Strakosch Italian Opera: Martha

“A magnificent recital of ‘Martha’ was enjoyed at the Academy of Music last evening by an audience as conspicuous for elegance as it was for numbers. Not only was the representation at all points the most admirable Mr. Strakosch’s artists have given this season, but it was also the most symmetrical, finished and effective that has occurred in many years. These are commendatory terms, but quite justified by the excellence of this latest rehearsal of Flotow’s work. Singers, choristers and orchestra can be honestly praised, and fairly credited with proportionate shares in the triumph of the night. M. Victor Capoul, however, is to be written of as having borne off most of the honors. The result of his performance of Lionello can only be described satisfactorily by saying that it was a tremendous hit. And, to be even more complimentary to the gentleman, it may be noted that no impression was ever wrought by the display of more sympathetic qualities, and by the use of means more legitimate. Though M. Capoul was dealt with at some length in these columns on Thursday, and was then applauded for decided skill as a vocalist, handsomely illustrated by the capital execution of the uncut music in ‘Il Barbiere,’ it was not until yesterday that an estimate of his worth, as a singer and a comedian, could be reached. M. Capoul’s rendering of the part of Lionello supplied his hearers with grounds for admiration as strong as could be wished. Endowed with a voice of charming sweetness and flexibility, and of power sufficient to fill the Academy; skilled in the use of his organ in a degree no young or middle-aged tenor of the Italian school now before the public ever attained to; a practiced actor, and full of youth and grace, a more winning and gratifying operatic hero could not be hoped for. The auditors were inclined to coolness at the outset of the evening, but their reserve was soon abandoned. From the first phrases of ‘Solo profugo,’ taken more andante than would be agreeable to a less potent master of declamation, M. Capoul’s breadth of style, deep sentiment and fluency of expression were clear to everybody. No sentence in the text, no incident in the action, lost its eloquence at the hands of the new artist. There was an abundance of thoroughly appropriate by-play in the fair scene and in the earliest passages between Lionello and Martha in the second act; and not even Mr. Fechter’s love-making could exceed in fervor and intensity of worship the tenor’s declaration to Martha, culminating in the blended tones of Flotow’s setting of ‘The Last Rose of Summer.’ No less telling were M. Capoul’s words in the succeeding duet, ‘Ah! ride del mio pianto,’ while his exquisite delivery of the first bars of ‘Dormi pur’ again afforded conclusive proof of the beauty of his style. As might have been predicted, though, M. Capoul’s greatest victory was won in the third act. How tenors with a voice and without art, or tenors without either, in the future, are to win approval by the familiar recitative and air, is a question that will not be solved without uneasiness during the attempt. The introductory lines, never before fraught with their right expressiveness, were well fitted to prepare one for the cantabile, commencing ‘M’appari,’ and interpreted by the performer with a fluency, a science and taste in the division of the phrases, a variety in the portrayal of emotion, and a soberness in the use of the tempo rubato and of startling intervals, which cannot be too loudly lauded. The plaudits following were literally thunderous, and the aria was repeated with undiminished impressiveness and consequences. Remarkable as were the after-moments of M. Capoul’s personation, none could, of course, have such immediate influence over his auditors. Were not the voices of the quintet and the choral masses linked to the last notes of ‘Ah! che a voi,’ however, that portion of the score would have elicited, by