Mulder-Fabbri German Opera: Africaine

“Orchestra of forty professors; chorus of thirty-six ladies and gentlemen.”

Roster and repertory.

“The Fabbri season of German opera opened last night at the Stadt Theater, before one of those crowded and demonstrative audiences which are so often seen at our German places of amusement and so seldom seen anywhere else. The work chosen for the inauguration was Meyerbeer’s ‘Afrikanerin.’ It taxed the mechanical resources of the theater and the vocal resources of the company, as well as the training of the orchestra, much too severely, but it evidently delighted the audience, and, from a popular if not from an artistic point of view, the representation must be pronounced successful. Madame Fabbri is well remembered in New York as a singer of admirable culture and strong dramatic powers. Time has not spared her, but it has touched her gently. Her voice is still [pleasant?] and generally [true?], and what it has lost it has lost [illegible] in strength. She made a picturesque and effective [personation?] of Selika, and was most cordially received.The best of her assistants last night was the Nelusko, Mr. Jacob Müller, the baritone, who made his first appearance here with the ‘Vienna Lady Orchestra.’ He has a good strong voice, and though his vocalization is [illegible], respects he is in advance of any of [illegible] to whom the Stadt Theater is accustomed. Mlle. Rosetti was the Inez and Mr. Habelmann Don Alvaro, while Mr. Bernard [illegible] the role of Vasco di Gama, Mr. Karl Formes that of Don Pedro, Mr. William Formes that of Don Diego, and Weinlich [illegible line]. It will be seen that the cast presented upon the whole a remarkably [illegible], and it must honestly be said that some of them were in shockingly bad condition. Mr. Mulder conducted the orchestra.”

“A series of performances of German opera was commenced at the Stadt Theatre, last evening, with a recital of ‘L’Africaine.’ The house was crowded, and the audience manifested by frequent and, at several stages of the entertainment, enthusiastic applause, the satisfaction afforded. A record of the occurrence of the representation and of its impression is all the occasion demands. Of late years, at least, no performance of ‘L’Africaine,’ the most exacting opera in the modern repertory in point of singers and of stage-setting, could have withstood criticism. Last night’s rendering might have been easily improved by a greater familiarity of Herr Bernard, who was Vasco de Gama, and of the chorus, with their respective tasks. The features of special interest were the reappearance, as Selika, of Mme. Fabbri, who sang here many years ago with the tenor, Stigelli, now dead; and the debut of Herr Muller, a baritone, who had previously been heard in the concert-room. Mme. Fabbri was greeted with much cordiality, and the evidences she supplied of her skill as a vocalist, and her experience as an actress, elicited gratifying tokens of acknowledgment. Herr Muller’s exceedingly fine voice, though imperfectly cultured, enabled him, as Nelusko, to bear off the laurels of the evening. His rendering of the storm-song in the third act, and of the grand scene in the fourth, when summoned to yield Selika to the rival whom she loves, were repeated in deference to encores that admitted no denial. Herr Mulder directed the orchestra.”

“Never even during the Dawison nights or the still more celebrated engagement of Wachtel, under Carl Rosa, did the extraordinary building known as the Stadt Theatre present a more animated or more crowded appearance than last night, when the renowned prima donna, Madame Ines Fabbri, made her first appearance in opera in this city after an absence of twelve years. The opera was ‘L’Africaine,’ the posthumous work of Meyerbeer. The cast was the following [see above]. This is one of the most difficult operas to represent on the stage in any respectable style, as the instrumentation is exceedingly intricate and requires the utmost nicety of expression, perfect correctness of ensemble in the choral department and a mise en scene of colossal proportions. Again, there are very few prime donne living who can do justice to the music of Selika, and still fewer tenors who can even sing the rôle of Vasco. No more trying rôle than that of Nelusko exists in opera for the baritone. Professor Müller, who was the conductor and director last evening, deserves great credit for the absolute perfection of the ensemble, as far as the orchestra and chorus are concerned. Both of these departments gave evidence of long and careful rehearsals. The mise en scene was faulty in the extreme, but ‘L’Africaine’ is an opera that requires scenic effects far surpassing ‘The Black Crook.’ When we come to numbers, as regards the chorus and orchestra, we can say that the former amounted to thirty-six singers and the latter to thirty- eight instrumentalists. Mr. Müller gave the entire music of the opera, for the first time in New York, without any erasing.

Regarding the solo parts, two of the artists gained the highest laurels. These were Madame Fabbri and Mr. Müller. The clear, ringing voice of the lady, although somewhat circumscribed in volume of tone, and her artistic rendering of this impassioned rôle created an impression of the most unqualified kind in the minds of all present. But Mr. Müller carried off the chief honors of the evening. In singing and acting he was magnificent. No operatic baritone equal to him has appeared on the New York boards for many years. In each of his solos he won an enthusiastic encore. His voice, in point of clear timbre and artistic training, is superior to any baritone we have had here for ten years. The rôle of Nelusko, as interpreted by him, ought to make the success of the opera. ‘L’Africaine’ will be repeated on Wednesday, and no lover of real music should miss it.”

“A second representation of the ‘Africaine’ at the Stadt Theatre last night was well received, the baritone Müller again winning the greatest applause. Madame Fabbri and Miss Rosetti also gave much satisfaction.”

“L’Africaine’ ran very smoothly last night, and Mme. Fabbri as Selika, and Mr. Jacob Müller as Nelusko created even a greater furor than on the first representation. Both of them were encored frequently during the performance. Mlle. Rosetti also created a favorable impression by her artistic impersonation of the rôle of Ines. Mr. Mulder, the director, made the choral and orchestral departments perform their part of the work satisfactorily.”