Di Murska Italian Opera: Dinorah; Ilma di Murska Benefit

“Mme. Di Murska having recovered from her indisposition, ‘Dinorah’ was sung at the Academy, last evening. The performance, although more effective than Friday’s, presented no marked traits of difference. Mme. Di Murska’s admirable bravura singing was as striking as ever, but the work of her associates was more conspicuous for its quantity than for its quality.”

“The uncertainty appertaining both to the weather and to Mlle. Di Murska’s health must have had its share in lessening the attendance at the Academy of Music. The occasion was the benefit of Di Murska, but the Academy was not filled as it should have been.

‘Dinorah’ was the opera, and its performance was in every way superior to the previous recent representations of the work. The undoubted illness of the prima donna had in no way impaired the brilliancy of her voice or the fluency of her execution. In her opening aria, and in the delightful trio which closes the first act of the opera, she was thoroughly satisfactory. Her greatest success, however, was in the ‘Shadow song,’ which was interpreted with all the grace and finish which seem to be peculiarly characteristic of this winning and accomplished artist. The applause was most enthusiastic; and the feeling of cordial admiration thus engendered, lasted during the entire opera.

The assisting artists did fairly. Verati, whose part is anything but a grateful one, evinced some acquaintance with his music.”

“Mlle. Ilma di Murska had her first benefit in America at the Academy last night, repeating her marvelous impersonation of Dinorah in ‘Le Pardon de Ploermel.’ Whatever may have been the effect of her recent illness in other respects, it certainly left her voice as brilliant, sparkling and magnetic as ever, and there was more fire, more passion and more wild gaiety in her portraiture of the demented and deserted bride of Ploermel than even at its first performance. The central point, of course, was the famous ‘Shadow Song,’ and she sang its glittering measures with a brio, finish and effect that literally brought down the house and numerous floral tributes. The unerring accuracy and perfect ease of her vocal method, the faultless taste of the florid ornaments with which she occasionally decks a theme, the mirror-like intelligence of her phrasing and the peculiar timbre of her exquisite voice, cannot be too highly praised. The imitation of the echo in the ‘Shadow Song’ the fiorituri passages scintillating like diamonds, and the underlying sentiment reminded one at times of a ‘Pinie des Perles’ beneath the fingers of some inspiried pianist, or, again, the melodious warbling of some feathered songster. Of the rest of the company it is unnecessary to speak, with the exception of Signor Verati, who acted and sang the role of Correntino very commendably.”