Articles on Grau’s New Opera Company

“Mr. Grau returned from Europe last week, bringing with him the material of a first-class opera company. What he is to do with it no one at present knows.  The Academy of Music is, we suppose, beyond his reach. There are plenty of other theatres in the City, but they are all doing so well that it is hardly probable the proprietors will risk an interruption of their regular business for the sake of a brief experiment in Italian Opera. Mr. Grau, for the moment, maintains a masterly inactivity.  He is not the slightest degree frantic at the condition of things. He seems to be confident that something will turn up, and he is content to bide his time. Curiously enough something always does turn up for this most fortunate of men and managers. If Mr. Grau should suddenly burst into full operatic blossom it would astonish no one. Mme. Vera-Lorini and Mlle. Castri and Mr. Grau’s prima donnas.”

“There are troubles between Mr. Grau and his artists. This is a delicate matter to touch upon, and we wish to avoid giving offence where none is meant, but the public, who are apprised that Grau has returned, are naturally anxious to know what his plans may be, and we feel our duty to tell all we know about them. There is a rumor that Mr. Grau will engage Niblo’s theatre for a series of nights, and that he will there introduce to the New York public the ‘great attractions’ he has brought over with him – a prima donna, snatched as it were from Naples and Palermo – oh unfortunate cities! – the tenor Stefani and the baritone Morelli, these latter being very well known here, also a Mlle. Castri, who, we believe, is as yet unheralded by the trump of fame, but who possesses, as Mr. Grau assures us, ‘a fine voice.’ That he thinks so is proved by the fact that he has engaged her for four years. The troubles we alluded to above proceed from a misunderstanding between Grau and his first tenor, Brignoli, about the engagement of the latter.

As we hear, the case is as follows: - Brignoli was engaged by Grau at a salary of sixteen hundred dollars a month, payable every fortnight in advance – to commence the 1st of October and end the 1st of June. It is now the 1st of November, and Grau has not paid Brignoli, who will not sing until he receives his salary, and has placed his case in the hands of a lawyer. We say nothing for or against; we merely state the circumstance, which will, unless settled, disarrange Mr. Grau’s plans. Should the latter allow the intended suit to take place we hear that Brignoli will form a combination with other artists, which will redound to the benefit of the public. So that out of this operatic ill wind we shall profit.”

“The most important announcement to-day is that of Mr. Grau’s new opera company. Niblo’s Theatre has been engaged by Mr. Grau, and in the course of next week, he will introduce Madame Vera-Lorini as his leading artist, supported by Mlle. Paullina Castri, Mlle. Morensa, the tenor Stefani and the baritone Morelli. Some of these names are familiar to opera-goers in the city; but the prima donna is new to our stage, and has her mark yet to make. Muzio will conduct the orchestra. It is easy to infer, from Mr. Grau’s skill in the selection of good artists, that this third company, added to the Italian and German troupes now in this country, will not suffer from comparison with its older rivals. There is room enough for all, and the warm appreciation of managerial enterprise, which has already been exhibited by our music-loving public guaranties a continuance of the liberal support they have given. With Maretzek, Grau and Anschutz, the opera season will be remarkably attractive this winter.” 

“We refer our readers to Mr. Grau’s advertisement in another column. Our former manager appears to be on the qui vive for something. As he always falls on his feet he will undoubtedly do so in this instance. In the meantime it is interesting to know that he has two artists who are quite new to our public—Mme. Vera Lorini and Mlle. Castri.”

“A rumor, the objective of which is easy to guess, says that Grau’s company will perform at the Academy of Music, occupied currently by Maretzek’s company. We are certain that this assertion is completely false. Besides, Grau’s company is now incomplete, the result of a quarrel between the impresario and Brignoli… the artist whom Grau owes much of what he is now… we must however inform that if anyone has broken the agreements of a contract, it is not Brignoli”.