Strakosch Italian Opera: Mignon

“Mlle. Christine Nilsson appeared at the matinee yesterday as Mignon, before an audience the size of which the term crowded would but faintly express. As her engagement draws to a close the Swedish Nightingale seems to sing and act with more fire and expression than ever before, and yesterday’s impersonation of Goethe’s heroine was more fascinating than any of its predecessors. The duet, ‘Leggiadre condinelle,’ in which she was ably assisted by M. Jamet; the tender, simple melody, ‘Knowest Thou the Land;’ the toilet scene, a fascinating little specimen of naiveté and natural coquetry, and the last scene, when Mignon recognizes her father and lover, were given as only an artist and genius could express. Mignon will be remembered by Nilsson’s admirers as the exclusive property of the great artist, for she alone can elevate a role, very meagre in a musical point of view, to a level with those of the standard Italian opera. With Nilsson we can associate the names of MM. Capoul and Jamet as claimants in the success of M. Thomas’ opera. Capoul’s Wilhelm Meister is a remarkably artistic and finished piece of acting, and his voice is admirably adapted to the music. Jamet has made the role of the wandering Lothario a tender, sympathetic and touching impersonation which leaves nothing to be desired. The Filina of Mlle. Duval is full of coquetry, vivacity and chic; but she does not sing the part as well now as she did at the first representation of the opera. Her voice is becoming more reedy and harsh, and less controllable. The anxiety of the public to hear Nilsson at the last ‘Mignon’ matinée yesterday, was such that a great number of ladies could not procure even tolerable standing room in the auditorium. Many were obliged to sit on the stairs leading from the lobbies, and the family circle or amphitheatre was fairly overcrowded.”

“The houses at the Academy this week have been literally immense. No further evidence is required of the eagerness of New-York to sustain Italian opera than has thus been afforded. It is true that the thronged attendance has been due in a great measure to the individual attraction of Mlle. Nilsson; but, on the other hand, it is idle to deny that a general feeling exists that the adjuncts are not what they now ought to be, and that this, to some extent, has a counteracting influence. In other words, with support in every respect quite worthy of her, the people who would have flocked to hear Mlle. Nilsson this week would not have been held by two opera-houses, each the size of the Academy. The true system for adoption here we have more than once set forth. It is to apply to the lyric stage the same principles that have made the English drama at our best Metropolitan theatres so brilliantly prosperous. We must have operas as splendidly mounted and as thoroughly well sung in New-York, as were the ‘Huguenots,’ ‘William Tell’ and ‘Robert’ on their original production in Paris.” [announcement continues for a few more lines]