Maretzek Italian Opera: Il barbiere di Siviglia

“There was a crowd Wednesday evening at the Winter Garden to hear Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Rossini’s comic masterpiece hasn’t been performed in New York, at least by the Italians, for seven or eight years, and lots of interest was attracted to the revival prepared by M. Maretzek.

M. Baragli (Almaviva) is a singer beyond compare, and it’s a great pity that he possesses such a small voice. Nevertheless, he impels his skills to such a degree of perfection that it’s always a delight: as an actor, he is full of harmony and superiority. M. Antonucci (Basilio) had such a bad cold that the famous aria of calumny couldn’t be heard by the audience: M. Antonucci had to be replaced in the second act by M. Fossati, who needed to rent some zeal that never got stirred up. M. Ronconi altogether has neither the vivacity nor the voice for Figaro any more, but he’s a great comic actor and so profoundly artful that his appearances were always admirably rescued, and they applauded him deliriously.

Mlle Kellogg was, in the role of Rosina, conspicuously cool and correct. In truth, the most rigid critic couldn’t find anything to find fault with in the perfection of those trills, those arpeggios, those organ-points, and a metronome couldn’t keep more exact time, while every note is of mathematical correctness. Mlle Kellogg possesses in essence the grammar and algebra of singing; all of her vocalises, all of her ornaments are of a geometric precision, and if the art of music were absolutely only an exact science, it would be difficult to possess it more in depth. We are persuaded that there’s no vocal problem, from a mechanical point of view, that Mlle Kellogg can’t resolve; all the gears of her larynx are perfect. It’s troublesome for the young singer that this acquired perfection isn’t sufficient to charm, for the big difference between science and art is that one only asks the former to be precise and to satisfy rationality; whereas one demands of the latter that it move the spirit and speak to the heart. Mlle Kellogg interpolated, in the singing lesson, a popular English song, which we heard sung at a salon by one of her compatriots, Mlle R., not with more correctness, but with infinitely more feeling.

We must make a general observation about Wednesday evening’s performance, addressed to all the artists except MM. Ronconi and Baragli. That is, it’s easy to see that they have unfortunately all lost the tradition of the great Rossinian music, which demands not only that one have a voice, but also that one know how to sing. Today, one only labors at what one wrongly calls great performance, that is to say yells and screams. Carried away on this path, artists are altogether out of their element when it’s simply about singing. To investigate and discuss the causes of this ill consequence would take us too far off; it’s enough to testify to it.

The orchestra was conducted by M. Maretzek in person, and he acquitted himself like a master. The audience should be thankful to M. Maretzek for keeping Italian opera alive even so; if he had consulted his personal interests rather than the interests of the art and the music-lovers, he would perhaps not have undertaken the season that he pursues with such courageous energy. M. Maretzek is the most congenial of impresarios, and he can be sure that he will be amply repaid, when the Academy of Music is rebuilt, for the sacrifices that it imposes on him today. Consummate musician and excellent conductor, likeable and pleasant director, exact in all his involvement with the public, deserving recognition from all honest folk for having been the first to have dared to raise himself above the blackmail in the New York press, M. Maretzek is certainly the favorite of audience and artists. The success that is reserved for him will certainly be substantiated in the future.”

“The revival of the ‘Barber of Seville’ drew a large audience to Winter Garden last evening. Ronconi’s Barber was in every respect worthy of the great buffo. Miss Kellogg’s first appearance as Rosina was, if not anxiously, yet attentively, watched, but the young prima donna achieved a complete and brilliant triumph. The florid and difficult vocalization of this part could not have been more perfectly or gracefully given. The effect of the performance was considerably marred by the fact that Signor Antonucci (Don Basilio) suffered so severely from a cold as to be almost unable to sing. The heroic efforts of this gentleman to fulfill his part received the evident sympathy of the audience, but this hardly bettered the matter. Signor Bellini, as Bartolo, was excellent, as usual, and Signor Baragli—Almaviva—won a hearty tribute of applause for his serenade song.”

“The ‘Barber of Seville’ was played here last night in the most perfect way it has ever been rendered in America. It is an act of benevolence on the part of any management to produce it; for the work, beautiful as it is and the only truly comic opera of the Italian repertoire, does not generally draw. Last night was an exception to the rule, for the house was brilliantly and completely filled. The performance was in every way admirable. Such a cast, indeed, has seldom been heard. Miss Kellogg, whose style and school lead her to the ornate, was the Rosina, and the rôle could not have been more piquantly acted, or more thoroughly interpreted in its musical aspects. Signor Baragli was the Count, and astonished everyone by the quiet and facile manner in which the music slipped from his lips. The gentleman is an excellent actor, and this additional fact contributed, as may well be supposed, to the effect. Signor Ronconi was Figaro. The impersonation is as celebrated as that of Mary Stuart by Ristori. It would be superfluous and exceedingly difficult to say anything more. Every point of the text—every interstice of the dialogue was filled by the ‘business’ of this great artist. True, hearty fun cannot be analyzed. We content ourselves with saying that Signor Ronconi kept the audience in good humor from beginning to end. And in this benevolent purpose he was aided and abetted by Signor Bellini as Dr. Bartolo, and Signor Antonucci as Basilio. The gentleman last named was entirely under the weather. Few artists of his reputation would have ventured, with such a cold, to sing. We refer to the fact in a spirit of appreciation. It is only too seldom that we can speak of the good intentions of an artist toward the public. We hope that the ‘Barber’ will be repeated. The work has never been so adequately and enjoyably presented to our public.”

Kellogg is the perfect cast for the “Rosine”. Her personality, musical and acting skills fit the part completely. Antonucci’s hoarseness influenced the general impression of the opera, however; the performance was all in all a good one. Ronconi as Figaro was very funny in his gestures and body language, yet his voice could not fully convince anymore. Nevertheless, he did the first aria rather well. Baragli sang “Almaviva” fairly well, however; his voice is not strong enough in the ensemble scenes. Bellini’s performance was satisfactory.

The event was very well attended which is ascribed to the debut of Ronconi as ‘Figaro’ and Kellogg as ‘Rosina’. There were doubts if their skills could live up to the demands of these parts. However, the doubts were unfounded; both Kellogg and Ronconi did very well. The latter masked weaknesses in his voice with a very humorous acting performance of ‘Figaro’; Kellogg impressed even in the challenging coloratura parts. Baragli, Brignoli’s successor as ‘Count Almaviva’, does not possess the sweet, melodious and full voice of his predecessor, however; his acting was not as stiff and wooden. He presented the serenade with much taste. Bellini’s ‘Bartolo’ was delightful in acting and singing. Antonucci, however, was so hoarse; he could not produce a single audible sound. The fact that he still attempted to sing his aria speaks of confidence as well as a lack of consideration for the audience which had to listen to the unpleasant sounds. In the second act he was replaced by Fossati who was more willing but less skillful in his performance. The audience condoned it silently.

The performance was splendid. However, Antonucci as “Basilio” was so hoarse that Fossati had to fill in for him which happened without further disturbance. Ronconi did well, yet we would have expected more. Vocally he was excellent, his acting, though, could have been more lively and dominant. Baragli sang the count satisfactorily, and his acting was good and energetic. The same applies to Bellini’s “Bartolo”, which was performed without Bellini’s usual exaggeration. Kellogg satisfied, however, this part is too low in range for her voice. The ensemble was satisfactory. Maretzek conducted himself again after he had not done so for a long time.