Metropolitan Opera Archives

The lack of sufficient rehearsal which has been a striking feature of the present season at the Metropolitan Opera house, was evident in the first performance of Boito's "Mefistofele" last evening, as it was in the first performances?The deficiencies last evening, however, were entirely confined to the work of the chorus and orchestra, as the soloists were all thoroughly proficient, and the representation, as far as they were concerned was by far the best that this noble work has yet received this this City. The cast of the principal parts comprised Mme. Christine Nilsson as Margherita and Elena, Mme. Zelia Trebelli as Marta and Pantalis, Signor Campanini as Faust, and Signor Mirabella as Mefistofele. With the exception of the last-named artist all of these sustained the same parts at the first production of the opera in London. Signor Nanetti then being the Mefistofele. At previous performances of the work in this city, the title character has been taken by Signor Novara, who, perhaps, succeeds in infusing a trifle more of the Satanic element in his impersonation, than Mirabella does and is more spirited in his rendering of the two detached solos of Mefistofele, the "Son lo Spirito," in Act I, and the "Ecco il mondo," in the Brocken scene.

On the whole, however, Signor Mirabella's impersonation of this exceeding difficult part was very creditable; his full, rich voice was effective in the prologue and in the quartet of the garden scene, and his acting will undoubtedly improve with repetitions of the opera.

As for the other soloists no words, except those of praise need be used to describe their work. It is doubtful if, even in "Lohengrin," Mme. Nilsson's voice has even been heard to such good advantage as it was last night in the beautiful quartet and duo in which Margherita takes part in Act II; in the pathetic music of the dungeon, or in the fascinating scene of the Classical Sabbath, with its lovely duet for soprano and contralto and its delightful love music. It is easy to understand the success of this opera in London after witnessing Mme. Nilsson's performance of the dual role allotted to the soprano. She interprets the composer's meaning with a facility and intelligence due alike to her genius and her thorough artistic training, and she gives to the music that lovely quality of voice and virile and impassioned style which have illumined other familiar röles and closely associated with them, in the minds of this public at least, with Mme. Nilsson's name, but which seem in other part to be more fittingly displayed than in this.

Signor Campanini portrayed Faust with the rare musical intelligence which he has hitherto shown in this part. He is, in a certain sense, the interpreter of Boïto, for it was through his efforts that "Mefistofele" was first produced both here and in England, and he bestows his best energies on this opera with the affection of a friend as well as the skill of a virtuoso. His voice was in splendid condition last evening, and his singing throughout the opera was beautiful, while he bore the main burden of the performance in a masterly manner. Mme. Trebelli's rich and tuneful voice and her perfect style made the parts of Marta and Pantalis quite as interesting as the other rôles. She did her share of the quartet in Act II, and of the duet with Elena in Act IV, with the skill of a thorough artist. Signor Cleofonte Campanini conducted. In the "Prologue" he had a thankless task, but afterward, although the choruses can not be said to have been imposing at any time, they were not rendered so wretchedly as the songs of the mystics, the cherubim, and the penitents were.

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