Maretzek Italian Opera: La Favorita

“Last week’s representations terminated, yesterday, with a very fine recital of ‘La Favorita,’ which was witnessed by a large audience.” 

“Donizetti wrote ‘La Favorita’ for Stolz, the only singer on the stage who had the dramatic power required for a part as difficult to act as to sing; and since her day there has not been an artist on the French or Italian stage who could compare with her except Madame Lucca. This singer illustrated the versatility of her histrionic powers in the most striking manner by the playful finesse of her Cherubino, on Friday night, followed by the earnest, tragic grandeur of ‘La Favorita’ Saturday morning. The audience, unusually numerous for a morning performance, grew quite enthusiastic over her ‘O mio Fernando,’ which, with the Romanza in ‘Mignon,’ ‘Conosol tu’ is certainly the inapproachable and, until now, unattained model of andante singing. Up to the end of the opera the same enthusiasm was sustained. The opera itself, notwithstanding the great facility of its composer, is a true pattern of the common modern Italian school, following andantes sometimes of real inspiration with cabalettas of the most vulgar kind and choruses unworthy of a good score. A decided improvement in the cast was Signor Vizzani, who was put in the place of Signor Abrugnedo, who, it appears, has abandoned his American hopes altogether. Signor Vizzani is a most useful, painstaking artist, and his zeal and steady work must be taken in consideration for some shortcomings which we do not wish to insist upon specially. Signor Sparapani was a very acceptable Alphonso. The Balthazar of Mons. Jamet has already been favorably mentioned in these columns; and altogether the operas under Mr Maretzek’s guidance go much better than when he does not lead. The flute solo and accompaniment to Alphonso’s air was splendidly played, but why the horns should so utterly spoil the little solo before ‘O mio Fernando’ is quite unintelligible.”