Strakosch Italian Opera: Rigoletto

“Miss Albani seems to rise higher and higher in the public estimation with each new performance. The audience last night was the largest of the season, and it paid to her Gilda the same eloquent tribute of rapt attention which was bestowed last week upon her Amina and Lucia. There are no strong characteristics in her interpretation of the heroine of ‘Rigoletto,’ any more than in her conception of the other parts. She never impresses us with a distinct dramatic creation. She does not personate; she merely sings. Her action, however, is refined and appropriate, and it rarely shocks the sense by any marked deficiency. In fact, her audience seldom think of it all. The beautiful voice and the exquisite art engross their whole attention. There is very little to be said of her share in the representation of last night unless we repeat what has been said already apropos of ‘La Sonnambula’ and ‘Lucia.’ Perhaps she was not so lavish in the use of delicate embellishments of vocalism as she was on the night of her début, yet we do not know but that in Gilda, upon the whole, she is more charming than in other of the other characters in which we have seen her. There could hardly be anything more delicate, more deliciously poetical than the duet with the tenor near the end of the 1^st Act (or the 2d Act, as the opera was divided last night), ‘E il sol dell’ anima,’ in which Sig. Carpi highly distinguished himself; while the famous show piece for the soprano, the ‘Caro nome,’ which immediately follows the duet, was a gem of pure and perfect art. Sig. Tagliapietra, who was announced for the part of Rigoletto, did not appear, and his place was supplied by Sig. Del Puente, who put so many superfluous twists into the Jester’s crooked body that it made one’s head ache to look at him. The ball scene, at the opening of the opera, was given with more attention to detail than usual.”

“The announcement of Mlle. Albani’s third appearance in this country last evening, crowded the Academy of Music to overflowing. The audience was quite as representative as that which attended the lady’s début, and it was, if anything, more numerous and demonstrative. The opera was ‘Rigoletto.’ Verdi’s most dramatic work was unexceptionably rendered. We consider its recital to have been the most impressive rendered this season, and it was inferior to none of its predecessors in respect to the symmetry which has marked every performance of Mr. Strakosch’s present company. Albeit the ensemble was perfect, special interest was naturally awakened by Mlle. Albani’s portrayal of Gilda. It was as remarkable, in a lyric sense, as her personations of Amina and Lucia; and, histrionically, the character appeared better fitted than either of these rôles to the great simplicity and delicacy of the artist’s methods. In the last act, Mlle. Albani would, perhaps, have done well to have cast off a little of the reserve necessary in the first three, but at no other stage of the representation could a picture more refined and touching have been wished. Her singing, as hinted above, was faultlessly correct, elegant, and full of charm. It is only to be regretted that Gilda’s share in the opera should be rather limited. As it is, her effective work is confined to an aria in the second act; to a few phrases in the grand duet in act the third, and to a part in the admirable quartet in the fourth. But to so accomplished a songstress as Mlle. Albani the critical listener can safely apply the proverb ex pede Herculem, and from her first dozen bars the classical beauty and grace of her style were clear to those spectators who had missed the new soprano’s earlier appearances. The young prima donna interpreted ‘Caro nome’ with all the maiden purity indicated by the felicitous combination of text and theme, and while she delivered the air proper without the slightest attempt to overload it with ornament, she added to it a cadenza brilliant enough to show the rare truthfulness, definition, and fluency of her scale-passages and the excellence of her trill, which she swells and diminishes with more ease and surety, than do nine performers of every ten a single tone. The pretty duet in the third act, commencing ‘Tutte le feste’ was interpreted with like expressiveness and richness of tone, and, in the last act Mlle. Albani’s powerful voice gave to the pathos of Gilda’s notes, contrasted with the mocking gallantry of Il Duca’s protestations, the menaces of Rigoletto, and the bantering words of Maddalena, nearly its fullest significance. There was great enthusiasm on the part of the audience throughout the entertainment, and at this point a repetition of the favorite number of the opera was insisted upon. Mlle. Albani had previously been compelled to come before the footlights after ‘Caro nome,’ and had been summoned before the curtain twice or thrice. Signor Carpi’s ‘La donna à mobile’ was also redemanded. A finer voice and a more irreproachable delivery than the tenor’s are very rarely met with, here or abroad, and if his performances were but a trifle warmer, we should ask nothing better. We should have liked some passion, for example, in the duet with Gilda, commencing ‘E il sol dell’anima’ and both ‘Questa o quella’ in the first act, and ‘La donna’ would have been the more telling had they been sung with a shade of brio; we cannot, however, expect everything, and it is no ordinary pleasure to harken to singing so facile and sure, to phrasing so broad, and to tones so sound and strong as Signor Carpi’s. Signor Del Puente’s Rigoletto was witnessed last year, and since then that painstaking baritone has considerably increased the elaborateness and force of the effort. Yesterday he coped successfully with the exactions of the scene with the courtiers in the third act, and he was not wanting in dramatic vigor in the climax of this part of ‘Rigoletto,’ nor in the preceding act, when he becomes aware that he has himself connived at the abduction of his daughter. The efficient co-operation of Miss Cary and Signor Scolara—who was Sparafucile—and the creditable rendering by the chorus of ‘Zitti, zitti,’ are to be noticed as having filled out the recital to the symmetrical whole which, even if symmetrical recitals without a bright particular star do not attract, deserves praise from every believer in the dignity of art. Mlle. Albani, in whom Mr. Strakosch has found a prima donna who seems likely to far exceed Mme. Nilsson in genuine popularity, sings for the fourth time tomorrow in ‘La Sonnambula.’”

