of passionate expression in the duet ‘Da Quel Di,’ of tenderness in that beginning ‘Ah! Morir Potessi,’ and of pathos in the too brief air ‘A Solingo, Errante e Misero,’ Signor Villano’s personation can be heartily praised. Signor Orlandini’s Carlo Quinto had ample vocal and histrionic dignity to commend it, almost from first to last. But his notes suddenly turned husky in the most trying passage of the opera, that is to say, in the third act, and what might have been accomplished in the way of lyric declamation could not well be essayed. Signor Susini was in surprisingly good condition and sang the andante of the scene at the close of the first act (excepting the cadenzas) with firmness and beauty. Mme. States brought to the interpretation of Elvira her ringing voice, which was wonderfully striking in the concerted pieces, and the bold execution of which procured a stormy demand for a repeat for ‘Tutto Sprezzo,’ following ‘Ernani, Involami,’ both done with more brilliancy than variety of color and refinement. We have only to supplement the foregoing record by a word as to the efficiency of the chorus, which freighted with all significance the familiar finales. The septet in the first act, the duet ’Ah! Morir Potessi,’ and the closing bars of the third awoke much enthusiasm, and twice after the fall of the curtain the artists were recalled.”

“Another large and fashionable audience greeted Impresario Albites on Wednesday night. In fact the season has been unprecedentedly successful and brilliant so far, and is a good augury for the fall. The experiment of giving a fresh opera every night and introducing fresh artists on each occasion is a dangerous one, and there were many blemishes in the performance of ‘Ernani’ which may be attributed to want of sufficient rehearsal. The ensembles—notably the celebrated quintet and finale of the first act, the opening chorus of the second, the finale of the same and the conspirators’ oath—were rather slipshod, and the voices and instruments were by no means in accord at times in either pitch or tempo. The cast was composed of the following materials [see above]. The rôle of Elvira is Mme. States’ most successful impersonation, and she appears more at home in it than any other. She has a voice of remarkable fullness and sweetness of tone, and if the cultivation of this voice was only equal to what nature has done for it Mme. States might rank with the best artists on the operatic boards. But unhappily she has not succeeded in making her voice pliable and capable of expressing the nuances of Italian music, and her vocalization betrays a stiffness of tone which detracts much from the natural beauty of her voice. For instance, she experiences great difficulty in changing the tone at the end of a trill, and is compelled to make a perceptible pause to recover her voice. Villani, despite the veil which seems to obscure his middle and lower tones, improves on acquaintance, for he has a true artistic method, and never resorts to tricks of any kind to produce a momentary sensation. He sang and acted the rôle in a conscientious, satisfactory manner. Orlandini was in better voice than even on the ‘Rigoletto’ evening and he made the rôle of the King one of the most attractive features of the opera. The only fault we have to find with his voice is a want of decision and emphasis in tone when occasion calls for these qualities. He seems to sing everything in legato style. Of Susini’s voice, which has done long and faithful service on the operatic boards, we can only use the language of the Romans toward a deceased friend—fuit. Even in the Infelice each note was quavering and rickety, like the voice of senility, and he introduced at the end a terrible cadenza, which would have driven Verdi to the verge of desperation had he been present. The Allegro which follows the Infelice was omitted, although it forms a fitting climax to the disturbed thoughts of old Silva when he discovers that his betrothed is false to him. Signor Nicolao, the conductor, in our way of thinking, completely nullified the effect of the quintet, the best number in the opera, by too quick a tempo. The same impetuosity was evinced in some of the choruses.”

“The substitution of ‘Ernani,’ Wednesday, for the promised ‘Sicilian Vespers,’ while doubtless a surprise to many, was probably rather agreeable than otherwise. The opera cannot, however, be counted among the most successful productions of the present company. In the first place, it was not well acted at all. It produces an odd and rather bewildering effect on the mind of the spectator, in the midst of the most intense scene of passion, hate, jealousy, and contemplated homicide, to see tenor, baritone, and soprano walking coolly about the stage—as once or twice during the representation—looking like an after dinner party in amiable and confidential converse.

“Villani hardly did justice to the charming music of the bandit chief. The good effect of his delicacy of execution and pleasant upper notes was impaired too often by uncertain or erroneous intonation, and in [especial?] by a tremolo so violent that it often passed all bounds of legitimate artifice. The thrill which is so impressive in a sympathetic delivery during moments of intense passion or deep feeling, becomes annoying when it degenerates into the ‘wobble.’

“Orlandini sang well, but somewhat unevenly, and the peculiar throat quality which vails or weakens so many of his best notes was unpleasantly apparent. He is hardly of sufficient robust mold—in vocal regards—for the energetic and passionate music of the jealous monarch Carlo Quinto.

“Mme. States did much to redeem any deficiencies of her colleagues by her very assured and, on the whole, correct execution of the role of Elvira. Her resources of voice are indisputable, and her clear, powerful notes in the rather noisy concerted music of the opera rose triumphant above all competing elements. The famous finale of the fourth act, however, was ill sung throughout, and the injudicious enthusiasm of partial friends on the fall of the curtain was checked by the sterner judgment of the more discerning.

“Susini sang, as usual, within hailing range of the note, but not much nearer. On the whole, Ernani, with many good points in the execution, was roughly, incorrectly, and unsympathetically sung. Sig. Albites can do better than this, and we look to the later nights of the engagement to better the impression left by last night’s performance.”