Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-09-15
From the Washington States.
J uliana 1Eay-,Ehe merican PrIula q

toere are Two reasons why we should listen
| eagerly for the echoes of foreign song warbled
by Miss May. In the first place, she has star
tied the musical world into prompt acknowl-
| eogHeht OF her great gifts and into an admir-
aton which accOrds to her position comman-
ding equal recognition with any foreign vocal
Isl; and, IN the second place, she is not a for
eign, but an American artistic.
IT her genius entities her to that reception
we are ever willing to extend to the genius of
any country, we can readily be excused for
demanding yet liveleT and heartier demon
stratlon In her behalf when the genius we well
come Is one emanating from our own soil. in
spred by that culture she first received in our
own midst, and whose primal notes gave in
terest TO and created sympathy around an Am
| eFlcan hearth. 1t is natural that we should
watch her career abroad with an anxiety and
prlde not less than that which inspires our fire.
quent questionings after the labours. struggles,
aud triumpbs of Powers, Crawford. Page
/ Ohurch, Cushman, Murdoch, aad other emf
heht american sculptors, painters, and actors
aDrOac. Not less natural, then, is it-where
able critics, the most notable and illustrious
composers, the most approved masters and
teachers OF melody, as well as iudicious and
| cultivated audiences have sent an American
| prlma donna back to Us with an approval
| which to some, is of more importance than an
| earned reputatiOn-that we should warmly
| winch Europe based its approval and find an
| especial incentive to our reception of her in
Tie TACT that she is an American
We are not among those who have implicit
| connderce IN the approval Of Europeans. We
90 not think II IS indspensably necessary either
| 10 make or unmake reputation. Nor is it
desirable that we SHOULD take on trust those
! VINO nave credit across the Atlantic. We
KNOW that III the case of some eminent artistes
] q ar moi - Il
/ ployed whose d0ty it is to see that the sun
| never sets upon the vocal resources, beauty.
| oeneyoleDce, and SO forth, Of their employers
| by these means a series of putting is carried
| on, which, though it makes money, does not
| succeed always in keeping intact the reputa-
lon so hurrledly built up. Miss May, we are
leu 10 believe, does not need such IAN arrange
ment;" and the records OF her past we are en-
abIed to collect from public and private sour
ces are such as have been manifested By criti
Cal admiration for her merits.
Miss May is a native of Washington CITY.
OF highly respectable and well known fam
ny. From youth, like Jenny Lind, Oatharine
hayes, and her queens of the lyric art, mu-
SIC surrounded her like a magic circle. She
was enthralled by it; nor did She desire TO es-
cape from the wOndrous labyrinth Of melody
her musical tastes were cultivated; and her
voice, which kept pace with the demands Of
AS octave to octave and rhyme unto rhyme"
shared in the care bestowed upon her iBstru-
mental culture. Farther than as cultivatiuy
The most beautiful accomplishments of female
life, nothing was expected fr m, nor entered
INTO the design of this period of Miss May's
He. On the demise of her tat her, however
an eminent physician here, Miss May desired
to still further cultivate the gifts that nature
and art had combined to give her with the
view of demanding the suffrages of the must
cal and artistic world. She started for Italy. |
highly encouraged by the parting words of |
Nourrit, her teacher in Philadelphia. s'God |
has done everything for you" said he, en-
phatically, to his pupil; "Italy and Your own |
application must insure success"
These words were TO her as the polar star
to the mariner. In them she beheld her des-
tiny, and, with all the fervOr of a bright and
hopeful heart, she studied in the SCHOOLS of
Naples and Florence for several years. At
the latter place, the celebrated composer of
" Iancredi, "oemirsmde," and "William Tell
who had worked himself from the position of
a slrolling musician as a child, to the front
rank OF composers as man-the great Ros.
SIM himself-superintend the young aspir-
ants lessons. AT Milan she studied the dra-
matte art; and, having satisfied the teachers
That they had nothing more to impart she
accepted an engagement in the town of Tren-
!
nanouia.' Her success was Immediate
der trepidation was sufficiently overcome BY
,he encouragement that she formed an en-
for the Opera at Verona. and made |
ler hrst appearance as G5LdG in al Rigoletto.n
The following from local journal, as it re-
lords marked era in the life OF our prima
lonna, may be transferred to our columns
with effect:
"VERoNA, PHILHARMONIC THEATRE-If ever
here was a situation calculated TO produce trent |
auon IN debutdHte, il certainly that which |
dss Juliana May encountered when she presented |
efsvH on saturday evening upon the boards Of | :
has theatre, before VerOnese audience in the | I
pera OF I'll Rgcletto,' which an artist of high rem
tatiOn, only two days before had presented with .
lost brilliant success Thus did Miss May present q
erselt 10 part sustained with so much aDplause 7
her older rival, Drawing the judgment of spects- &
ors already prjudiced il favor Of the artist with
HON she Was about to come into comparison Il ,
as an essay doubly aruuous She would be q
allied upon to overcome a prejudgment, and TO {
rove 70 the puohc that she possessed the ability 10
aiutaln with dignity the difficult ordeal Anddid / y
'e May succeed? The Verouese have decided i q
Q VIII only say how they treated her in the u
purse of the opera. When she first prrs.nted a
5rself Il was visible to every one that the Nav / e.
as suffering under powerful emotion, upon ~
hich spontaneous applause arose to encourage ~
"a; and it succeeded so well that ia the execo u
on OF the duet with CTesci, her voice was SO fine nj
TO call forth lOng-contiRurd and general salvo u
APP lause. The same may be said of the other ~
let with Giuelini, and Of the romance which II
tcedes the last piece Of the first act In the lass al
10 acts every piece hailed with plaudits mar. "
,uary the Gsaols OF the last Such was the deJ,.t u
re OF Miss Nay, who possesses SWEEP. musical VI
ear and manageable voice, capable Of achieving as
e most brilliant success" %
The success of Miss May in this dificnIt roZs ~
which embraces all the Observation-Disclosures "a
ms OF Nerdi's style, which may be termed | a.
nd Of epIleptic melOdy-displayed great ma th
rity OF vocal management. Her acting. al lei
, was uDencumbered by the stiffness of mex IL,
rience, and, altogether, the effect produced ! -
As eminentiy hatterng. In this same CITY. :.
roma, Miss May first appeared in the con
rt-room IN leading pieces, and reaped many +
norable chaplets of fame. Visiting Paris. I {
ileVy, who had composed for Malibran, re- 10
wed Miss May with greaI consideration, and til
cred to secure her an engagement at the 81 81
ench opera. This she was unable TO accent COT
wing undergone exclusive preparation for II,
e Italian opera. While in Paris. however rs
embraced the opportunity OF studying win
sat asslduity at the dramatic school of Dn- e. e.
n under whose guidance she added Norma clio
ca, aud LeonOra, lot "Trovatore'0 to her p.
OF characters, which already EN- raced tba -
st fascinating aud prominent creations of
sslni, Meyer beer, Bellini, Donizetli. and Il
Tdi. ~
Thus stored, Miss May turned her ewes and oPs
srt 10 America, whittier she was on the -
nt Of going, when Lumley, OF Her Maiestv's ;
eatre, engaged her for a cries of copoerfs in
ndon. her success here was worth the def