Thirty-line review in New York State Historical Newspapers database too faint to transcribe.

“Signor Verdi appears to be the most highly favored composer at the Academy of Music. His ‘Rigoletto’ was produced last night, with Mlle. Emma Albani as Gilda, Miss A. L. Cary as Madelena, Signor Carpi as Il Duca di Mantua, and Signor Del Puente as Rigoletto. Signor Tagliapietra did not appear nor was any explanation or apology tendered to those who may have attended the performance specially to witness his Rigoletto, which may be well supposed to be an original impersonation, considering that so great an artist should select it in preference to all other parts for his introduction. Mlle. Albani, as a matter of course, attracted many of her special admirers, and therefore the house was so well filled that the passages were occupied and the walls were not fully exposed to view.

Mlle. Albani sang most effectively throughout the entire opera. In the celebrated scene and aria, ‘Caro nome,’ her voice and singing were specially good. And in the duet ‘Ah de’ miei Vergini’ particularly, the execution was most faultless. When it is remembered how often the composer’s work is altered, particularly in passages of rather more than ordinary difficulty, it is gratifying to hear such a cadenza as Verdi has here written sung note for note as it stands in the score. The effect, however, would have been better if Signor Carpi had been equally faithful to the creative artist, for by proceeding in octaves with the soprano, instead of waiting and descending alone from E natural, his part appeared like a double, or attendant shadow of the other.

Mlle. Albani’s success as a vocalist is assured, having accomplished all that was expected of her with consummate skill and finished art. This opinion is formed by no predisposition to praise unconditionally, or out of courtesy to one who has labored so hard as to be entitled to favorable consideration. Nor is this high estimation held out of respect to the decisions of audiences abroad or at home, but is a finding of the result of reflection as free from personal fancy, taste, prejudice or bias of any kind as one can well conceive, in the formation of a judgment on musical matters; in which, and especially in singing, such direct appeals are made to the inner self that every one is more or less compelled to speak of the manner in which he is influenced. It should, therefore, not cause surprise if opinions differ, for they must vary with the culture, susceptibility and idiosyncracies of individuals.

The histrionic powers of Mlle. Albani, though very considerable, cannot be so highly extolled—at least so far as they have been exhibited at present—without some mental reservation.

Signor Carpi sang the popular ballata ‘Questa o quella’ exceedingly well, but with hardly sufficient sportiveness and pleasantry. His habitual manner is so uniformly dignified and earnest that those little, impromptu-like effusions, with their tripping rhythms, appear wanting in levity and gayety. They seem to require an easy, airy, jaunty style of delivery, which, if not already caught, is not easily acquired. The same remarks apply also to the ‘La donna è mobile,’ which gains greatly by being delivered cavalierly—as though half in jest and sport. He sang the love-song ‘E il sol dell’anima’ with great success, and the high B flat at the final climax was not only sustained well, but its prolongation did not injure the good effect of the music, because of it occurring at a point where a pause would be admissible from a purely musical point of view, which was an extremely fortunate coincidence. Signor Carpi’s voice and bearing are extremely well-suited for stately and dignified princely parts.

