Maretzek Italian Opera: Crispino e la comare

“’Crispino’ will be repeated, as the storm last Saturday prevented many of the lady patrons of the opera house from attending.”

“In compliance with numerous requests from lady patrons who were unable, on account of the inclemency of the weather, to attend the last matinee.”

“The manager of the Academy of Music last week announced the ‘last performance’ of ‘Crispino e la Comare.’  It was a rather stupid announcement to make in the face of the increasing popularity of the work, and has not been acted upon, for the opera has been several times performed since then . . .

            Repeated hearings of the work and increased familiarity with the score unfold new beauties therein; and a fuller analysis of the opera than we have hitherto found space to give may assist some of those who will hear it on Saturday to enjoy it the more thoroughly.

            [A long analysis/description follows, comparing the music to Mozart and Rossini. The reviewer notes that Irfre sings the opening number tamely, which fails to interest the audience. The end of the second act contains the] “gem of the entire work,—a concerted piece beginning with a baritone or basso solo, worked up to a climax, and presenting a sudden contrast of pianissimo—a style of which Donizetti is the best exponent . . .”

            An extensive omission is made [in the third act] by Maretzek: “A sonorous and telling chorus of Doctors, a very elaborate concerted piece, during which Crispino, the successful charlatan, performs another marvelous cure, and a real bravura air for Crispino, are all included in this omission, and the listener passes at once to the fritola scene. . . . Here, in the Maretzek representation of the work, after an interview between Crispino and the fairy, the act closes. . . . [Crispino is] a lively, pleasant, cheerful, and at times masterly little opera, which every one will like to hear once or twice, and which will make the brothers Ricci known for the first time to the majority of opera goers.”

“Mr. Maretzek may congratulate himself upon the success of ‘Crispino,’ which, on Saturday last, attracted a crowd of ladies, which actually filled every nook of the house.  In this connection we may mention Mr. Maretzek’s artists on Saturday last sang at a matinée and at an opera in the evening, while three or four gave a concert in Boston, and that, notwithstanding this rather heavy strain upon the operatic forces, there were still some four or five of the best artists of Mr. Maretzek’s troupe disengaged.  This fact alone illustrates sufficiently the strength of the company."

“We thought the performance of the same opera at the Matinee on Saturday was the most spirited we had yet seen; but last night the performers seemed to throw a perfect abandon into their characters, imparting to each a reality which gave it a positive vitality.”