Article on opening of Maretzek’s Italian opera season

“The past week has been liberally stocked with lyrical entertainments. No definite opinion, and hence no favorable or unfavorable hopes, were formed of M. Maretzek’s company before their arrival hither from Havana; for the simple reason that their names were not known. For this reason, it may be affirmed, that they appeared as as debutants do, who have yet to please their hearers, and thus create a reputation. But the public here formed their own opinion at once: they made allowance of the strident changes of climate from summery Havana to wintry New-York; and for the drawbacks of sea-sickness and fatigues of traveling—all adverse to the vocal organs and to histrionic resources. But as each representation puts these artists more in their normal condition, the auditors recognize their precise merits just as distinctly as if they had been wafted hither on fame’s plumes. This fact is satisfactory, and is not without its moral, which we shall let the reader draw for himself.

            The new company consists of Madame Medori, who may be classed as a robust soprano, in the same way that that adjective is applied to a tenor voice to distinguish it from one more mildly and perhaps mellifluously fashioned by nature. The voice of this lady is of immense body. In very pronounced, energetic music, where loud intensity is required, her efforts and successes are enormous. The vast circle of the Academy, with its sub-box and gallery spaces—peculiar to American opera houses, on account of the absence of the private-box system—she stores with a rush of sounds, penetrating directly the remotest portions of the house.

            For the more graceful or lighter soprano parts, Mlle. Brignoli is provided. It must not be inferred that because her voice is not as weighty as the other it has not power. It has, and vivified by an earnest dramatic temperament, makes itself heard and felt throughout the Academy. In the character of Violetta in the Traviata, Mlle. Brignoli achieved a decided success, as did Madame Medori in the part of Elvira in Ernani. The second soprano of the company, Mlle. Sulzer, has a good, well-trained organ, capable of being interestingly employed in the character assigned to her.

            The tenor voice of Signor Mazzoleni is preëminently robust. When at the acme of his sonorous bent, his notes ring out like a trumpet: then he does not spare himself, and appears equal to any heroic emergency of the mimic brave.

            The barytone, Signor Bellini, is now in good trim; but his friends say, not yet in his very best condition. He has a fine voice, something of the same character as that of the late Signor Amodio. He chaunts like an artist, and every successive representation grows more and more in public estimation.

            The bass, Signor Biachi, is a fine artist, and is reported a complete master of his art—his forte being that last of difficult characters, the florid Assyrian in Semiramide. That is a test of the culture of the bass artist; and formerly when such music held exclusive possession of the lyrical stage, no one was considered competent who could not execute it. It was the study for many years of such music, that made Galli, Lablache, Angrisani, Tamburini, the artists they were in their day: it is the want of such vocal gymnastics now that results in the presence of so many untrained voices, who mistake noisy declamation or crude bellowing, for geuine song, grace, sentiment, passion. The art of singing has so degenerated that the presence especially of a well cultivated bass voice, the most difficult to train, because of the slowness of its vibrations and the heaviness of its tones, should be adequately recognized.

            As the composition of successful or widely-traveling Italian operas has been confined in Italy, for twenty years, to one single composer, Signor Verdi, it may not be deemed surprising that the three first works rendered by this company are from his pen: Ernani, Il Trovatore, and La Traviata.

            Norma by Bellini—now an old classic—the most often played of any opera, its term of years considered, will be presented tonight.”