Articles on the fall 1873 Strakosch opera season

“We have had all kinds of Italian opera in New-York. We have had opera with one prima donna, supported by voiceless and tuneless singers, and we have had opera with no prima donna at all. In fact, in the way of Italian opera, New-York may boast of having had the best and worst artists in the world imported especially for its edification. It must often have occurred to the opera goer that some of the tenors and bassos introduced at the Academy of Music were specially manufactured for the American market, so impossible was it to believe that they could ever have sung before any other public. We can all, doubtless, remember when, in past years, a season of Italian opera was announced with a famous soprano as its bright particular star, how little attention the public bestowed on the names and qualifications of the satellites engaged to twinkle round the solitary luminary. Year after year the Academy of Music opened its doors to companies of this kind. Year after year the public was treated to glowing prospectuses filled with brilliant promises, and season after season saw these prospectuses prove delusions, and their promises snares. The New-York public is usually a very confiding, and always a generous one. It trusted, was deceived, and trusted again. We venture to say that no impressario [sic] is ever likely to deceive it in the future. Experience has taught us a great deal. Our musical taste—we say this in all modesty—has sensibly improved. Mr. Strakosch has this year shown us what Italian opera really is; and when a weak imitation of it next appears we hope to be able to detect its worthlessness before the subscription list is opened.

 

On the 29th of October Mr. Strakosch began his season with the well-known opera of ‘Traviata,’ which served as a means of welcoming Mme. Nilsson in a rôle in which she is unsurpassed, and of testing the qualities of some of the minor artists of the company. Little opportunity as this opera afforded for display for any one [sic] other than the prima donna, the unanimous verdict was that ‘Traviata’ had never before been sung so thoroughly well in this City. The second opera night gave us another opera with almost an entirely different corps of artists. In ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ Signor Campanini, Mlle. Maresi, and Miss Cary appeared, with singularly efficient associates. The brilliant reputation achieved by Signor Campanini in London was at once shown to rest on a solid foundation, and he was immediately proclaimed to be one of the very best Italian singers ever heard in this country. Mlle. Maresi, though ranking but as the third soprano, was shown to be a singer of beauty and power, and of a much higher standard than any second soprano we had been accustomed. Of Miss Cary it is almost unnecessary to speak as of Mme. Nilsson. We can claim her as our own, and rejoice in the position she has attained as one of the few great contralti of the world. The second week of opera introduced us to Mlle. Torriani, Mr. Strakosch's second prima donna. The brilliant impression she created has been recorded in these columns, and all her subsequent performances have proved her to be a most accomplished and fascinating artist. The next surprise Mr. Strakosch afforded us was the production of Verdi’s ‘Ernani,’ with M. Maurel in the part of the King. M. Maurel came to New-York quite unheralded, but his performance of this very trying character created a furor in our musical world. He was immediately pronounced to be the best operatic baritone heard here in many years. He sings nearly as well as Santley, and his acting is as good as that gentleman’s is bad. Mr. Victor Capoul, the tenor léger of the troupe, has maintained his old popularity as the most earnest and finished of actors, and the most sympathetic and graceful of singers. In Signors Del Puente and Nannetti the public have also had two admirable artists, who have shown their efficiency, as they have increased their popularity by each performance.

 

