Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

287-8

text excerpt

The result was that neither “Carmen” nor “Esmeralda” appeared in its Gallic guise until late in July. Indeed, “Carmen” was given only for Harris's “benefit" on the very last night of the season,  when the demand for seats was so enormous that  stalls sold for £4 ($20) apiece, and many hundreds of people were turned away from the doors.  The only disappointment was Melba's non-apppearance as Michaela, but this was almost  forgotten amid the triumphs of Jean de Reszke  and Lassalle, whose admirable impersonations  were well matched by the fascinating Carmen of Zelie de Lussan. Being a kind of gala night, Augustus Harris imagined it would be interesting to  have each of his three conductors engaged upon  the one opera. Accordingly Mancinelli directed the first act, Bevignani the second, Randegger the third, and Mancinelli again the fourth. The effect upon the ensemble of the performance was simply disastrous, and, needless to add, the childish experiment was never tried again.

The result was that neither “Carmen” nor “Esmeralda” appeared in its Gallic guise until late in July. Indeed, “Carmen” was given only for Harris's “benefit" on the very last night of the season,  when the demand for seats was so enormous that  stalls sold for £4 ($20) apiece, and many hundreds of people were turned away from the doors.  The only disappointment was Melba's non-apppearance as Michaela, but this was almost  forgotten amid the triumphs of Jean de Reszke  and Lassalle, whose admirable impersonations  were well matched by the fascinating Carmen of Zelie de Lussan. Being a kind of gala night, Augustus Harris imagined it would be interesting to  have each of his three conductors engaged upon  the one opera. Accordingly Mancinelli directed the first act, Bevignani the second, Randegger the third, and Mancinelli again the fourth. The effect upon the ensemble of the performance was simply disastrous, and, needless to add, the childish experiment was never tried again.

excerpt from 'Thirty Years of Musical Life in London, 1870-1900' pp. 287-8 (164 words)

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