New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-09-11
Sqp Orleans 9ailg Qtestent,
lsDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER II, 1866.
Conversion ny opera.

we're not quite so wealthy as the Lord Haggia,
whose estates were close by; and when say hon.
est | mean that we had lived respectfully, and
without doing anything fraudulent. Twas brought
up by dominic, virtuously, | hope, and was forti-
fed every day with warnings against the corrup-
tons of this wicked world and the awful shoals
and pitfalls of Babylon. Babylon was London.
Not to assume too much merit on this score, it
should not be concealed that a great part of this
sound incucation was owing to the wishes-eX-
pressed or implied or more probably, assumed
Of my Uncle CurriehilI, Of London 1--WE were
Curriehtlls also; | WINS Samuel Curriehill, named
after the greater avuncular Samuel, in London.)
His principles wereof the strctest sort, and it
was said when he should be called away to reap
the reward Of a life spent very virtuously, some
eighty or hundred thousand pounds Of that earthly
dross, which even the good know how to accumu-
late, would be left behind. What was to become
of this fund was oftenanxiously speculated over by
my parents.
Thus strictly brought up, and cut Off from all
secular enjoyments, there was one pleasure lettto
me, which became passion-WlIch was music;
more, it was operate music. At one season,
strolling-s that too disrespectfu company of
Italian singers, who We're the property Of specu-
lating impressario, was coming round the pro
yinces fed, kept, clothed, and paid by the specu-
lator; being his, in short, body and soul, for
term Of years. They came to our local theater,
and gave all their operas-Nornn~, the innocent
dtgdmeiste, yet noble prestess; Lucrezia, savage,
injured, and yet excusabe; Trovatore, to which
the local organs-the street ones, mean-im-
parted delightful familiarity; and above all
alas that it should have been below all-the Sc
ductive but erring Traviata.
Now during these days ! had been secretly
studying the Violin outside the house, and had OBJ
tanned a tolerable command over the King OF in.
struments that is to say, could play tunes from
tune books, not very much out of tune. lapphed
myself to it with desperate energy, and at last,
about the date of the arrival Of the farmed out
singers, had ceased to play " like fifty stomach.
aches" My progress, too, in the principles Of
rigid and asCe. &c virtue had Kept pace WIN my
fiddleplaying. But now was 70 be trled by
sore temptation. !,
No sooner was the musical bill of fare set forth
in gaudy and gorgeous letters on every blank
wall, than was assailed by strange ana iarlous
promptngg. Who that had music in his soul could
read Of the " unrivaed cautatricei" Mdlle HON
mi, assisted by Signora BaccO, with the tenor,
Signora Pasquali, and the bassi, Signorl Roriorve
Gritti, with the other officers OF tile company, IN
green and crimson letters, the "suggeritore,' y
whatever that was, and the "regisseur," the con.
ductor Sgnor Battoni and the leader, Mr.. Brit.
ties, our own deservedly esteemed townsman, (my
violin master)-l say who could read through TINS
gorgeous promise without bis musical mouth
Il Watering prodgiously? Add TO this being
worked on in secret by BrittleB, who was himself
intoxicated by distant communion with these i'm
mortals, and who literally raved during the lesson
of the exquisite strains contained in their operas
What was the result? No doubt, had consulted
some Of our elders, they would have warned me
against the pitfall, and told me that this was but
one Of the pleasant shapes the arch enemy assumes
for our destruction. But did not heed. By a
system Of organized deception, appalling for Us
depravty in one 50 youg-fn which, too, was
Allotted by Britt.es, an accomplish before tho
fact-the thing was arranged. l went Tor prac
tice-a good long one, dye maT6-at Brittess
and instead with beating guilty heart, hurrieC
OIL to hear Mdl!e. Homini in her grand part Of Ii
Traviata.
declare solennly ! no more knew nor dreamed
what was the theme Of that unucky opera, no
the peculiar character Of the young lady with th
dreary cough. or what she was about, or VIII,
the doctor came, or why the gentlemen TREND
were let in to witness her last agonies (unos
it would have been difficult to make up quar-
tette without them), than did that infant not ye
come into fe and who ia SO often unreasonabl.
appealed to. | was simply entranced. 1t wa
new sense-a home in deirium, almost care
less Of cOncealment, defiant ready for matyrdon
in the cause of this new faith. Luckily my sever
parents took my rhapsodies as applying to tn
f'tunesn used in the lesson. Tunes indeed
should never play mere tunes again. From tina
hour music took possession of me- and, abov
all, was possessed with the witchIng, thong
incorrect 4 mean in moral point Of view
melodies of the travel'arter as one Of the me
about our town pronounced it.
A little later, great event took place, OF
Uncle Curriehill wrote to say he was solitary
He was curious to see what his nephew We
like so they might send him. If that nephev
Uncle Curriehill added, had any of the Levitt
common to youth, or fancied he was coming
profane house, where amusement or relax
tiOn or anytnlng Dut Hidkl1g Souls, was BOi
forward, he was sadly mistaken He addt
something about speaking his mind always
long as he lived, and holding on by the roc
which was fayorite expression Of his.
When | arrived | found him to be lionel
austere, ascetical old bachelor His house had {
eremetcal air, my spirits sank as | entered it.
came at an unfortunate moment; Tor 1t wanted o
ten minutes to the time for exercises" TT
spiritual ones-though was hungry with loi
and weary Journey. The servants, severe al
unasssted company, were called up to pnnis
ment; and for nearly an hour we listened to Unc
Curriehill, otticiating-on that night with ext
JUNCTION and extra length to make favorable il
preston on the newly joined member of the CO
Yet soon found him ont to be good natur
and indulgent relation, and with way to
heart. Before that night was over, | had disco
cred coffin shaped case in a corner contain
various rusty looking quartz volumes =,
What doyoq play Uncle curr jal, erie re
little embarrassed, he said, We'll lit
There is nothing profane in it, except one pla
on the Sabbath. David We know
81 am so glad repeated land what do y
play?n We can have duets
He started now. "What, do you play CT
ital! we can have duets Aud what do you play
Fiddle, uncle Curriehil, SAID, "I'llfe
So did. In few moments the coffin was sal
ligiously opened, and in few moments the 70
echoed wich a delicious orchestral tuning, and
were scraping one of Archangelo Corelh's sc
certos" an old copy, Frecollect, with from
piece OF ArCndhBelo ulluHeli TIN anu blIluuS-lo
ing in a full b0ttomed wig, and list Of his
dances, ''Sarabandas,n "Gigas, "Corantos,"
aye Foia,'' whatever that was. When We
done with Archangelo, he asked me to play a s.
tried national air. But saw he was lang
played another. He was equally unexci
Suddenly thought-rather was it some spit
familiar who suggested it?-what if played
mournful and most musical bit out of the Sim
Opera-the Traviata? began the well kn'
tsAddio del passato,n tum tam, tumtit unit,
tatna,n plaintively, with an expression of agony
the music directed me. In second he was eau
His eyes lighted up. His head began to N
from right to left. He was charmed. When
played it through twice, he asked, eagerly w
is it? The name?'
This was an embarrassment had not though
To name the Sinners Opera in that house,
any opera, was fatal With wonderful pres
of mind, l answered:
can Italian air, 'Addio del passato, uncle
giehl.n
''Ill order it tomorrow, and learn it 'f1y
SpofiOrts and Biddel will get me any music | W
Give me the name exactly" And he took on
pencil.
shortly
Addio What?" he went ons you said S
thing else.n
I stammered, " Addto perche foljngo,"
monipg up some stray italian.
Very good,'' he said, making note c