Kellogg English Opera: Martha

“The audience last night at the Academy of Music was a great deal larger than that of the night before. Nearly all the boxes were occupied, and the lower part of the house was densely crowded. This ought to satisfy Miss Kellogg that her true policy is not to attempt the standard serious operas of the Italian stage, for which her company is not adapted, but to confine herself to lighter and less exacting works. She herself may do well in both styles; but the capabilities of most of her assistants are bounded by much narrower limits. In the character of Lady Henrietta she has always been greatly admired. She makes the part picturesque and not unduly sentimental, presenting a most comely figure to the eye, and satisfying the ear with the purest vocalism. She gives ‘The Last Rose of Summer’ very sweetly and simply, and throws into this and some of the other favorite numbers of the opera a tender expression which we sometimes miss in her singing. In the person of Mrs. Zelda Seguin she has one of the best representatives of the role of Nancy ever seen on our stage. Mrs. Seguin’s acting is piquant and vivacious, and her beautiful voice and good, unaffected style are always grateful. She sang the aria at the beginning of the Third Act with admirable expression, and displayed in it a strength, richness, and purity of tone which we cannot praise too highly. The Lionel was one of the new English tenors, Mr. Joseph Maas, who has a pleasant voice, of no great compass, whose best notes lie in the middle register. His style is good, save that he sings too much from the throat, the consequence of which is that his upper notes are not invariably true. He made rather a pleasant impression without arousing any enthusiasm. Mr. Hall, who is evidently struggling against a severe cold, was a zealous if not a tuneful Plunkett. We cannot praise either the chorus or the orchestra, nor can it be said that the representation as a whole was very brilliant, such success as it won being the fruit of the exertions of Miss Kellogg and Mrs. Seguin exclusively.”

“The recital of ‘Martha’ at the Academy of Music, last evening, attracted a large audience. ‘Martha’ has been sung so often that its latest recital really suggests nothing in the way of comment, while Miss Kellogg’s personation of the heroine, and Mrs. Seguin’s portrayal of Nancy are almost as familiar themes. Miss Kellogg sings the music allotted to Lady Henrietta with unimpeachable correctness and taste, and if her bearing in the boudoir scene, before she assumes the rustic garb and manners of Martha, were but tinged by a little more of the elegance befitting the high-born character she represents, her acting would not leave much to be desired. The single incident of importance, yesterday, was, however, the début, as Lionel, of a new tenor, Mr. Joseph Maas. Mr. Maas, who is a young man, has a voice of pleasant quality, though veiled and by no means powerful; he attains quite easily to the B flats scattered through the score, and manages his tones with considerable discretion. The impression wrought by his efforts was decidedly favorable; he shared the honors of the love-passages in the third act with Miss Kellogg, and, in the fourth act, had to repeat a portion of his air. Mr. G. F. Hall appeared as Plunkett. The choral works was not so faithfully done as in ‘Lucy of Lammermoor,’ but there was no serious mishap. It must be mentioned that Plunkett’s solos and the final bars of the third act were omitted.”

“The second performance of Miss Kellogg’s English opera company took place last evening at the Academy. It was much more numerously attended than the first, the house, indeed, being an unusually crowded one, and the enthusiasm in proportion to the number of the audience.

‘Martha’ is always a popular opera, whether performed in French, German, or Italian, and it lends itself readily to an English version. The performance was an exceedingly credible one. We do not judge it from the Italian standard, for we have recently had presented here in that language one of the most finished and charming renderings of the opera that could be conceived. But looked at solely upon its own merits and not by comparison, every one would concede the representation to be one full of encouragement for the future of English opera.

Miss Kellogg’s personation of Lady Henrietta is too well known to need added comment. It is a coquettishly graceful and sprightly performance, and never fails to leave the audience in a satisfied humor. The same cannot always be said of Miss Kellogg’s interpretation of more serious rôles. Neither temperament nor training has [illegible] her for a tragic actress. The lighter realm of comedy is that in which she always appears to the best advantage.

The remaining rôles were filled by Mr. and Mrs. Seguin, Mr. Joseph Maas, and Mr. G. F. Hall. It was a pleasure to see Mrs. Seguin again. She lends spirit to every opera in which she is cast, both by the certainty of her singing and the vitality of her acting. There is nothing vague or indeterminate about her [illegible]. Her broad style and clear voice always [illegible] to grand advantage in concerted pieces, and wherever there is an opportunity to enliven the scene by a little by-play it is always judiciously and effective put in. Mr. G. F. Hall appeared to unusually good advantage in the rôle of Plunkett. The Lionel was Mr. Joseph Maas, a tenor who on this occasion made his first appearance in this city. His voice is of a very delicate quality, having much sweetness and but little resonance or force. He is, however, a correct singer, very much of an artist, and gave on the whole a quite satisfactory rendering of the rôle.”

“Flotow’s ‘Martha’ is a weak and superficial opera. The instrumentation is of the feeblest, and the concerted pieces seldom show any familiarity with the more elaborate phases of musical science. The musician, however, who sneers at this lyric work, is very apt to be promptly rebuked by the general public. ‘Martha’ for over a dozen years has been one of the most popular operas on the stage. Its melodies are fluent, agreeable and plentiful. To each of the leading characters great prominence is given, and neither soprano, alto, tenor nor bass can complain of being slighted by the composer. Moreover, one of the most charming of Irish airs forms the basis of the opera, and is introduced with an iteration that is most fascinating. So that, whether sung in Italian, French, German or English, ‘Martha’ it is sure to please and to attract audiences deaf to the allurements of greater and better works.

