Strakosch Italian Opera: Concert; 1st

“The Sunday concert given at the Academy of Music last evening by Mr. Strakosch’s artists was unusually good. We say unusually because sporadic entertainments of this order are often rather uneven, and yesterday’s included no performance but deserved commendation. Almost everything was encored, Miss Cary’s efforts diffusing, apparently, the largest measure of gratification. The occasion was that of the artist’s first appearance in concert this season, and also that of her first hearing at the Grand Opera-house, and hence, her reception was marked by great warmth. As mentioned in a reference to Wednesday’s representation at the Academy of Music, Miss Cary is in splendid voice, and where the voice is so pure, rich, as that of Mr. Strakosch’s contralto, the term has a particularly eloquent meaning. Nor have three months of repose been of benefit to the quality of the tones only, must we add, for it is plain that Miss Cary’s delivery is, at this day, broader and more finished than ever before. The pretty ‘No, no, no, no,’ from ‘Gli Ugonotti,’ and the more cantabile ‘Nobil donna,’ wherewith she responded to a recall which she could not but acknowledge with an act of generosity of this sort, were endowed with rare charm by Miss Cary’s voice, and with their fullest expressiveness by the performer’s style, in which, as we have before observed, much improvement of what was already highly creditable, is now observable. Mlle. Donadio, whose début in the concert with Miss Cary was an incident of interest, produced a very favorable impression. Mr. Strakosch’s new soprano has a light voice and decided powers of execution. Both her performances gave pleasure—although we cannot say that the encore after ‘Una voca’ was extremely judicious—and in the difficult ‘Ombra leggiera,’ from ‘Dinorah,’ the ease, surety, and brilliancy of her rendering made her claim to the subsequent applause quite valid. Signor Benfratelli was listened to in ‘Come gentil,’ which he sang very nicely, and Signora Potentini contributed to the programme the soprano’s grand air from ‘La Juive’ and ‘Vanne,’ from ‘Roberto,’ both of which compositions lost none of their intended dramatic force. Signor Fiorini’s reading of ‘Madamina’ was the remaining vocal solo of the evening, while a piano solo by Signor Morosini, who has plenty technique, and a trombone solo by Herr Letsch constituted the instrumental soli. Three capital renderings of concerted numbers—the twin masterpieces of Verdi, the quartet from ‘Rigoletto,’ and the quintet from ‘Un Ballo,’ closing respectively the two parts of the concert, and the ‘Gratias’ from Rossini’s ‘Messe solenelle’ opening, after the overture, the second division—with three fine orchestral performances, under the bâton of Mr. S. Behrens, were the other elements of the entertainment.”

“The first of a series of Sunday concerts at this splendid theatre took place last evening, some of the principal members of the Strakosch Italian Opera taking part in the attractive numbers of the programme. The orchestra, under the experienced leadership of Mr. S. Behrens, played the overture to ‘Stradella,’ the allegretto from the eighth symphony of Beethoven and the march frpm ‘Tannhaeuser.’ The principal feature of novelty was the American début of  Mlle. Donadio, one of the prime donne of the troupe. She sang two well known test pieces for light bravura singers, the shadow song from ‘Dinorah’ and ‘Una voce poco fa’ from ‘Il Barbiere.’ Her voice is a high, clear, pleasant soprano, the timbre being of a rather brilliant order, and the higher notes particularly crystal-like and penetrating. The timidity and nervousness attending a first appearance interfered somewhat with her execution of the trying fluid passages of Rossini, but in the selection from Meyerbeer’s beautiful opera Mlle. Donadio sang with a degree of brio and effect that brought down the house. This success was all the more notable with the memory of Di Murska fresh in the minds of the habitués of the Grand Opera House concerts. An appearance in opera in a congenial role will, doubtless, make Mlle. Donadio a favorite at the Academy. Signora Potentini sang two arias from ‘La Juive’ and ‘Robert le Diable,’ and, although the remarkable dramatic excellence of her voice was apparent, and recalled recollections of Zucchi, whom she closely resembles as a singer, yet her proper sphere is the opera, and in concert she cannot be regarded as a success. Benfratelli sang the serenade from ‘Don Pasquale’ very charmingly, and in the concerted pieces he acquitted himself admirably. The most unbounded praise is due the artistic rendering of the two airs of the page in ‘Gli Ugonotti’ by the queen of contraltos, Miss Cary. Signor Fiorini, the basso, sang Leporello’s first air in ‘Don Giovanni,’ and Signor Morosini played a fantasia in ‘Ernani,’ by Liszt, on the piano. The quintet from ‘Un ballo en Maschera,’ and the immortal quartet from ‘Rigoletto,’ found special features of attraction on the bill. The latter was rendered by Mlle. Donadio, Miss Cary, Signor Benfratelli, and Mr. Hall.”