Anschütz German Opera: Die Entführung aus dem Serail

“New York, Oct. 21. — After the pretty, but ‘clap-trap’ music of the ‘Daughter of the Regiment’— after the tame, wishy-washy melodies of ‘Stradella " — which opera, to our thinking, has nothing redeeming; about it, save the two mild and comic Bravos, who are perpetually hiding in corners where it is a visible impossibility that they should not be seen, and appearing in places where they are very much out of place, but whom one is so glad to see, in the hope of a short respite from sentimental love-songs, that one pardons the improbability of their appearance; — after these, what a glorious relief have been the representations of Mozart's ‘Entfuhrung aus dem Serail’ at the German opera house! (Four evenings — October 10th, 13th, 15th, and 17th).

We can scarcely believe it possible, that this fine opera has never before been produced in America, yet such, we are told, is the fact. What has been wanting heretofore? Lack of energy on the part of musical directors, or of a proper monetary support from those who are willing to enjoy the glory, without bearing the responsibilities of what are called ‘patrons’ (detestable title!) of music? However, it has been brought out at last. Frauen Johannsen and Rotter, sang Constanze and Blondchen ; Herren Lotti and Quint, Belmont and Pedrillo; Herr Weinlich took the part of Osmin on the two first representations, while Mr. Graf essayed it subsequently. It would be difficult, even on the best European stages, to fill the cast of this opera satisfactorily; each part, almost, requires an artist of first-class talent; that of Constanze a bravura singer of immense resources ; and Osmin — where is an Osmin to be found? a part that requires a voice with a compass of nearly three octaves, powerful even in its upper and lower extremes, possessing great flexibility, to say nothing of the intelligence and dramatic talent necessary to personify one of the most original characters ever created by poet or composer; such a part, it is easy to surmise, has rarely been satisfactorily sustained since the days of Louis Fischer, a bass singer of the old school, with two octaves and a half of chest voice, immense force, and wonderful flexibility, for whom the part was written.

If we measure the resources of the company now gathered under Mr. Anschutz’s direction, with the requirements of this opera, we find comparison unreasonable; and it would be unjust to judge the singers by a higher standard than the highest they can reach. The representations have been, on the whole, most enjoyable, and the shortcomings less than we expected; and had they been more numerous, Mozart would still have remained Mozart. There were few omissions: Constanze's slow aria in the second act, which we were sorry not to hear, — Pcdrillo's somewhat too heroic air: ‘Frisch zum Kampfe,’ and the third aria in the part of Belmont. We had a pleasant feeling that each member of the company was trying to do his or her best; although we would suggest to the orchestra that it is not always advisable for an instrumental performer to do his loudest, when a singer is supposed to occupy the foreground of the tone-picture. The occasional want of delicacy in the accompaniments, and the difficulty of keeping Mr. Weinlich up to the time in the rapid movements (Osmin is elephantine, it is true ; but even elephants sometimes engage in a run), were the greatest defects of the performance. And could not Mr. Lotti have infused a little more ‘chivalry’ into the personation of Belmont? It seems impossible that any Constanze would be willing to risk the dangers of an elopement, for the sake of so very unconcerned and indifferent a lover!

We are glad to say that this opera has attracted crowded audiences; it has been warmly received, the performers recalled, and several pieces re-demanded; among them the airs sung by Blondchen, which we cannot agree with Oulibicheff in esteeming as ‘among the most mediocre of the Mozartean repertory,’ but which seem to us, if not possessing the grace and charm of Zerlina's airs in Don Juan, the songs of the page in Figaro's Hochzeit, &c., yet still endowed with something of the same enchanting character ; the duo sung by the two principal characters in the last act, and the great quartet in the second, of which Otto Jahn, the most trustworthy, perhaps, of all Mozart's biographers, says : ‘This was the first truly dramatic ensemble piece of the German opera; in this number we find the concentration of all that Mozart accomplished for the German stage in Die Entführung; an entirely free use of every vocal and instrumental means for the musical expression of feeling, without being limited by other forms, save the firm laws that exist in the very nature of music and dramatic character.’

What richness, what variety in the coloring of the whole opera! Blondchen's coquettishly tyrannical naiveté, the noble tenderness of Belmont, the quick-witted valet Pedrillo (though somewhat after the stereotyped figure in Spanish comedies), the cruel, comic, stupid, sensual colossus Osmin! And those two choruses, so truly Turkish in character, if we may trust what we know of Turkish music from the few Eastern airs that our collections possess! Only in the part of Constanze, with its heroic flights and passages in alt, has Mozart sacrificed something of truth and beauty to the prevailing taste of his time, and, as history tells us, to the great vocal abilities of the singer for whom the part was written; yet the slow movement: ‘Welche Kummer herrscht,’ of that terribly long aria in the second act, which movement Mad. Johannsen for some reason omitted, (the second might have been cut with more propriety) paints the supposed situation and character of Constanze with Mozart's accustomed ideality.

It would be a most interesting study to compare a hearing of this opera, with those comic operas of Rossini, "Il Turco in Italia,’ and ‘L' Italiana in Algeri,’ so different in character, yet in plot somewhat alike. While the kindly, earnest South-German takes the troubles and constancy of the lovers as the moving spirit of his music, the Turkish features of the story merely as accessories, — does not the genial, ardent, superficial (by comparison) Italian make these accessories the principal objects in his picture, and so vividly color them, that most of the deeper interest drops into the background?

A morning paper (the Herald) has made the following remarks, too palpably ignorant and ludicrous to need any comment, on this opera; "Although the music belongs to another day, and is neither rich in melody nor orchestral effects, it is interesting from the quaintness of its style." And again: ‘Although a curiosity in a musical sense, it justifies the composer's opinion of his own work that though good enough in a room, it is insignificant in the theatre." (!).”