Maretzek Italian Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro

“Le Nozze di Figaro’ was the opera at the Academy of Music, last evening, and its performance was witnessed by a very brilliant audience. The distribution of characters was the same dwelt upon during the preceding season; and the charm of Mme. Lucca’s singing of ‘Voi che sapete,’ and the pleasant influence of her acting were, as at an earlier date, recognized, as was the strength of a cast including Miss Kellogg, Mme. Levielli, Signori Sparapani, Ronconi, Moriami, and Lyall, by liberal applause. ‘Voi che sapete’ was, of course, redemanded, and the duet, ‘Sull aria’ was among the numbers of which the rendering was honored in a like manner.” 

“The ‘Nozze di Figaro’ was performed last evening at the Academy. It was on the whole a very satisfactory performance. Mozart’s smooth music glides rapidly along, and every singer has to be on the alert, for in the flow of melody he has his words to sing at any unexpected moment. It is curiously unlike the modern operas, which are laid out with recitations leading up to arias, with concerted pieces worked in at the proper places. Not perfectly to know such a work as the ‘Nozze di Figaro’ is not only to entangle the particular singer who gets astray, but to imperil all the rest, for all are bound together in one musical phrase, voice after voice taking up the melody. It is therefore to the credit of Maretzek’s artists that they sang the opera with facility, correctness and spirit. Of course this was to be expected of Mme. Lucca, and also of Miss Kellogg, who is one of the most accomplished representatives of the rôle of Susanna upon the stage, but little is looked for on the part of the other members of the company, and it is all the more pleasant therefore to be surprised with a competent performance of the subordinate parts.”

“If we are not very much mistaken the management of the Italian opera promised for this short spring season something like a new repertoire, the traces of which, however, appear very small thus far; and if in the last two weeks we get two new operas, we will probably have much to be thankful for.

In the meantime the old operas are given with anything but new life or new vigor. On the contrary, performances like that of last night can scarcely be calculated to increase the attraction of the evenings at the Academy of Music.

The opera given was ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ with the ‘three prime donne,’ just as ‘Mignon’ was given with the ‘three prime donne,’ one of whom did not have twenty bars to sing through the evening.

Mozart’s genius was so rich in simple, chaste and easy melodies that his operas might be sung in church or his sacred music on the stage, which proved how right Rossini was when he replied to an amateur who asked what kind of music was preferable, classical or modern, operatic or sacred: ‘As far as music is concerned I know only two kinds, the good and the bad’—(En fait de musique je ne connais que deux genres—la onne [sic] et la mauvaise).

‘Don Giovanni’ and ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ will go down to posterity and remain in the musical repertoire as long as Mozart’s ‘Requiem,’ his masses, and his symphonies; but in order to make these operas attractive for the masses of the public who find no ballet, no learned dogs, no ophycleids, and no modern resources for effect in it, great care, and, as near as possible, a perfect ensemble, should be aimed at. We would be much more gratified if we could say that the performance last night fulfilled even moderate expectations in this regard than to give an adverse opinion, but truth compels us to say that only want of respect for the great master, as well as for the public, could allow such carelessness and awkwardness to go on during the whole evening.

Mr. Maretzek, who is a very good leader but a very indifferent manager, if he will not or cannot lead, ought at least to put someone in his place who is up to the mark and understands his business. Entire absence of this essential quality on the part of the leader last night, caused chorus and orchestra to go against each other just as they pleased; and though the conductor’s arms waved and swung furiously, he entirely failed to bring order into the masses or even time his own conducting, either with the band or at the piano, where he frequently came too late and often too early half a bar; and never have singers been so wretchedly accompanied or ensembles so incoherently hurled into each other.

The incoherency of the accompaniment and the unreliability of the leader are sure to make the singers hesitate and the public get chilled, performer and audience affecting each other with this coolness, and bad gets worse. Just as an inspired singer will electrify the public, the performance will gain as much from the mutual magnetic rapport as it will lose in case of such mutual freezing.

Madame Lucca, whose wonderful sympathetic voice usually suffices immediately to infuse life into an otherwise cold audience, could not awake the corpse before her during the whole of the first act; and it required a real and risible effort to rouse the public in the second act, with that improbable air: ‘Voi che Sapete,’ which was, as usual, encored.

Miss Kellogg, whose costume in ‘Mignon’ is not strictly Louis XV., has a most charming and perfectly correct costume as Susanna, and sings the part conscientiously as is her want to do. It would not be fair to reproach her with being ever too warm or too passionate, and the arctic chill which seemed to hang over this performance, did not exactly give way before Miss Kellogg’s inspiration.

Madame Levielli—whom several uncourteous critics insist on calling Lavielli—filled her part without making any particular effect, except where she joined Miss Kellogg in the last act, where both ladies were deservedly distinguished by the marks of public approval.

Among the gentlemen Signor Moriami has the most prominent part to sing, but neither for Beaumarchais’s ‘Figaro’ nor for Mozart’s music has this gentleman the required distinction or humor.

He has a very good baritone voice, full and sympathetic, but of small compass, sounding well particularly in the highest part up to G, but the tessitura of the part is too low for him, and the general conception requires more inspiration in singing as well as acting.

We must, however, in our defence of all the artists, repeat that a cold, thin audience and bad conducting, are not likely to increase the spirit of the performers; and what was begun badly went on worse, and we considered it our unpleasant duty to point out why a masterpiece of Mozart, interpreted by artists like Lucca, Kellogg and the others, fell flat, and must, under such conditions, fall flat on an audience ordinarily inclined to be pleased.”

Robbery of Moriami’s room at the Belvedere Hotel during the performance.