Maretzek Italian Opera: Faust

     “Faust” will be played to-night.  Both these popular works [Faust and L’ Africaine] will be withdrawn after the present week, other attractions being in readiness.”

     “There are several operas in Mr. Maretzek’s repertoire which have been originally produced so carefully, and have since been repeated so often, that they may be said to have engrafted themselves upon all who take part [in] them.  This is the case with the ‘African,’ ‘Crispino è la Comare’ and ‘Faust,’ the last of which works was given last evening almost faultlessly to a fashionable and fine audience.  It is nearly impossible in the early representations of elaborate operas to reach the varied nuances in the orchestral partition which scintillated in the composer’s mind, and which study only before an audience will flash upon the minds of the executants.  In the early days all that is coarse and demonstrative is seized; it is only in subsequent familiarity that finer and more subtle qualities are discovered.  The performance last evening, under Mr. Bergmann’s direction, demonstrated these obvious truths in a very delightful way.  The merest suggestion of the score came out with clearness and the requisite decision of tone and character.  The beautiful coloring was given without exaggeration, but with firmness.  In the third act the orchestra was so excellent that we could barely detect room for improvement.  So, too, with the singers, who were in capital voice.  Miss Kellogg’s Marguerite is a picture in propriety, and a model in music.  Her acting of the rôle has gained materially in warmth, and, so far as possible, is improved by that fact.  But, in truth, there is but little room for improvement in this remarkable and charming impersonation.  Miss Adelaide Phillips was the Siebel, and sang the flower song finely.  Antonnuci and Irfre were very good in their several rôles.  The chorus is better this season than ever, and, of course, won a vehement encore in the fourth act.”