The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-13 00:00:00

THE PRIMA. DONNA..

"Her story is often of touching and romantic interest,
and her tate points an impressive moral lesson. Gifted with
powers designed to delight the world, and, in most
instances, combined with personal attractions that mate-
rially enhance the charms of vocal and histrionic efforts,
the debutante emerging from the severe labour of
her musical studies, enters at once on the dazzling but dan-
gerous aco ordinaryaaaofh kind,erfut refineduretriaby
hs;endued with
thesensi-
bility cultivation of her
voice end ear, and often with the strong and wayward im-
pulses of genius, her first success in a moment transforms
the chry.alis into the butterfly, destined to flutter in the
blaze of theatrical splendours. Fascinating the public, and
gratifying the intellectual lovers of song, while her beauty
and powers remain in their full perfection, the fair and
accomplishedeartad ung vocalist cannot but captivate many
hearts, thus becomes surfeited by the flatteries of the
spoiled
children of fortune, and lured by the wiles of subtle
and interested admirers. The intoxication of success fol•
lowing close upon the absorbing studies, and the doubts
and fears that beset the debutante, must be a severe trial to
the sensitive and at dent young creature, who, when acknow-
ledgedCosure of the great, the gifted, and the wealthy of
seetiheeyn Prima Donna,' finds the world at her feet, and
is
society."
y
Such are the attractive heroines whose fitful for-
tunes are here pourtrayed with so much of apprecia-
tive sympathy. The first of these volumes contains
no less than nineteen, the second as many as twenty
biographies. They are profusely illustrated with
anecdotes and incidents of the times to which they
relate. These anecdotes and incidents are, of course,
not all here related for the first time, but they are
selected with discrimination and given with
piquancy and effect. The second volume opens
with the life of Giuditta Pasta, one of "the sweet
singers of Israel," and the sympathy with which
the narrator follows the fortunes and enters into
the feelings of the subjects of her narrative is here
very remarkably evidenced. Madame Pasta made
her debut when only eighteen; but her first season
was not a success. She returned to Italy, and
studied assiduously for more than a year. "An
English nobleman, who saw her at this time, said
that her exertions were unremitting. Other
singers,' said he, ' find themselves endowed with a
voice, and leave everything else to chance. This
woman leaves nothing to chance, and her success is
certain.' " On her re-appearance that success was
assured. Here is a happy glimpse of her triumphant
portrayal of Desdemona :
"Her great triumph was in 0 tello,' In Desdemona
she produced an indescribable effect upon the audience. Of
the impassioned energy, the spirit, the delicacy, and tender-
ness which Madame Pasta infused into the characters, pages
might be written. In the celebrated scene which closes the
second act, commencing thus—
' Se it padre en' abbandoni
Da chi sperar pieta,'
fear, anguish, and despair were successively expressed. in
her countenance, and the pathetic singing of the lovely
melody, Assisa a pi:e d'un, soliee,' touched every heart.
In this part those melting tones, which are designated the
tears of the voice,' were heard with touching effect. It was
in the last scene, however, when awakened by the raging
' Otello,' Desdemona starts up, and the indignation and
horror of conscious innocence are kindled within her, that
the powers of Madame Pasta's performance were concen-
trated. Her transitions from hope to terror, from supplica-
tion to scorn, culminating in her vehement exclamation,
' Sono innoaente I' eleatrifled the audienee; no language
could convey an idea of the beauty, the intensity,
the sublimity of her acting. Indeed, through-
tart the final scene, her acting was the perfec-
tion
of tragic beauty : her last frenzied rooks, when,
blinded by her dishevelled hair, and bewildered
vrj
thee: of
n-
dieting emotions, she seems to seek fruitlessly
forth so
resources of the art of the great tragedian
lra ed the ver-
satility
of consummatelyh erpowers
D est° daervoLat
a,
gaen and
hi tend displayed
to the gentleness
of Tancredi. The contrast
bearing as the young hero of Syracuse,.anatian
lady,
was
adt iso na ofable
e hertoe gxeenius.
and graceful simplicity of the artless -V
l in
presented by her chivalric
she thus exercised a oable sway ; for
On the lyric stage
very striking, andforce enhanced
of Rossini,
ancient in operas of the Swan of
and in the grand style of the
ganencediusththea7sPhresciwa
such
ta ee newent was
sschoolchheor
ol .
Pesaro and she could equally give effect to the sublime
airs composed by Zingarelli for Marehesi, Crescentini,
Grassi• • and other models of what was then called 'the
n e
fine school of singing.
We might quote innumerable passages of equal in..
terest ; but what we have given will be sufficient to
corroborate our testimony as to the 'very graceful
and charming style in which these volumes are
penned, and as to the singularly attractive and
enthral'ing character of their theme.