The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-02-03

MADE marx as q SJateSmou; as n cOIl-
handing officer he would have been brill
liant. Indeed, the army has lost one Of the
most grifted officers of the stage. The re-
porter who furnishes this discriptic of the
great max was duly increased by the
predictions quantity of business which he
dashed off in four languages while the in
terview lasted. He has great managing
capacity and would lead an array so the re-
porter says as easily as he does his troupe.
| He explained for the benefit of the world
| that his brother Maurice engages the talent
wherever and wenever it can be discovered.
| AS to the modus operandi of making con-
tract, Mr.. Strakesch said: They were very
different people. Sometimes they demand
that per centage of their pay be secured in
advance; sometimes half of it, some
times more or less. We have a contract
with Adelina Patti to come to the United
States now. 1t has been running since 1S-
90. She promises to come in 1874, but she
will not. Meanwhile she pays us forfeit
every year she fails to come. Ry the way,
have copy of her contract with us in
French. l will read it to you. It reads
thus:
TEXT OF THE PATTI ENGAGEMENT.
Adelina Patti, resident in Paris, and by
authority OF her husband, OF the first part;
and Maurice Strakosch, OF the second part. This
! bond witnesseth that Adelina Patti hereby eu-
| September, 1874 After she has reposed herself
! from the fatigues of the voyage, she engages 10
sing the cities or the united states ana cana
da, under the direction of Max Strakosch, who
represents Maurice Strakosch. 100 nights in
opera, oratorios, or concerts, according 10 the
The representation is to be two or three times
! week, as Madame Patti chooses. Madame
Patti Is not to sing on such days as she travels,
| or in case of sickness, she engages herself TO
sing 100 nights in America, and her engagement
shall be prolonged until this is done.
The operas which are TO be given are to be
| chosen by common consent, but they are not 10
be those which she has sung in London.
Patti for each OF these performances O,OCO francs,
| (s2,5OOl which are to be paid to her after each
In order to assure Madame Patti Of the pay
/ ment OF this sum, he engages himself to give on
the frat day OF March 1874, a deposit OF 900
| francs The sum will remain deposited with
Rothschild until the completion OF the contract.
II will be placed in such funds as will secure to
| Mr.. StrakoSch interest on the money.
| The travelling expenses to the United States of
Madame Patti, her husband, also of two other
persons of first and two more persons of second
| class, who are TO be chosen by her, will be de-
| frayed by Mr.. StrakOsch.
The rights OF force majeure which may arise,
and other things which may interfere with the
present conf ract, are 10 be decided in favor of
Mr.. Strakosch. qfI .rfl .g
msy prevent Madame Patti from fulfiIing her
contract, or may interrupt the execution of this
engagement which she contracts by the present
agreement, Mr.. Strakoech has a right so take his
securities from Baron Rothschild. rrr
In case Mr.. Strakosch shall fail to deposit 500,-
coo francs with Baron Rothschild all the above
conditions are null and void, and Madame Patti
is fully released .
The present engagement is signed by the Mar
| quis de Caux, in the capacity of husband OF
Madame Patti, who has authorized her to make
this contract.
in force. Madame Patti pays forfeit oil
5000 francs year for every year she breaks
it, that is, she paid one forfeit last year,
and will probably do the same this year,
also. As to beginners. we give them small
sums at first and advance them as they rise
yTaT haoo hall
it to be sound. Atpresentthere is no money
in opera; the prima donna wants to much.
Ours is, believe, the only way to fit artistes
for the stage. lyric or dramatic. The musical
i Conservatives furnish talent now and then,
but we only take those who have won prizes
at these places, and they seldom amount to
any thing. We skim the musical element
taking only the cream; but in this we are
not so generally successful as we shall be
Mr.. Strakesch dispels the illusion that prims
donnss are imperious and exacting. 1t de-
ponds altogether on the woman herself
Though PATHS contract calls for the travel
ing expenses OF six persons. others range
from one to four. Generally speaking, il
an operatic company every person has al
agent, whose sole duty is to harass the man
but one agent in our company, and his nam'
is Max Strakosch; one amateur, and hi
name is ROuzeaud.
HUSBANDS AND AGENTS.
With the exception Of Jarrett, husband
are fifty times as troublesome as agents
First, the agent is professional, and a maj
of experience, so that he knows better thar
to be, perpetually thrusting his nose il
where it should not be. The agent make
trouble but he is not an ass. I'd rather hav
: to deal with rogue than a fool, for am ex
J perienced with one, but nobody can under
stand the other. A singers agent receives
percentage of about six per cent of her re
ceipts. Hence il is to his interest to put VI
her terms as high as possible. The primi
dOnna's within is simply terrible. There ar,
the Disappointment OF the prima donni
: when she is sick, and the popular indigna
I ton, which is hurled at the unfortunate
, manager, as If he were an accOmplice in
J tstead OF victim. In such cases we hav
8 loads of trouble. A prima donna's contrac
! reads that she shall not sing on cOnsecutiv,
|, nights; an accident happens: we call on he
! to sing; she refuses, because it is not on thu
1 bond. although she would not be Obliged q
: sing more than three times in the week in
/; stead of four. The same with the tenors
The reason why soprano and tenors are 81
often sick may be answered in many ways
AS matter of fact sopranos and tenors d
!, not suffer more than others, but there ar
always two of each, and they give way wheI
2 they need not. Vita our cOncralto there i
D no such word as fail. We are under NOR
8 think. Well or sick. she il Away
3 ready to go on and do her best
!, there is nobody TO relieve her
! she sings every night, and never complain
j at being suddenly called upon. She is in
9 deed a jewel. We are proud of havin
4 brought her out, and she never forgets that
Q Her conduct is in such contrast with that @
4 most singers, contraltos even, that we ar
a glad OF any opportunity to express or ad
: miration OF her publicly. The 'stars" OF Oh
y company are two sopranos, two tenors, tw
: baritones, one basso, and one contralto; w
travel with twenty in the orchestra, and i'll
up In the large cities we reach; tbirty-fv
4 in the chorus; then we have In addition