Signor Del Puente sang and acted so well that one would scarcely believe he had been quite recently indisposed. His performance was greatly admired. In the second and third acts (according to the divisions adopted at the Academy) his splendid voice, artistic style and highly intelligent acting were worthy of great commendation. He was loudly applauded by an appreciating audience.

Italian-opera must be regarded simply as such. It should be taken as it stands, with all its merits and demerits. To attempt to remodel it from the German point of view would be to destroy it utterly. For it is the natural expression of the Italian, and no theorizing or artistic instruction will so change his nature as to make him a German in thought and feeling. It must, therefore, be criticized on its own ground—for what it is; not for what it is not and can never be. But if, whenever any attempt at development or even spreading out at length of a chorus or other concerted piece is made by the composer, the performers think proper to curtail the same, or omit it altogether, the epithet ‘grand’ should not be prefixed to the opera. It is true that very often little that is really new in idea or highly interesting in device is presented in these extended forms, yet they help to enforce what has been already set forth, and, as perorations, have their uses. Simply as affording employment for a considerable time of the combined forces of soloists, chorus and orchestra, these concerted movements afford great relief from the monotonous effect of continued solo singing, though the voices may be well contrasted. Massiveness and weight of tone alone are stimulating and inspiring. The nervous system is excited, and listlessness and passivity of an audience may be thus removed, especially when an unexpected modulation or rich harmonic combination is employed. It was satisfactory to find the choruses &c., in ‘Rigoletto’ preserved intact, for the more elaborate parts of other operas presented this season have been curtailed. Even though the chorus is not strong in numbers, and the orchestra rests on three double basses for its foundation, the works presented would appear larger and grander if their broad proportions at these points were not contracted.”

“The young American prima donna, who has already established herself a favorite with the metropolitan public, and whose singing and acting have proved unmistakable attractions, more than even Nilsson—great as she was—gained in this city in three seasons, appeared last night as Gilda, in Verdi’s ‘Rigoletto,’ one of the sweetest as far as melody is concerned, of the great Italian master’s works. Forty years have passed since Victor Hugo first placed on the Parisian stage his powerful play of ‘Le Roi s’Amuse,’ and it has since become well known on the English dramatic and Italian opera stage, through the medium of Tom Taylor in the ‘Fool’s Revenge’ and Verdi in ‘Rigoletto.’ The music is utterly unlike Verdi in his other compositions, as in it he has endeavored to unite his wonderful fecundity of melody with a dramatic design, by which each character is individualized and each scene in the play is limned in the strongest and most distinct colors. It is, as it were, the bridge between the two styles of the composer—the one in which he pours out melody after melody from his fertile imagination, without reference to dramatic exigencies, as in ‘Ernani,’ ‘Traviata’ and ‘Il Trovatore,’ and the other, in which, having lost the freshness of his early powers, he plans each opera on aesthetic principles alone. In ‘Rigoletto’ the intensity of paternal love, the egotism and heartlessness of the libertine, the purity, naiveté, and afterward shame, despair and self-sacrificing affection of an outraged maiden and the coquetry and espiègleries of a worldly woman are photographed with rare fidelity. Those various and opposite traits of character are particularly well shown in the unapproachable quartet which forms the principal part of the last scene in the chef d’oeuvre of Verdi. Nothing could be more satisfactory in every sense of the word than the rendering of the part of Gilda by Mlle. Albani. The beautiful voice, so perfect in every department of art, so pure in tone, so electrical in effect and so sympathetic in expression, united to a very handsome face and figure, made the rôle of Gilda something to be remembered. Never in the Academy of Music have we listened to such a superb rendering of the celebrated aria, ‘Caro nome,’ as that of last evening. The characteristics of Albani’s impersonation of this very difficult rôle were good singing (in which not a flaw could be found), graceful acting and that indescribable presence which everyone feels, and which can only be placed under the head of absolute genius. In the duet with the baritone in the second act Mlle. Albani carried off all the honors, and the same may be said in the succeeding duet with the tenor. In acting and singing Mlle. Albani may well challenge comparison with any representative of the rôle of Gilda. She has proved to be the mainstay of the season, and every time she is announced to appear there is sure to be a crowded house. Carpi did splendidly last night, and the same may be said of Del Puente. Miss Cary did her part in the quartet admirably, and her ringing laugh lent much to the success of the opera.”