Black Crook

Event Information

Venue(s):
Niblo's Garden

Conductor(s):
Giuseppe Operti

Event Type:
Play With Music

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
2 November 2023

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

18 Dec 1871, 8:00 PM
19 Dec 1871, 8:00 PM
20 Dec 1871, 8:00 PM
21 Dec 1871, 8:00 PM
22 Dec 1871, 8:00 PM
23 Dec 1871, 2:00 PM
23 Dec 1871, 8:00 PM

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
Black crook, The, [play]
Participants:  Majiltons;  Kate [actress] Santley
2)
Black crook, The, [Incidental music (Operti)]
Composer(s): Operti

Citations

1)
Announcement: New York Post, 08 December 1871, 2.
2)
Announcement: New-York Times, 18 December 1871, 4.

Dress rehearsal Saturday night for a privileged audience.

3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 18 December 1871, 7.
4)
Article: New York Herald, 18 December 1871, 8.
“...One decided improvement is the prominence now given to the music. Signor Operti, with patient genius, has been laboring for months in arranging and composing the vocal and instrumental material for this revival, and he has admirably succeeded. We shall give here a list of the principal songs, duets and quartets which have now been given a place in the performance.
 
Duet, ‘Dear Love, Be True’—Rudolph and Amina
Quartet, ‘Cuckoo and Crow’—Amina, Carline, Rudolph and Von Puffengruntz
Song (with dance), ‘Fascinating Little Man’—Carline
Song (with dance), ‘The Three Crawls—Broadway, Bowery and Fifth avenue’—Carline Song, L’Allegro’—Stalacta
Song, ‘Cupid’s Mischiefs’—Stalacta
Brindisi quartet, ‘Venus, Wine and Song’—Stalacta, Carline, Rudolph, and Greppo
 
All of the above, with the exception of ‘Cupid’s Mischiefs,’ as well as the marches, ballets and overture, are the original compositions of Signor Operti; and they give the ‘Crook’ an altogether new character. As now produced, it is even, to some extent, a naturalized English opera bouffe...”
5)
Review: New-York Times, 19 December 1871, 5.

"Mr. Operti's music is well selected, and, if rather noisy at times, tastefully arranged."

6)
Review: New York Post, 19 December 1871, 2.

“Miss Santley, the new Stalacta, is a quiet, beautiful woman who dresses well and sings better than most actresses of her class, though in no point did she awaken any special enthusiasm in the audience. Mr. Matthison as Rudolph sang with good taste and did much to ensure the success of the musical part of the play; and Mr. Morton was the same Hertzog as of yore.”

7)
Review: New York Herald, 19 December 1871, 3.
“...As we stated yesterday, the music consists chiefly of original compositions, written by Signor Operti, whose skill and genius did so much for the last revival, and it is very good of its kind, though here and there plainly suggesting memories of well-known pieces. Last night, owing perhaps to the nervousness of one or two of the company, the duets and quartets, and notably ‘The Cuckoo Quartet,’ did not go off with the spirit and abandon that was necessary to do them justice; but this will, doubtless, be soon remedied, and they will be as well rendered as the marches and ballets, which are a fair test of the general merit of their composer...”
8)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 20 December 1871, 5.

“She [Miss Santley] sang a great deal, in a sharp and weak voice, which, however, evinced careful training.” “Mr. Arthur Matthison, as Rudolphe, won the honors of vocalism.”

9)
Announcement: New York Clipper, 23 December 1871, 302.
10)
Review: New-York Times, 24 December 1871, 4.

Brief; no mention of music.

11)
Review: New York Clipper, 30 December 1871, 310.

Third revival. “On the present occasion it was produced with music freshly selected and arranged by Signor G. Operti, who also introduced some original compositions from his own pen.” Same page, next column: Landlady’s eviction of some of the ballet girls when she learned their occupation; their charges of larceny against her; postponement of court hearing.