The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-04

1t is the handsomcst house in Lima, but in New
York you would be ashamed to live in it, Every
thing is dreadiully dear especially board in hotels.
We paid seven dollars day all the time we stopped
al Morns, which is not tho first.
| have hardly had chance to SEE anything Of tho
people and customs here, as yet, have had so
much to do, getting my house ready. l shall write
youa long letter by the next steamer, and tell you
everything j merely wrio you these few lines to
let you know that We well, as there is gsntle
man who has offered to take letter as Far as Pa
mama for me. There is no mail from here TO Pa
mama and, unless you send by Adams * Co.'scx-
press, cannot receive your letters DO write to me
often. II secms year TO me since loft New York,
have not yet heard q word from you Give my
love to all my friends, and do not forget me. Iour
ever aHectonate sister. l..
Memoir ofJonnna Wagner, the new Prima
Donna.
The contention for the possession of the new
2yiHia donna from tho north, must make the anna
tours Of tho sunny south despair the lyric crown
has been wrested from Italy, and it is Germany
which now supplies the lyrical stage with the most
unprecedented in musical annals. Voltairc has left
glowing description of the vocal powers OF Madame
Asrua the star of the opera ut Berlin, IN the tune
Of the great Frederick 1t required not the historic
authority Of DIR. Burney to inform us of the
plishments Of the celebrated Madlle. Schmang,
there are yet connoisssurs living who speak in rap
lures Of that famed singer, better known in this
country as Madame Mara. operate records are also
Schick, &C.; but, to come to more modern times,
who has not heard Of. if not witnessed, the classic
genius Of the famed Madame Milder, who for
many years maintained undisputed supremacy in
ancient grand opera at Berlin, but whose glory was
eventually cxtinguished BY the production Of We
ber's = Der Freyschug" in 1922, Madame Mildcr
being incapable to sing music in which there was
the ghtest exercise OF volubity, and the romantic
school superscding the classic opera. Madc.
Tngher, OF Vienna, was disciple of the Italian style,
ana Madame Sontag and Madlle. Lowe followed the
example of the Nicnesc vocalist Two successors
to Mider, hadlle. Schneider and Madic. Won Fuss
man. vain essayed to revive the classic traditions,
and il was reserved FOR Joanna Wagner to reani-
mate in Berlin the almost forgotten works of Chuck
and Spontni while she trunphantly attacked the
sepc,toire Of Schroeder Devrient having the great
advantage over Milder of being excellent must
clan The difficulty that Beethoven experienced to
drill Mider for the part Of Fidelio is mentioned in
his correspondence. Joanna Wagner was born in
Hanover, IN lS26, and was once, therefore, British
subject. Her parents were distinguished for their
artistic abilities. and for many years attached
to the theatre at Wurzburg in Bavaria, being at
the same time professors Of singing. From her
earliest nnncy. the love OF music was manifesto
by Joanna. and tho quality Of a sweet and mcloli-
voice gradually developed She was gene
rally selected to play and sing the parts OF the good
burg. but her ds5n must be dated from her as
sumption Of The character Of Abigail. in the Iure
FEar ut The age Of fifteen years. at the theatre OF
Eailenstadt. Her success was sufficiently decided
but her greatest sensation made IN the
pat of Corlcia. in Shakspcre's "King Lear"
At this epoch of her the tenden-
ces of her talents seemed to be balanced between
tragedy and opera: but, as her sister pre-emi-
nontly distinguished in the Legitimate drarna the
parents Of Joanna resolved, therefore, to pursue tbs
cultivation OF her musical capabilities Her next
part that Of the page, iii Mcyerbeer's 'llugue-
nots. which is not as may DO supposed by those
persons who have only heard the opera in this coun-
Try, written for ccntralto in the original score,
Lu: is for n soprano organ; Meyerbeer having cx-
prcs.ly arranged il for Albon, and added an addi-
tonal air in the second act, when the '.luguenots"
WINS produced at the Royal Italian Opera, in 1878.
