Strakosch Italian Opera: Faust

“The illness of Sig. Campanini prevented the promised performance of the ‘Huguenots’ last night, and ‘Faust’ was given instead, with Mme. Nilsson, Miss Cary, Capoul, Maurel, and Nannetti in the principal parts. The opera has rarely been sung in New-York with so good a cast as Mr. Strakosch now gives it. After all has been said of the various Margarets that have appeared upon our stage, Nilsson’s is doubtless the accepted standard by which for many years all later impersonations of the favorite heroine will be judged. M. Capoul appears to much greater advantage in ‘Faust’ than in almost any other opera; and Miss Cary is a far better Siebel and M. Maurel a finer Valentine than it is often our good fortune to hear. Sig. Nannetti’s Mephistopheles meets all the requirements of the part, being strongly drawn without undue exaggeration.”

“In consequence of the indisposition of Signor Campanini, who, indeed, has been ailing for some weeks, but was not compelled to succumb until yesterday, ‘Faust’ was sung at the Academy of Music, last evening. Of pictures so familiar to New-York audiences as Mme. Nilsson’s Margarita, Miss Cary’s Siebel, and M. Capoul’s Faust, there is absolutely nothing new to say, while the personation of Mephisto by Signor Nannetti, and that of Valentine by M. Maurel—the last-named artist supplying the finest vocal and dramatic performance ever enjoyed at the hands of a representative of this until now secondary rôle—received the seal of public favor at the very outset of the present season. Last night the church scene was omitted; in other respects the recital was identical with the rehearsals noted in these columns time and again.”

“Owing to the indisposition of Signor Campanini (and in the delightful weather that was vouchsafed us last week it is a matter of surprise that any artist’s voice in the city was left untouched). ‘Faust’ was substituted for ‘Gli Ugonotti’ last night at the Academy of Music. The change being unavoidable, Mr. Strakosch selected one of the best operas in Mme. Nilsson’s repértoire to replace the chef d’œuvre of Meyerbeer. Her impersonation of the Gretchen of Goethe is so well known to all our opera habitués that to make extended comment upon it at this late day would be superfluous. It possessed all its pristine freshness and poetic beauty last evening, save the regrettable absence of the church scene, which may be considered the climax of Miss Nilsson’s representation of this rôle. It was unaccountably omitted last night. Miss Cary and Messrs. Capoul, Maurel and Nannetti repeated their finished and artistic portraitures of the lover, brother and fiend. M. Victor Maurel, the deservedly favorite barytone of this opera company, has a benefit this evening.”