Strakosch Italian Opera: Concert; 5th

“Yesterday’s performance of ‘La Traviata,’ at the Grand Opera-house, attracted a large audience and passed off with the wonted smoothness. Mlle. Heilbron was in excellent voice, and Signor Tagliapietra, who, for some unaccountable reason, is always called to do duty on what may be termed ‘off-nights,’ was loudly applauded after the duet, ‘Bella siccome un angelo,’ and the favorite romance, ‘Di Provenza.’”

“Verdi’s popular opera was the attraction at the Grand Opera House last night, the cast being as follows [lists cast]. The audience was as large as that which attended the representation of 'Faust’ on the Sunday previous, a very large proportion being Germans. The Violetta of Mlle. Heilbron has many attractive features, the light music being well adapted to her voice. She sang the aria at the end of the first act, ‘Ah! fors e lui,’ with much brilliancy and in the dying scene at the conclusion of the opera she invested the rôle with rare grace and delicacy. The tenor’s voice and style last evening did not make the part of Alfredo particularly interesting. The barytone has a noble voice, rather heavy in tone for the music of Germont, and one that in lyric characters of a high kind must make itself felt to advantage. The quality of the voice is metallic, but exceedingly sonorous, and the school is of the pure Italian type. Mr. Behrens proved himself to be an experienced chef d’orchestre, and the chorus, with the exception of a chaotic rendering of ‘Largo al quadrupedo’ behind the scenes, may be commended. Mr. Strakosch intends to make these Sunday performances a permanent institution.”