Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-04-26
From the French of Alexander Dumas. by L.
q. Bullard
HOW R0SSINI WROTE The OPERA
OF OTHBLLO.

KOsslDi had come to Naples, preceded bv
his great reputation. The first person
who met him, as he alighted from his car
riage, was the famous impressario Of San
Carlo, Domenico Barbaia.
W Without giving the great composer time
to take step, or 30 speak a word, Barbaia
/ addressed him,
II have three proposals to make you,
! and hope you will refuse neither Of
Them
Let me hear them," said Rossini, With
that arch smile SO characteristic of him.
Il propose that you should make my
house your home during your stay in
Naples
81 accept
fLends at my own table daily
Il accept"
Il propose that you should write a new
opera for me aud for my theatre"
Il shall not accept the third proposal"
what! on refuse to work for me? ~
Il will not work for YOU, or anyone
else-l am not going to compose any more
music
"You are crazy, my dear fellow.
mat may be-but | have told you the
exact TRUTH
Naples? %
81 am going TO eat macaroni and ices. |
have perfect passion for both"
Il will have ices made for you by nv
cOnfectioner. who is the most renowned in
the city, and L will myself prepare maca-
roni for you, which VIII give you satisfac-
ton, I'll warrant you.'
| "This begins to look interesting"
"Bat You must give me an opera in ex-
change"
| "We will see."
"Take one month, two months, six
months
agreed six months let it be-
"Come, then, to supper"
From that very evening the palace of
| Barbaia was put at ROssiIi's disposal The
| proprietor withdrew from all interference
aud tue celebrated composer made himself
! at home, In the strictest acceptation of the
term. All the friends, or even the merest
(, acquaiuta ances whom he met in his prom
enades, he invited to Barbaia's table with
out hesitation he did the honOrs as host
to these guests with perfect ease and grace
Sometimes he complained that he could
not ind friends enough to make the
banquets gay-with all the efforts he could
make, he could not always get more than
twelve or fifteen to join him at table-tbose
were unlucky days.
AS to Barbaia, faithful to the role of cook
which he had imposed upon himself, he in
| ",
the oldest and best wine from his cellar.
and was as gracious to all the unknown
people whom RO2sini invited to his table as
if they were his oldest and best friends.
Only at the end Of the repast, with infinite
address and smiling lips, he would slip in,
between the fruit and the cheese, few
words about the promised opera, and the
great success it was sure 10 have.
But in spite Of the graceful way in which
the impresSariO ventured to allude to the
debt which the composer had contracted,
these remarks produced the same effect
upon ROssini as the three terrible words
did upon Belshazzar at his famous feast.
/ Therefore, Barbaia, whose presence had
been tolerated for time at desert, was
politely requested by his guest not To pre-
sent himself in future.
Months slipped by. The librettO was
completed, but the composer showed no
signs of putting himself at work. Dinners,
drives, plcDicS followed each other ia rapid
! succession. Hunting, fishing, horseback
| exercise divided the time of the noble
musician, but there was not hint of so
much as single note of music among his
many occupations. Twenty times a day
Barba'a found himself prey to fits Of an
ger, to nervous and almost irresistible de-
| Sires to make aneXpOStulation against such
! Incidence. But h controlled himself, for
no one had greater faith than he in the
wonderful genius of Rossini.
Barbaia therefore kept silence for FIVE
months with the most exemplary resigna-
ton. But the morning of the first day of
the s xth month, feeling that there was no
more time to be lost, he drew tho artist
aside and addressed him as follows:
/ "My dear fellow, do you know that
there are only twcnty-Iinc days before the
! appointed time -
"What time do you mean?" asked Ros-
sini, with the air of amazement of man
who has been mistaken for somebody else,
ard to whom one has made all incompre-
hensible remark.
"The 30th of May" rejoined Barbaia.
"The Both of May?" repeated Rossini,
with bewildered look.
"Did you not promise me new opera
to be played on that precise day?''
81 - promise -"
''This is no time to pretend aStOnish-
ment," cried the manager, out OF all pa
tience. l have waited as long as possible,
counting on your genius and the extraor-
dinary rapidity and faculty for work which
God has bestowed upon you. But now
can wait no longer. | must have my
opera
Cant you arrange some old opera, and
change the title of it, SO that it will do as
well?"
"What all idea? What should ] do with
the artistes who pre-engageA expressly to
play in a new opera ?"
''Let them gfumble"
''And the public?"
"Close the theatre
; '.And the king?"
"Send in your resignation"
Enough of such nonsense. If neither
tie artistes nor the public, nor the king can
force me to keep my promise, have given
my word, and nomenico Barbaia never
yet failed when he had pledged himself tC
do thing"
"Ah That is another question:
ou promise nae, then, to begin to.
morrow 90
Tomorrow Impossible am engag
ed to go fishing at Fusaro with some
friends
Very well,'' retorted Barbaia, thrust
ing his hands into his trowser's pockets
Let US talk no more about it. will set
what is best to be DONE" And he went
away without another word.
That evening Rossini supped with {
good appetite, doing honor to the viands O
the manager, as if he had entirely forgOtter
+ the mornings discussion. When he re-
tired he bade his servant wake him early
and have boat ready for Fusaro. Aftel
+ which he slept the sleep of the just.
The next day, twelve o'clock resoundcC
from the five hundred church clocks, o
which the fortunate city Of Naples is Il
possessor, and Rossini's servant had no
yet made his appearance. The Sun darteC
his beams through the blinds-RoSsin
woke suddenly, started up, rubbed his eyes
, and pulled the bell. I he bell rope fel
broken at the first pull. He opened the
window and called ont into the couTf-yard