The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-27
DEPARTURE or TRAINS,
Qhslntelliiqe1ree
MADAME PAREPA ROSA.
A Generous Tribute 10 the Sweet
Singer.


From the N. Y. Tribune Of the 24th.l
The melancholy news Of the death Of
Madame Perepa Rosa, which we pub.
lishcd yesterday, has caused profound
impression in musical circles, and will be
read with deep sorrow in widely separat.
ed quarters Of the wOrld-in England,
where she wAs universally admired and
respected; in Italy, where she won her
earliest operate laurels; in Egypt, which
was the scene Of her latest triumphs; but
above all, perhaps, IN the United States,
where six years otremarksble professional
labor and extensive travel have made her
name a household word from ocean to
ocean, and secured for her hundreds Of
warm personal friends in all the chief
cities Of the Union. We have already
sketched briefly the principal incidents Of
her lie, but we cannot allow the grave to
close over this illustriOus singer and most
SniSbe lady without few In comHemo.
ration OF her extraordinary services TO
srt, and the influence which she has ex-
erted upon the taste and culture OF the
American public. Nature gave her one
Of the most exquisit voices ever heard
upon the stage. 1t had all good qualities.
lis compass was magnificent; 1t reached
the lowest notes Of the soprano register;
aud ran up with ease to p in alt, or per-
hsps a little higher and In all this great
extent there was not an imperfect tone;
every sound was deliciously sweet, and
pure, and iull;,the most acute critic could
detect no flaw, no weakness, no difference
Of quality. In volume II was absolutely
phenomenal. It filed the colosseum
d 1850, where It rang out above
the roar Of cannon and the shout.
ting Of the monster chorus, It's whis.
perS were heard through the largest opera
houses, and its clarion tones electrified US,
in triumphant songs like Handel's "Let
the Bright Sersphim," as no voice ever
did before, as no voice ever will again. So
perfect was the beauty Of this glorious
yoice that 1t used 10 touch the feelings
mereiy By its rare purity and strength,
quite apart from any sentiment which
might lie In the music. Sensitive people
sre sometimes stirred to tears by the sight
Ofan exquisite landscape, and We have
seen audiences deeply moved by Madame
PsEepa Rosa's delivery ola common song,
not because the words or the composition
meant anything, but because tho tones
we're absolutely without defect Voice,
however, was not the secret OF her power.
She had reached the very pinnacle of art,
for she had learned TO despise mere oppor.
tunities for vocal display, to discard Vul.
gar embellishments and tours de force, and
10 esteem that the noblest style Of singing
which was the simplest and most natural.
dow many years Of hard work and intel.
Egent study were needed before this per.
feet culture was complete the public neY.
er suspected. When she stood before
them, so quiet, so easy, so unaffected, the
song seemed to flow from her lips with.
out an effort and without generalization.
She sang as II she could not help 1t: Music
had no difficulties for her. With q phys.
lcsl strength equal TO the most unparal-
leled demands, and technical education
which had long ago triumphed over the
most serious problems OF art, the exercise
II her marvellous gift became a sort OF
second nature. Song for her was az easy
as speech. fas ~
The versatility Tor which she has been
50 much praised was part the result of
high culture and In part natural endov.
Ment. She won her first victories and
per laot on the Italian operate stage,
When she came to America in 1866 She
charmed the whole country with modern
English ballads, and no one else has ever
given those little inartistic songs so pleas.
ant a character. She turned TO her long
neglected music OF Handel, and, filed
with the spirit Of the grand old master,
poured forth the mighty music Of 1.-THE
Messiah" and Samson" with a majesty
ald glory Of which America had no pre-.
Vious conception. What she did next
With the English Opera we all remember.
sGe gave II character 1t had never en-
enjoyed before either here or abroad; and
J. II become permanently established In
thiG country we shall owe 1t principally
10 Madame Parepa and Mr.. Carl Rosa,
she had naturally q cheerful disposition,
and taste Tor anything that was piqusnt
IN action and lively In sentiment, and she
impaired consequently 10 comic opera a
VlVacity Of which Jew would have thought
her capable. She brought out for us In
English 1.-THE Marriage Of Figaro and
pothing could be more charming than
her mapner Of Interpreting this
most delicious oil opera Underneath
tae superficial gsyety Of the music and
me play, she caught the inimitable len.
eerness which suftuses Mozart's bright
strains with delicate sentiment of their
OWL and she gave TO such famous num-
Dess as The canzonct ITO tho Zephyrn a
meaning and character which other
s SIaIs G ave never seemed to US to appre.
Figaro" succeeded the romantic aSho "
on" and "oberon" was followed nv G onc