Parepa-Rosa English Opera: La Gazza Ladra

“No lovlier work ever came from the pen of the Swan of Pesaro than this musical illustration of this strange serio-comic history of a peasant girl’s trials and misfortunes, all caused through the pranks of a ‘thieving magpie’ (Gazza Ladra)—not that the history itself is interesting or deserving of an iota of commendation, for even among the notoriously absurd libretti of Italian opera this is superlatively ridiculous. The opera was presented last night for the first time in twenty years in New York, the last representation previously having been in 1852 at Niblo’s by Maretzek, with a cast comprising the principal members of the Havana Opera Company—Bosio, Salvi, Badiali, Marini, & c. It was first played here at the National Theatre, corner Leonard and Church streets, in 1840, by the English Opera Company, of which the elder Seguin was the chief star, and became at once immensely popular. The cast was then the following:--Ninetta, Mrs Seguin; Pippo, Miss Poole; Fernando, Mr. Seguin; Gianetto, Mr. Horncastle; Podesta, Mr. Guibelel; conductor of orchestra, Mr. Wm. Penson. In the year 1849 [continues with a historical sketch of two additional previous performances].  The cast last evening was as follows [see above]. Mr. Behrens conducted the orchestra on the occasion. It would be a needless waste of time and space to attempt to give a synopsis of the plot, which is insignificant in every sense of the word. The music is brilliant,florid, full of sensuous beauty in a melodic point of view, worked out in the richest and most varied manner possible in the choruses, and instrumented in that light, sparkling style so characteristic of Rossini. The lovely overture is known to all, and no greater favorite can be given to the public. The first noticeable number for the soprano is the well known cavatina, ‘Di Piacer,’ which has been frequently heard here in concerts. Fabrizio’s first song, ‘Egli Viene,’ is a bold, dashing baritone air, which was capitally sung by Mr. Hall. Then came a charming cavatina, ‘Viene, Viene, Fra Questa Graccia,’ which was charmingly sung by Mr. Karl, who has proved himself this season one of the best English opera tenors that has appeared on the American stage for many years. Mrs. Seguin made as great a success with the brindisi in the first act as she did last fall in ‘Lucrezia Borgia.’ The duet between Ninetta and Fernando, commencing with the aria, ‘Come Frenar Il Pianto,’ is one of the chief gems of the opera, and it received full justice at the hands of Mrs. Van Zandt and Mr. Campbell. In the same act occurs one of the most delightful trios ever written by Rossini, for Ninetta, Fernando and the Podesto, which was also rendered in admirable style. The duet, ‘Den Pensa, Che Domane,’ in the second act, between Ninetta and Pippo, received a rapturous encore. Another notable feature was the chorus, ‘Tremate O Populi,’ which is exceedingly difficult, and which, thanks to the efficiency of this department of this company and the skillful guidance of Mr. Behrens, was given without a flaw. The opera was received with marks of intense gratification on the part of the audience, and Mr. Rosa should certainly repeat it before the close of the season. Such a work is worth all the French operas of the present day, with a large balance in its favor too.”

“The English opera troupe gave at the Academy last night an enjoyable performance of a most charming opera—the ‘Gazza Ladra’ of Rossini. The work has not been heard here for many years, though it was once as prime a favorite as any opera on the stage. Alboni, Steffanone and Mrs. Seguin are among the greatest artists who have appeared in the part here, and in Europe it has attracted the attention of Grisi and other leading prima donnas. In fact, next to the ‘Semiramide’ and ‘Il Barbiere,’ no opera of Rossini has been better known than the ‘Gazza Ladra,’ which was written in the same year as the ‘Cenerentola’ and ‘Otello’—1816-1817. The overture has long been recognised as a standard work.

The performance of the opera last night was highly creditable. Mrs. Van Zandt as Ninetta sang with genuine taste, and only in the last act did her efforts flag.The purity of her voice and certainty of intonation were again noticeable features in her rendering of the music. Mrs. Seguin as Pippo won great and deserved applause, and gave a most satisfactory personation of her part. The male characters were generally acceptably filled, while the concerted music with which the opera abounds were given with the greatest care and nicety.

