Draper Italian and American Opera: Barbiere di Siviglia

Event Information

Venue(s):
French Theatre

Manager / Director:
Henry Draper

Conductor(s):
Francisco Rosa

Price: $1.50 balcony box; $1 parquet; .75 dress circle; .30 gallery

Event Type:
Opera

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
21 June 2016

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

25 Aug 1866, Evening

Program Details

Postponed from Thursday.

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
aka Barber of Seville; Almaviva, ossia L’inutile precauzione; Almaviva, or The Useless Precaution
Composer(s): Rossini
Participants:  Draper Italian and American Opera;  Nicolò Barili (role: Dr. Bartolo);  Leonilda Boschetti (role: Rosina);  Domenico Orlandini (role: Figaro);  Karl Johann Formes (role: Don Basilio);  Giuseppe Tamaro (role: Almaviva)

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Post, 01 January 1862.
2)
Review: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 29 August 1862, 56.

     The opera was performed in 4 acts, preventing it from being tiresome. It is a masterpiece and was well performed. Madame Boschetti as Rosina performed with taste, and her singing was much more “rounded” than expected. Also the other artists, such as Tamaro, Orlandini, Barili and Carl Formes did very well. Formes especially impressed with the dramatic effect he gave his big aria. 

3)
Review: New York Clipper, 08 August 1866, 174.

     “The French Theatre opened for a season of Italian Opera on Aug. 25th. ‘Il Barbiere de Seviglia [sic] was given and was continued on the 27th, 29th and 31st. The attendance was not very large, the house being scarcely half full any evening, but the opera was very finely rendered.  Mad. Boschetti made an excellent Rosini [sic], singing the music with great skill.  Sig. Tamaro as Almaviva, Orlandini as Figaro, and Carl Formes as Don Basilio were excellent in acting and singing.”

4)
Article: New York Herald, 13 August 1866, 5.

Two very brief previews of Draper’s American Opera season, at the French Theatre on Fourteenth Street, one under “Amusements” and the other under “Musical.”

5)
Article: New-York Times, 13 August 1866, 4.

Very brief preview of Draper’s American Opera season.

6)
Article: New York Post, 16 August 1866, 2.

     “English Comic Opera. Mr. H. Draper, who was one of the principal agents in the successful introduction of English comic opera last spring, has made arrangements for another season at the French Theatre. He expects to open the season on the 23d, under the auspices of the ‘American Opera Company,’ now reorganized. He intends to bring out ‘Maritana,’ the popular ‘Doctor of Alcantara,’ and for the first time, Wallace’s beautiful ‘Lurline.’ Mendelssohn’s ‘The Son and Stranger’ will also be produced during the season.  A fine ballet corps, including one of the most famous dancers in the country, has been engaged. Mr. Draper is earnest, energetic and enterprising.  We trust he will meet the success he deserves.”

7)
Article: New-York Daily Tribune, 16 August 1866, 4.

     “English Opera at the French Theater. Mr. Henry Draper, the original mover in the cause of English Opera, but who was quietly put aside by the moneyed (?) men of the concern, has organised another company for the production of some of the best English Operas, on or about the 23d of this month, at the New French Theater. The names of the artists have not yet transpired, but we understand that they are competent, and possess young fresh voices. There is a large amount of vocal talent in our midst, and Mr. Draper will do well if he searches it out, and affords it chances of development. Mr. Draper announces that the following operas will be produced during the season: Wallace’s Maritana, Eichberg[‘s] Doctor of Alcantara, Wallace’s lovely opera, Lurline, and Mendelssohn’s operetta, ‘The Only Son.’ We earnestly hope that Mr. Draper’s arrangements are such that he will be enabled to give these works in good style. There is a large public ready to receive them, and to crown his efforts with success. Whether his enterprise shall be a success or a failure depends wholly upon himself.”

8)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 19 August 1866.

Advertises opening night as Thursday, 08/23/66, but postponed due to severe storm (see New York Herald ad, 08/24/66).

9)
Announcement: New York Herald, 20 August 1866, 5.

     Announces opening night as Thursday. “After some trouble the management has accomplished the formation of a company of Italian opera artists, to alternate with the representation of English opera.”

10)
Announcement: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 22 August 1866, 42.

     Towards the end of next month Henry Draper’s English opera ensemble will perform at the French Theatre. Draper announced he hired good performers and will present Maritana and Wallace’s Loreley. With the modest demands of the English audience, this could become a success.

