Venue(s):
Academy of Music
Event Type:
Opera
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
30 October 2023
“The performance given at the Academy of Music, last evening, in aid of the Société Française de Bienfaisance, passed off very smoothly, and to the delight of an exceedingly large audience. The programme included a recital of ‘The Daughter of the Regiment’—the original version—and of the fourth act of ‘La Favorita,’ and a brief concert took place between the two operas. None of the frequenters of the Academy will be surprised to learn that M. Capoul is the ideal Tonio, a character whose portraiture requires a capital actor, as well as an accomplished singer. With the known pieces of the composition, ‘La Fille du Régiment,’ as performed on the French stage, combines considerable dialogue, the intelligent delivery of which is of vital importance to the general effect of the composition. M. Capoul did full justice to this part of his work, and while his singing can be commended for its usual correctness, elegance of phrasing, and expressiveness, his acting must be mentioned as worthy of an excellent light comedian. The romance in the last act was, of course, M. Capoul’s most effective piece, and was sung with all the fervor and finish of his better known and far more important numbers in ‘Martha’ and ‘Faust.’ Mlle. Duval also proved herself an intelligent and vivacious comedienne, and the specially impressive music of her rôle, as she executed it, was much applauded. We cannot say that Mlle. Duval’s impersonation will rank with M. Capoul’s, but her opportunities to fascinate not too critical assemblages were so much more numerous than the tenor’s that her success was even clearer. From her first air, ‘Chacun le sait,’ until the close of the opera, Mlle. Duval had liberal encouragement. The Sergent Sulpice of the evening was M. Jamet, whose efforts can once more be cited as conscientious and satisfying in no ordinary degree. M. Juignet afforded genuine amusement as Hortensius. The Marchioness was the only personage who needed a more skilled representative. In the concert which followed, MM. Capoul and Barré, and Mlle. Duval sang, and Mlles. Castellan and De Try played a duet for violin and violoncello. In the fourth act of ‘La Favorita,’ Signor Brignoli and Miss Cary were the artists.”