a rendering of infinite pathos and force, a similar tribute; and a dozen extracts from Lionello’s music, as done, yesterday, could be offered as explanation for the enthusiasm the whole picture awakened. So much space have we devoted to the consideration of that picture, that at present we can only speak briefly of the remaining performances. We mentioned above that the representation was complete and delightful. Miss Nilsson cannot exhibit her talent as a tragedienne in the boudoir of Lady Henrietta or the rustic temporary abode of Martha. Still, if her acting lacks a piquancy not easy to separate from some phases of the character, we can, at any rate, compliment her for the scenes with M. Capoul, and approve as merited the demonstrations which rewarded her singing of ‘The Last Rose of Summer,’ and gave utterance to the appreciation of the quality of her tones in the concerted pieces. The large vocal resources of Miss Cary were drawn upon with that lady’s wonted surety and success. Her song, ‘Esser mesto,’ in the third act, was sung with feeling and consummate merit. M. Jamet, whose debut was to have been accomplished in ‘Faust,’ made his first appearance instead, last evening, as Plunkett. M. Jamet has a very extended bass voice, fresh, round and supple and cultivated in the best schools. The gentleman is, also, an intelligent and well-trained actor. His first hearing was most favorable to him, and his drinking song, at the beginning of the third act, wherein he showed a power of holding a tone unbroken, for an unusual length of time, was redemanded. Nothing more need be added to the foregoing record of facts, unless it be that Mr. Max Maretzek directed with his wonted spirit and tact, that the harp-music in ‘Martha’ was played by Mme. Maretzek, the leading performer on that too-neglected instrument in the United States, and that the chorus-work, though rather sluggish early in the representation, gathered warmth and unanimity as the affair progressed. At the end of the second act the artists were all called before the curtain, and, at the end of the third, they were thrice summoned forth, the special object of this ovation being M. Capoul. As flattering an evidence of regard was paid the whole quartet when the drop descended finally.”

“Miss Nilsson appeared last night in ‘Martha’ before an audience not less brilliant and numerous than that which greeted her on Monday night. Her hoarseness had gone, and except that she seemed to spare herself a little on the upper notes she betrayed little trace of her recent indisposition. In the crowded state of our columns we can only refer in a general way to the merits of what was, so far as the principals were concerned, an excellent and a spirited performance. Miss Nilsson made a most charming Lady Henrietta, and Miss Cary a capital Nancy. M. Capoul appeared in the character of Lionel and achieved (what it must be confessed that he missed in ‘Il Barbiero’) a genuine success. He has a flexible and resonant voice, of pleasant reedy quality, somewhat lacking in warmth and color, and light in texture without being at all deficient in strength. It is marred by a slight tremolo and an excessive and unnecessary use of the falsetto. Its cultivation otherwise is almost perfect, and to the admirers of the extravagantly sentimental and over-refined French school, M. Capoul will be a model tenor. He is moreover a vivacious actor, and, despite a little dandyism and affection, a man of agreeable presence. The new bass, M. Jamet, made an excellent impression as Plunkett. His voice is not remarkable for depth, but he is strong, even, and musical. The audience, we may add, was enthusiastic to the last degree, and Miss Nilsson’s ‘Last Rose of Summer’ (which was very sweetly and simply rendered), and M. Capoul’s ‘M’Appari’ were greeted with wild delight. The chorus was strong in male voices, but not particularly well dressed, and the Fair scene was rather somber.” 

