Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1844-05-25

DEATH IN II THEATRE.-I have seer and
heard much Of an Italians love of music. but
nothing illustrating ii 80 forciblv as an Incl.
dent that occurred last evening at the opera
In the midst Of one Of the scenes, a man in the
pit near the ORCHESTRA was suddenly seized
with commissions. His limbs stifTened his
eyes became set lis his head, and stood wide
open staring at the ceiling like the eyes OF a
corpse while low and agonizing grcSns broke
from bis struggling bssou, The prima don.
ma came forward at that moment, but seeing
this llvld, dead-stamped face before her, sud-
denly stopped, with a tragic fook and start,
that for once was perfectly natural She furn-
edtoths bass-6iTger5 and pointed out The fright
full spectacle. He also started back in horror.
and the prospect WIS that the opera would ter
inmate on the Bpot but the scene that was
Just opening was the one in which the prima-
donna was to make hor great effort, and around
which the whole interest Of the play was path-
cred and the spectators we're determined moi
to be disappointed because one man was dv.
ing. and so shouted, go oni 90 on % Clara
N6seIlo gave another look towards the groan.
ing man, whose whole aspect was enough 10
freeze the blood, and then started of IN Her
part. But the dying man grew worse and
worse, and finally sprung bolt upright III bis
seat. A person sitting behind him all absor.
bed in the music Immediately placed his hands
on his shoulders, pressed him firmly in his
place. There he sat pinionsd fast, with his
pale, cofpse-like face pptdrbed3 in the midst
Of that assembiage, and the foam rolling over
bis lips, while the braying of trumpe,s, and the
voice OF the singer drowned the proans that
were reBdfng his bosom. 1t length the foam
became streaked with blood as it oozed through
his teeth, and the convulsiye starts grew quick
er and ferceT. But the man behind held him
fast while he gazed in perfect rapture On the
singer, who now, like the ascending lark, was
trying her ~loftiest strain. A. it ended the
house rang with applause, and the E1an who
had held down the poor dying creature could
contain his ecstacy no longer, and fitting his
hands from his shoulders, clapped them rapid
~ together three or four times, crying out
over the ears ofthe dying man, Bravo, bragae'
and then hurriedly placing them beck again
70 prevent bis ~sprlnging up, 10 his ccnynlsiVe
throes. It was a perfectly maddening specta-
Gle, and music Jared on the chords Of my heart
like blows of a hammer But the Song was
ended, the effect securedIand 80 the SPECTATORS
could attend to the sufferer in the miasf. The
gems d'aro1s entered and carried him. speech
less and ~lifeless CIT Of the theatres If this
be the refined nature and sensitive sbul, love
Of music creates, Heaven keep me, from il,
and my countrymen. Give ma a heart, with
that vibrate to human suffering, sooner
than to the most ravishing melody, That can
nothing else, when moving Pity speaks.
But 90 tbs world goes-men will weep over
a dying ass, then pitch brother into the ditch.
play. oh, how they can appreciate, and feel
i, they are so sensitive 2 out a stern, stirring
fact they can look as coldly on as statue!