The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-04-28

ParOdi.
Our readers may be interested by the following
sketch of the history of the young and successful
artist, Parodi:
She was born at Genoa, 1927. Her father is a
retired and pensioned employe of the Sandman
Government. So early did she display natural
musical gifts that at twelve years Of age she was
placed by her parents in the Musical Institute of
Genoa, under Maestro Cell, from which she was
removed to the tuition of professor of celebrity in
the same city, Maestro Degola In 1874 she had
exhausted the lore of these masters and was taken
by her mother to Milan, to study under Felice Ron
conf. She had not been many days in the capital
OF Lombardy, when she happened 10 be heard at a
private concert by the husband of Pasta who was so
much struck by the resemblance of her vocal gifts
to those of his renowned consort, that the following
morning he hurried back 10 his villa Como tell
Pasta that he had heard young singer in whom
her voice aud dramatic spirit were revived. Pasta
repaired to Milan to crafty the curiosity her hus-
band had excited Such an impression did the
young musical pupil produce upon her, that she
employed every means to persuade Madame Parodi
to leave her daughter under her care and return to
her family at Genoa. Madame Parodi consented.
Pasta took her daughter with her 10 villa at Como
and from that time she became her pupil and adopt
ed daughter. Felice Ronconi, it is true, having
complained of being deprived of a pupil from whose
success he expected to derive addition to his
fame, Pasta could not resist his entreaties but she
returned with Parodi to Milan, and gave her les
sons at the same time as the professor, and soon
Withdrew her once more to Como, where she re-
mained for whole year without returning to Milan.
The young Parodi, who has four brothers and three
sisters, anxious to contribute as possible to
the support of her father and mother with their
numerous family, determined 10 appear on the
stage on the first opportunity. The Fiera di Ber.
gamo,'' one of those united festivals of commerce
and Of music peculiar to Italy, presented her the
first opportunity of debut, and Pasta finding
she could not prevent the departure of her adopted
daughter, conferred upon her all the ornaments she
had worn when enactlng the queen of lyrical
tragedy the tiara, zone, and grde of Medea-the
crown, the mantle, and golden sickle of Norma
Thus armed and encouraged, and heraded by the
old friends of Pasta, Parodi's success at Bergamo
was one of those scenes of tanatismo only beteld
in Italy.
From all quarters of the fatherland of song she
received offers of engagement, and she appeared
successfully at La Spezia, the Teatro Nuova at
Florence, and the Argentina, at Rome. From
thence she was engaged to appear at the Great
Theatre at Palermo. Once there, SO much did the
Palermitans delight in her talent, that they made
every concession to prevent her leaving and there
she still fingered until the insurrection broke out
She obliged then to take refuge with the
French Consul, and other official personages, for
twenty-five days, on board Sandman ship in the
roads, and was witness to the continuous scene of
conflict, carnage and destruction that ensued. 1t is
singular fact characteristic of the all-overruling
passion for music amongst these enthusiastic peo-
pile of the South, that the same evening that the
citadel and the last bastion were taken by the in
surgents, amidst of destruction Of property
and still more of human life, which even the off
cal papers in Parliament have strongly recorded
the Palermtans sent boat and a deputation to
fetch their favorte singer from on board the Sar-
dnan man of-war ; and that very night, when the
streets were scarcely passable from ruins, i'm
mense crowd assembled to hear Parodi sing Norma
The spirit of the dream Of liberty at Palermo soor
phnnu nI adv AF tka Ip1.
away all the illusions of peace and pursuits o
pleasure Paroli returned to Pasta, at Como, OF
her way to visit her family. She received many
oilers OF engagements-some from London, other.
from Spain, from the Grand Opera of ST. Garlic
Naples, etc.
Blu, these offers were all refused; MILE Parod
having, in the meantime, been belrothed to tn
Duke de S., marriage long resisted by hi
relatives whose consent reached her at Palermo
However, after few months occurred the reverse
of Charles Ahert-the devastation of all ItaIy b
intestine war. In consequence Of this war til
contemplated marriage was again put off Paro,
dele rmined to return once more to the STAGE an
accepted an engagement from her Majestys Thes
tre. Mile Parodi is twenty-five years of age
stature rather above the middle size. Her for
and features are admirably adapted to the stage
She is an energetic actress and impassioned snge
and the resemblance of her voice to that of Il
never to se forgotten Pasta is singuary strikin.
The interest the latter took in her pupil has il
uuteu iier 10 Wrle several lel'ers containing aum
rable precepts, which prove how deeply this mob
prima donna had investigated the resources of h
art, and how admirably she reasoned on its philo
ophy. Here is one, which all actors and SINCE
might study with advantage.)
My Dear Child am transported with pleasu
by the description given me of your most fortuna
debut. What delicious commotion you must fl
in thinking Of the happiness you are shedding
the minds of your good father and your famil
this the real reward which ia found in
and truly it is balm which falls from heaven, al
leaves a remembrance the sweeter as time canr
eitace it. Your has spread far and wie
for l have here by me the offers OF engageme
from Maestro Costa, director of Covent Gard
Theatre, in London; from the impresari of Nap
and Barcelona etc, which keep until you arri
Thou mayest imagine how agitated | was, were
only with thinking that you were going to En-
land-that country which is so dear to me, VIII
love my own fatherland. Oh, why am
permitted to vsislt once more before die and in