Di Murska Italian Opera: Magic Flute

“’The Magic Flute’ was sung in the original German version at the Academy of Music last evening. Mme. Di Murska’s two bravura arias excited, as usual, lively demonstrations of delight, and the general performance passed off smoothly enough.”

“The future movements of the Maretzek troupe are as yet undecided. The season just closing has not been as successful as the friends of the veteran manager could have wished. Last night’s performance of ‘Zauberflöte’ would have crowded the Stadt Theatre, but our German citizens seem to have a repugnance towards visiting the Academy of Music. The ‘Dinorah’ revival did not seem to hit the public taste, although it secured plenty of fine words for the prima donna. The troupe was so far below that to which we have been of late accustomed that the public were not reconciled to the change by the difference in prices. The performance of Mozart’s opera on Friday night was, with the exception of Di Murska’s part, so far below the mark as to give any stranger visiting the house but a melancholy idea of opera in the metropolis. One swallow does not make a summer, nor does one accomplished artist make an opera troupe.”

“The Academy of Music had one great sensation last evening the singing of the two great arias of the queen of the night in Mozart’s fantastic opera, by Mlle. Ilma Di Murska. The rendering of those morceaux, known in the German version as ‘Zum leiden bin ich anskohren’ and ‘Der hôlle rache kocht in meinem Herzen,’ brought in strong relief the wonderful powers of her exceptional voice. The effect was like that produced by Wieniawski on the violin or Rubinstein on the piano. Clear, crisp and magnetic were those staccati passages that few vocal artists dare to try, and the training and intelligence of a thorough artist shone through the passionate, fiery measures in which Astrafianmente reproaches her daughter. Mlle. Pauline Canissa as Pamina, won a deserved success, and went through her long, trying rôle with the confidence of a conscientious [sic]. The veil of charity must be drawn over the other persons who took part in the opera.”

Saturday’s matinee cancelled because of difficulties between the chorus and management; abrupt termination of the series.