an end with a quarrel between Maretzek and the directors of the Academy.  The troupe prepared to embark for Havana, but before doing so gave a brief season under the style of the La Grange Opera Company, and brought forward the new opera on December 3, three days before the Parisians were privileged to hear it.  The musical critic of the Tribune at the time was Mr. W. H. Fry, who was not only a writer on political and musical subjects, but a composer, who wrote an opera, “Leonora,” in which Mme. La Grange sang at the Academy about a year and a half later.  His review of the first performance of “La Traviata,” which appeared in the Tribune of December 5, 1856, is worth reading for more reasons than one:—­

The plot of “La Traviata” we have already given to our readers.  It is simply “Camille.”  The first scene affords us some waltzing music, appropriate in its place, on which a (musical) dialogue takes place.  The waltz is not specially good, nor is there any masterly outworking of detail.  A fair drinking song is afforded, which pleased, but was not encored.  A pretty duet by Mme. de la Grange and Signor Brignoli may be noticed also in this act; and the final air, by Madame de la Grange, “Ah! fors’ e lui che l’anima,” contained a brilliant, florid close which brought down the house, and the curtain had to be reraised to admit of a repetition.  Act II admits of more intensified music than Act I. A brief air by Alfred (Brignoli) is followed by an air by Germont (Amodio), and by a duet, Violetta (La Grange) and Germont.  The duet is well worked up and is rousing, passionate music.  Verdi’s mastery of dramatic accent—­of the modern school of declamation—­is here evident.  Some dramatic work, the orchestra leading, follows—­bringing an air by Germont, “Di Provenza il mar.”  This is a 2-4 travesty of a waltz known as Weber’s Last Waltz (which, however, Weber never wrote); and is too uniform in the length of its notes to have dramatic breadth or eloquence.  A good hit is the sudden exit of Alfred thereupon, not stopping to make an andiamo duet as is so often done.  The next scene introduces us to a masquerade where are choruses of quasi-gypsies, matadors, and picadors,—­sufficiently characteristic.  The scene after the card-playing, which is so fine in the play, is inefficient in music.  Act iii in the book (though it was made Act IV on this occasion by subdividing the second) reveals the sick-room of Traviata.  A sweet air, minor and major by turns, with some hautboy wailing, paints the sufferer’s sorrows.  A duet by the lovers, “Parigi, O cara,” is especially original in its peroration.  The closing trio has due culmination and anguish, though we would have preferred a quiet ending to a hectic shriek and a doubly loud force in the orchestra.

Goldsmith’s rule in “The Vicar” for criticising a painting was always to say that “the picture would have been better if the painter had taken more pains.”  Perhaps the same might be said about “La Traviata”; but whether it would have pleased the public more is another question.  Some of the airs certainly would bear substitution by others in the author’s happier vein.  The opera was well received.  Three times the singers were called before the curtain.  The piece was well put on the stage.  Madame La Grange never looked so well.  Her toilet was charming.