Strakosch Italian Opera: Don Giovanni

“Don Giovanni with Ellen, Rosalie [Ruggles], & Dick [Derby]. Albani was Zerlina, & all the parts were fairly rendered.”

“If anything were likely to expose the weakness of our Italian opera this year, it was yesterday’s performance of Mozart’s ‘Don Juan.’ The house was pretty well filled and there was no lack of applause; at least in the case of Fräulein Albani, who sang Zerlina, it was deserved. The whole performance proved, unfortunately and strikingly, that Herr Strakosch’s company lacks a dramatic female singer. That Fräulein Alice Maresi had to sing Donna Anna was bad enough; even worse was that Fräulein Donadio took the role of Elvira. If one adds to this a very poor Leporello (Signor Fiorini) and Del Puente as Don Juan (a role that does not suit him), one has a cast that should not exist. Fortunately the management will not repeat this performance.”

“’Don Giovanni’ was sung at the Academy of Music last evening. Mozart’s immortal work can always be depended upon to attract at least one large audience each season, and yesterday, the interest of the performance being heightened by Mlle. Albani’s assumption of the character of Zerlina, the assemblage was exceptionally strong. We doubt if, during the past ten years, such a thing as a perfect representation—of ‘Don Giovanni’ has been enjoyed in London, St. Petersburg, or Vienna, not to say in New-York. An opera in which six of the eight personages are of the greatest importance, has requirements which it is not easy to meet, and if three or four of the rôles are in competent hands, while the others are sustained with correctness and spirit, neither London, St. Petersburg, Vienna, nor New-York can with reason be dissatisfied. Last night’s entertainment was of the wonted kind, that is to say equable and, at times, decidedly effective. When Zerlina, Don Giovanni, and Don Otttavio have as earnest and proficient interpreters; when Donna Anna has a fine voice; and Leporello and Masetto are comical and generally in tune, the whole recital can be honestly praised. In truth, Mlle. Albani’s portray of Zerlina merits a warmer encomium than the collective references made above indicates. It was a delightfully simple and graceful picture, and, vocally, it had the rare charm with which the artist’s crystalline tones and pure method are potent to invest the smallest phrase allotted to her for delivery. In point of acting, Mlle. Albani was quite as happy. Perhaps a little more coquettishness would have added piquancy to her scenes with Masetto, but for brightness of color and ease of manner her work could not be improved upon. Zerlina’s share in the score is limited to three numbers—‘La ci darem,’ ‘Batti, batti,’ and ‘Vedrai, carino,’—and of one and all it is only incumbent upon us to say that the clear and fluent melodies of Mozart are never likely to have a more eloquent or fascinating interpretation than Mlle. Albani’s voice and style accorded them yesterday. We should have liked, we may observe, a quicker tempo for the allegro to ‘Batti, batti’ than the lady takes. It is, however, an ungrateful task to seek shadows upon so sunny an effort. Mlle. Maresi, who represented Donna Anna last season, resumed the rôle last night, and acquitted herself acceptably of the duties its award imposed on her. Signor Del Puente, who personated Don Giovanni, has also been mentioned before in connection with the same character, to the embodiment of which he brings, as of old, an agreeable voice, which he directs with skill and taste, a handsome physique and abundant dash. Signor Debassini’s Don Ottavio was a new essay, and though it was not remarkable for finish, it was not unworthy its surroundings. Signor Debassini executes florid passages with considerable facility, and ‘Il mio tesoro’ cost him slight exertion and afforded general pleasure. The remaining parts were assigned to Mlle. Donadio, who was rather overweighted by the music of Donna Elvira, to Signor Fiorini, who did justice to Leporello, and to Signor Scolara, who has often been cast for Masetto. Mr. G. F. Hall was equal to the demands of the Commendatore, and the chorus and orchestra were well in hand.”

“’Don Giovanni’ at the Academy last evening offered to two of the operatic company an occasion to appear in a new, and in one case, almost unexpected light. In the Zerlina of Mlle. Albani there is, to be sure, nothing absolutely novel to be noted, but the grace and spirit of her acting, and the vibratory purity of her voice, gave to the rôle all of its accustomed charm, and went to confirm what her previous performances have suggested –that she is at her very best in light and almost comic music. How admirably she would sing in such music as ‘Cenerentola,’ ‘Crispino,’ and the like, and what a pity she should not have the occasion to do it! Fiorini, who has not entirely won the popular suffrage in his more serious rôles, was admirable as Leporello, and confirmed the opinion suggested by his appearance last Thanksgiving as Bartolo. He is an excellent buffo singer, and is wasted in any other character.

Scolara, as usual, was excellent as Massetto, and De Bassini and Maresi acceptable in their respective parts of Ottavio and Donna Anna. Mme. Donadio was distinctly inefficient in Elvira, an exacting character, which we have almost ceased to hope ever again to see adequately filled.”

“At the Academy of Music last night Mozart’s celebrated opera ‘Don Giovanni’ was performed for the first time with Mlle. Emma Albani as Zerlina. There was a remarkably good attendance, although the cast was not so strong as it might have been made. The management evidently relied on the attractive powers of the prima donna.

Mlle. Albani sang the favorite aria ‘Batti, batti,’ extremely well. The careful manner in which she forms every note, that it may be of the most beautiful quality, leads to the most satisfactory results. This moulding of each separate tone can be carried out to the fullest extent in these slow, graceful Mozartean melodies. Her singing of ‘Caro nome,’ in Verdi’s ‘Rigoletto,’ was also remarkable for the timbre of each individual note, and will therefore be long remembered as one of the most finished performances of this accomplished singer.

