Strakosch Italian Opera: Marta

“The principal feature of the performance of ‘Martha’ last night was of course Miss Albani’s singing of the ‘Last Rose of Summer.’ We are not sure but that we ought to call it the best thing she has done for us. It is much better than Nilsson’s, because it is thoroughly unaffected. The song is delivered as [illegible] such ballads ought to be, with perfect simplicity and directness, with a delicate yet firm intonation, and a clear yet gentle voice. With all the elegant and careful phrasing and the beautiful management of the tones there is a charming appearance of artlessness. She adds no ornaments of her own to the score, except a delicious sustained high note and one or two other little trifles at the close of the second verse. She was recalled of course, and repeated the song in English.

Miss Albani’s acting was vivacious and pleasing, and in Miss Cary, Sig. Benfratelli, Sig. Del Puente, and Sig. Scolara she had satisfactory comrades and assistants. The chorus, however, was unusually careless, and the orchestra [illegible], so that the representation as a whole could not be called a good one. There was a very large audience.”

“’Marta’ was sung at the Academy of Music, last evening, for the first time this season. Well-worn as it is, Flotow’s opera still possesses considerable attractiveness, and its recital yesterday was witnessed by a very numerous audience. Mlle. Albani, who essayed the character of Lady Enrichetta, carried off the honors of the entertainment with the easy grace born of a long series of successful efforts. Her representation was worthy of the tokens of delight it elicited, for it was at all points satisfactory. She sang the music of the rôle charmingly and acted capitally. The concerted numbers had the full benefit of Mlle. Albani’s fresh and beautiful tones, which are directed, as we have mentioned time and time again, with an art in which she has but one rival; and, in ‘The Last Rose of Summer,’ rendered in a key higher than usual by a semitone, the pure and rich voice of the artist, the sentiment and taste of her delivery, and the faultlessness of her style compelled an immediate repetition of the piece, which was given anew with the English text. In the matter of acting, the lady’s work was noticeably good. Her Lady Enrichetta and her Marta had about them an air of genuine distinction, quite as becoming to the noblewoman as to the grande dame, before she seeks relief from ennui at the Richmond fair; and the high-breeding clear throughout the delineation made occasional bits of vivaciousness attempted in other directions seem a little coarse by contrast. Mlle. Albani had the co-operation, in ‘Marta,’ of Signori Benfratelli, Del Puente and Scolara, and of Miss Cary. The tenor’s performance was passable, but not particularly effective. Signor Del Puente’s pleasant portrayal of Plunkett, Signor Scolara’s comical sketch of Sir Tristan, and Miss Cary’s robust picture of Nancy, are old subjects of critical and popular approval.”

“Trite and familiar as cross-grained critics are pleased to call it, ‘Martha’ is after all one of the most singable and pleasing works on the stage. It was in most regards excellently rendered last night, though for the first act or so the demon of catarrh seemed to have taken possession of the stage. Mlle. Albani, as Martha, struggled against hoarseness in the earlier part of her work, but improved as her voice warmed, and in the last scenes showed, at least, but slight indisposition.

It is needless to say that she sang with a purity and grace all her own, though in one or two cases, as in a phrase of the ‘Last Rose,’ for instance, we were sorry to notice some little concession to the claims of mere popular effect, which so thorough an artist could afford to dispense with. Miss Cary’s Nancy has lost none of its well-known mischief, archness, and grace. Del Puente gave a satisfactory version of Plunkett, and Signor Benfratelli sang Lionel with a real sweetness and goodness of method which was unfortunately not seconded by his stage presence and action.”

“Last evening, at the Academy of Music, Flotow’s popular opera ‘Martha’ was performed for the first time this season.

There was a good attendance, and the opera, though old and wanting in interest as a work of art, seemed to acquire new charms from the light and vivacious acting of Mlle. Albani and Miss Cary.

Mlle. Albani appeared as Lady Henrietta… [lists cast].

Notwithstanding that in this opera there are no great songs calculated to exhibit fully the voice and musical culture of Mlle. Albani, yet she did not fail to impress all hearers with a sense of her high artistic powers. The little there was to do, was not overdone, but was presented with an absence of exaggeration, straining after effect, &c., which distinguishes all really good performances. The ‘Last Rose of Summer’ was sung with such apparent simplicity and artless grace, that the beauty of the Celtic melody and the voice which produced it were so gently admired, that a unanimous encore resulted. On the repetition of this well-known air the English language was employed.

Miss Cary’s singing of the aria ‘Osser nesto’ was also so remarkably good that one felt disappointed that no other similar pieces fell to her share.

Miss Cary should be heard in New York as Lenora in ‘Fidelio.’ The part would be one in every way worthy of her great powers, and she would be found equally worthy to perform it. We seem to sigh in vain for the production of really great works.

Signor Benfratelli was more fortunate in having to sing the pretty little songs, ‘Solo, profugo,’ and ‘M’appari,’ and also the opening melodies of the final quintet and the popular quartet ‘Mezza notte.’

Signor Del Puente was in good voice and sang and acted well.” 

“Flotow’s opera, a tuneful, popular work, which has since its first representation, just twenty-seven years ago, at Vienna, held a prominent place in the public mind, was given last evening, at the Academy of Music, with the following cast [lists cast]. Mlle. Albani made a great hit in the interpolated aria ‘The Last Rose of Summer’ and her rendering of the music of the title rôle was characterized throughout by the intelligence, thoroughness and care that mark a great artiste. The Nancy of Miss Cary is one of her most charming impersonations, and last evening it was as enjoyable as ever. The tenor failed to present even a tolerable portraiture of the rôle of Lionel, and the baritone was not successful as Plunkett. The music of the opera, melodious and seductive though it may appear to the average opera goer, is too light and superficial for the cultured musician. Such lyric pablum will hardly suit the tastes of an audience accustomed to Meyerbeer, Verdi and Wagner. The attendance was small and the appreciation of Flotow’s work of a like standard. ‘Martha’ should be consigned to the list of parlor operas, which of late years has been greatly increased. They should be banished from the stage of grand opera. One act of ‘Aida,’ ‘Gli Ugonotti,’ ‘Lohengrin,’ ‘La Stella del Nord,’ ‘William Tell’ or ‘The Flying Dutchman’ is worth a dozen ‘Marthas’ in a musical point of view.”