“M. Capoul’s benefit matinée, at the Academy, yesterday, drew another audience that filled the house to overflowing. M. Capoul has worked very hard this season, and no one will, on that account, regret that the representation by which he profits should have been largely attended. The programme does not need review, but its principal features may be mentioned here. First M. Capoul and Mme. Lucca sang in the first act of ‘Fra Diavolo,’ and then M. Capoul and Mme. Nilsson sang the grand duet constituting the final half of the fourth act of ‘Gli Ugonotti.’ Next M. Capoul and Mlle. Torriani came forth in the third act of ‘Aida,’ and, to close the recital, Mme. Di Murska and M. Capoul appeared in the last act of ‘Lucia.’ There is no occasion to dwell upon any of these familiar representations further than to say that the prime donne all exerted themselves to their utmost, and were all laden with flowers. The bénéficiare afforded new proof of his ambition, industry, and talent; so earnest and skilled an actor is rare upon the lyric stage, while so useful a tenor is not to be found more than once in a decade.” 

“It no longer makes any difference when a matinée is announced or what is to be sung at it. In any event the house is sure to be crowded. Yesterday afternoon the assemblage at the Academy of Music was nearly as great as at the Fryer benefit on Sunday night.

The occasion was certainly an interesting one. For the benefit of Capoul the tenor, Nilsson, Lucca, Di Murska and Torriani had all volunteered to sing. They appeared in various acts of operas with which their names are successfully associated. All did well; but Capoul fairly surprised his friends by the breadth and vigor of his performance. In the great duet in ‘Aida’ he surpassed anything he has yet done here, his voice showing a power and fullness of which no one hitherto thought it capable.

The audience was warmly enthusiastic, and a perfect horticultural garden was laid at the feet of the popular tenor, who certainly has won, to an unusual extent, the admiration of the ladies of New York.” 

“There was another enormous house at the Academy of Music yesterday afternoon, the occasion being the farewell benefit of the admirable tenor, M. Victor Capoul. The performance was a very remarkable one, introducing four prime donne and the entire force of the Strakosch opera company. It commenced with the first act of ‘Fra Diavolo,’ in which the bénéficiare and Mme. Pauline Lucca, Mlle. Frida De Gebele, Scolara, Boy, Coletti and Barili took part. It was a signal ovation for the ‘Kleine Paulina.’ The Swedish nightingale then bade au revoir to America—not adieu—in the immortal scene with Raoul in the fourth act of ‘The Huguenots.’ She seemed determined to leave a lasting impression behind her and to have her last notes the sweetest, for her impersonation of the passion tossed Valentine at the moment when love, duty and extreme peril contend for mastery, and the shadow of the massacre of St. Bartholomew falls upon the devoted pair, was more impressive and electrical in effect than ever. Capoul sang the trying music of Raoul surprisingly well and without transposition, too. His voice was never before during the present season in such admirable condition, and, hard as the task was that he set forth for himself yesterday, he went through it unflinchingly and in every case with success. To sing the most difficult selections from the rôles of Fra Diavolo, Raoul, Radames and Edgardo at one performance is a serious undertaking for any tenor, and it is a proof of the high ability of M. Capoul to be able to state that he accomplished such a work. Mlle. Ostava Torriani appeared in the third act of ‘Aida,’ and, with the tenor and Del Puente, sang its striking numbers with spirit and expression. The performance closed with the last act of ‘Lucia,’ in which Mlle. Ilma Di Murska sang the mad scene. The phenomenal voice of this great artiste was displayed to the best possible advantage, and the applause which followed her wonderful rendering of the florid music of Donizetti was overwhelming. Floral tributes of the most costly and varied kind were laid at her feet, no less than a dozen large baskets of flowers being among the number. It was, taken all in all, a very remarkable operatic performance and a flattering tribute to such a popular tenor as M. Capoul.”