Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-06

We have letter from a Worcester man now
in Italy, which gives some account OF Milan,
and of the musical artists now congregated
there. The letter is dated August 20, and the
writer says:
MILAN is full of artists at this time. The
United States must be almost without any noted
singers. Madame Parepa Rosa with her hus-
band is here, passing a few days on the way to
lschia, where they will rest for few weeks prior
to their departure for Cairo, for which city
Parepa has contracted to sing during the winter
season, receiving eighty thousand francs for
five months engagement. She is in excellent
health and spirits, and full Of enthusiasm when
ever one speaks of America. She proposes to
return in another year.
"Brignoli is here-the same, Ilazy, good-nat-
ured fellow as overland is expected to sing
this season at the Scala. | heard him sing some
of his familiar songs a few days since at San
gioyannps house. William Castle and wife are
also here. He has come to remain only few
months, and studies with Sangiovann. He
passes the winter in England, being engaged by
Dolby for oratorios and concerts to be given in
London and throughout the provinces.
Campbell is expected every day, but
he has been detained at Aix-les-bains by
illness He also will study with Sangiovanni,
the most noted master in Milan, indeed of all
Italy, the master of Alboni, Adelaide and
Matilda Phillips, Karl, and many other cele-
brated artists. The last named young artist is
constantly advancing in his profession He
leaves in few days for Genoa, where be is en-
gagged to sing Faust, and in Romeo and Juliet.
"Soyou see that nearly all the principal artists
of Parepa's great opera company are here. 1t
is the singers market or exchange, and here
managers come from all parts of the world.
Two young Boston ladies are doing very well.
One, Miss Annie Crane, has an engagement for
the winter at Messina, as prima donna soprano
the other, Miss Anna Bernard, is engaged for
The winter in Spain. The American students
are making a revolution in the musical world
here, and are driving the Italians hard to keep
their laurels. A young tenor walter Kennedy
from our own city, gives abundant promise of
taking high place in art. His master is conf.
dent of his ultimate success, when he is ready
to go into the theatre.
"The Scala theater, which has been closed since
Easter, will reopen shortly, for short season,
during the exposition of pictures, which will be
given at the Bura gallery. This collection in
cludes the original Marriage of the Virgin" of
Raphael. The Scala is large theater, but it is
its stage which impresses one with its great
size. have seen five hundred people on it at
once in some of the grand ballets The audito-
is n hon hot of ba Hall &,
Academy of Music. Prices of admission TO the
opera are very. reasonable in every theatre but
the Scala. There the prices are as large as in
America.
I'm the second class theaters private box may
be had for ten francs, or even less You are
aware that in Europe the galleries are generally
all divided into private boxes, and there is al
ways an opera given every night, the year
round, in at least two theaters. The Italians
are very fond Of amusements. On SUNDAYS and
other holidays they are all out of doors, bent on
seeking diversion in some of the many attrac.
tons offered. You can drive for an hour in an
open barouche for thirty (30) cents, or you can
20 in an omnibus for two cents The most
beautiful drive is that which is built on the wall
that surrounds the entire city. From this drive
or 6oSttone you can get views of the distant
Alps, and go for miles under canopy of i'm
mense horse chestnut trees.
"ln the evenings we sit upon the sidewalks
watching the crowd of passers, eating ices or
drinking the light wines which cost almost
nothing Ofcourse, the greatest beauty of Milan
is It's cathedral. Every day 90 there, and al
ways to see some new wonder. There are many
beautiful churches here, some noted for antiquity
and some for the works of art they contain. |
could write for an indefinite period of Milan, its
beautiful objects, its people, their customs and
amusements."