It is, indeed, a pleasure to hear this delicious music of Rossini again. The glorious old composer, whose works are so rich with melody, so vivid in orchestral brilliancy, and so masterly in contrast with some recent operas, which have won a temporary popularity, is too often forgotten. But many of his lyric compositions are as well worth reviving as the ‘Gazza Ladra’—his ‘Cenerentola,’ for instance, which has not been sung here since the days of Alboni, would be a rare treat.”

“The ‘Thieving Magpie,’ as we must call it in its English dress, is one of Rossini’s brightest and prettiest operas, and was written in his young days when his imagination teemed and sparkled with those melodies that took shape in ‘Cinderella’ and the ‘Barbiere.’

These three brilliant works followed close upon each other’s footsteps, and are of almost equal vivacity and beauty. ‘La Gazza Ladra’ was produced at the old Astor Place Opera House years ago, and with a cast of such remarkable excellence that it remains in the memory of all habitual opera goers.

The prima donna was no less a singer than the glorious Alboni, while Marini, Beneventano, Vietti, and Rosi filled the male parts. This was a distribution the recollection of which is not likely to be effaced by the one with which it is now given, though it must be admitted that for an English company the present is a very strong one.

The opera is trivial in plot, and has no events or progress. In fact, it stands still, and whatever pleasure is to be had from it is dependent strictly on its musical and not its dramatic merits. The story is of the simplest.

Like another and more recent scandal, it is all about some stolen spoons. A magpie is really the thief, but an innocent girl is the suspected one, and is rescued from ignominy in the last act by the discovery of the true culprit. The vivacity of the music supplies the place of variety of incident.

Madame Vanzini [Van Zandt] was the soprano, and sang her difficult rôle with only tolerable success. In the later acts she seemed suddenly to lose self-confidence, and both voice and ear apparently failed her, for the one became weak and the other misled her sadly as to pitch.

In other respects the opera was very fairly given. The honors of the evening fairly belonged to Mrs. Seguin, who though her part was a subordinate one, yet sang it with commendable artistic finish.”

“The Parepa-Rosa English Opera Company sang at the Academy of Music, last evening, ‘La Gazza Ladra.’ The audience was quite numerous. That one of Rossini’s oldest and least notable operas can attract a large assemblage and retain its attention from the overture to the close, is a gratifying indication of a genuine interest in music on the part of the public. We cannot believe that anybody was deceived by the line of the bill which declared 'La Gazza Ladra’ the composer’s master-work. The same authority mentions ‘Zampa’ as written ‘by Arnold,’ and is, therefore, hardly to be trusted. ‘The Maid and the Magpie,’ to call it by its English title, is, in fact, the least admirable of the scores left by the maestro of Pesaro. The gift of a worthier libretto might have resulted in a more effective performance, but when we bear in mind the absurdity of better-known plots, with which music such as that of Mozart is associated, we cannot accept the slenderness of the story as an excuse for the comparative weakness of the effort. The incidents of the book we need not review at length. Most playgoers are familiar with the trials of the maiden who was accused of a theft committed by a bird, and whose innocence was proven—in defiance, if we mistake not, of the truth of history—in time to save her from an ignominious death. The notes wedded to the librettist’s words will be forgotten long before the clearer ideas and more elaborate instrumentation of ‘Il Barbiere’ are unheeded. But they are as unmistakably Rossinian. The music of ‘La Gazza Ladra’ is of delicious fluency and of faultless elegance of form. It is not, however, the offspring of the matured genius whose ‘William Tell’ still balances abroad the influence of the most powerful writings of later rivals. Had Rossini produced ‘William Tell’ previous to ‘La Gazza Ladra,’ the dramatic portions of the latter would no doubt have been more impressive. In ‘The Maid and the Magpie,’ that which ought to be impassioned is simply tender, and that which might be forceful is only noisy. Uninterrupted tunefulness and sweetness will scarcely delight the spectator accustomed to the grand phrases, the frequent contrasts, and the rich orchestral coloring to which he has become habituated of late years. For ourselves, and probably for the larger portion of the hearers of ‘The Maid and the Magpie,’ the charm of its recital grew out of the opportunities for comparison. The opera contains, of course, a few salient numbers. The cavatina, ‘Oh! how beats my heart with joy,’ the trio, ‘Oh! power beneficent,’ much of the court-scene, and the funeral march in the last act, are things to be remembered. A thoroughly good exposition brought the beauties of the score to light, and much applause was deservedly bestowed. Mrs. Jenny Van Zandt’s voice has not the warmth which a perfect delivery of Rossini’s florid tunes would exact, but the lady executes with ease and surety, and acts with laudable animation. She personated the hapless Ninetta. Mrs. Zelda Seguin, if we except an inaccuracy of intonation in the drinking song, was a most satisfying representative of Pippo. Mr. Tom Carl, who phrases with a skill and taste, evidences of which are becoming more and more uncommon among the rising generation of tenors, appeared for the first time this season as Gianetto and carried off no small proportion of the laurels of the night. Mr. S. C. Campbell contributed to the entertainment a manly picture of Fernando, and acquitted himself with much success of a task unusually difficult in point of vocalization. Mr. Ainsley Cook also sang exceedingly well as Il Podesta. Messrs. Hall, Whiffen and Ryse and Mrs. Cook filled the remaining roles, and the chorus was as strong and precise as ever. Mr. Behrens conducted very acceptably, but might now then have subdued the tendency of the musicians to loudness.”

