Di Murska Italian Opera: Faust

“’Faust’ was sung at the Lyceum Theatre last evening. The chief feature of interest in the representation was the portrayal of Margarita by Mlle. Sorel, an artist who has sung in Italy and in Mexico. Mlle. Sorel, who, in spite of her name, is an Italian by birth, made a favorable impression. She is young—though scarcely maidenly enough in form for Margarita—decidedly handsome, and her voice, as far as could be ascertained from a hearing in a house so ill adapted to operatic entertainments as the Lyceum, is of good quality, while the upper notes have great power. That Mlle. Sorel has experience on the stage was clearly proven, and, if we cannot set down her Margarita as worthy of companionship with the achievements of better-known prime donne, it showed plainly that Mr. Maretzek has gotten in Mlle. Sorel a valuable accession to his forces. Signor Vizzani was Faust, Signor Rossi-Galli Mephisto, Signor Mari Valentino, and Miss Leydecker Siebel.”

“Mlle. Emma Sorel last night made her début at New York in Gounod’s charming opera, before a half-filled house. The cast included [see above].

Mlle. Sorel was evidently nervous at first, but in the garden scene her talent as a prima donna was fairly tested. Although she has not the magnitude and grandeur of Lucca or Nilsson, still she possesses a pleasant voice and a fine style of execution. The ballad of ‘The King of Thule’ was not sung with the taste and simplicity it deserves. The jewel song won for the new singer hearty applause. The fourth act opened with the church scene, and in it Mlle. Sorel sang and acted with true artistic talent. In the prison scene she showed evident signs of fatigue, although for the O del ciel immortali she again received hearty applause.

The next artist in the cast most worthy of praise is Signor Rossi-Galli, whose impersonation of the difficult role of Mephistopheles can be considered as one of his greatest successes. Possessing all the vitality of Jamet, and having a beautiful voice, he created in this part a marked impression. The ‘Golden Calf’ was sung with all the fiendish glee that has usually been thrown into the music, and in the scene where Mephisto is menaced by the crosses, Rossi-Galli’s acting was worthy of a Booth. The applause in the church scene was fairly divided between him and the prima donna, and the serenade was most deservedly applauded.

Sig. Vizzani’s Faust is familiar to our opera-goers. Signor Mari was the Valentine, and Mdlle. Leydecker undertook the rôles both of Siebel and Martha. The orchestra was under the direction of G. Carlberg, and the chorus was very poor.”