Grau Italian Opera: Lucrezia Borgia

Two ads.

“The price of admission on this occasion will be fifty cents to all parts of the house.”

“[A] cheap admission entertainment.”

Confusing price information. “Admission to all parts of the Academy, 50 cents. Reserved seats, 50 cents extra; Gallery 25 cents.”

Cast.

          “Cheap opera nights are popular in New York, if we may judge from the fact that last evening the Academy of Music contained so large an audience. ‘Lucrezia’ is ever a favorite opera, and with such artists as Lorini, Morensi, Brignoli and Susini proves an irresistible attraction. The public is too familiar with this opera to require any detailed account of its performance. We will merely say that hearty and continuous applause testified to the pleasure experienced by those present.

          Among the choice morceaux of the first act--those eliciting applause–was the cavatina ‘Com e felo,’ rendered with purity and power by Lorini (Lucrezia), who was in splendid voice, and was heard to greater advantage than on any previous evening of her engagement. The same may be said of her rendition of the favorite cabaletta--written, as is generally known, for Grisi by Donizetti, the first time the opera was produced in Paris. This allegro does not exist in the original score, but was introduced in order to display Grisi's facility of vocalization. We doubt whether that celebrated artist ever gave this cavatina with more effect than was observable last evening. Brignoli (Gennaro), not hampered by the music of Meyerbeer, was himself again, and most delightfully did he sing the ‘Di Pescatore.’  He acted with spirit and was in fine voice.  Susini (the duke) gave, in the second act, the aria 'Vieni la mia Vendetta' magnificently. We can employ no more suitable terms to convey an idea of his execution of this song. Lorini, Brignoli and Susini sang the terzetto ‘Quai se te Fugge’ with so much ensemble and power as to cause the most continuous applause of the audience. Upon the fall of the curtain the artists were called out. Morensi (Orsini), in the third act, gave with effect the celebrated 'Brindisi.'  A tumultuous encore was demanded by the whole house. We observe evidences of great improvement in this artist. Her voice is so full, so powerful, so young—if we may use such a term—and gives promise of so much to come, that we desire to impress upon its possessor careful and constant study, the results of which will be fame. Added to her fine voice is an appearance most pleasing and effective—a rare combination of happy gifts.  Signora Lorini, who acted with vigor and great judgment, gave, during the ‘Modi ah Modi’ an upper ‘re’ which reminded us of the famous C sharp of the world renowned Tamberlick. The success of this cheap opera night will no doubt encourage Manager Grau to a repetition of the experiment.”

     "On Thursday evening (Thanksgiving) we had 'Lucrezia Borgia' at the Academy of Music on what Manager Grau styles 'a cheap opera night.' We are inclined to think he is wrong in thus stigmatizing the performance. He should omit the word ‘cheap;’ it is so unpleasant to the hyper-fashionable, the elite, whose taste for music is not sufficiently great to cause them to overlook that fatal word, ‘cheap.’ Those present on Thursday evening witnessed, perhaps, the finest rendition of the opera of Lucrezia which was ever given in New York. Lorini, Morensi, Brignoli and Susini never sang with more effect. We were astonished especially at the fine and perfectly satisfactory acting of Brignoli, while he was never in better voice. We hope Manager Grau will repeat the experiment of cheap opera nights, but that he will, while doing so, drop the word ‘cheap.’”

“Morensi sang with great success, especially in the Brindici, [sic] which was received with great enthusiasm.”