Venue(s):
Winter Garden
Conductor(s):
Carl Anschütz
Price: $1; .50 family circle
Event Type:
Opera
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
4 December 2013
“The performances of the Vestvali ‘English Opera Troupe’ are drawing rapidly to a close. ‘Orpheus’ will be withdrawn after the present week, and the English Opera Company, being deficient in a few voices—for instance, a soprano, a tenor, a baritone and a bass—will glide elegantly into choice Tuscan. In other words, Italian Opera will take the place of English Opera. ‘Romeo’ and ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ are, probably, the works that will occupy the last week of Mlle. Vestvali’s engagement. We are anxious to see what the management will say of these performances. Of Orpheus, it has been reiterated day after day ‘that the entire press of America and Europe’ have pronounced it to be ‘the greatest vocal and dramatic impersonation ever witnessed on the lyric stage and classified as vieing [sic] with those of Rachel and Malibran,’ a statement which for our part we utterly repudiate. It is by no means the greatest impersonation we have ever witnessed, and in no respect has recalled the great and sacred memories of the artists thus irreverently named. This we can say without any depreciation of a meritorious and ambitious artist. But what is left to be said of Romeo and of Orsini if so much has been bestowed on Orpheus? How ridiculous does even a deserving singer become in this sickening glare of puffery.”
“The experiment of producing Italian opera so soon after the close of the Maretzek season is a hazardous one, but, as far as Mlle. Vestvali is concerned, was an entire success. She sang and acted the role of the Gipsy admirably. Her acting was immensely dramatic, while she sang the music grandly, producing a great sensation upon the audience. She was warmly applauded.
Mlle. Cariloi (Leonra) certainly was heard to greater advantage last evening than at the Academy of Music, the house being so much smaller. Her voice—a somewhat veiled soprano—is rather pleasant, and as a whole her performance was acceptable.
Of the other artists we can say but little, and must confess that the whole attraction of the opera, as given last evening, centered in Mlle. Vestvali, who, though the best Azucena we have heard—combining, as she does, great dramatic force with her fine contralto—cannot bear off, so little aided, the maestro’s great opera. We would, however, advise all who wish a rare musical treat to see her in the role of Azucena.”
“Notwithstanding ‘the desire of the public to hear Mlle. Vestvali in some of her celebrated rôles,’ the season at the Winter Garden, after a sorry experiment, has come to an abrupt end. It was based simply and purely upon pretence [sic], and therefore merits the fate that has been awarded to it. Without a single male artist, without a second or third rate prima donna, without in fact anything that constitutes a company, it would have been strange, indeed, if a different result had been attained. A limited knowledge of English seems to have been the only art capital of the concern, but this was hardly a sufficient of an attraction to justify double prices. It was a mistake to call the concern an English opera; every one knew that it was nothing of the kind; it was a mistake, also, after bestowing on it the name of Italian opera, to commence with ‘Il Trovatore,’ a work which does not depend on the contralto voice, and which in every respect has been given so well and so often at the Academy, that a hasty performance elsewhere, without the attraction of grand artists, was not likely to excite the community. And this is just the point; the public does not want hasty performances of opera anywhere, and least of all, in a theatrical establishment. It would have been a disgrace to any but a provincial community if Mlle. Vestvali’s miserable attempt had succeeded. Better a thousand times no opera, than have it cause such needy experiments. Still, we are sorry that the lady has been the victim of a mistaken idea. She is an excellent and graceful actress, and a singer who generally succeeds in pleasing the public. After a long absence, she was justified in expecting a hearty and genial reception. On some future occasion she will, we are sure, attain it; but we warn her again against any new experiment in management. On Friday next Mlle. Vestvali will take her benefit. We trust there will be an opportunity of hearing the lady to better advantage in the Fall. Her proper place is at the Academy of Music. Adventures elsewhere invariably come to grief.”
“The week commenced at the Winter Garden with ‘Il Trovatore,’ which was fairly given to a small attendance. On the 3d the house was closed, owing to the ‘illness of Henry Vestvali.’”