"The third subscription night of the opera season drew a very fine audience on Friday night, which rivalled in numbers and brilliancy that of the first performance. Every seat was taken, and fashion was in the ascendant. Flotow's sparkling work, 'Martha,' was presented, with the following cast [see above]. The presence of Nilsson was the great attraction that crowded the house, and in the title rôle of this ever popular work she gained another triumph. As the aristocratic lady she was dignity and grace themselves, while during the mad frolic in which Lady Henrietta is entrapped at Richmond Fair she played the coquette to perfection. Then in the love scenes with Lionel there was mingled passion and maidenly timidity that lent each well-known number of the opera a new charm. Never on our boards before did 'The Last Rose of Summer' receive such a simple, tender, we might say, spirituelle, rendering, and in the sparkling spinning-wheel quartet her voice rang out in merry tones of laughter that were absolutely contagious. It was not probably as comic a Martha as the metropolitan public have been accustomed to, but it had the great merit of being a consistent and thoroughly artistic impersonation. Never for a moment did Mlle. Nilsson forget in her peasant dress that she was the high born lady. There was a finish of brilliancy in everything she sang in this opera that gave the music a fresh interest, and every note of her voice glowed with warmth and expression. Miss Cary's beautiful contralto voice was shown to advantage in the rôle of Nancy, but her acting lacked the animation and sparkle that are necessary for this rôle. We cannot place her in comparison with either Miss Adelaide Phillips or Mrs. Edward Seguin, whose rendering of this coquettish rôle is so well known. More fire is required for such a part than we deem Miss Cary possessed of. Then to come to the tenor. On Wednesday, on account of the sudden change of the opera, due allowance was made for the shortcomings of Mr. Capoul in the rôle of Almaviva; but on Friday evening he presented himself for the first time before the New York public as a fair subject for criticism. In his opening aria—solo profugo—he gave promise of a successful rendering of the character, that, unhappily, was not fulfilled. Whether it is natural or superinduced by a cold, his voice had a disagreeable, hoarse tone and an unevenness that completely nullified the lyric part of the character. Even the M'Appari, that pièce de resistance of all tenors, was ineffective in his hands. It was evidently an effort of no common kind for him to sing this aria with the passion and fire it requires. Better would it have been for the management to have committed the rôle to Signor Brignoli, who has frequently made a genuine success in it. Mr. Capoul's acting is of too prononcé of French character and abounds too much in unnecessary gesticulations to satisfy one who has seen a score of celebrated tenors in this rôle. The new basso, Mr. Jamet, is almost a counterpart [illegible] voice and acting of Antonucci, who will be remembered as a singer at the Academy during the Maretzek régime. He has a fine, sonorous, cultivated voice, which gave a zest and spirit to the magnificent drinking song that commences the second act. His stage presence is also good and [illegible] but his acting, like that of Antonucci, is devoid of heartiness and dramatic power. It will be remembered that Antonucci after he left here went to one of the London opera houses and failed to create the impression expected by his admirers at the Astor Place Opera House. Mr. Jamet is to [perform?] Mephistopheles when 'Faust' is produced; as that is a test rôle for a basso, we may be able to speak more definitely of him then. The Plunket of Carl Formes, when he was the Formes [illegible] precludes, to any one who witnessed it, the possibility of speaking in terms of high commendation of Jamet's impersonation on Friday night. The Messrs. Coletti and Lyall we have spoken of before, and we do not wish to have to repeat that task again. Two notable [illegible] were among the concerted pieces, the [illegible] wheel quartet and the lonely mezza notte were given admirably, thanks to the ruling [illegible] of each quartet, Mlle. Nilsson. In the [illegible] which, by the way, lacked the bustling [illegible] entertaining features that were brought [illegible] the English Opera Company, a most extraordinary and unwarrantable innovation was made in the shape of a ballet. It should have been [illegible]. Again. In the third act, when the ladies’ chorus enter in hunting costumes, they were dressed in a velvet and the [illegible] in rather seedy looking calico dresses, which should never have been permitted on [stage?]. The scenery was exactly the same as has been presented with this opera since the Academy was built. Our remarks on the performance [illegible] day may be taken as definite. The [company rely?] solely on Miss Nilsson, and the only [illegible] member to support her is Signor Brignoli. The rest are so-so good, bad and indifferent [illegible] we have been accustomed to and [illegible] written about for years. As for a [illegible] complete, well-balanced and satisfactory [illegible] three opening performances of the company failed to show it.”

“…and M. Capoul is, all things considered, the best Italian tenor we have had since Mario. On Friday evening he brought the part of Lionel in ‘Martha’ into a prominence that no previous tenor has given it. He replaced the sluggish indifference of his predecessors in the rôle with a fire and earnestness in his acting and singing that infused into the opera a new meaning and interest. M. Jamet, the basso, has a noble and manly voice, round, full, and of pleasant quality, and he uses it with great skill. Miss Cary, who appeared on Friday evening, has proved herself even more charming on the stage than in the concert room.”