Scan 34
Musical Courier 1896-12-02: Vol 33 Iss 874, 1896
90 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 29. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE MUSICAL COURIER.
3OPERAS IN NEW YORK
5At the opera last Wednesday that stale and most tiresome of operas, Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, was given with this cast:
7Valentina ………………………………………….. Mme. Felia Litvinne
8Urbano …………………………………………….. Mme. Mantelli
9Dama d'Onore ……………………………………… Mlle. Bauermeister
10Margherita di Valois …………………………… Mlle. Marie Engle
11Raoul di Nangis …………………………………… M. Jean de Reszke
12Conte di San Bris …………………………………. M. Lassalle
13Conte di Nevers …………………………………… Sig. Ancona
14Huguenot soldier …………………………………. M. Jacques Bars
15Tavannes …………………………………………… Sig. I. Corsi
16De Retz …………………………………………….. Sig. Viviani
17Maurevert ………………………………………….. Sig. de Vaschetti
18De Cosse …………………………………………… Sig. Vanni
19Marcello ……………………………………………. M. Ed. de Reszke
20Première danseuse ………………………………… Mlle. Marthe Irmier
21The incidental divertissement by the corps de ballet.
22Conductor ………………………………………….. Sig. Bevignani
24Mme. Felia Litvinne made her debut as Valentina, or rather her entrées, for she sang here with Mapleson over a decade ago. She is an artist of sound training and sings with authority and skill. Her voice is powerful and has a tendency to wobble, and her lower tones are rich and pleasing. She was nervous, of course, and in the duo with Marcello her rhythms were more than elastic, but the scene closed brilliantly and Mme. Litvinne was recalled. In the final duo she was at her best and gave us some strong acting and singing. She will be a valuable addition to Mr. Grau's forces.
26The new Russian singer is a blonde, is a sister-in-law of Edouard de Reszke, and has the physical stature of a Brunhilda. She is evidently a routinière.
28The performance was an excellent one. The performance of The Huguenots always is. It is one of those exasperating works that is never wonderfully good or bad. People who like their music by the yard flock to this opera. Jean de Reszke was the same sterling Raoul, and was in fine voice. He sang with great power and passion. Edouard de Reszke was a magnificent Marcello, and Lassalle's voice had some of its old-time color. His San Bris is always picturesque. Ancona was Di Nevers, and, Melba being indisposed, the Queen was sung very prettily by Marie Engle.
30Mantelli got hearty applause for her artistic singing of Nobil Signor. The ballet was headed by Marthe Irmier. The chorus enjoyed itself, for in Meyerbeer the chorus is king. Signor Bevignani conducted with skill. The attendance was large.
32Friday night Lohengrin was sung and in German. This was the cast:
34Elsa von Brabant …………………………………. Mme. Emma Eames
35Ortrud …………………………………………….. Mlle. Olitzka
36Heinrich der Vogler, deutscher Koenig …….. M. Ed. de Reszke
37Friedrich von Telramund, brabantischer Graf … Mr. David Bispham
38Der Heerfuesser des Koenigs ………………….. M. Maurice de Vries
39Lohengrin ………………………………………… M. Jean de Reszke
40Conductor, Mr. Anton Seidl.
42It was a performance that at once lifted the season into a fulfillment and a promise. Need we say that Anton Seidl conducted? The greatest living Wagner conductor was at his best, and it is a wonderful best. The orchestra boiled and sang, wept and whispered. It was the true Wagner orchestra, without which a Wagner performance is a hollow imposture.
44The cast was a strong one. It consisted of a combination of nationalities that would have made Wagner stare if he had been on earth instead of sipping ambrosial mead with wish-maidens in Walhalla. Three Poles, two Americans and one Belgian sang the curious history of Elsa of Brabant and one Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan, son of Parzival, and it is with pride that we record the triumphs of Eames and Bispham.
