Draper Italian and American Opera: Martha

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; $6, $10 proscenium boxes

Event Type:
Opera

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
21 June 2016

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

04 Sep 1866, Evening

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
Martha
aka Martha, oder Der Markt zu Richmond; Martha, or The Market at Richmond
Composer(s): Flotow
Text Author: Friedrich
Participants:  Draper Italian and American Opera;  Frida de Gebele (role: Nancy);  Leonilda Boschetti (role: Martha);  Karl Johann Formes (role: Plunkett);  Giuseppe Tamaro (role: Lionello)

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 04 September 1866.
2)
Announcement: New-York Times, 04 September 1866, 4.
3)
Advertisement: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 04 September 1866.
4)
Review: New York Herald, 05 September 1866, 5.

“Poor Carl Formes!  His voice last night in the role of Plunkett, written for him especially by Flotow, was only the ghost of its former self, but if dramatic genius could have redeemed the want of vocal power, it would have done it in his case.  He is still the great actor of former days, but his voice is completely gone.  In the Barber of Seville he managed to conceal the loss but in Martha, it was too apparent.  Signora Boschetti’s voice is entirely unsuited for the music of Lady Henrietta or Martha.  The French school can never train an artist for such a rôle and comparison between her and Fabbri or other Marthas tell greatly against her.  Flotow never dreamed of such an ineffective Lionello as Signor Tamaro.  Madam de Gebele has a rather weak and limited contralto voice, but she made a very fair Nancy.  The chorus and orchestra were better than they have been since the beginning of the season.”