The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-08-07

Pasta's last Appearance.

Ia ChorIey's "Recent art and So
ciety'' is fouL5 the following There
remains a strange scene TO be spoken OF
the last appearance of this msgnifi-
cent musiCel artist Pasta when she
allowed herself, mSn1 years later, to be
seduced into giving one performance at
Her Hfa7esty's Theatre, and TO sing IN a
conc 7rt for ttic Italian cause at the
Roy 81 Italian Opera. SOtbng more
iil-advised could have been dreateea OF.
Nine Pasta, had long ago thrown OF
the stage and all its belongings.
Her voice, which, at its best, had
required csaseIess watching and Prac-
tice, ha3 been long ago given up by her.
It's state of utter ruin on the night IN
question passes description. She had
been neglected by those who at least
should have presented her person to
the best advantage admitted by t1me.
Her GueenIy robes (she was to sing some
scenes from Anne BoleynD IN nowlse
suited or disguised her figure. Her
hair DIR Asser had-done, some Tremendous
things or otnet Eith hef heaazQf rather
painful disastrous spectacle COLD hard
ly t,e Looked on. There were artists
present who iGd then, for the first time,
to derive some impression Of a renowned
artist-perhaps with the natural feeling
that her reputation had been exsggef-
ated. Among these was Rachel, whose
bitter ridiculc of the entire sad show
made itself heard throughout the whole
theatre, and drew attention to the place
where she sat, one might even say sar-
castically enjoying the scene. Among
the audience, however, was another
gifted woman, who might far more
legitimately have been shocked at
the utter wreck of every musical
means of expression in the singer,
who might have beSC more natur-
ally forgiven if some hu1nor OF
self elorification had made her severely
iust-not worse-toan old prima donna;
1 mean Nine. Yiafdot. Then, and not
till then, she was hearing Nine. Pasta.
But truth will always answer TO She ap-
peal o. truth. Dismal as was the spec
tacle-broken, Ecerse. and destroyed as
was the voice-the great style of the
singer spoke to the singer. The trst
scene was Anne Boleyn's duet with
Fame Seymour. The old spirit was
heard ard seen in Nine. Pasta's 'Sorgi,
and the gesture with which she signed
to her penitent rival to rise. Later, she
attempted the final mad scene of the
opera-that most complicated a1id bril-
liant among the mad scenes on the mod
ern musical stage-with its two calitG-
bile movements, its snatehes of recita.
tive, and its brdUura of despair, which
may be appealed to as an example of
vocal display, till then unparagoned,
when turned to the account OF frenzy,
not frivolity-perhaps as such, com
missiOned by The superb creative artist.
By that time, tired, uBprepared, ruin as
as she was, she had rallied little. When
on Anne Boleyn's hearing the corona
tion music for her rival, the heroine
searches for her own crown on her brow
Nine. Pasta widely turned in the
direction of the festive sounds, the old,
irresistible charm broke out nav, even
in the fnai song, with its rOulade8 and
its scales of shakes, ascending by q
semitone, the consuumate vocalist and
tragedian, able to combine form with
meaning-the moment of the situation,
with such personal and musical display
as forms an integral part of operate art
was indicated, at least, to the appre-
hens ion of young artist. You are
right ! was fdne. Fsardot's qdlek and
HEARTFELT response cher eyes fu4f-os
tears) to friend beside her. You are
right it is like the Cenacola of Da
Ninci at Milan a wreck of a picture,
but the picture is the greatest picture in
the world.