Italian Opera Buffa: L’elisir d’amore – Opening Night

AN: NYTr 12/30/65, p.4 – “The list of operas already in rehearsal includes ‘L’Elisire d’Amore,’ for the opening night, ‘Don Pasquale,’ ‘La Gazza Ladra,’ ‘Il Barbiere,’ ‘Nozze de Figaro,’ ‘Don Colamel,’ ‘La Seva Padrona,’ and Mozart’s ‘Seraglio.’  There can be no question of the success of a judiciously managed comic opera in New-York.  Mr. Wertheimber’s intentions appear to be liberal and enterprising, and his experiment deserves encouragement.”

“The first performance of the season at Niblo’s Saloon of the Italian opera buffa did not draw a very large house last night. The opera was Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore, the music of which is as familiar as it is beautiful. As it is an opera which depends for its effect more upon the few leading parts than upon the attractions of chorus, scenery, or other accessories it is not to be expected that a perfect success could be obtained by any but artists of the first class. This enterprise of presenting Italian buffa at Niblo’s, it must be remarked, is quite new in its inception, and hence, no doubt, arose the imperfections which were evident in the first performance; the timidity of the singers, some of whom were quite new to a New York audience, contributing much to render it less effective than it might have been. With a few more performances, and, we would suggest, a more careful rehearsal, there may be an improvement.”

     “NIBLO’S SALOON.—A company, styling itself the Italian Opera Buffa, commenced a ‘season’ here last evening. There is no reason why such an enterprise should not succeed. Light opera is pleasant at any establishment except the Academy of Music, where the conditions of its performance render almost impossible. It is, perhaps, going to the other extreme to anticipate it at Niblo’s Saloon. In that not over-large apartment, mimic life is colossal. An ordinary individual becomes a giant and a chorus a crowd. This, however, has, in a measure, been overcome by Mr. JUIGNET’S French artists. Their natural tact and knowledge have enabled them to accommodate themselves to a limited sphere of operations. We cannot say the same for the members of the Italian Opera Buffa. Although this description of work requires the best of acting, it was obvious, last evening, that most of the artists were at least inexperienced, and better disposed to look at the audience than to consult the interchanges and necessities of the scene. We do not propose to criticize the performance in a musical point of view. The artists were evidently laboring under indisposition, and it would be unjust to suppose that they did their best. There was a small but good orchestra, which accomplished its object satisfactorily. The chorus was as large as the stage could accommodate itself to the stage. For its numbers, it was as bad as could be expected. We hope, on some future occasion, to say more of a speculation, which, if successfully conducted, would add to the enjoyment of city life.”

 . . . . M. Wertheimber exerted himself to make up the deficit [because Maretzek has gone to Boston] in putting on opera bouffe in Niblo’s salon, and we have to thank him for his effort. L’Elisir d’Amore bore the expense of last week. We believe we are showing ourselves courteous towards Mlle Carioli and M. Mongiardini in not speaking of them; we only heard them once, and we want to believe that they weren’t [quite] themselves that day. As for M. Ardavani, he possesses a congenial voice which he manages perfectly. One sees that he is a consummate musician, and that he has a conscientious perception of what he sings. M. Fellini is equally gifted with a beautiful instrument, and he is with M. Ardavani the marvel of M. Wertheimber’s little troupe.

Laura Harris “was to have appeared as prima donna in Wertheimer’s [sic] Italian Opera ‘Buffa,’ last week, and was prevented by illness.”