Joanna Wagrers success IN the Page insured for
her the role Of Catarina IN Haleyy's lve-act opera
''Ls Refine de Chypre,f the brctto of which Bale
took for his Daughter Of st. Mark. Ii was the
powerful vocalization Of Joanna Wagner in the
long and tatiguing part Of Catarina that induced
her uncle TO invite her to Dresden, in 1876 where
he fulfilled the functions Of chapel-master. Herr
Richard Wagner is composer of great fame in
Germany, where he may be said to O. cupy the same
position il lyric art az Borloz in France. 1t j.. III
fact. yesed question. Like thc ''Benvcnuto Gel
linl' u Bcrlioz the : RcinkiN ot Richard
Wagner las given lise to much discussions;
ara bis ''Iannhauser" has no produced
ur4uimify. Iskt, however, the great pianist WHO
i now elm q. master and operate director Ut Wei
MAJ, j. the ehvalrous champion both OF lcr1l and
Wagner: and i was IN August, lsJ0 TINT he pro-
duced "lohan grin, : Wagner last new opera. and
only month since Berlio1's : Bonysnuto Cclini"
Il Is but fair 70 add tlat the Weimar public fully
support List in his opinions to the two composers.
TO return to the subject 81 our no;iceMtlllc. Wag
ner accepted tho invitation Of her uncle, bat prior
to her departure TO- Dresden she visited Paris With
hon father, and tei six months pupil OF Manuel
Gareie. the brother Of ViariQ; end Mal5ran,. en-,
80 o Jsaty Ing. On tho arii,.. :. IAN.
IA AZ Dresden lii, VA Immediately engaged Eo,
five YEAR at the Court Thedtrs II was 10 this
city that she became The Of Schroeder De-
vlient in "Fidelio, Agatha, e. Dr. Freyschutz,)
and otlcr parts. She also achieved a marked sue
cess ae Valentine, in tho ''Hugden0ts.r Her en-.
gagcmcnt was. however. termixa-ed BY the politi-
cal events 81 March Ieie. 10 which her uncle, Rich
ard y agsfS, was compromised mat it was only
BY fight e Switzerland that he escaped imprison-
mont. The King al Saxonv, il October 1850
grantees Tic composer full pardon. On the eve-
ning . TIC in:urrcction, Joanna Wagner had
gone e Hamburg to perform for Il low
nights but such was the enthusiasm created
by her performance counied with the events at
lrcs jcu. That she eHorcd into enethened engage
ment The 18th OF January, 1860 was an oventful
dny fol fcarua Wagner. u was then that Mover
beers : Pgcphctc " was produced In Hamburg
This work was fls. heard in Paris. 1t the Grand
opera, on tile 10th of April 1919, Madame War
dot beng the original Fides which sne subsequently
saDg ~ ''erinau Mt Berlin aud in London in italian
1t was generally assorted that no other aytte could
over undertake the Part az written BY Meyerbcer,
lnasmneh as the combined qualities Of soprano and
contrato must b. possessed by any aftiste UNDER
taking the roty Joanna Wagner. who Ind never
Eeon the opera undertook tho task, and the firore
OF the Hamburg amateurs is described in tho jour
mails Of the time IS Unprecedented. On tho 10th Of
February she played Fldes for her benefit. and a
public denomination wcs made on that OCCASION.
toualling tho fanasicism OF tho Jenny Lind DAYS
An immediate engagement at Berlin was offered. TO
be the successor Of Viardot. and In June S50 not
withdrawing tic profound impression mace by the
SPANISH rencit lgpdaG d0dHd, Joanna Wagne's
doiueatiOn was pronounced 70 b0 as perfect. Her
singing OF he2a, in Webors /" Obcron,' fully con-
frmcd the very difficult Bornese critics in their !
high estimation OF the young ai7tSte, who had the
celebrated tenor Tichatsshek Jean Of Leydcn. In
July following sho sang Ia the Prophete," wish !
Herr Ar3cr, at Vienna every night OF performance |
tho theatre being filed to overflow AZ the begin
ming OF ISL she sang twice week Mt Hamburg.
appearing on the 18th of February, 1851. as
Odettc. 10 Halcvys " Charles The Sixth" aud her
fame spread through Germany nc every new
character.
Joanna Wagner, in the fist instance. had been