Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-25
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New York Tribune:
1T would be impossible to imagine Ruben
stem glorifying himself with piano pyrotech-
mes, Tor he is not only genuine reyerential
artist, but he is something more: he has the
true fre OF genius; and he Is the only pianist
ever heard in America of whom that could
be said. In appearance he is somewhat rude
and strange, in manner he is courteous vet
abrupt. His stern Tartar face never lights
with smile. He puts away the humbug Of
howers and wreaths with calm, undemon-
stratiye disregard, and sets himself to his
work like man whose whole heart is in his
music, and to whom applause is nothing.
Here IS an episode in Lucca's early youth,
IN her own words.
When was sent to a boarding school
Was not nine; | had previously been to day
school, but as rich mans child, and as such
NJ one ever learned anvthing. | soon found
out how bitter was the change Ii was long
before | could silence my childish heart. and
put up quietly with all the humiliations and
sights to which was subjected, although,
however, | managed to do 50. But was
destined to achieve triumph even here
About year and half elapsed. and an ex-
animation was fast drawing near. Every
one else looked forward to it on the tiptoe
Of excitement, but awaited it with perfect
Indifference. | knew very well that no ques-
| tions would be put to me. Every day
master used to give Us lessons in singing
from twelve to about one. The reader must
not imagine, however, that there was any
regular course Of Instruction; the girls had
TO sing to a violin and were mechanically
| drilled, like so many canary birds The
lesson was attended by only few, because
it had to be paid for extra. | was permitted
to take part in it, not as favor, for [ was
never to sing, but, in the absence of desk,
| served to hold the music for the others
Previous to the examination my schoOlmates
| had number Of songs drilled into them,
which songs they were to sing to the Ex-
aminer and the general public. reeollect
| this striking me at the time as indescribablv
/ absurd. The examination approached nearer
and nearer. We were all admirably pre-
| pared. The mistress of the school, an old
maid, got ready her best cap, which never
failed to inspire Us with a feeling of reyer-
| ential awe. At last, the grand day came,
| We had all been ordered to wear a certain
toilet, command which placed my poor
mother ina state Of no slight embarrassment.
| As we had been told, too, We put on the
most solemn, anxious faces, and awaited,
with beating hearts, tie course Of events.
| Gradually the room was filed with parents.
| guardians, brothers and sisters, who, of
course, brought with them a swarm of
friends and acquaintance. He only. the
great. the deeply feared man, the Examiner,
was still wanting. As a matter Of course. /
was placed on the last bench, in order, as I
was laughingly, and thereby consolingly. in
formed. that | might look like ''bg girl, ,"
though was a bit Of thing hardly as tall
as the bench on which | sat. The examina-
ton went off very well was called on
once, at the very moment | was not thinking
the least of such thing. and had just made
myself as comfortable As possible. of course
| could not answer q word Indeed, | had
scarcely heard the question. | quickly sat
down again amid the deriSive laughter Of the
other girls. while the mistress irowned
severely The Examiner, however, put on
a most knowing look, a if he considered my
answer extremely clever. So things proceed
ed very satisfactorily. When the examina-
ton was nearly over those girls rose who
were to be examined in singing was in
,,,I....-.sI, I....-I-t loct hy fhe rilstlinss 70
the present, and, on looking up, beheld. two
paces off, nv mother who, quite pale and
| with tears in her eyes, was gazing at me re-
proachfullv This affected me more than
derision or the severity Of my teachers. |
felt ashamed. The thought, How can you
make amends for Your tult?' flashed
through my brain like lightning. ! had
been told not to play the part Of the desk
dnring the examination. was to sit still
while the others were singing. Suddenly |
thought. "You shall sing" | knew all the
songs by heart, but how was | to manage 50
as to be allowed to sing one? However, the
idea of pleasing my mother did not permit
NE take account Of any obstacles. When
the signal for standing up was given, rose
too, and went forward with the Others. The
mistress cast furious and, at the same time,
astounded look at me- | did not observe it.
in order not to make disturbance, nothing
was said When all the otaers had sung in
turn, each her particular piece, the master
was about 10 get up. But the Examiner,
whom had kept staring at throughout the
proceedings, turned suddenly to me "Nel,
and what can YOU sing for US p he asked.
ANYTHING" | answered boldly. oh
indeed Well, then, sing the last little
song" | turned up my nose somewhat, Tor
the song was 4 very insignificant one, and |
wanted TO sing the 'Aye Maria, which
one of the girls, who was i'll, had learned.
I took the music and sung it right 10 the
end without fault, aud with 50 clear and
bell-like a voice that most Of those present
literally opened their eyes and mouths as
wide as they could Appetite comes with
eating. we are told When | had finished, /
was exceedingly yexed that there were not
at least ten verses more. l looked round.
Nv mother was smiling through her tears.
Nv LITTLE oirli7h, heart swelled high. re-
collected the humiliations to which had
been subjected, and resolved 10 take hril-
liant revenge. Stepping forward, and cast
ing one look more at my mother to gam eour-
aCe. | begged the Examiner to let me sing
something else He consented, and chose
the " Ave Maria, simple, but indeseribab-
- ly touching composition, which can never
, SING even now without the tears coming INTO
, nv ewes. / sung it-but how? do not
know. All reeollect is that, when | had
, finished. | felt the breath from pair OF hps-
and warm drors on nv forehead. 1t was the
5 Examiner. "NIy dear, You have sung like
r little angel
At Leipsic, Nine Pesehka-Leutner has
been serenaded and congratulated on the
q sucoes= achieved bv her at the Boston mus.
= ool festival. A magnificent silver lanre
wreath was presented to the lady
a Minnie Hauck, the prima donna, Is II
b Milan. and will soon he the wife Of an Italian
l. nobeman.
I NIariewitseh. Russian with magnificent
Y tenor voice. is the latest musical sensation II
J Paris. g.
n daughter of Tamberlik, the tenor, i
e soon TO marry Dr. Navier Galezowskl, al
eminent European occulist, who effected thu
g restoration of her sight after she had beer
e stricken with blindness. \ case Of love a
first sight.
t Hans Won Bulow, the pianist, Is shortly t
d ba nominated Intendani Of the Munich Cour
l. Theatre by which title he takes the grade o
n officer at the Court, >.
e The following instance of extraordlnar,
st GOOD fortune is recorded by The London Era
n Mis- Edith Challis, well-known actress Il
'e London and New York, while travelling som
months since, was very attentive to an Oh
N N lady, who fell i'll on the journey ana supse
OIL quently died. Last week Miss Challis wa
greatly astonished at receiving letter iron
II her executors, TO the effect the kindnes
y shown to the old lady had resulted IN he
being remembered in her will to the exten
ID of n clear two thousand year for HE.
IN consequence of this she retires from tn
ie stage"
'r Madame Stella Bonheur, Californi
woman, who is possessed with the idea tia
she can sing, tried Italian opera in Berlin
to and ANONYMOUSLY failed
ie Chicago proposes to build an opera hous
O. which is to cost million.
II Iiszt sends out Miss Annie finkenstarc
VI of Newnort as one of his best pupils. sfl
g bas hean studying abroad six years
70 Alfred Batten. a well-known Londo
cy tragedian, died recently at St, Luxe lux ,d
he taI New York, of congestion OF the lungs
o. The New York Stadt Theatre has been sol