11)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 24 August 1866, 7.
12)
Advertisement: New-York Daily Tribune, 24 August 1866, 5.
13)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 24 August 1866, 5.

     “Mr. Draper will inaugurate his Operatic season at the new French Theater in Fourteenth-St. to-morrow evening, but not with English Opera, as he originally intended. His preparations in that department not being completed, he has engaged an excellent Italian company, and will give a series of Italian operas.”

14)
Announcement: New York Herald, 25 August 1866, 5.
15)
Announcement: New York Post, 25 August 1866, 2.
16)
Announcement: New-York Times, 25 August 1866, 4.
17)
Review: New York Herald, 26 August 1866, 4.

     “Musical. Italian Opera—French Theatre. The opening of the Italian Opera, advertised by Mr. Henry Draper, came off last night at the French Theatre, and was an unqualified success. The chef d’oeuvre of comic operas, the Barber of Seville, was presented with the following cast… Of these, the best were Formes and Orlandini, who threw more soul and merriment into their rôles than we expected to find on an opening night.  The new signora fully sustained her previous reputation, and her Rosina is second only to her Marguerite. The chorus was unexceptionable. The orchestra, under the able direction of Signor Rosa, would have been the same if the horns and violoncello had not marred the other instruments by being flat, and thereby producing a grating and unpleasant effect. The opera was divided into four acts, instead of the original two, which division was an improvement. Orlandini’s opening solo, Largo al factotum was splendidly given. There was rollicking humor and spirit about it which communicated itself to the immense audience. Speaking of the audience, we never saw the French theatre so crowded. Tamaro was rather weak and nervous in voice at first, but he more than compensated for it after the first act. With such a company there is no doubt of the success of Italian opera at this theater. The name of Carl Formes alone, supported by such excellent artistes, will guarantee its success. The feeling among the audience was one of admiration and wonder that the Italian opera night should be unattended with these drawbacks which will happen sometimes on such occasions with the best regulated troupe.”

18)
Review: New York Post, 27 August 1866, 2.

     “Amusements. The best portion of the French Theatre was crowded on Saturday evening, on the occasion of the opening of Mr. Draper’s opera season. In fact, a great many people were obliged to go away because [they were] unable to get desirable seats. ‘The Barber’ was performed in a manner very satisfactory to the audience. Boschetti’s acting was especially admirable, and Carl Formes was himself—which is sufficiently high praise. The orchestra was weak and inadequate, but this fault, we are assured, will be remedied this evening, when ‘The Barber’ is given again.”

19)
Review: New-York Times, 27 August 1866, 5.

     “Amusements. Italian Opera—French Theatre.—Mr. Draper’s Italian Opera Company gave on Saturday evening, at the French Theatre, ‘The Barber of Seville.’The house was packed; the audience expectant. Musicians are curious creatures, and some of them are fond of money; several of Mr. Draper’s orchestra were so very fond of it that they demanded payment for their services in advance, and as the treasurer was too busy to attend to them, they left in high dudgeon. Under this disadvantageous state of affairs, the director labored and the opera suffered.  Mme. Boschetti, who is a very estimable and lovely lady, sang well and acted better. The entire performance was creditable, under the circumstances.”

20)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 27 August 1866, 8.

     "Notwithstanding the postponement of Thursday, the opera of Il Barbiere di Seviglio [sic] attracted a large and brilliant audience to the French Theater on Saturday evening. The temperature was, fortunately, delightful. The prices were very moderate and the company known as excellent, a combination which the public was not slow to recognize. The opera of ‘The Barber’ is so perfect an adaptation of the sound to the sense, that it would seem impossible to suggest or imagine an improvement. The music is characteristic in the highest degree, true to the individual and the locality, whether it be the mercurial tra-la-la vivacity of the Barber, or the metaphysical profundity of ‘La Colonnia.’ In construction it is a model of perfection; its ensemble numbers are masterpieces in dramatic power, in individuality and variety, in freshness and beauty of melody, and in brilliant and sterling instrumentation. The Barber is an opera for all time, and the oftener it is heard the stronger its influence grows, for familiarity in this case creates admiration and respect.

