Albites Italian Opera: Don Giovanni

“Of all operas this is one which an impresario should approach with no common awe. Its delicate, difficult music has been the despair of many singers and orchestras. The temerity, then, of the managers at the Academy of Music bringing out such an opera, with only one true singer, is something to be admired or pitied. A full and distinguished audience filled the house last night, as on preceding nights, showing what might be expected if only the pieces were fairly presented. From out a wilderness of dismal howlings it is pleasant to record Miss Kellogg’s triumph in the rôle of Zerlina, for which her artless grace well fits her. Her voice, too, is in thorough consonance with the spirit of Mozart’s exquisite score. In the charming duo, ‘Le ci darem,’ a genuine burst of applause testified the delight of the auditory, the Don Giovanni of the evening, Signor Orlandini, kindly consenting not to spoil it by too much shouting. The aria, ‘Batti, Batti,’ sung with all her naivete, elicited an encore richly deserved. The aria, ‘Vedrai carino,’ was another gem which shone out in spite of the lagging, uncertain orchestra. Zerlina is a delicious part when well sung and played, as last evening by Miss Kellogg; but it is lamentable to say that in the production of such an opera all praise must end with her. Donna Anna is a part in which some of the purest sopranos the world has heard have ravished the hearts of refined musicians. To say, then, that it was entrusted to a lady—Mme. Viardi—whose voice is file-like, inflexible and terribly wanting in compass, is deplorable. Titiens in this rôle is a grand memory. Mme. Himela’s Donna Elvira, while not worse, was very little better, it being wanting in the full, round melody of a pure contralto. She was well mated by Signor Caroselli as Don Ottavio, who mercilessly murdered Mozart’s music in voice, tune and pitch. For Signor Susini’s Leporello a good word may be said to those who never heard Carl Formes sing ‘Notte Egiormo Faticar.’ The Don Giovanni of Orlandini cannot be lauded more than to say he looked not unlike Leporello when they changed cloaks. His singing with Miss Kellogg was a trial to the audience. The orchestra was altogether too weak for this opera, and improved somewhat on previous efforts.”