, 1874-01-18
FI4OTOW.
A Talk with the Composer OF Mar.
th8.7s

| lAoAc W.
| A Talk with the Composer OF ssmnr-
| tha.7s
| From the Berlin Tribune.
! No opera has ever been more popular than
FIotow's Martha" Since 1849. when it first
! appeared, it has been performed Upward Of
| 1000 times, at all the great theatres OF the
world and it still ia perfect gold mine for ita
| composer, who derives from it alone, aside from
his other operas, an income Of at least &C, 600
| forms q year.
! Frederick Won FlotoW has always been q favor
| lie child OF fortune. Although nothing more
! than an amateur in 1845, and, in effect, mere
STRIPPING, his first operate venture, ''Aessandro
st1adella," proved go thorough success that his
| name was at once ranked among the foremost
! operate composers Of Europe. At the ago OF q,
he WAS hailed as q peer by Meyerbeer. Auber,
| and Rosaini,' aud his beautiful opera rapidly
| made the tour Of the world.
His next composition, 'Martha." made him
the most popular Of his brethren among the
operatic composers Of Europe. It had 200 sue
cessive representations at the Opera Comique,
! in Paris, aud soon became {avorite with the
opera-goers Of all civilized uationa. The young
or SOD OF Mecklenburg noblcman. whose patri-
uOut EO4sAokCA ~ y RGH btoAA4 8SA<as n+AH 60A-
denly flowing into his Golfers tantiemes such az
had not been even paid to the renowned COM
poser Of "Robert 10 Diable" and "Wi1liam
| Ten.'' Airs from Martin" wero played at
every concert they were drurnmed and sung by
young boardlng-school misses, aud whistled by
the street~boys in all great cities Of the world
remember seeing FIotow, at the frst per-
formance OF '' Martha" in his native city Of
| Rostock, in Mecklenburg-Schwenn He WIGS
fhnF ha1fHoYNa vo11th tn6Eirr 1r-
deed. than he really was. The applause beatow-
cd upon him by his feflow-citizeuA evidently de-
lighted him beyond measure. Ho blushed to
tue roots Of bis hair when the enthusiastic
audience called him, at tho end Of the perform
ance, before the curtain
4 few davs ago Baw him again. It WAS in
his beautiful chateau Pr1enitx, near Linz. iu
Austrla. I was startled ut the change which
twenty -four years had produced in his appear"
auce. He looked like an old, bl oken-down man,
although ho ia but little over 50. His hair was
entirely white, and lie WAS bent down like N
octogcunrlan.
Hs recognized me BY my Mecklenburg dialect,
and, soon IS had seated myself by his side,
told me that he regretted nothing so much 30
that lie had left his dear native country and
settled among strangers.
"Why do you not return to Mecklenburg?"
ventured to ask. ~ am sura everybody there
will receive you with open arms"
know what might happen. Look at this, " and he
produced ponderous iepistie. F" This Is & letter
from the Grand Duke Of Mccklenburg, Fred
ederick Francis, who wltbdraws from me the ap-
pointnent OF Grand Ducal 'naifre de cadpeAe, be-
cause married the sister Of my divorced wife
OH, the hypocrisy Of these fellows on their petty
thrones |"
burst not say anything on this painful sub
jcct. For ten years past this unfortunate event
has cast gloc!a over Flotow's life. He has been
most severely ccusurcd for his second marriage.
But what are the facts When scarcely old
enough to know his own mind, Frederick Won
Fotow was induced by his parents to marry
young girl who was secretly affianced to another.
Their welded life Was wresched ia the extreme.
They parted by mutual consent. Flotow's pres
ent wife ido!izcs her gifted husband, and he is
happy with her. Nevertheless he in ost1acized
in aristoc1atic circles.
He knit his massive brow AZ he continued
complaining Of how people had recently treated
him. II haye led, ha said, tiny whole life
long most laborious existence. X have won
Successes, they wero Cue above al things to
hard work, to unremtting toll. The score Of
Martha rewrote four times before allowed
it to be played; and have been still more pains
taking With my subsequent operas. And what
has been the result ? Pecuniarily, have no
reason to complain for, although am not
rich. am comfortably situated, and cer~
taiDly richer than any Of my ancestors have
been for many years past But what life OF
dieappointn1ents have recently had to lead.
Will you believe that the parisiaps. who we're
once my most ardent admirers, have completely
ostracized me? have my new opera. Haida,'
ready for the stage am free to sav it ia quito
equal to any Of my previous productions. And
vet. not 4 manager in Patis dares to perform it,
because nm German. II is tabooed ia Berlin,
because my Grand Duke Of Mecklenburg hates
mo; AMI IN Vienna tecause the Emperor Of
Germany will not permit it's performance in
Berlin. Has any modern composer over been 80
!. WHY not ata-t your new opera in London 2'
I interrupted.
Flotov, "you don't understand that 4 new
opera, to succeed in London, musr first have
to the open piano in his room, and tell mo
what you think Of these Melodies"
Aad he began to run his fingers over the ivory
keys with wonderful nastcrship, PLAYING now
Arc these melodies pretty 7r he asked.
pretty!" I replied, they are enchanting
Better than Martha"
And ret he cannot get this opera performed
Such are conventional aud national prejudices.
Herr YOU Flotow has three children by his
lie leads nt prienltz the life Of hermit, going
but rarely to Vienna. His tenants are greatly
attached to him, on account Of Lis kindncss to
them.
During my long conversation with him, |
heard Herr Won Flotow pass Soma curious orin-
ions on the other great composers OF the day.
"Meyerbeer," lie said, was iucomparably
the greatest of them all. Ross,ni ruined him
SELF By writing too much. Belini WAS musical
coufectioncr. producing excellent sweetmeats.
Donizettl would have been very great had he not
been an Italian. Wagner is grand. but often too
terrible. Verdi was very promising, but had de-
teriornted of late. Ambrose Thomas waa al
imitator OF Adam. Gounod had made 3 great
mistake to write anything after 'Faust.' He
should havo taken warning ny Aubers exam
pie"
All this was well said, extremely caustic, but
not always just. Herr yon Flotow had evident
II been soured By what he considers bis bitter
disappontments. uo is spoiled child OF Dame
Fortune. The slightest mishaps make him
angry.
Upon leaving the chateau, caught glimpse
OF Frau von Flotow. She is a portly, good
looking lady OF 40. Her serena face does not
Indicate in ans way thai she il conscious Of the
trouble she has caused her illust1ious husband.
And get he iB snarting under it, and to me it
eeenls more than probable that his days arc num-
bcrcd- He looks certainly very old and broken
down.
The Conviction of q Comn1nnist.
The Paris correspondent Of the Boston Satur-
day Evening G1zette relates the following thrill
ino scene At q recep, trial: 4 woman named