Strakosch Italian Opera: Don Giovanni

“’Don Giovanni’ was sung at the Academy last evening. The performance was respectable, and some of its incidents afforded considerable pleasure. Most of these were supplied by Mme. Lucca’s personation of Zerlina, which, considered vocally or dramatically, was a very fascinating effort. A prettier peasant cannot be imagined, nor can one with more winning ways be found, either here or abroad. As to the simple and tuneful music allotted to the rustic object of Don Giovanni’s worship, Mme. Lucca sings it with infinite charm of voice and expression, and her three numbers, last night, were each and all redemanded. ‘La ci darem,’ ‘Batti, batti,’ and ‘Vedrai, carino’ were, of course, the chief features of the recital. Next in order is to be mentioned Signor Vizzani’s singing of the melodious air in the second act; and, next to this, a capital reading of ‘Madamina,’ for which Signor Nannetti was loudly applauded. Signor Del Puente’s Don Giovanni proved to be a correct and remarkably spirited personation; of Signor Vizzani we need only say at present that his tones are of as good quality as ever; and we have always like Signor Vizzani’s voice—while Signor Nannetti showed himself an amusing Leporello. Mlle. Canissa, as Donna Elvira, and Mlle. Maresi, as Donna Anna, were rather overweighted.”

“A fair performance of ‘Don Giovanni’ took place at the Academy of Music last night, the Zerlina of Madame Lucca being the principal attraction. Del Puente and Nannetti sang very well. Yet, considered altogether, we have had here finer representations of Mozart’s great opera than that of last night.”

“Mozart’s chef d’oeuvre was very creditably performed last night at thte Academy of Music. The great feature of the opera, however, was the inimitable Zerlina of Mme. Lucca, one of the very best of her operatic impersonations. Del Puente was a tolerable representative of the gay libertine, and Signor Vizzani did farily as Don Ottavio. The Leporello of Nannetti showed that that very estimable artist was entirely out of his line, and Signor Scolara was an admirable Masetto. ‘Don Giovanni’ is not an opera that is likely to gain applause at the present day.”