Grover German’s Opera: Les Huguenots

Gives cast. “Both the chorus and orchestra will be augmented.”

     “Over two hundred and fifty musicians. The grand cast incidental to the Opera. The Grand Chorus of two opera companies, (comprising nearly every voice familiar with this Opera in America,) the augmented orchestra and a large extra stage band.”

     Two separate advertisements. The first only advertises $.25 seats in the gallery, the second $.50 seats in the family circle.

     “German Opera.—We have had a good deal of Meyerbeer lately, and, making allowance for the many ‘cuts’ which were rendered necessary by the early habits of our public, the works of that eminent composer have been rendered with marked dramatic and musical ability. The solos have been entrusted to competent ability. The ensembles have generally been given with effect. We mention these facts because we think that in view of them it was injudicious that Mr. Grover tempted the comparison of his version of ‘Les Huguenots’ with that of Mr. Maretzek. In no respect will it bear the contrast. The solo singers now at the Academy, with few exceptions, are very inferior. Even these exceptions are not improvements on their Italian predecessors. The audience, to be sure, is different, and this circumstance may have induced Mr. Grover to make the venture. It was not happy one. The singers were in poor voice, and without exception sang out of tune. Even those artists whom we have recently had occasion to praise were not free from the prevailing laxity of pitch. The best was Mr. William Formes, whose St. Bris was in some points good. It demonstrated anew that his addition to the company is most timely. There were moments, too, when Mr. Hermans [sic] displayed the real wealth of his voice, but they were few. The chorus was not always good; more often it was the reverse. Indeed, the evidence of insufficient rehearsal was apparent, notwithstanding the energy of Mr. Neundorf [sic], the attention of the orchestra, and the physical power of the benediction scene of the fourth act.”