The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-26
THE OPERA.

THE OPERA. n
DEBUT at the Italian Opera Paris-Ths Now
Candidate for Public Faver-Pasd and he
North.
~ PARIS Nov. 10 1883.
The debut OF Mile. Sessi at the Italian Upora thaa
spoke Of In my last came on last night 1t the ta
ian Opera. II was Q bold venture; for scarcely Q
week had elapsed since the departure OF La Patti,
whose magic voice and pretty person were stu %
vivid in the ears and eyes Of most Of she haoItues
assembled In the Sale ventadour yesterday to pro-
nounce on the claims or the debutante Nothing
could be more critical and cold than the audience.
1t was an ordeal enough to unnerve soldier armed
all In steel. and 1t was wonder the timid girl who
had to face 1t trembled from head to foot Mile.
Sessl Is very pretty blonde. with . profus0n OF
beautiful hair that told effectively In the third act OF
ia Sonnambula" which lovely opera was chosen
for her debut. She Is about twenty years OF
age, OF rather short stature and an embonp0nt ous
OF proportion TO her youth. 1t is to be hoped It win
subside with the hard work before her. Her voice
Is pure soprano, OF great sweetness and compass,
ana her execution displayed careful culture and
excellent method. She Is pupil OF Maurice Stra-
kosch, who trained La Patti successfully. In the
nrst act OF LA Sonnambulan she succeeded, In
spite Of her nervousness ana the chilly atmosphere
u
the second she ELECTED decided marks OF approval;
but In the the third mssrust and criticism both gave
way and universal EXPLANATIONS OF bravo" broke
from all parts OF the house. The fair Scssi was
called repeatedly before the curtain ut the Close and
10 the surprise OF many, and 10 the annOyanc nos
few OF the adherents OF other detiea her
success was pronounced unquestioned and falry and
luliy achieved; Another puma donna OF high merits
lists and the name OF Sessl Is certainly destmed to
grow familiar and perhaps very dear 10 all lovers OF
Ia VAIL DO
but, to Judge from ner placid pnysiognOmy she will
probably never attain to either the vlvacty OF Patti
or the earnesness OF Nilsson; stu her voice and per-
feet vocalizaton present charms that Will still DO
widely and readily acknowledged.
said In my last that Patti had deserted rs for
Russia where sne receives, ~ last year, the baga
tee OF 81 900 per night to nothing OF the shower
OF presents IN the way OF bracelets Rugs and that
are sure to fall on ner from hands vi her hyper
borian idoaters. the friends Of her youth-and
there are many OF them IN New i0rk-wil be glad to
learn that her artistic triumphs are not all she to
be congratulated upon; Tor In spite Of predictions
and even her own distrust her marriage mas turned
out very great Success. Her husband, the Marquis
de CauX, though man OF fashion mercy, and not
likely therefore to prove either an assiduous
or very useful helpmale, has, 30 lar, at all events
belled the expectations or many. and has been not
only very devoted spouse, but an interchangeable sur
velilant OF all her business matters Ii is said he ID
very nxious for her to amass as rapidly possible
the large fortune that awaits In all quarters OF
the world. IL may be said, ana then to retire once
more to the private life and old habits OF Luxurious
ease ne naturally prefers Patti Is getting rich very
were settled upon her IN such manner Jn0t no one,
not herself even, can disturb the principal. THIS
was wise. precautlon; for 1t has happened often
witch some or her gifted and La
Grange, for instance-wh0 ike her, married men Of
return to the stage they had quilted to recover
the means fo0isnly squandered by their titled
lords. The handsome sum settled beyond tho
reach even OF herself Will save the prOvidens
Patti from any such painful contingency. Her
gains are SO large and steady that she must be put
Ting aside annually over $lOo0Jo and II goes to
n
do, she Will be able to invest that year nearly double
That amount: Twenty-Five per cent OF al! she re-
celves is settled upon herself and the balance be-
longs In common to herself and husband. IL 10
evrdent Patti had some judicious friend 70 look
after ner material interests when the travelled, and
1t was lucky for her, too as she Is lar too lnexper
enced and Quileless creature to have thought OF
such matters for herself Let Us hope that the fu
AN drttste and wOman-and In both she Is unsur-
passed-continue as prosperous as Its dawn. But
much 1t Il plain, Will depend, as In other similar
cases. the good conduct and fair treatment Of the
Empress late equerry, the Marquis de Caux. her
We hear very little nowadays in Paris Of the fair
Swede that couple years since threw us into an
ecstacy OF admiration BY her lovely impers0narOn OF
the haplcss Opnelia The tact Is the shrewd cants-
trlce 10 OF opinion she has made reputation enough
by her successes here and elsewhere ana Is now
into good. solid coin wherever offers ana as fast as
she can. For this reason she has returned this
season 70 the French opera, where she has dgured
80 prominently for the last two years. and she V
hard 1t work travelling the English provinces In
performance OF contract with o London music pub
Usher by the name OF Wood From all accounts these
Nilsson concerts have not been as lucrative as this
kind Of entertainment used to be In England, and
whether that comes OF their having out OF fashion
or from the people running from the provinces to
hear the opera IN London or the fact that Nilsson
s not yet sufficiently known to the provlncals 1t Ia
hard to say but the result thus far met the
expectations OF her manager. Next year the battle
OF the operas Is TO begin again in London,
was suspended this last season by the union OF the
TWO rival managers, eye and Mapieson but Nilsson
objected to singing another season at the house
with Patti, not liking the struggle and rivalry that
were naturally forced upon them; and so Inc specu-
latOr mentioned, OF the name Of Wood, contracted
with her to sing In opposition TO the regular opera,
and he has engaged the Drury Lane theatre thas
purpose. Nilsson has thus far sung but two lead
Ing r6es-tnat OF Ophela and Lucia She cannos
think, her fourth, without adding to her repertore
She takes, apprehend, dangerous risk in ventur-
Ing upon an opposition almost unaided against tho
vast resources Of the old establishment. 1t Is very
bold and sef-refant. hope for her sake. ie
may turn out equally fortunate. The theatres
are all in the full tide Of their winter experiments.
several have produced new pieces, and the note
OF preparation Is sounding loudly for others. The
two fairy pieces produced some weeks ago. In which
gorgeous transformation scenes are relieved By
equally brilliant displays OF ballet legs still
ming muck at the Partisan public, who like
everything in the WAY OF theatrical amusement, and
like 1t long, and also, regret to say, they ike It
strong, when fairies IN short petticoats are about
The French have liberty enough In this respect
there Is no denying and, as In other things they are
sure to run II into the ground, as we say. The
Gymnase-0ne OF the very respectable theatres
acts that seems SO attractive tban YOU are Obliged To
wait ten days for place. The classic temple Of
melodrama, The Porte ST. Martin, has revived an old
piece, the Cnevalier of the Red HOnse,n In which
revolutionary song to be sung II Is expected this
viii make some sensation, and draw accordingly.
Win give you some account OF these last named
pieces In another letter, fearing / may have over.
dosed yon with theatrical gossip for to-day.
PuGlLsTlc