Mulder-Fabbri German Opera: Don Juan

Opera debut of A. Elzer as Zerlina.

“An audience that literally packed the Stadt Theatre from floor to ceiling was present last evening to witness the début of Mlle. Anna Elzer as Zerlina in the above opera. The young lady was most enthusiastically received and overwhelmed with rare floral offerings. She posses a remarkably fresh, clear, sweet voice, and, for one so young, uses it to fine advantage. Her graceful demeanor was such as is seldom exhibited in one of her limited stage experience. Altogether, the début of Mlle. Elzer was most complete and flattering. The remainder of the cast included such well-known artists as Mme. Fabbri and Messrs. Muller, Formes, Habelman and W. English.”

“’Don Juan’ was produced at the Stadt Theatre last evening with an excellent cast, including Jacob Müller as the hero, Mme. Fabbri as Donna Anna, Habelmann as Ottavio and Carl Formes as Leporello. Greater importance was given to this performance from the fact of its being the first appearance of the youthful prima donna, Anna Elzer, who sang the part of Zerlina. She was received in the warmest manner, and with an abundance of floral tributes. Her voice is pure, clear, flexible and sweet, but of course has not as yet a mature strength, which would be all but unnatural in one of her age. She sang the music of her part in a child-like yet finished manner, peculiarly adapted to the character she assumed. The Donna Anna of Mme. Fabbri was the effort of a true artist and a whole-souled woman. It is not often a Don Juan so adapted to the part is presented to the public. Here the fine appearance of Mr Müller enhanced the effect of his superb voice. The Leporello of Carl Formes was well sung, and always colored with a tinge of broad humor.”

“The performance of ‘Don Juan’ at the Stadt Theatre, last evening, attracted an immense audience. It passed off smoothly, and its best-known incidents elicited much applause. Miss Anna Elzer’s debut as Zerlina was quite satisfying. The little lady’s singing is by no means finished, but it gives promise that her at present rather crude work may become worthy of a prima-donna of rank before many years have elapsed. Herr Muller’s personation of Don Juan was noticeable for similar reasons, his exceedingly fine voice compelling an admiration his lack of polish as a singer and inexperience as an actor would, with fewer natural advantages, prevent him from inspiring. Mme. Fabbri was an exceedingly dramatic Donna Anna. Miss Rosetti suffered from a cold, and was not able to do her music absolute justice. Don Ottavio was represented by Herr Habelmann, a conscientious and popular tenor. Herr Karl Formes was a Leporello of unquestionable vivacity. Herr W. Formes embodied Masetto.”

“The Stadt Thetre was pretty well filled last night on the occasion of the second performance of that chef d’oeuvre of lyric works, ‘Don Giovanni.’ The cast was the following [see above]. It is very hard to draw a line between the real merits of the artists who appeared in this opera and the horrible drawbacks of this theatre, which is a disgrace to the name. Mme. Fabbri, in the very trying rôle of Donna Anna—trying on account of the utter simplicity, combined with grandeur, of Mozart’s music, and the glorious melodies that the king of operatic composers gives to the victims of Don Juan—recalled recollections of her predecessors, artists whose names will live forever. Her success was immediate and enduring too. Her acting was dignified and earnest, as became the avenger of Donna Anna’s father’s murder, and, even to the great letter aria, her singing was such as has never been heard before at this theatre. Mlle. Rosetti was suffering from a severe cold, yet she acquitted herself very satisfactorily. Mlle. Elzer made such a hit as Zerlina as seldom falls to the lot of a débutante. Her beautiful, sympathetic voice, trained in the best schools by Professor Mülder, gave a peculiar charm to the ‘Batti, Batti,’ and ‘Vedrai Carino,’ and in the duet ‘La ci darem’ she won deserved applause. No young artist has before gained such a success, and such a flattering one, too, at her first appearance. Mlle. Elzer has a career of glory on the stage before her. Mr. Muller was the hero of the evening in the title rôle. He was encored repeatedly, and his singing and acting deserved well the commendation they brought forth. Formes was once the greatest Leporello that ever appeared on the operatic stage. His voice is no longer what it was when we heard him in this rôle sixteen years ago, but his acting is still great. At one time he eclipsed Lablache in this rôle, and it will be interesting at this late day to hear him as the attendant of the lyric Brigham Young. Chorus and orchestra, under the direction of Professor Mülder, were excellent.”