46The Elsa of Eames has always been a lovely picture and irreproachably sung. Last Friday night it was a vital and most moving creation. She sang with passion and an absolute sinking of self in the part. Her second act was exquisite in tenderness, and the scene in the bed chamber full of passion and color. It was the best singing this gifted and beautiful woman has yet vouchsafed us.
48Jean de Reszke was superb. His voice was thrilling in sweetness and power. His Lohengrin is an ideal embodiment. He gives us an intimate human note, but the character is throughout silver tipped by the supernatural. His adieu to the swan is a masterpiece. Edouard de Reszke was a noble Frederick the Fowler and David Bispham surprised us by his sterling impersonation of Telramund.
50It was a well rounded piece of acting in which the crafty, sinister attributes of Lohengrin's foe were clearly presented. He gave us some new and admirable stage "business." Mr. Bispham's voice was in fine condition and he used it artistically and sang most musically. He more than deserved the applause which was so prodigally showered upon the singers and Seidl.
52The Ortrud was Olitzka. She deserves the heartiest praise for her impassioned acting and singing. M. de Vries was the Herald, or, rather, M. de Vries was not the Herald. He was the one blot on an otherwise grateful and finished performance.
54Mr. Seidl led his own orchestra, and the effect was striking. The homogeneity of the cast—in a word, the remarkable work equally done by all the artists—made the evening what it was; and Seidl conducted, as one admirer said, "like a god."
56The continued illness of Melba and Plançon forced the management to cancel the Faust performance intended for Thanksgiving evening. Lucia was not sung at the matinée, La Favorita being substituted, in which Mantelli distinguished herself and Plançon reappeared. Saturday evening, at the second popular performance, Aida was given. Here is the personnel of the cast as printed:
58Ada ………………………………………………. Mme. Felia Litvinne
59Una Sacerdotessa ………………………………… Mlle. Bauermeister
60Amerillis ………………………………………….. Mme. Mantelli
61Amonasro ………………………………………….. Sig. Ancona
62Ramfis …………………………………………….. M. Plançon
63Il Re ………………………………………………. M. Castlemary
64Un Messaggiero …………………………………… Sig. Vanni
65Rhadames ………………………………………….. Sig. Antonio Ceppi
66Incidental dance by the corps de ballet.
67Conductor, Sig. Bevignani.
69The audience, while not large, was fiercely enthusiastic, and at the end of the third act made as much noise as if at a gala performance. The cast was different from the names printed on the program. Mantelli was replaced by Olitzka, Campanari appeared instead of Ancona and for Plançon we got Castlemary. The King was sung by Vaschetti and Castlemary was Ramfis. Litvinne and Antonio Ceppi sang as announced. Signor Bevignani, a sterling conductor, was called before the curtain. The new Rhadames is as big and as broad as Tamagno, but he has not Tamagno's vocal volume. His voice is small and penetrating. In quality it is musical and he sings well. He did good work in the third act, singing with great fire and freedom.
71Litvinne confirmed the good impression of her formed last Wednesday. She was short breathed in her phrasing in the early part of the evening, and robbed Peter to pay Paul, for after every prolonged effort she dropped a note of the succeeding phrase. But in O Patria Mia and during the act she sang with feeling, if not great finesse, and she was dramatic in the duo with Rhadames. Campanari was a superb Amonasro. His voice is one of the best
73CLEMENTINO DE-MACCHI,
74Concert Pianist.
75Per terms dates, &c., address
76DE-MACCHI'S MUSIC STUDIO,
77119 East 92d Street, New York City.
79(no line here) one of two readings
80Mr. H. M. HIRSCHBERG,
81ANNOUNCES THREE RECITALS
82—BY—
83Mr. PERRY AVERILL, Baritone,
84—AND—
85Mr. ORTON BRADLEY, Pianist,
86THURSDAYS:
87Dec. 10, 3 P.M., Jan. 7, 8:30 P.M., Feb. 3, 3 P.M.
88At MENDELSSOHN HALL.
89Tickets on sale at Schubert's.
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