Maretzek Italian Opera: L’Africaine

     “[A] brilliant attendance of ladies is expected.  The manager has for this occasion raised the prioce of admission to a dollar and a half.”

     “[A] gala matinee . . . to give the lady patrons an opportunity to see this magnificent work.”

     “Today’s matinee promises to be very crowded, and we advise our fair readers to go early to the Academy, in order to obtain seats.”

     “This will be the only L’Africaine matinee, so that our friends in the rural district should take advantage of the opportunity.” 

     “One of the largest audiences ever seen in the Academy of Music.  The receipts amounted to nearly four thousand dollars.  Of a verity, there is nothing so successful as success!”

     “‘L’Africaine.’—This, the last of Meyerbeer’s works, (and recently produced at the Academy, in this city,) was undoubtedly his greatest.  For years the great maestro kept the secret of his great composition, and for years after the secret was divulged did he continue to prune and beautify the work which he determined should bequeath to him an immortal name.  Sparkling throughout with the choicest melody and with the most intense dramatic fire, in turn ‘L’Africaine’ enchants the senses and leads captive the judgement.  Nevertheless, Meyerbeer determined that his last opera should be great in all parts, and he expended a vast deal of time—ably seconded by the exertions of M. Scribe the librettist—in rendering the scenes and incidents of the plot worthy of his music and of that class of spectacle which has obtained the name of the ‘materialistic drama.’  Thus we find the resources of the property-man taxed to the utmost in the ship, mancanilla tree and island scenes—rendering this noble work complete in every part.  So much for the general character of the opera.”