Lurline

“Mrs. Philip D. Gulager gave a musical entertainment, last night, at Irving Hall, presenting the opera of ‘Lurline,’ without scenery or action, but with a full chorus, composed of members of the Church Music Association and of St. Thomas’s Choir, and an orchestra under the direction of Sr. Agramonte. In the solo parts she had the cooperation of Miss Antonia Henne, Mr. Wm. Leggat, Mr. Remmertz, and Mr. R. Herrman. Wallace’s excellent work is familiar to New-York, not only from selections so often heard in the parlor and concert-room, but from the representations of the entire work two or three years ago, when it was played alternately in English and Italian for some time under the direction of Max Maretzek, and at the cost of James Fisk, Jr. The music was apparently relished last night; the efforts of the principal singers were applauded; and Mrs. Gulager was probably rewarded for her enterprise by a fair measure of success. The audience filled about two thirds of the hall.”

“The best features of Wallace’s charming opera were pleasantly reproduced at Irving Hall last night. A chorus formed of members of the Church Music Association and of St. Thomas’s Choir, gave in acceptable style the leading choruses of the opera, and lent valuable aid to the concerted music. The solo parts were taken by [see above], and though the ballad ‘A Father’s Love,’ sung by Mr. Remmertz, elicited hearty applause, the ladies bore away the palm of popular appreciation. Mrs. Gulager sang most charmingly. Her exquisitely sweet and effective voice proved well fitted to the graceful melodies which Wallace has so freely lavished upon this opera; and in the brilliant song, ‘Take this cup of sparkling wine,’ she was enthusiastically encored. Miss Henne was similarly complimented for the ballad ‘Gentle Troubadour.’  Altogether, this performance will do much to enhance the reputation of Mrs. Gulager, who now stands at the head of our list of resident concert vocalists. We may add that a large orchestra was in attendance; and that the fashionable audience included a number of rude people who were uncivil enough to turn their backs upon the artists and leave the room during the concluding pieces.”

“Mrs. Philip D. Gulager, a local artist of considerable popularity, and possessed of a very fine, well-cultivated soprano voice, gave a musical entertainment last evening at Irving Hall, which was well attended and by an audience of a fashionable kind. Señor Agramonte officiated as conductor on the occasion, and had under him a chorus of ladies and gentlemen and an orchestra of the noisiest description. The opera of ‘Lurline’ formed the entertainment, with a few airs from other works of Wallace thrown in. The solo parts were sung by Mrs. Gulager, Miss Antonia Henne, and Messrs. Leggat, Remmertz and Herrman. The ladies acquitted themselves very creditably, and although the circumstances were unfavorable towards giving any complete idea of the charming music of this chef d’oeuvre  of the best of English composers, yet the soprano and contralto gave entire satisfaction. Mrs. Gulager sings like a true artist and with a thorough appreciation of the ideas of a composer, and we have no superior in the contralto line in this city to Miss Henne. The baritone, Mr. Remmertz, comes in next for a share of praise. He sung the lovely aria, ‘A Father’s Love,’ with a feeling and expression that made it one of the most attractive features of the opera. The tenor and bass were not equal to the occasion and did not do justice to the music set down for them. The chorus was excellent and well balanced, but their efforts were effectually neutralized by an ill-disciplined, blatant orchestra. The harp passages in the opera were nicely done by Mr. Toulmin. Taking into consideration the representation of an opera on the concert stage, without any accessories of mise en scène, costume, &c., the performance was very creditable, always excepting the execrable orchestra. The fair songstress who devised the entertainment contributed the largest share to the success of the evening. The acoustic qualities of the hall are also of a nature calculated to show the qualities of an artist’s voice to the best possible advantage.”