French Opera: Il barbieri de Siviglia, French Benevolent Society Annual Benefit

“The annual performance for the benefit of the French Benevolent Society was given at this establishment last evening. As in former years, the audience was extremely large, the house being filled to repletion, with a most fashionable brilliant assemblage. The gatherings at the Théâtre Francais differ totally from those at other play houses. The representations are given, as it were, en famille, and the intermission between acts is welcomed as an opportunity for the occupants of boxes to exchange calls and hold levées of some duration. It is the sociability prevailing among the habituées of the establishment that invests the entertainments with a peculiar charm and renders the representations at this Fourteenth street house most enjoyable to the refined patrons of music and the drama.  Last evening, Rossini’s ever popular Opéra Comique, the Barber of Seville, constituted the programme, the cast embracing MM. Wilhem, Anthelme, Vert and Walter, Mlle. Naddie and Mme. Daire. The work was very creditably performed. M. Wilhelm sang the part of the garrulous barber with the artistic finish which characterizes the impersonations of most comedians of the French school. M. Anthelme, who suffered from severe hoarseness, acted more gracefully, and Mlle. Naddie vocalized the florid music of the maestro with sparkling fluency. The orchestra was proficient, but the choruses were by no means perfect. The entertainments gave great satisfaction, and the artists were repeatedly called before the curtain.”

“The production of the Barber of Seville, a benefit for the Société de Bienfaisance, was altogether sparkling. The majority of French people in New York were to be found there, commencing with their natural and popular representative, M. le Baron Gualdrée-Boilleau, the French Consul-General.

            The performance of the master’s work was perfect. Mlle Naddie is an adorable Rosina. She carried away those in attendance, and received more flowers than would be needed to decorate the great hall of the Capitol. She had the happy idea to insert, in place of the everlasting waltz by Venzano, during the singing lesson, Isabelle’s great aria from the Pré-aux-Clercs, and she sang it with that taste and spirit that never fail to win over the public. One is astonished that, singing so well, Rosina would need lessons from one like [Don] Basilio, and that old Bartolo forgives her this unnecessary extravagance. Our praises for Mlle Naddie have nothing exaggerated about them, and are rather less than the truth. Three years ago, at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, they didn’t have a singer comparable to her: we speak from having been there. We don’t know whether since that time Favart, the director of that house, has put his hands on a star, but it’s certain Mlle Naddie would take her place gloriously in Paris by the side of those with the most glittering reputations.

            M. Anthelme has all the elegance that belongs to Almaviva, and he got off with his honor intact in the vocal part of the role, although a slight hoarseness paralyzed his powers somewhat. M. Wilhem proved himself to be better than himself in this role of Figaro that the strongest don’t attempt without trembling, and he sang it like a master, while acting with unparalleled dexterity. M. Vert found his triumph in the role of Basilio: the calumny aria hasn’t been sung as well in New York for a long time. Finally, M. Walter (Bartolo) was worthy of this perfect ensemble, that one would search for in vain anywhere other than at the Théâtre Francais. The audience was enchanted, and the committee of the Society should give thanks to the zeal and efforts of our artists, to whom the annual performance owed all of its resplendency.”