Parepa-Rosa English Opera: Il trovatore

“Extra grand gala night.”

“Last night was an epoch in the history of the Academy of Music. The most popular of all the Italian operas, ‘Il Trovatore,’ was given with such a cast as has never been known probably on the New York boards; at least, not for very many years. Parepa-Rosa was the Leonora [lists cast]. A better cast could not be placed on any stage— American or European—at the present time. Add to this a well-trained chorus—seventy strong—and an excellent orchestra of sixty performers, and the reader can form an idea of the grandeur of the performance last night. Then the audience. Never before have so many people been crowded into the Opera House, and the receipts exceeded $8,850. Hundreds were turned away and were refused even standing room, and seats were at a premium in the family circle. The oldest habitués of the Academy declared it the grandest event in the career of that building, and the applause at times was of an overwhelming character. It was an unprecedentedly brilliant close to a brilliant season, and Carl Rosa may congratulate himself as being the first impresario in that house that woke up the enthusiasm of the metropolitan public and made an unqualified success from beginning to end of the season. Mme. Parepa-Rosa has seldom sung in her artistic life with such fervor, passion and complete success as she did last night in the rôle of Leonora, and she seemed to be roused to unwonted exertions by the flattering surroundings. Mme. Gazzaniga need fear no rival in the rôle of the vindictive gypsy, and she made it last night a truly grand performance. Lawrence sang as a great artist should, and his fine baritone voice and his true Italian school of singing invested the part of the Count with an interest that is seldom given to it by its representatives nowadays. He compensated fully for past mishaps and proved himself worthy of the reputation he brought from Europe. Hall made more of the small part of Fernando than has been ever known at the Academy of that rôle. But the great, crowning attraction, beyond doubt, was Wachtel. In his performance there were three notable salient points, ‘Mal reggendo,’ ‘Ah! si ben mia,’ and ‘Di quella pira.’ No tenor has ever trod our boards except, perhaps, Salvi, who could be placed in comparison with him in these three arias. His noble voice, baritone-like in its fullness and breadth of tone, and trumpet-like in its upper register, rang out with an indescribable effect in these three numbers of the opera. In other respects the remarks we have already made about his rendition of operatic rôles remain unchanged. His ‘Ah! che la morte’ in particular was not satisfactory, and his voice was rather slovenly in some of the concerted music. That he is a phenomenal singer everybody must acknowledge; that he is a complete operatic artist no musician will be bold enough to maintain. To-morrow night he sings...The memory of last night’s performance at our Academy will not soon be forgotten. Speculators sold seats outside the building as high as $20 each.”

“Monster performances, as they are habitually called in the technical language of the bills, are not usually memorable as artistic events. Last night’s entertainment at the Academy of Music, however, rounding off a brilliant season of English opera, was, at all points, a memorable one. It attracted an audience which must have been fully 5,000 strong, it enlisted the services of double the regular choral and orchestral forces, and it united in harmony the voices of Mme. Parepa-Rosa and of Herr Wachtel, two of the grandest instruments it has been given American pleasure-gatherings to hear. ‘Il Trovatore’ was sung in Italian on the occasion we write of, with Mme. Rosa as Leonora and Herr Wachtel as Manrico. About two years ago, the lady’s personation of Verdi’s heroine elicited unanimous praise, and, but a few weeks since, the tenor’s embodiment of the troubadour received hearty commendation in this place. But how much the work of each of the artists was to be improved by the influence of gifts and talent worthy of association, was hardly appreciable previous to yesterday’s experience. A smoother recital of the opera, and one more effective at its best-known stages has never been enjoyed. The general excellence of the representation is, perhaps, to be illustrated with some eloquence by the statement that from the first to the last note of the score, not a seat, nor a coign of vantage was abandoned, while the tremendous applause which followed the striking passages amply displayed their undiminished power in the hands of such interpreters. To review the progress of the affair is, unhappily, out of the question at the present hour. A mere record of its most conspicuous incidents is all the limited space allotted permits. Though suffering, Mme. Parepa-Rosa was never in better vocal condition than she was last night. While we conscientiously admire her whole rendering of Leonora’s part, from ‘Tacea la notte’ to the closing agony in the prison-scene, and also approve the plaudits which rewarded not only her exquisite singing, but also a display of histrionic skill not yet surpassed in Italian opera, we cannot forbear from making especial mention of her interpretation of the air ‘D’Amor sull’ alt,’ which, in respect of elegance of phrasing, perfection of ornament and variety and passion of delivery will remain, in the memories of the hearers, the finest piece of execution savored in many years. Of Herr Wachtel’s share of the business we must speak even more briefly, by noting that, as at the Stadt Theatre, ‘Ah! si ben mio,’ in which the resources of his mezza voce are so unsparingly and felicitously drawn upon, was the most fascinating of his vocal efforts, and that his magnificent musical bravado in ‘Di quella pira’—albeit the high C was a trifle less prolonged that we have heard it from the same artist—was as potent as ever. An actual storm was summoned up by this act of prowess, never achieved, it should be said, with more conscious might and absolute triumph; and the single repetition accorded was reluctantly acceded to as the final one. Count di Luna found a faithful representative, and one with plenty of culture and earnestness, in Mr. Alberto Lawrence, who sang ‘Il balen’ very well, indeed. Mme. Gazzaniga’s highly dramatic picture of Azucena was borne in mind from earlier entertainments in which that accomplished artist was concerned. Mr. Gustavus Hall was a capital Fernando. Mr. Carl Rosa directed the orchestra, which, like the chorus, was immense in numbers, with unflagging spirit; and no small portion of praise is due to him, as well as to Mme. Parepa Rosa, for a performance really as good as it was big.”

