Reminiscences of Michael Kelly

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

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At the Teatro Nuovo, another comic opera house, but by no means as good as the former, acted the celebrated Cassaciello, the idol of Naples. Whenever he appeared on the stage, the house was in a tumult of applause ; and though he gave his recitation in the Neapolitan jargon, there never was a greater favourite, nor one more deserving of favour.

There were also two principal female singers, the Benvenuti, sisters and beauties; one of them had to boast of having in her train, the young Marchese Sambuco, son of the then prime minister of Naples.

Here I saw the first representation of Paesiello's comic opera, " II Socrate Imaginario," (The imaginary Socrates). Cassaciello performed Socrates to admiration. I was informed that Garrick, having seen him in Naples, on his return to England, said, that the best comic actors he had ever seen, were Cassaciello in Naples, Preville at the Comedie Francaise in Paris, and Sacchi, the harlequin, at Venice.

excerpt from 'Reminiscences of Michael Kelly' pp. 47 (159 words)

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