‘Vedrai carino’ was also similarly treated, and did not fail to receive the full attention and applause of the entire assembly. It was unanimously encored. These familiar strains have been so frequently sung by artists having the highest reputations, that many opera-goers can scarcely avoid making comparisons. If these desire to be candid and not deceive themselves—if they wish to give Mlle. Albani the full benefit of an enlightened judgment, it is evident that very many considerations must be made; so many indeed that they cannot be specified here; but it is necessary to notice particularly the character of her vocal tones independently of the linguistic. The study of ‘quality’ was made of the highest importance by the old Italian singing masters, though it has been comparatively disregarded since ‘schools of velocity’ have arisen. It is possible that, with the decline of Rossini’s influence, the wonderful power of the human voice to express varied emotions by simply changing the quality of its tones will once more receive full attention. Mlle. Albani’s impersonation of the half-artful, half-artless peasant girl Zerlina was most successful.

Mlle. Alice Maresi appeared as Donna Anna, singing and acting satisfactorily.

The character of Donna Elvira was represented by Mlle. Donadio, whose tremulous tones, especially in the concerted music, were very unpleasant. But it should be specially noted that in the trio ‘Ah, taci,’ her voice and singing were really agreeable.

Signor Debassini’s greatest effort was the lovely slow aria ‘Il mio tesoro.’ But although it was transposed one semi-tone lower, he proved quite unequal to sustain even the moderately high notes in tune. His Don Ottavio cannot be regarded as a remarkably good performance.

Signor Del Puente, as Don Giovanni, sang and acted particularly well throughout the entire opera.

Signor Fiorini appeared as Leporello, and by his ingenious and clever acting contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the opera. The part of Masetto was undertaken by Signor Scolara, who also deserves favorable mention. Mr. G. F. Hall was the Commendatore, but his voice is not sufficiently strong to deliver the broad, massive phrases which Mozart has written for this part as well as one could wish.

The choruses and other concerted pieces were well given. The accompaniments also deserve commendation. Instead, however, of the music in the famous ball-scene being performed by three orchestras on the stage, it was given by the ordinary orchestra, and thus failed in gaining its true effect.

Here Mozart has combined with the minuet (in 3-4 time) two other dances (in 3-8 and 2-4 time) with great artistic skill. These three dances while being performed simultaneously, receive each their appropriate music from the three bands of instrumentalists stationed near them. The rhythmic arrangements are so well devised that no confusion results, and the music of the three dances being heard from the different points of the stage gains greatly in clearness.”

“Mr. Strakosch brings to a close this evening the most unsatisfactory season of opera he has ever given in America. Outside of New-York, he has met with little favor. Here he has certainly not been very successful, though he has obtained large audiences for ‘Lohengrin’ and for a few performances of some other works. None of his artists except Miss Albani has become popular, and the two additions to the repertory, ‘Ruy Blas’ and the Requiem Mass have both failed. There has been no serious attempt to keep the promise of a fair mise-en-scène held out to us at the beginning of the season. The stage management has remained as inefficient as ever. The slight amendment perceptible at first in the chorus vanished almost before we had time to notice it, and of late those shabby auxiliaries have been diligently engaged in forgetting all they ever learned. With the help of the prestige which he acquired last year Mr. Strakosch had a fine chance to raise the standard of operatic representations, and win for them the support of a large class of music lovers who nowadays are seldom seen at the Academy of Music; but he has disappointed us, and allowed the opera to fall back to its old condition of mediocrity. ‘Lohengrin’ on Monday was slovenly. ‘Don Giovanni’ on Wednesday was presented with more care, but still was not good. How captivating must be the music of this perennially fresh creation which is never well sung in New-York, and yet is always sung to a full house.Year after year when the weary public turns away in displeasure from the Academy doors, the Commendatore puts on his marble cloak and climbs upon the old white horse; Leporello fetches his catalogue, and Zerlina her lace-trimmed petticoat, and presto! the public comes trooping back again. Take them all in all, they have been for the most part but a sorry company of artists who have masqueraded before us in this drama. Anna, Elvira, Zerlina, Masetto, the mild Ottavio, the dashing Don, the impudent valet,--how shockingly they have all been represented at one time or another; but the worst of them could not ruin this phenomenal music. Mozart triumphs over his unworthy interpreters. The familiar strains never lose their beauty. ‘La ci darem la mano’ takes the judgment captive. ‘Vedrai carino’ disarms the critic. The trio is indestructible. The Minuet seizes the fancy, though it be danced by shabby choristers and sung by a Leporello who cannot keep time; and out of all the hurly-burly of scrambling finale, and labored solo, and indifferent quintet, spring always the beautiful little flowers of melody which decorate every line of this wonderful score. Mr. Strakosch certainly showed a keen sense of the commercial value of Mozart when he risked the experiment upon the good nature of his patrons which was tried on Wednesday. We do not remember to have heard any other performance of ‘Don Giovanni’ with only one competent artist in the cast. Miss Albani’s Zerlina was attractive and sweet, as all her personations are, and if it was less impressive than some of her other roles, and less naïve and spirited than it ought to have been, it was at least a great comfort to hear the part so conscientiously and intelligently sung by a voice so pure and so perfectly developed [illegible line]…able Don, Fiorini a comical but voiceless Leporello; but what shall we say of the rest? Ottavio (De Bassini) was only moderately tolerable; Donna Anna (Maresi) was barely endurable, for the part is far, far beyond her reach; Donna Elvira (Donadio) was the worst we have heard for many years, her thin, timid voice [illegible] in a musical atmosphere that was much too heavy for it, and seeming now and then to go out entirely. The over[ripe?] Masetto of Sig. Scolara was loud and coarse. Mr. Hall was the Commendatore.”