The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-28

TER cAnnan IN EUROPE AND AMERICA.


The death Of great srt.s' leaves void in the publ
heart that 10 filed up. AS private life tn
loss If the socis qualities and ind int Aces whc
We have Boz ustomed IL wsre Of portion
our shee, 80, in the sphere OF our amusements
the departure Of fsvorte singer ,sr actor cuts
fism associat ons that havc be- eOdeared to NJ
| habit But when the memory OF these Associations
balowed b., the Consciousness that the object OF
regrets was chose private career
admirable and i0veabe aer proses AZ one
that in all the strange vic, STUDIES through which sh
was destined to pass she i play Oh drmness
and solf reliance but seldom witoe-ssd even in til,
stronger sex, We may well bs excused devoting ssnA
small space to che illustration Of talents virtues a.
reflected as much honor upon the proud sud haughS
Glars amongst wiGm accident placed her upon THAI
to which she ofgiSal beoeged.
Eenriesse son,ag born al Coblentz in Prussia of
Of these families of German comedians Of which
Goethe has eren Us such poetic descriptions in his
"Wi'hsim AeistSr.' Coming 10 the light Ike the
hacyon urea the c,esss OF stormy waves, s6s early
knsw tie Nt~situoes trials Of artists lFe At
the age Of S gesre she hec Era appearance at
Ian,sG al in "sas Lonau pehchen (The Dsugk Ten of
the lanute"), MI oaeia very popular in Germany.
where in the chssacter OF Sapme she won admiration
for Ler childish grace and ise intoaate Three years
aiterwssds, having lost her father, HsnYietc Sonty
chidiens PARTS unoer the direction Of Wetcr, WIG
then director Of the etra Of the theatre Her pre-
eocous success cttainn for her hy singular favor per
rsisscn to enter the Academy of xusc of that atty, al
though she hsc not scr reached TIE age required by it's
reaes. There Tor four years studied vocal usc,
tbs penosorse, AMI this elements Of vocal,zat.cn An
ncsspostion Z" The lrim. Of rhe theatre sve her
the opportunity TO appear for the st time per Of
FOR simporia ace-Aa, Of the Princess of Navarre in
Pa IL.
The GaAibty Of her voice. her budding charms Whit Ii
snposnceo her future bssaty. the agitation v7hiA
stirren hi Heart Tiled il with mysterious presents
ments secured iorher success which sugnred weMfcr
the future OF her professors al lie From Prague Ran-
rette soptag went 10 Viensa, where che met Madsne
Main, le-I.dor whose eAampe and good counsels do
,eloped the rich gifts which she haa received fcra
nature.
Singing alternately German ana Italian opera she was
able to prove her in these strongly contrast
ing gusges and choose with deliheration between
the dazzling caprce OF Italian music aud the sober and
profound accents Of the German school. An
sagement having beeu offered her. to sing in German
q era at the theatre of Leipzig, she tina, city
tie OF philosophical and literary discussion and
scquIeo great reputation by the in which she
interpreted Webers ~ er treyschutz and "Euryant
The admirers Of the genius of this great composer we're
chiefly the young of the Universities and all those
ardent and generous spirits who wished to relieve Ger
many from foreign rule we'll ia the realm OF fancy
politics. they sounded with enthusiasm the praises OF
Mademosslle Sontag whose name knewn throughout
Germany that Of vrtuoso Of the frat order born
The marves of Mara. 1t ut Lspzg that Mara
that famous Gernan singer at the close of the eighteenth
century educated under the Of the venerable
lIo'ess,r Hitler It was voucha'ed t. Nile Sortig to
dedicate magufcers organ aud vho;lt2ation aimcst
nphnoe that side Of the Rhine to the performance
ire aud profound of Weber Beethoven,
slor I'd. all those now German composers who, sever
rg al sar with foreign scel ticissa, had gwen IRE
d,n 70 the national genius. O,erwhe lined with homage
celebrated By all the brilliant m.n Of the day, the stu
tie German pres, MILE Sontag called to Berlin
where The appeared with imme ouccess at the theatre
Q, hosngstedt 1t VA, ct Berlin, as every knows
hat .'ier Fleyschutz' represented for the fire
me. 1t al Berlin. Protestant and railroads.&c.
