Article on General Review of Maretzek Performances During March

“New York, April 7.—The Academy has never, within my recollection, presented such a series of brilliant assemblages as during the past month of the Maretzek troupe performances. No matter what the weather, what the work announced, what substitution, the house has been overcrowded almost without exception. The general character of the troupe is fair. The leading artists, Medori, Sulzer, Mazzoleni, Bellini and Biachi, are very meritorious, and in some renditions as perfectly satisfactory to the public as could be desired. Brignoli, Minetti, Sbriglia, Ippolito and Colletti are also good in their special roles, and as a general thing have been very successful. My last letter included the announcement of the performance of Ernani. Since then we have had the following performances: Traviata, with Brignoli, Mazzoleni, Bellini; Un Ballo in Maschera with Guerrabella, Sulzer, Mazzoleni, Bellini; La Favorita, with Sulzer, Sbriglia, Bellini, Biachi; Norma, with Medori, Sulzer, Mazzoleni, Biachi; Linda di Chamounix, with Medori, Sulzer, Minetti, Biachi, Colletti; Semiramide, with Guerrabella, Sulzer, Minetti, Biachi; Lucia, with Brignoli, Mazzoleni, Ippolito; Ione, with Medori, Mazzoleni, Bellini, Piachi and Sulzer.

            The great hit of the season has been Norma. Medori has in the Druid priestess a grand rôle, and she is eminently qualified to interpret it. Norma has had three performances, and to such houses! ‘Standing room only’ is a very brief but indicative sentence, and one very rarely required at the opera, but it was brought out from its dusty resting place and hung upon the ‘outer wall’ of the Academy three successive nights—and what for? Norma, that well-known, well-thumbed, well-whistled, well-ground opera, with its melodies and gems sung threadbare, brought that dusty placard into service again. The performance was certainly well worth the commendation it received at the hands of the public and the press. Medori was magnificent. All the adjectives of the English language were brought into service, and as to Mazzoleni, words were not found indicative enough. The Adalgisa of Sulzer, and Oroves of Biachi were in harmony with the successes of the other rôles, and Norma flourished with undiminished splendor for three nights.

            Semiramide was produced for one performance, with a very creditable display of scenery and appointments. The cast embraced Guerrabella, Sulzer, Minetti, Biachi, all of whom looked very finely, but Biachi alone seemed to grasp at the requirements of the rôle. Guerrabella looked as royal and queenly as one could imagine the Babylonian queen herself, and Sulzer made quite a dangerous looking Commander in-chief. Neither artist, however, has voice of sufficient power to cope with the difficult music of Rossini’s master-work.

            Minetti, one of Maretzek’s reserve tenors, made his debut in Linda di Chamounix. He is a tenore di grazia of very good method, and was very acceptable. The performance of Linda was very fine. Medori, Sulzer, Bellini, Biachi, and Colletti were the principals of the cast and were eminently successful. Bellini, as the aged Antonio, was very grand, and in the third act won immense applause. Medori made a very charming Linda, and it was a performance meritorious enough to deserve a repetition. Last night Petrella’s ‘Ione,’ or ‘The Last Days of Pompeii’ was introduced with a magnificent cast and with very fine scenic effects. The plot and principal characters of the opera ‘were borrowed by Peruzzini from Bulwer’s ‘Last Days of Pompeii,’ so says the libretto. The argument of the opera is highly dramatic. Details in my next.”