Mme. Gazzaniga was admirable as Azucena, none the less that her excellence was that of skill, training and temperament rather than vocal means. Her voice, though still clear and penetrating in many notes, tells sadly of years and use, but the appreciative auditor cannot but take delight in the thorough method and noble dramatic fire which enable this admirable artist to triumph over time and failing resources and reach an aesthetic completeness of effect which a less gifted singer with the freshest organ would strive for in vain.

In common with the great body of music-lovers of our city we take leave of the Parepa- Rosa company with deep regret, glad that they still linger with us for a season in other fields, and hoping to see them with us again at no distant date.”

“To say that the Rosa season of opera went out in a blaze of glory but inadequately describes the extraordinary scene witnessed on Saturday night at the Academy of Music. The joint appearance of Parepa and Wachtel in the Italian version of ‘Trovatore’ was certain to attract an immense crowd; but we were not prepared for what really happened. Two hours after the sale began on Thursday, the seats were all disposed of at double prices. For the first time in our experience, places were reserved in the topmost gallery. Then the speculators went to work. As much as $20 was readily obtained for a single ticket to the parquet, and seats in the amphitheater were in demand at $5. Before the performance began on Saturday, the crowd was so dense in the aisles and lobbies that it was necessary to forbid any more from entering. Ladies in gorgeous array graced the rude benches under the skylight commonly reserved for the gods, and gentlemen thought themselves fortunate if they found room to sit on the floor. The seats at the box office were nearly [illegible], but this does not represent the whole sum actually paid by the audience, for a large number of seats were sold at a premium by the first purchasers. The performance in no respect fell below the anticipations formed of it. We risk nothing in announcing it the most brilliant representation of ‘Trovatore’ New York has ever seen. Every member of the company, from Madame Rosa herself down to the last of the gypsies, felt the electrical [illegible] of an occasion which will long be memorable in the history of our lyric stage. The cast in full deserves to be placed on record; it was as follows [lists cast].

The chorus was a splendid force of seventy full voices and well trained singers, and the orchestra, capitally led by Mr. Rosa, numbered about sixty. The rank and [file?] from the Stadt Theater had been drafted for this night to Irving Place. The enthusiasm with which the people were full to overflowing broke out when Madame Rosa made her appearance in the second scene of Act I., and rose to intensity after the ‘Tacea la notte’ and ‘Di tale amor.’ No one would have suspected that the prima donna came to the theatre from a sick room, and appeared under disadvantages which hardly any other artist could have overcome. The glorious brightness and strength of voice were as admirable as ever, and the vocalization was simply perfect,--with, perhaps, even more than usual delicacy of phrasing, and a more lavish employment than usual of the silvery mezza voce. As the evening wore on Madame Rosa’s strength showed a diminution, while her vitality seemed to increase, and she gave herself up more and more fully to the inspiration of the music, the crowd, the applause, the flowers, and the consciousness of triumph. Circumstances such as those which surrounded her on Saturday night must have a powerful influence any artist, and certainly she seemed to surprise herself. Mr. Wachtel was on his mettle. For the first time he was heard by a really American audience, and with fit associates and surroundings. From the first act to the last he appeared to be on fire, and the superb ring of his voice thrilled one’s nerves like a shock of electricity. It was in the ‘Di quella Pira,’ of course, that he reached the climax of his efforts—if that can be called an effort which seemed to be merely a spontaneous outburst of manly passion and energy—plunging into the song with splendid abandon, and finishing with one of the best and easiest high chest C’s we ever heard. At times his superabundant vocal resources carried him too far; but if this fault is ever pardonable it is in the role of Manrico, where broad effects—not to say musical [illegible]—are indicated in almost every number. At all events, the delight of the audience exceeded anything we have witnessed in the Academy of Music for many years. Whenever Mr. Wachtel sang with Madame Rosa, as for example in the finale of the first Act, in the Tower duet, and in the last scene of the opera, the effect was surpassing. The two voices seemed to be made for each other, and one could almost imagine that ‘Trovatore’ had been created especially for them to sing. Mr. Laurence ably supported them in the character of Di Luna. Singing in Italian, in a serious dramatic role, he developed an excellence both of voice and of style which hitherto he has had no fair opportunity to display. He acted also with spirit and intelligence, and by the evening’s work considerably increased his already enviable reputation. Madame Gazzaniga’s Azucena lacked something vocally, but her merit as a dramatic artist is too well known to be questioned. The small part of Ferrando was so well filled by Mr. Hall that it acquired a sort of importance, and must not be passed over without a word of commendation. The curtain fell at last upon a performance not only phenomenally brilliant in its leading features, but thoroughly satisfactory even in the smallest details.

So ends, with a sort of feu de joie, the most successful season of English opera ever given in New-York. The Rosas have developed by liberal management the neglected riches of an important branch of the lyric drama, and they have been rewarded with the most cordial public support and approval. We take leave of them with regret, and look forward to their return with impatience.”

“The prices of admission were raised as follows [lists prices]. Every seat in the auditorium was sold by two o’clock on Friday afternoon, and speculators demanded and obtained on Saturday night as high as $20 for a single seat. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed and the performers achieved the highest success. The orchestra and choruses from the Stadt Theatre were united with those at the Academy.”

“The season closed with the best performance of ‘Trovatore’ ever given in New York. The audience was the largest ever assembled in a theatre in New York, and the receipts amounted to nearly nine thousand dollars.”