Combination Italian Opera: Lucrezia Borgia

“Donizetti’s great opera ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ was presented last night at the Academy of Music to a remarkably brilliant audience. The house was well filled, we might almost say crowded, giving the best evidence of the unabated interest of the public in operatic representations. It is due to the present management to say that they have made efforts and some sacrifices in the cause of art. Whatever may be the shortdomings of the company at present assembled in the Academy of Music, there can be no question that it presents an arry of talent such as cannot be easily gathered together. The performance last night when regarded as a whole, was something more than satisfactory, but he would be an enthusiastic admirer who would pronounce it faultless. At the same time, when we weigh with strict justice what was excellent and what was faulty, we are compelled to acknowledge that the good largely predominates. There are those who cannot comprehend the true mission of criticism, and who unreasonably think that there can be no middle course between perfection and worthlessness. The first is never reached, and with artists such as we have now at the Academy it is impossible that a performance should be absolutely wanting in merit. But the powers upon which a singer must base his reputation are subject to the influence of such common accident as change of weather, and it can scarcely be considered a reproach to chronicle that certain artists suffer from hoarseness, a natural cause, which is known to affect temporarily the excellence of their performance. We have thought it well to refer to this mal-comprehension of the scope of criticism, because in pointing out with the independence which characterizes the critics of the Herald defects which to our mind marred performances otherwise excellent, certain persons have found cause of complaint, and certain other grounds for absolute condemnation, such as is not justified by the facts of the case. The presentation of ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ last night was marked by a richness and appropriateness of appointment calculated to give effectiveness to the piece. Excellent and brilliant as is the music, this opera is scarcely fitted to display the full talent of the company at its best. The rôle of Don Alfonso fails to afford Santley scope for the exercise of his powers. Only three characters seems to have full play, although a less eminent artist than Santley would, no doubt, find ample room to make even a reputation in the part. But when we know that a man is capable of better things we cannot be content to listen to him doing simply well. In the rendering of the cavatina ‘Vieni la mia Vendetta’ he displayed his wonderful command over his voice, and sang with the depth of feeling and expression which is peculiarly his gift. Nor did he fail to awake the enthusiasm of the audience by his brilliant executions. The rôle gave him a solitary opportunity, and he availed himself so successfully that he secured a rapturous encore. But through the rest of the opera he seemed not quite at his ease, and was so subdued in the concerted parts that he was quite eclipsed for the nonce by Wachtel. In the magnificent trio ’Della Duchessa di Preghi’ he was scarcely audible. The honors of the evening were due to Wachtel, who sang with great and sustained brilliancy through the score. There was a want of tenderness and expression in the touching passages, but there was an assured evenness and forcible clearness in his notes such as only mark his best efforts. In the concerted pieces he was especially effective, and sang with a correctness for which he cannot always be complimented. Madame Parepa-Rosa sang the opening aria with tenderness and feeling, but the rendering of ‘Come e bello’ was not so satisfactory. In the trio in the second act and in the last act, however, she sang with great brilliancy, bringing into full play her remarkable powers of vocalization. In the aria ‘Ah di Piu non Domandar,’ she excelled herself and threw impassioned earnestness into her appeal to the filial love of Gennaro. Miss Phillips was not so successful in her rôle of Orsine as she was in that of Urbano, where she achieved a real success. Strangely enough her rendering of ‘Nella fatal Rimini’ was lacking in dramatic force. This must be due more to misapprehension than to want of power, for we have proof in this lady’s impersonation of Azucena that she suffers from no lack of dramatic ability. She sang the ‘Nella fatal Rimini’ more as an allegretto than a larghetto. The orchestra, also, did not seem to keep well with her. Her rendering of ‘Il Segreto’ was spirited and brilliant, and gave constant evidence of careful vocal culture. It secured for her a recall. The chorus was well given, especially ‘Marillo Orsini Sono,’ the crescendo passage, ‘Finché il leon temato,’ being rendered with great brilliancy.”

“At the production of ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ last night the house presented the usual overcrowded appearance which has been so often witnessed this season. From the opening scene to the close of the opera this vast audience showed the keenest attention, and frequently manifested the heartiest applause. In the first act of ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ occurs some of the loveliest music which the opera contains. The ‘Com’è bello’ of the soprano, and the ‘Di pescatore’ of the tenor, the duet, ‘Ama tua madre,’and the splendid concerted piece at the end of the act are always telling points, and last night, with the interpretation by Parepa-Rosa and Wachtel, these points were saliently brought forward. In the second act Mr. Santley appeared as the Duke Alfonso. His make-up was most artistic, and completely changed his usual appearance. In singing he, for the first time, showed traces of hoarseness, but his excellent method was as apparent as ever, and in the Vieni la mia vendetta there were a few alterations of the score which were most effective. The great trio in the second act received the customary encore, and the duet which follows it elicited unusual applause. In the last act Miss Phillipps was encored in her drinking song, and Parepa made an impression with a very elaborate cadenza appended to the aria M’Odi ah m’odi; but she omitted, as so many prima donnas do, the expressive and powerful aria with which Donizetti has rounded off his passionate and fascinating opera.”

