Garcia the Centenarian And His Times

5-18

c that "The Beggar's Opera," which created such a furore in Great Britain, probably was the first entertainment of the kind given in the colonies

Storace, and Dibdin were given with some frequency. During the British occupation, in revolutionary days, the English regimental bands often assisted in the orchestral par

ld, and travelling troupes came into existence, making short circuits from New York through t

ed with the boldest of alterations and makeshifts. Extra dances were introduced to charm the audience, and the incantation scene was often given wit

en the elder Garcia arrived with his well-equipped opera troupe. Well might a critic of that day speak of the Spanish te

contralto r?les, while his wife and Mme. Barbieri were the soprani. He himself was, naturally, primo tenore, being assisted by the younger Crivelli as the secondo. The latter

ritten an opera, which was performed by the San Carlo company

Angrisani as the basso cantante, and Rosich as the buffo caricato. The chorus, which was collected and organised by Garcia only with t

York pupils of Signor Daponte, who was for many years professor of Italian literature in Columbia College there. "To this Signor Daponte, the personal friend of Mozart, and writer of the libretto of 'Don Giovanni,' the poet told me," says the biogra

shed up to the Italian librettist and embraced him with the greatest warmth, singing all the while the aria "Fi

ter, rendering a difficult operatic quartette, unaccompanied. At the end he would strike the chord again, to show that they had not deviated from the pitch to the extent of even a hair's-breadth. They certainly formed a quartette of pre-eminent ability; indeed, Cho

otice on October 25, to the effect that "The Spanish family of the Garcias, c

led 'The Albion, or British, Colonial, and Foreign Weekly Gazette.' In its issue of November 19 there was

e some of the first artists in Europe), and has made arrangements with the managers of the New York Theatre to have the house on Tuesdays and

ne month, will be received at the box office at the theatre, and the applicants for the longest term and greatest number of se

be two dollars; of pit, one dollar

Seviglia' is now in rehearsal, and

s will be transferable. Perfor

sue of the pap

era of 'Il Barbiere di Seviglia' will be performed on Tuesday next.

peras of Cimarosa, Mozart, and Paisiello, with othe

Park Theatre on November 29, 1825, the op

Garcia,

Garcia,

Maria

Madame

lo Ro

o d'An

lo Cri

any an encouraging send-off in t

the Italian Opera of Tuesday night; we shall, however, have something to say later, and meanwhile can state tha

o fashionable, so numerous, so elegantly dressed, has

included Joseph Bonaparte, the ex-King of Spain, and the two friends, Fenimore Cooper and Fitz-Greene Halle

merit of the company was the unbroken attention that was yielded throughout the entire performance, except that every now and then it was interrupted by judiciously bestowed marks of applause, which were simultaneously given from all parts of the house. In one

lto"-the gentleman is nothing if not correct, while we trace in the next words the unquestionable fact that he has been comparing notes with our "scientific" friend of 'The Albion.' "Her science and skill are such as to enable her to run o

le sketch of Maria Garcia as s

arch, and expressive; and a playful smile is almost constantly the companion

nging previously at several concerts. It has been asserted by some that his début in opera was made in Paris in the preceding year, but

een asserted by many. The latter mistake probably originated in the fact that sometimes, as will be related later, he undertook the tenor p

tir in New York, and his popularity was thereby considerably increased, but from the criticisms it is obvious that Manuel Garcia wo

on' that "The celebrated opera of 'Tancredi' wil

t recalls the mixed receptions which the immortal Kean sometimes exp

ess to the public that they had no reason whatever to suppose that any serious or organi

akes a Benefit at the Park on Wednesday, on which occas

rformance of "Tancredi." One of the company had apparently discharg

thing could exceed the enthusiasm with which it was received. The scenery, painted by one of the troupe, i

ic). Signorina Garcia takes the part of Tancredi. The piece, from its own intrinsic me

how "Il Barbiere" figured as "Il Barbiera," and Madame Barbieri as "Barbiere," while Signor Garcia appeare

ffort, and the piece, we trust, will have a good run. Signor Garcia astonished the audience with his m

d vocalist on the great talent he had that night displayed, and expressed in the warmest terms the gratification exp

o," one of the greatest successes of the seas

Signor

or Garcia

ignor An

gnor Cr

Madame

Signora

n

ignorina Ma

i, which was produced in Milan exactly sixty-one years after the performance of Rossini's setting just d

o, and, as the criticism in 'The Albion' stated four days later: "In the part of Saporello"-the office shines once more in spelling-"the younger Garc

ving the "scientific critique, which we are promised from a professor." He is evidently "still harping on my daughter," for one reads with infinite regret that-"To enter into any

zart," the reason which he gives for this fact being set forth in a delightful bit of phraseology,-"He must ha

, for we are told, "Mdlle. Garcia's Zerlina, though not so simple and rustic as Fador's (sic), the great Zerlina of Europe, is much more

concludes, "must we regret that a few nights lon

her scientific men declared that the seven days of the World's Creation really meant seven periods, each extending over hundreds of years, so this one in saying "a few nights," to

the dazzling array of fresh mistakes in spelling-"was performed las

of the approaching

he troupe is to be disposed of, but the Philadelphia papers express strong hopes of having this delightful e

n Saturday, September 16th, the benefit of Garcia, jun.'"-this was how Manuel appeared on the bills throughout the New York season-"'Tuesday the 19th, benefit of Mme. Garcia;

ason of Italian opera was brought to a close, after

in later years was to be ousted as completely from the field by Gounod's version as Rossini's "Otello" was fated to be by Verdi's. The list was completed by "Cenerentola," "Semi

bassoon, two horns, two trumpets, and drums,-twenty-four performers in all. The first violin and leader was De Luce, while a M. Etienne presided at the pianoforte. T

ost intricate flights under the direction of M. de Luce; while M. Etienne presided in an effective manner at a piano, of which every now and then he might be hear

from going out on this evening for fear of interfering with preparation for the Sabbath. As we may read in a notice of the season, which was sent over by the New York correspondent to one of the English pa

ormances brought in gross receipts of 56,685 dollars (ranging from 1962 dollars on the best nigh

of the Italian Opera. In them advice was given to those who had written asking questions as to how to dress in a f

Theatre season, and the whole affair created the great

e end of September of the f

Mexico, and it is believed that they will go to t

thing of the present, for on that date the tragedian trod the boards of an American stage for the first time. One cannot perhaps bring the

spectable description, and comprising all the talent and critical acumen of this great city." One