“Rossini’s pleasant and melodious opera, ‘La Gazza Ladra,’ now Englished as ‘The Thieving Magpie,’ was given on Tuesday at the Academy, before an audience rather thin in numbers, as, from the nature of the weather, might have been expected, but particularly sympathetic and profuse of kindly testimonial. Madame Jenny Van Zandt sang the role of Ninetta, the innocent but suspected servant, with her usual force and cleaness of execution. Her voice is extremely resonant and pure in quality, and her musical delivery assured, and, in general, correct. Her acting, however, is constrained, and her execution of florid passages leaves something to be desired in freedom and delicacy. Her singing of the opening air, ‘Oh! how Beats my Heart with Joy!’ was warmly encored, as was the beautiful trio, ‘O, Power Benificent.’ Indeed, Madame Van Zandt seemed to control the sympathies of her auditors throughout, and was continually applauded and recalled during the opera.

Mr. Campbell’s fine manly bass was highly effective in the part of Fernando and Mr. Aynsley Cooke was correct in singing and expressive in the eccentric action of his role the Magistrate. The long scene, however, at the end of the first act, with the quarrel between Fernando and the Magistrate, was played and sung with a little want of spirit and life—a grave fault in an opera of this class. Mrs. Seguin as Pippo was pretty and mischievous in the earlier scenes, and sang with great feeling in the prison scene of the second act. Mr. Tom Carl sang sweetly, but not with much force, as Giannetto. The orchestra did excellently well, with the grain of reservation that, as usual, they do not allow for the strength of their vocalists.”

“The representation of three really good operas (two of which are new to most of us) in one week, is certainly a subject for congratulation, and this is what the Parepa-Rosa troupe has done, besides giving us three works of ordinary merit.

‘La Gazza Ladra,’ ‘The Marriage of Figaro,’’ ‘The Water Carrier’—all are so beautiful that I can only make use of the expression once applied to Dickens’ novels and say, ‘the best is the one I last heard.’

First in order came ‘La Gazza Ladra,’ an opera which, though it is performed in Paris, has not been given, I believe, in New York, for twenty years.  The lively, but somewhat absurd story, on which the libretto is founded, can be traced back to a French drama ‘La Pie Voleuse,’ which, it is said, caught the eye of Paer, who thought he would like to set it to music; but cruel Rossini, learning of this, coolly sat down, scribbled for a day or two, after his usual manner, and created a work which ranks with ‘Wm. Tell’ [?] and the immortal ‘Barber.’ If the work itself is new to us, not so the beautiful overture which everyone knows as well as the old story of the young man in the pit [query: was his name José?] at Milan, who was so irritated by the roll of the drums, in the opening, that he swore he would have the composer’s blood, and went about for days with a stiletto in the hope of meeting him.

The opera was given here in four acts, with Mrs. Van Zandt as Ninetta. She sang well and gained much applause, particularly in the famous cavatina: ‘Di piacer mi balza il cor.’ The opera also contains some charming music for the contralto, which was agreeably rendered by Mrs. Seguin, who pleased also by her acting, a point in which most of the troupe fail. 

One of the finest numbers is the magnificent preghiera in the first act: ‘Ah nume benefico,’ which is suggestive of Mozart. Mr. Rosa deserves the gratitude of the public for giving us this admirable work. By all means let us hear more of it.”