The New York herald., 1869-03-03
Tho Coming PrIma Donna.

Tho Coming PrIma Donna.
Fisk, Jr., it must be conceded, is ambitious
Not content with emulating the haughtiest
railway kings in Wall street, he aspires to be
the rival of the Emperor Of the French and the
Emperor of all the Russias as patron of art.
He has engaged, it is said. Christina Nilsson,
the Swedish queen of song, for an operatic
tour throughout the United States, having
failed to engage for the same purpose Adelina
Patti, her only living compeer, inasmuch as
the latter is monopolized for the present by the
imperial court at st. Petersburg.
The British and continental journals have
made the Old World familiar with the name
and history and marvellous gifts and accom-
plishments of Christina Nilsson. Everybody
in Europe knows how, from being peasant
girl at Wederslofs, where she was born on the
Goth of August, 1843, and wanderer with
full Of promise, in the streets Of Wexjo and
at country fairs in Kronoberg's Ian, she has
at length been crowned the successor of her
celebrated compatriot, Jenny Lind, the Swedish
Nightingale. At the June fair at Ljangby, in
1858, her clear and powerful voice attracted
the attention of Mr.. Frederick Tornerbjclm,
whose offer to rescue her from her wander
ing life and to pay for her education she
rejected, in order to aid her parents by
s'cOncertizng" in company with ventrilo-
quist who tempted her by promising gold
and ''green woods, as Fisk, Jr., now promises
her 'greenbacks" and Erie bonds. Tor
nerhjelm, however, afterwards persuaded her
to accept his offer, and she began her educa-
ton at Halmstad. where she also received
gratuitous lessons in music and singing from
Mile. Adelaide Walerius, now Baroness Len
husen, who predicted for her young pupil =
brilliant future. After year at Gothenburg
she became at Stockholm boarder with M. +.
Bervald, the concert director, under whose
tuition she acquired such proficiency that
when, in 1860, she appeared in concert at
which the royal family were present, she made
so favorable an impression as to be invited to
perform before them in private. subsequently
she received musical instruction in Paris from
Professors Wartel and Masset and in 1864
she made successful debut at theatre in
that metropolis. Her first appearance was not
at the Italian Opera, which is jcalously
guarded against all but Italian singers of the
highest order, and is at first almost inacccs-
sible to singers or French or of any other
nationality, whatever may be their qualfca-
tions. But her claims as "a musical pheno-
menoE" were speedily discovered and recog-
nized at the Theatre Lyrique. The patronage
Of the Emperor Napoleon, one Of the earliest
to appreciate her extraordinary talent, suficed
to level all obstacles to her obtaining more
favorable engagements. During the past year
her portrait has figured in all the European
illustrated journals, and her triumphs at Lon
don and Paris have been duly telcgraphed
to the New World by the Atlantic
cable. We have learned that young, fair
haired, taller and handsomer than Jenny Lind,
she is endowed with superior genius. Tho
rapid recent development of her genius may
be expected to continue during her visit to
this country, and she will probably, like many
of her predecessors, return to Europe with .
more perfect voice as well as wider rep,lta-
tion and heavier purse.
Bot to this end Fisk, Jr., must at once set
about preparing the way for the American
triumphs of this eminent vocalist. Let him
not fail to consult Barnum on the subject.
Barnum can show him how to profit by his own
experience in manipulating and managing the
unprecedented success Of Jenny Lind. Bar
mum would delight in telling him the whole
story over again-how he gradually woke the
public to general expectation of Jenny Lind's
arrival; how he contrived TO excite the most
enthusiastic competition among the purchasers
Of tickets, from Genin the halter, who paid
two hundred and fifty dollars, to Ossian E.
Dodge, the Yankee songster, who paid six
hundred and fifty dollars, each for a single
ticket; how he kept up the excitement until
Jenny prematurely left him. land how Fisk,
Jr., may escape all danger of similar treat
ment on the part of Christina. Let Fisk, Jr.,
sit humbly at the feet Of Gamaliel Barnum and
learn all the tricks of the showman's trade.
Without this precaution Fisk, Jr., may yet find
that however easy 1t may be to run railway,
it is not so easy with or without newspaper
in Springfield or any other village) to run
prin,a donna.
ATTEMPT TO CHEAT SATAN OF Hrs DUES