city, tie centre OF an intellectual and political move
OF Cermsny the expense OF CafsIic Vienna who
e2nso tie spirit of tradition, sensuaIty the gaiey and
The tclccl ~ crama,ic music fouroed by Weber,
bad found lie stand point Mademoselie Sontsg
the national music. The iegelian philosophers found
in her sui ec for their learned commentaries and they
recognized in her impd and rous voice the sub.
jectve blended With the objective in absolute unity"
Tie old King Of Prussia received her court with
tai kindness 1t there that dpomacy had occasion
TO make approaches to Mile SOntag, and to efioot
breach ia the heart of the muse.
Awaiting herself Of leave Of absence which had been
granted her. lie sontag went finally to Paris aud APP
peaIed at the Italian theatre the fifteenth of June
e2t, in tie part Of RosiDa 10 III Barbiere d, So 'ga
Der success vas brilliant, pecialy in Rodes varla
lions which che in tho secor act during the
singing lesson. This she mt confirmed and
increased in Ia ionna del Lago" ons "L'ltalana in
Algier many portions OF which, written fer central
TO voce she obliged to trnnspose Upon her return
10 Berlin she ved with redoubed manifestations
Of interest she remained in this city until the close Of
the year 1926; when, abandoning Germany, aud the
chool which had founded ia the very sanctuary OF its
nationality. she fixed herself at Paris Mrlle sontag
first appeared IL character of resdemona in the
HOt(llu,''
Of that constellation Of admirable viruosos who at that
epoch charmed Pssis and London: and among whom
Madame Pasta, Mad. Psar"ni, Mad Malbran ana Mdle.
sortag shor.c ms stars Of the first maani udc
Between the last two socnlsts, so different in their
rivalries Of which Hoffman he's given 80 dramatic
picture There was however, 10 real ground for this
%heh pre- probably originated @ the
night Mde. sontag sang the Barbere for the
first time since her return Rossini came in
Of the night that moment surrounded by crowd Of
admer that he had lett NJ libran in tears in hor box
in despair at attaining such purity OF tone and
such perfection Of execution she had displayed.
This sincere tribute Of admiration, and not Of
envy the part of that lamented vocalist whose real
character beii impressed with the eccentrcity which
too often beses genius few could understand and whose
warmth Of hear and imagination made her too often the
victim Of coli.bl, oded worldliness
Tie truth IL that her arrival in Paris, Malibran re-
ceived her fair colleague with open arms Their meeting
produced freI6l emulation instead OF hostile pique and
rivalry ana the two ncom arabic singers agreed to per-
oIm, in turn tic Thus dd they enact on
alternate nights Ies1.mona Rosina, Cenefentola, &c
while the performed togo her such operas "Tancred
&c. III IL was The most glorious, the eliminating epoch
1.-THE Italians in Paris. On occasion Don Giovanni
was givn-Mad sontag performing Donna Anna (per
hsps the greatest OF her triumphs) Maibran. Zeroa
and Eeinfetter Elvira. On this, one of the coolest
nights record. among the most stirring, elbowiDg
their way from without in the rush Of the eager asp
rarts To seats the house, observed at the same
time Rossini, CherubiDi, Paar, Meyerbeer and Auber
Well might the journals Of the day observe that better
criterion needed Of the merits Of the performers
Even in the midst of such and festivals OF
art black spot showed itself upon the horizon dplo
macy laborsd secretly to work confusionits protocols
became menacing, and II suddenly announced that
Mile Sontsg about TO quit the stage to devote herself
TO serious duties. The fortunate object Of lie
soDtags chocesnd time has proved how well founded
her judRmentwasa member Of the Diplomatic body
then accredited at the Court Of the reries Count de
Ros although then very young man. wss already. at
that critical period Of political affairs COnseiiter Am
bassnde Of the Sandman missions sufficient proof Of his
mental powers He had the good looks the elegant man
The tastes and the gifts Of conversation which dis
tiDgush the travelled and the real h0me de Qu0e
qualities which adversely can diminish. Fearing