Such was the case last night. The Academy of Music reminded one of a Nilsson night, or one of those brilliant evenings when Wachtel, Santley, Phillips, and poor Parepa gave their brief and meteoric season of Italian opera. The house was crowded in every part. Aisles and corridors were infringed upon, and the boxes presented that display of dress and fashion which is so thoroughly in keeping with the idea of opera. Everything combined to make the evening a successful one. Miss Kellogg was in excellent voice, and sang the cheerful and graceful music allotted to Martha with all her wonted taste and brilliancy, winning the usual applause and encores for ‘The Last Rose of Summer.’ Mrs. Seguin shared freely in the liberal marks of approval bestowed by the audience. Her Nancy is a charming performance, and as Mrs. Seguin shows increased familiarity with the stage and more thorough command of her vocal resources, she is fast becoming a representative American contralto.

Much interest was felt in the début of the new tenor, Mr. Maas. The gentleman made a highly favorable impression. He has a melodious, tender voice, which suggests that of Castle, and a style of singing and personal appearance reminding one of a miniature Campanini. He is a smooth, graceful vocalist. We might look for more power and dramatic fire, but the part of Lionel does not demand much of either. Mr. Maas was cordially received last night, and in his opening aria, as well as in that generally known as the ‘M’appari,’ was encored. Mr. Hall’s Plunkett gave satisfaction, and the chorus and orchestra did their parts well. The opera was altogether a marked success, and should be repeated during the season.”

“To sing in one’s native tongue may be considered as a surer and shorter road to general popularity than the most ambitious efforts of an artist on the lyric stage in a foreign language. There is a greater degree of sympathy and mutual understanding attained between the singer and the audience and more real enjoyment and appreciation on the part of the latter. This was exemplified during the last two nights at the Academy of Music, where Miss Kellogg appeared for the first time in this city in English opera after long and distinguished services on the Italian stage. Her reception has been hearty and enthusiastic, and warmed into confidence and spirit by the friendly demonstrations of her hearers, the prima donna has gained a success of an emphatic description, surpassing anything that can be adduced in her Italian opera experience. In this new field of lyric art Miss Kellogg may be considered as having struck a popular vein which will not be easily exhausted. The field is an extensive one, and the only danger to be guarded against is in abandoning the legitimate répertoire of English opera for flimsy translations of Italian works. It is easier to please an operatic ear by presenting a work in the language in which it was originally written than by attempting an adaptation foreign to its very spirit. There is every reason to expect that English opera, with such a popular prima donna and with a well selected company, can be made a permanent success, as it appeals to a larger public than any other branch of the lyric art. The highest form of lyric art is, of course, Italian opera, but it requires an amount of refinement and musical education which practically limits its sphere in this country to New York city. English opera is less costly, more easily understood, and therefore adapted to the musical wants of the provinces as well as the metropolis.”

“Flotow’s work is probably the most charming opera in any répertoire. It overflows with taking melodies, and even its concerted pieces have found their way into the parlor and concert hall. It is melody of the most catching kind, from the rise to the fall of the curtain, and with the general public it has long ago become a fixed favorite. Musicians look askance at its glittering themes on account of the superficial character of the instrumentation. But with a good quartet of soloists in the principal parts and a fair chorus, orchestra and mise en scène the opera of ‘Martha’ always commands attention. The distribution of parts last night was as follows [lists cast].

The opera has been given in so many languages and with so many casts in this city, and is so well known to the general public, that it is extremely difficult for a new company to present it with even tolerable hopes of creating a marked impression. When we are enabled to say that last night’s performance was thoroughly enjoyable and ran smoothly, without a single inartistic feature to mar it, that may be considered as praise of no common kind. The music of the title rôle suits Miss Kellogg’s voice and style exactly. Many prime donne whose forte lies in tragic rôles, and who occupy the highest positions on the lyric boards, are at fault in this pleasant little opera, for the simple reason that its tripping measures are out of their line. Miss Kellogg last evening entered heartily into the serio-comic spirit of the work and gave a splendid rendering of the music of ‘Martha.’ Especially in the Irish melody which Flotow has so felicitously introduced in this opera, ‘The Last Rose of Summer,’ Miss Kellogg won well deserved applause, and the redemand was unanimous. She was called out at the conclusion of each act.

Mr. Maas, the new tenor, resembles Castle very much in voice and appearance, without the throaty affectation that marred that artist’s efforts. The first duet, ‘I was a helpless infant’ (solo profugo), placed him in a favorable light before the audience, and in the well known solo, ‘She appeared to me’ (‘M’appari’), he gained a positive triumph. His voice is light in calibre, even in timbre, and has not in all its compass a disagreeable note. It is not the voice of a great tenor, but one that can never fail to please in rôles like that of Lionel. His acting, without being unduly demonstrative, is graceful and easy, and his appearance is very much in his favor.

Mr. Hall played the part of Plunkett well and lost not a point in the rôle, which was written specially for Carl Formes. His voice betrayed symptoms of recent indisposition, and his rendering of the music was crude and unfinished in some important points. The gentleman is possessed of a very enjoyable barytone voice, but he should endeavor to temper its exuberance of tone when he is singing in concerted numbers with others.

A charming companion picture to Miss Kellogg’s Martha was the Nancy of Mrs. Zelda Seguin. Vivacity, coquetry and élan are required to make this rôle interesting and successful, and those qualities Mrs. Sequin possesses in an eminent degree. Her voice is one of the best of the contralto kind that America has produced, and seven years’ experience on the English opera stage, united to a ready appreciation of all the requirements of a rôle, has made this artiste a general favorite with the public. The chorus and orchestra gave no reason to cavil at this important department of an opera. The members were small, compared with what we have lately been accustomed to at the Academy of Music, but the material was excellent. It is something to say that every note given by the soloists, chorus and orchestra from beginning to end was in strict accord, and that the performance, if not great, was entirely agreeable.”