Article on American female opera singers

“Mrs. Moulton will finish, at a matinée today, her first series of concerts in New-York, and the success she has won in the Metropolis will be repeated, no doubt, wherever her tour may extend throughout the country. The triumph of this gifted lady has afforded a last and crowning refutation of opinions, once more generally entertained than now, adverse to the mastery by female American singers of the highest style of modern Italian vocalism. Voices, it was admitted, our fair countrywomen might have, but they could not attain the breadth and passion essential to enable them to respond to the exacting demands of lyric art. The same incredulity that has attatched to national efforts in literature, and in other departments of æsthetic culture, has been freely expressed here, and very often and most emphatically in truth, by Italian teachers and singesr, who have made their way among us. It has now become plain that this prejudice could reasonably exist only in the absence of conditions which are indispensable to all real proficiency in art. In other words, when American women with voices, sensibility, and imagination have gone through the proper training, they have met and equaled the Italians on their own ground. They have shown, to add to their vocal gifts and culture, plasticity, histrionic feeling, and physical grace, in a remarkable degree; and when the name of Mrs. Moulton swells the list which includes those of Miss Kellogg, Mrs. Van Zandt, Miss Hauck, Miss Phillips, and Miss Cary, we are confident that this eulogy cannot in reason be gainsaid.

 

When Italian opera was first heard in New-York, such a galaxy of native talent as this—talent that must be conceded to be of the first class—would have been wholly discredited; but now we may be tolerably confident of possessing successive constellations of a like character, such as will reflect the highest lustre on American art. Prosperous exmpale is a strong incentive, and the progressive spirit which, whether we approve it or not, certainly exists at this time among the sex, will combine with such example ot bring genius that is now obscure forth into the light. Such a result gives room only for congratulation. The field of song and of lyrical portraiture is in no sense unfeminine; and considering the original qualities and the arduous efforts necessary to shine in them, pre-eminence here is a lofty and eviable thing. Remembering, too, the mixed nationalities of our people, and their singular unanimity in devotion to music, fresh reasons occur for wishing the continuance of a supply of artists fine in quality as well as adequate in number. As we have pointed out before, the European supply is fitful and scanty, and consequently ‘home manufactures’ in this department may well be liberally encouraged. If we take the brilliant instance of Mrs. Moulton as an example, such encouragement can be fully depended upon; and, although the rare gifts and personal chamrs of that lady may be held to constitute her an exception, we may be sure that a genuine feeling for the development of national art has had a good share in contributing to her success. We only regret that American male singers failt o come forward with the same courage, numbers and promise as their sisters. Of course, the same old story about the impossibility of competing with the Italians is applied, and with greater force, to them. Yet when so noble an artist as Mr. Santley appears among us, an artist born and brough tup with the same speech as our own, and who has made so great a success on the Italian stage that, in some parts at least, he is without a living rival, there seems hope for American male singers of the future as well.

 

It is a good and wholesome thing that the public should take the pride they manifestly do in their own native vocalists, and should seek every opportunity to show it. And this suggests the hope that, during the Italian opera season to begin next Monday—a season that promises to be one of solid excellence and extraordinary prosperity—some one of our American sopranos may appear. Our admiration for Miss Nilsson has been freely expressed, and none can look forward with greater admiration to her cming efforts than ourselves. We believe that those efforts would be by no means less warmly appreciated were it understood that during this season that justly popular young artist, Miss Kellogg, would appear at the Academy. If we do not err, the two ladies have sung in the same opera together in London, and such a conjunction in New-York would be hailed with universal gratification. A season so brilliant as this is likely to be will [sic] prove no less ymmetrical and satisfactory to the public if it displays, under fitting circumstances, a representative of that rising national repute in the lyric art which has of late been so conspicuously asserted and triumphantly exemplified.”