Volume 102 — OPERATIC NOTES.
Reading edition
Isolde, seated on a sham rock, awaiting the coming of her lover. Alas! all ends unharpily!
Wednesday.—The Irish Question, heard for the first time operatically, put by The O'WAGNER in his music-story of "Tristan und Isolde." The story is decidedly a triste 'un and is old no doubt of it. Frau SUCHER first rate as the Irish Princess Isolde. Herr ALVARY plays Her Tristan; good, but not great. All vary well. As Kurwenal, Herr KNAPP, in spite of his name, kept everyone awake, and did his very best; in fact, "went Knapp."
Fräulein RALPH was charming as Braugäne, and her manner of inducing the Princess of the Most Distressful Country to take to the bottle—KINAHAN's L.L.L.—deserved the encore which she ought to have received. No matter—Fräulein RALPH played with spirit, which is a dangerous thing to do as a rule. House crammed: not packed.
"How's your Poor Feet?"
The Pedicure Motif. Shepherd, with pipe, suffering from "Corno Inglese," showing Triste 'Un, the Cornish Knight, where he may seek relief from his Bunions' Pilgrim's Progress.
Thursday.—Long live the Don! Vive MOZART! Don Giovanni's taste as to ladies changed as he grew older. The two musical Duchesses who accompany Don Ottavio when he is singing are usually, fine and large; but Zerlina, the Don's latest fancy, is petite. Why does Signor CARACCIOLO make Masetto an idiotic old bumpkin? EDOUARD DE RESZKÉ is admirable as the cowardly Leporello, and MAUREL fine as the Im-maurel Don. With what an air he salutes Zerlina! The air is MOZART's "La ci darem," and therefore perfect. ZÉLIE DE LUSSAN delightful as that arrant flirt Zerlina. The Statue was rather in the dark. The Stalls couldn't see him "noddin', nid nid noddin'." Let Sir DRURIOLANUS look to this, and say to the Limelighter, quoting GOËTHE, "More light! More light!"
Friday.—Carmen. Commend me at once to Madame DESCHAMPS-JEHIN as Carmen. Her name is too long, and there's a little too much of her, figure-ratively speaking. A trifle over-size for quite an ideal Carmen, but then Madame D.-JEHIN is so good that we cannot have too much of her. Acting excellent. Madame EMMA EAMES EMMA-nently first-rate as Michaela. We all know JEAN DE RESZKÉ'S Don José, which up to now is hard to beat; so for LASSALLE as Escamillo,—the great song encored, of course. Signor CARACCIOLO as Dancairo (of a mixed race, Irish Dan and Egyptian Cairo—a regular Bohemian), and RINALDINI as Remendado, capital, not overdone. Mlle. BAUERMEISTER as Frasquita, and AGNES JANSON as Mercedes, looked winning, especially when playing cards.
Saturday.—Cavalleria Rusticana. Most appropriate when everybody is talking of the elections and "going to the country."