“’Lucrezia Borgia’ was sung at the Academy last evening. The performance was one of the best of the season. Mr. Santley suffered from a slight cold, but the voices of the other artists were in excellent condition, and the general work of interpretation was unexceptionable. Mme. Parepa-Rosa sings with infinite taste the music allotted to Lucrezia, and her acting constantly gathers animation and force. The tender ‘Com’è  bello’ in the first act, when the duchess is wrapt in contemplation of the slumbering Gennaro; the passionate ‘Ama tua madre;’ the defiant allegro agitato with which, commencing with the words ‘Oh! a te bada’ Lucrezia braves her husband; the dramatic ‘Infelice,’ and the cavatina, ‘M’odi, ah m’odi,’ were all recited by Mme. Rosa with unerring surety and ease, and with a variety of accent fully equal to the exactions of the part. Herr Wachtel was heard to great advantage as Gennaro. His magnificent tones were as effective as ever in the concerted passages of the opera, and his recital of the single tenor air –‘Di pescatore’—was distinguished by more tasteful phrasing than several better-known efforts. Herr Wachtel’s appearance and bearing were, of course, all that could be desired. He is not the warmest of actors, but the effect of his fine stage-presence is never injured by any lack of vivacity or any awkwardness; and after he leaves us, it will be a difficult matter to become reconciled to the concert-room doings of most Italian tenors. Mr. Santley’s personation of Il Duca was marked by the quiet power discoverable to each of his delineations, and his scene with Lucrezia, in act the second, was decidedly impressive without being sensational. His vocal rendering of ‘Vieni, la mia vendetta,’ and of the succeeding allegro was, naturally, perfection. Hoarseness interfered somewhat yesterday with the steadiness of Mr. Santley’s sustained notes, but the delicious fluency of his delivery was nonetheless apparent. Miss Adelaide Phillips supplied a capital picture of Maffio Orsini, and sang the brindisi, ‘Il segreto per esser felice,’ with spirit and brilliancy. It will be a pleasure to listen to a second rehearsal of ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ by these performers. Last night’s rendering was unquestionably a treat, and evidence of its appreciation was not wanting. Mme. Rosa and Herr Wachtel were enthusiastically recalled after the second act; Mr. Santley’s ‘Vieni’ was redemanded, but not conceded, and the drinking-song by Miss Phillips was repeated. These, however, were but a few of the agreeable incidents of the entertainment. The chorus was throughout proficient, and the orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Carl Rosa, whose industry is on a plane with his talent, would have done credit to any opera house in the world.”

“The Lucrezia of Madame Parepa-Rosa last night was the most brilliant performance that we have heard from her this season. When she first produced the opera in English last year we noticed the remarkable effect she produced by a gradual development of intensity, not merely in action but in song, so that the music as well as the drama moved constantly onward to the final climax. This same rare excellence was no less conspicuous last night when she gave the work in its original language, and the music was constantly a consistent and impressive whole, whereas at the hands of most artists it becomes a mere patch work of scenes and cavatinas. Nothing could have been more charming than her rendering of Lucrezia’s first aria, ‘Com’e bello.’ It was the perfection of art, faultless [illegible] in sentiment and execution, and exhibited her great voice in all its beauty and purity. In the finale of the Prologue and the famous trio she was magnificent. Her duo with Gennaro at the end of Act First made a genuine sensation, and the grand scena at the close of the opera was one of those superb efforts in which she has long been without a rival on our stage. The regal splendor of her appearance, robed in scarlet velvet and ermine, suited very well the grandeur of her performance. Gennaro can hardly be called one of Mr. Wachtel’s best parts, yet certain numbers he sang with unusual sweetness and delicacy, and others he illustrated with the requisite passion. After all, how much better Wachtel is at almost any time than other tenors with whom we have been forced to content ourselves during the last few years. Miss Phillipps was the Orsini, and Mr. Santley brought his exquisite art to the role of Alfonso. He showed his true artistic feeling in the trio where there is a strong temptation for the baritone to indulge in a little personal display; but Mr. Santley never seems to have a thought beyond the faithful interpretation of the spirit of the music, and his singing consequently in this number was remarkably subdued. So well, indeed, did the voices blend that it was at times difficult to separate them. We never heard the trio so well done before.

The chorus and orchestra were both good, and the mise en scene was better than the Academy is used to. In ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ there is no need of special display, but the stage was liberally stocked with singers and supernumeraries, and evidences of care were perceptible in the score of little yet not insignificant details which managers are so apt to forget. Mr. Rosa conducted with his customary good taste.”