The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-02-24
WHOLE NO. 384.
ITALIAN OPERA.
Beau Hackett's Opinion OF Music and
Musical People.

| mas lnSluuateu USeU intO my IaTSe, Out llot
very numerous family, and the consequent
es Of the malady have been so terrible tina;
my once happy and delightful little home
seems suddenly to have been transformed
into pest house. The arrival of Mr.. Nc
Graw's opera troupe in the city has cast a
fire brand into the temple of my affections,
and aroused in my manly bosom a right
eous indignation against all Italy--the sing
ing classes Of that illustrous country in
particular. I hear nothing but opera
from morning to night and from night to
morning again. My house has become the
abode of oil the muses. at once. They
have abandoned all other pastmes to de.
vote themselves exclusively to Italian OPP
era, and their combined powers are cen
tired in one grand concert, that issues in
spasmodic and dstracting clamors from
the fair, sweet, but fearlully unmuscal
throat of the possessor of my heart. The
fond creature, whose only weakness |
deemed to be Shakespeare, waltzing and raj
sins, has now added an unconquerable pas.
sion for foreign music. She talks opera,
dreams opera, cats opera, sleeps opera.
She has become ETHEREAL. Her ambition is
vaultng, but it wouldn't overleap itself for
all can do. She plays on the high notes.
Two hundred dollars for an opera cloak was
the first note she struck, and that's big
thing for large family. Then had to
come down with L twenty dollar gIecnback
for an opera fan with REQ back twenty
dollars for an opera hood a-great. many
more than | care to remember dollars for
opera dresses; twe2ty dollars for opera
glasses one hundred dollars for opera
petticoats, and good deal for opera Incl
dentals. Then | had to buy some good
clothes for myself. My wife said it was
fashionable for gentleman to wear a special
suit at the opera. l promenaded Lake
street from one end to the other, and visit
ed all the retail stores in the neighboring
streets, in search of a fine suit that could
be purchased cheap. failed to find it. FL
nally bought twelve pairs Of opera socks
and concluded to let all the other clothing
go to the-opera | could think of no 9th,
er word; had heard nothing else for two
! whole weeks.
Mrs. Hackett screamed when I took the
socks home. She declared that was in
human said We had been married only
little while, and was trying to break her
heart already. And then she wanted to
know if expected to visit the opera with
her and wear nothing but pair Of socks.
"My DEAR" said l., tenderly, ''you de-
ceive yourself; ! am willing to go in full
uniform. If necessary ! will wear twelve
pairs of socks"
She seemed a little relieved when she as
certained that was willing to be eXtrava-
CANT, and at length consented to allow me
to wear my old clothes, If would buy ten
extra librettos of Lucreza Trovatore and
| II Rorgia. suggested to her that she was
acquiring bad habit in mixing titles.
She replied by asking me sharply what
! knew about opera. Not being able to an
swer that question satisfactorily, -~;>i
nothing. resolved to eniighten myself at
once, however, and be prepared for future
emergencies. Invent to lady who lives
next door, highly intellectual lady, a par
ticular friend of my wife, who keeps her in
her house listening to hackneyed opera
criticisms when she ought to be at home
with her devoted, &C.
Madam" said |. what do you think Of
the opera of Lucrezia Borgia, set for the
opening night?'
oh" said she rapturously, "it's Just
old pizen?"
| never comprehended her thoroughly
until / witn"csed the piece, and saw that
every body from the first tenor and prima
donna down to the little end Of the chorus,
was poisoned before the curtain dropped on
the last scene.
/ Invent to the opera.
My wife went to the opera also.
We went to the opera together. | re-
member that carried an opera glass in
every pocket and a book of the opera un-
der each arm. | am not an opera critic ];
wouldn't be for the world. never knew
but ore, and he died Of hydrophobia with.
out ever having been bitten by anything
mad. But know a good thing when | see
it; also when hear il. | saw a good ope.
ra and heard some good music. | don't
remember the name Of the opera, for my
wife used both the books and monopolized
: al. the programmes, but know it was
good, and will tell you how | know it.
heard rumbling noise under the stage
and pretty soon number Of Italic looking
gentlemen came creeping up through Goa
hole, or 4 trap door, or some sort Of Sc
cret passage, and seated themselves in q
little square place with railing around it.
Somebody behind lie said they were the
orchestra. | made a note Of that. One o
them who sat in front Of centre of the stagt
picked up stick that looked good dea
a like the dining the schoolnaster used to raj
4 me over the knuckles with. | began tt
feel little uneasy, for thought he wa
going to give some Of the orchestra fellow!
c fits, and believe he would have done i
: but for fortunate circumstance. He was
suddenly siczed by some sort of fit, lik'
e ST. Vitus' dance, and shook awiully. Bu
O he held on to the stick and that shook too
| kn MI N
! and the more he shook the more they play
ed. | began to see the joke and laughe,
c oh how laughed My wife said no
d body ought to laugh at an opera. | eu5h
to smile, she said, and clap my hands.
= couldn't see it-probably owing to def
/. cheney of gas Light. laughed kept o,
r laughing. An elbow ncighbor said tn
h orchestra were performing a symphony
c lie meant some funny he knew nothiu;
of operas, and sneered at him.
c When the man with the stick in his haut
had shaken till he didn't know what ailet
!. him, the curtain wen. up and crowd Q
= toerably we'll dressed and respectable lock
A ing people walked out upon the stage
o Some Of them sung, and some of them tina
didn't know how to sing opened then
Fl; mouths and made believe they were singing
,s A big fellow came out with cavalie
- dress on and Il sword by his side. He wa
y good looking, and liked him. My wifi
$, said he was good looking, and then didn'
!, like him. lie chirrupped awhile, and eve
\ rybody applau,!ed, Ny wife appauded
:, and wanted me to look at the libretto an'
IL tell her what he was singing. looked
!. but couldn't tell worth cent. like,
O the song; it was pretty, and he sang it ar
n tisticallY bis voice rising and falling will