Mulder-Fabbri German Opera: Il Trovatore

“The short season of German opera inaugurated at this house by the Fabbri troupe came to a close last evening before a pretty large audience. The well worn opera of Verdi, which is as familiar to the ears of the New York public as a nursery rhyme, ‘Yankee Doodle’ or ‘Shoo Fly,’ was the work selected to give a finish to the season. Mme. Fabbri and Mme. Clara Perl won enthusiastic applause in the rôles of Leonora and Azucena, and were honored with numerous encores. Mr. Muller repeated his former successes as the vindictive Count, and gave a fine rendering to the ‘Il Balen.’ He is evidently the popular favorite in the company. The Manrico of Mr. Bernard was very bad, partly owing to an evident indisposition and hoarseness, and partly to an undue tendency to shout. This is a serious drawback in German opera, that nearly every singer thinks that it his or her duty to depend entirely on the power of lungs without reference to expression or color. They believe in carrying the ears of the audience by storm, and not their hearts. During the season that has just passed Mme. Fabbri, Mme. Perl, Mlle. Elzer and Mr. Muller were the only artists that proved themselves worthy of praise. An opera company cannot be organized at a moment’s notice, and no amount of kettle drums, trombones or shouting can cover up defects.”

“Last night the German opera singers made their last appearance, giving Verdi’s ‘Trovatore.’ Fabbri and Mulder [i.e., Jacob Müller] were excellent as Leonora and Luna, and Clara Perl as Azucena made a decided hit. This was perhaps the most entertaining performance these artists have yet given; but it must be confessed that the performances of the Mulder-Fabbri troupe have not been always satisfactory. There has ever been ‘a plentiful lack’ of tenor. Wachtel would have carried this company up to a brilliant success, for in Mulder [Müller] there is a baritone scarcely inferior to Santley, in Fabbri a dramatic soprano of ability and experience, and in Clara Perl a contralto richly endowed by nature and highly improved by art. With the large German population in this city it seems to be but right that we should have a permanent German opera; and it is fair to expect that this result will be reached in course of time.”