Maretzek Italian Opera: Faust

“Faust will be given at the matinee, and the ladies talk of breakfasting there that they may thus secure seats.”

“With today’s matinee, Mr. Maretzek ends his performances in New York for the time being, as he takes his company to Boston for 14 days.  Today, Gounod’s ‘Faust’ will again be performed – for the 16th time.”

“The season at the Academy of Music came to a close on Saturday, when a somewhat abbreviated edition of ‘Faust’ was given at the matinee, to an exceedingly charming audience. Mr. Maretzek, and the leading artists of his admirable troupe, took their departure by the afternoon train for Boston, where they appear to-night, returning to the Metropolis in a fortnight, and opening at the Academy of Music on Easter Monday. The season, we need scarcely say, has been successful, and this in spite of many accidents that might have disturbed the equanimity of any other manager. Mr. Maretzek, however, has always been equal to the emergency of the moment, and has never suffered the public to be once disappointed. Nearly all his leading artists, at one time or another have been sick, and ‘Faust,’ the great card of the season, has from this cause been in danger of postponement. But Mr. Maretzek contrived to find a substitute at the right moment, and generally an acceptable one. Let us hope that he may be equally fortunate in Boston, where the spring winds usually commit havoc amongst the warblers.”

“On Saturday, Maretzek’s opera troupe ended its performaces in our Academy of Music with a well-attended matinee. Gounod’s ‘Faust’ was presented for the seventeenth time. In place of Biachi, who is still ill, Mr. Hermanns sang ‘Mephisto’ in German. The way we hear it, this singer has been enlisted by Maretzek’s company and we will have an opportunity to hear him again in two or three weeks in some of his best roles. Tonight, the Italian opera plays in Boston.”Herr Hermanns’ “Mephisto” was sung in German; he replaced Biachi, who was still ill.

Close of the season.  “[C]onsidering that they have had the season of Lent to buck against, they have done remarkably well, Max’s balance sheet showing a balance of three or four thousand dollars in his favor for the extra season.”