Article on the forthcoming season of the Maretzek Italian Opera Company

“Musical. italian opera, academy of music.

          The operatic season for the Fall of 1865 will commence on Monday evening next, the 25th inst. The opera chosen for the inauguration is the popular opera of ‘Faust,’ with Miss Kellogg in her favorite character of ‘Marguerite,’ and probably the new tenor Irfre as Faust. Miss Adelaide Phillips as Seitel, and Bellini as Mephistopheles.

          After a careful consideration of the published list of the company engaged, taking the valuation of the new singers on the strength of the manager’s judgment, and judging of the other by their previous efforts, we consider it a good working, capable, and in some respects a brilliant array of talent. To Madame Carozzi Zucchi we must concede high dramatic talent, and an earnest and passionate delivery in her singing. Her voice is simple in compass and rich in quality, and the long vacation which she has enjoyed will in all probability have restored its [illeg.]. Miss Kellogg, with her young, fresh voice and most excellent style, is ever welcome to a New-York audience. In certain respects it would be hard to supply her place.

            Miss Adelaide Phillips is recognized both here and in Europe as a contralto of the first-class. She is not only a fine singer, but an actress of great dramatic power. We do not see how her department could be better filled. Mazzoleni, the tenor, is a first-class artist. In voice, in vocal accomplishment and in acting he has no equal here, and we doubt if he has a superior in Europe. This is one of the most important and satisfactory of Maretzek’s engagements. Massimilliani is also an artist of high merit, and in certain roles fills out the full requirements, adding an important element to the strength of the company. Signor Bellini is an excellent artist, and can sing with unexceptionable taste, but he should curb the inclination to overdo, that is, to exaggerate sentiment. His one fault, which is only a little better than its opposite, tameness, is the one thing that stands between him and high excellence. Signor Rovere in his line, is a most competent artist and will be an important element in the working properties of the company.

          In addition to the above, which of themselves would be considered a strong company only lacking a basso profundo, the following new artists have been engaged. Signora Ernichetta Bosisio, prima donna from the principal theatres of Turin, Malta and Florence; Signora Bine de Rossi, first contralto, from the Opera at Lima; Signor Ettore Irfre, principal tenor, from Barcelona, Naples, &c.; Signor Guiseppe Marra, principal baritone from La Scala, Milan; Signor G. B. Antonucci, principal basso, from the Imperial Italian Opera, Paris; Herr Julius Sesselberg, principla basso, from the Opera, Vienna.

          This is a good array of names, and, of the singers, are worthy of the positions they are said to have occupied. The present company will be the strongest we have had in New-York since the famous Castle-Garden combination. Some we know by European report to be artists of great excellence from whose exertions we may expect much pleasure. Beside the artists above enumerated, the secondary parts will be sustained by capable singers well known to the public. The chorus, which is to be new and large, will have the advantage of a number of well trained male singers, imported specially by the manager from Her Majesty’s Theatre, London; while the orchestra, comprised of the best of our instrumentalists, and there are no better in the world, will be conducted by Carl Bergmann, Torriani and Max Maretzek, assisted by Henri Appy and J. [illeg.]. These departments could hardly be better filled.

          The repertoire will of course consist of several of the old standard operas, in addition to which will be given as soon as possible the [illeg.] following operas which are new to America, namely Meyerbeer’s last work ‘L’Africaine,’ [remainder of paragraph completely illegible].”