     The performance of Il Barbiere on this occasion, was not all that could be desired, but in many respects it was most excellent, and was generally very enjoyable. The Rosina on this occasion, was the beautiful Madame Boschetti, whose personation of Marguerite in Faust, and the Page in Un Ballo in Maschera, made her so popular last season. It is needless to say that she looked charming and acted delightfully. Her natural gracefulness gives a rounded beauty to every action. As a vocalist she has many points of excellence. Her intonation is true, her enunciation clear, her bravura execution is brilliant and rapid, and in point of taste there [sic] is little to cavil at. Her method is French, and her voice exhibits the peculiarities of voices trained in that school, and consequently lacks the sympathetic roundness developed by the Italian method—not that Boschetti’s voice is deficient in that quality on all points, for there are phases of her singing in which pathos and expression are markedly manifest. There is a want of sharpness and decision in her execution of the small graces of the art; the simple turn and the common grupetti are frequently executed in a slovenly manner, while the scale and arpeggio passages of great difficulty are rendered with remarkable brilliancy and aplomb. Neatness and precision in the execution of the smaller graces are infallible signs of the thoroughly-educated artist. Still, Madame Boschetti sang her role most pleasingly; she was faithful to her author, and threw over the whole a special fascination of simplicity and natural coquetry. The music of Almaviva demands for its perfect rendering that species of education which is rarely afforded now. Pathos, passion and power are the necessities of the present day, so that the polished, but colder graces of art have become a secondary consideration. We would not have the latter the sole aim at the expense of natural emotion, but a blending of both is imperative to the production of a perfect artist. Signor Tamaro rendered the florid music of Almaviva with more grace and ease than we expected. The execution was rather heavy, but it was faithfully performed. With the exception of an occasional indulgence in that ah-ah style, which is supposed to stimulate passion, his performance of the character, vocally and dramatically, was very acceptable.

     Signor Orlandini’s Barber was excellent. It was a spirited personation, active, lively and busy, he pervaded the scene with his presence and carried out the character of the clever intriguer very faithfully. He was somewhat deficient in elasticity and in rapid fluency in the parlando, but he sang the music most artistically, and carried the audience with him by his unflagging humor.

     The Don Basilio of Carl Formes was a perfect bit of acting throughout. In fact, it was a character which only a great artist could portray. His singing of that remarkable song, ‘La Colonnia,’ was a masterpiece of dramatic expression and won for him cordial and long continued applause. His personation of this character was a decided success, and cannot fail to influence the success of the opera.

     Signor Barili’s personation of Dr. Bartolo was most excellent. Both in the singing and the acting it was artistically conceived and spiritedly executed. All the artists seemed to feel an interest in the success of the undertaking, and exerted themselves con amore to secure it. We think that these efforts were not thrown away, for they were repeatedly called before the curtain, and a feeling of pleasurable content seemed to pervade the audience.

     The chorus was good in material and sang fairly, but will, doubtless, be far more efficient in a repetition of the opera. The orchestra, well, that was pretty bad in some respects. The contrabass seemed to be playing upon old tubs with cotton strings and reading their parts backward. This department of the orchestra was irredeemably execrable. This must be changed at once (a change in one octavo of the wind instrument would also be advisable), and the orchestra should have its full complement so that no harmony is necessarily emasculated. At least four more violins should be added, to obtain the effective brilliancy required. There should be no niggardliness in this department, for the best efforts of the singers are dependent, in a great measure, upon the orchestral support they receive. A few dollars more in that department are sure to be most effectively spent.

     Under all the circumstances we must say that the first performance of Il Barbierre [sic] di Sevigilia [sic] was very successful, and we have no doubt that its performance this evening will be free from the few exceptions we have taken, and will greatly add to the favorable impression which has already gone abroad.”

21)
Announcement: Dwight's Journal of Music, 09 September 1866, 304.

     “More Italian Opera. The Art Journal says: Mr. Draper inaugurates his operatic season at the New French Theatre, in Fourteenth street, on Saturday evening, but not with English Opera, as he originally intended.  His preparations in that department not being completed, he has engaged an excellent Italian company and will give a series of Italian Operas, carefully studied and produced. The artists already engaged are Signora Boschetti, Signor Tamaro, Signor Orlandini and Signor Barili. The opera to be given that evening is Rossini’s ‘Barbiere de Sivigilia.’ [sic] A large and well-selected Italian chorus has been engaged, and an orchestra containing some of our best musicians.

     The next opera produced will probably be Gounod’s ‘Faust’ in which Signora Boschetti, as Marguerita, made so marked a sensation.”