Further than this, we have been treated to a fine orchestra, excellently conducted, and that dreadful nightmare of our opera-goers, the traditional chorus, has entirely disappeared, and in its place we have had a chorus of great strength and remarkable unanimity. What we have now said about Mr. Strakosch's company is similar to what might have been and has been said about any previous Italian opera troupe at the beginning of the season; but we can remember no occasion before when such praise has been deserved at the close of the season. At this time there need be no hesitation in saying that Mr. Strakosch's enterprise has been by no means as successful financially as artistically. The reasons for this are too well known and appreciated to occasion much remark at present. Amusement vendors have suffered like everybody else, only they may take more than ordinary credit to themselves for the noble and unflagging efforts they have made to redeem their promises to the public, and to prove that, if they did not command success, they at least deserved it. Mr. Strakosch's production of Verdi's last, and perhaps his best, opera of ‘Aida’ is an achievement of which the public may feel as proud as the manager and his artists. To produce a new opera in New-York by a famous composer before it has been given to the people in the great capitals of Europe is a thing quite unprecedented, and the brilliancy of the performance of last Wednesday will not soon be forgotten by a public quite unaccustomed to the liberality and good faith shown in each operatic production of the present season. Everything promises well for a brilliant termination to the best series of operatic performances we have ever had. ‘Aida’ is novel and attractive enough to draw for many nights to come; but the two representations to which it is limited by the close of the season will cause it to be eagerly looked forward to on the return of the company from their provincial tour.”

“New York, Dec. 8.—The season of Opera which came to an end on Saturday last, was undoubtedly the best we ever had in our city. The fact that it was not successful financially as well as artistically is to be regretted; but this arose from causes which no one could foresee. Mr. Strakosch is to return to us ere long, and it is to be hoped that he will then reap the benefit of his liberal policy which has spared no pains to redeem the promises made in his prospectus. Not only has he produced the well worn and favorite works, which the operatic public insist upon hearing every season, he performed them in a style which (always excepting the chorus) would be no discredit to the rue Lepelletier, but more than that, he has brought out several works which are novelties to us, and one opera in advance of its performance at London and Paris.

 

His company is an unusually strong one, and, having secured first-class artists for his leading roles, he has not fallen into the error too common among managers, of selecting incompetent singers for the subordinate parts. Mme. Nilsson, who has taken most of the leading soprano roles, is now universally acknowledged to be unsurpassed by any artist upon the lyric stage. Such a combination of the highest talents, both vocal and histrionic, as she exhibits has not been since the days of Malibran.

 

Of Mme. Nilsson therefore it is needless here to speak, save to say that she has been in good voice throughout the season, and that every part she has undertaken has received the best possible interpretation. Among her impersonations have been those of Violetta, in La Traviata; Mignon, in the opera of that name; Marguerite in Faust; Leonora in Il Trovatore; Valentine in the Huguenots; Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni; and Lucia in Lucia. Miss Cary has appeared before us so often in company with Nilsson that her name seems in some way connected with that of the great soprano. This lady is always at her best, and her full, rich contralto voice, and her easy, natural acting have justly made her a favorite with the public.

 

The second Soprano, Mlle. Torriani, is a new artist, who comes to us from London with the laurels of Drury Lane fresh upon her. She made a good impression here as Elvira in Ernani, and in the other roles in which she appeared she is favorably spoken of.

 

Mlle. Marisi comes third on the list of sopranos. Her voice is remarkably pure, and her singing brilliant and artistic; in her acting, however, she fails, showing a degree of self-consciousness which is, at times, absolutely painful to the beholder. Of tenors there are two, Campanini and Capoul. The latter is already well and favorably known here, so I will not seek his merits to disclose nor draw his falsetto from its dread abode. Of the other tenor I have two distinct impressions: one of his singing, which is the main is remarkably good, and the other of his acting, which is unmistakably bad.

 

Maurel is the best baritone we have heard since the visit to this country of Santley. Signors Del Puenta [sic] and Nanetti [sic], if not remarkable singers, are useful members of the troupe, and have taken with credit such parts as have fallen to them.

 

In the appointments and setting of the stage there has been a manifest improvement over past seasons, and the orchestra under the baton of Sig. Muzio is the best which has ever been heard in connection with opera in New York. Even in the chorus there has been an improvement with each successive representation, and there is little doubt that, were Mr. Strakosch permanently established here, he would soon do away with the only fault we have to find, namely the inefficiency of this part of the troupe.

 

Hard times would have furnished the manager a good excuse for deferring indefinitely a project involving so great an outlay as the production of Aïda, but to his credit he has kept faith with the public and brought out that opera with a magnificence which I have never seen equalled [sic] upon any stage.”