The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-08
PATTI IN PARIS-GALA NIGHT Al
THE II,ALIENS.
Correspondence N. Y. Times.l


PARIS, Monday, Oct. Il, 1874.
The best representatives Of Partisan inteili-
geEce, culture wealth and refinement were as
tembled at the Sale Vendatour last mig ht TO hear
Nine. Patti i'll the ''Huguenots." For some days
the city has been agltatcd over this unusual
event. The celebrated cantatrice was to sing in
French and take the part OF Valentine for the
first time in fourteen years. The discuss ions,
opened in advance among the amateurs and
habltueS OF the scenes, wero frequently OF q
lively sort. 1t was urged that Nine. Patti had
neither the force nor the voice for SO heavy and
difficult . role; and furthermore, those who pro-
fessed to know something about it insisted that
her French accens was 30 bad that she could not
hope to avoid a good deal OF ridlcule. In both
things tho knowing ones were III orror. Nine.
Patti WAS equal to the role OF Valentine although
in the fourth act could zee from the avant scene
box LII which was sitting that 1t was = most ter
rible strain upon her force andvOice Her accent
was the pnrest Partisan, and it VAS evident that
N. de Caux had carefully corrected her modula-
Gons. La tact, of the two leading singers, it ap-
pearcd that Mile. Eelval had far more Of the
Italian accent than Pa ii. An entirely excep-
GOnal audience was present on this occasion. The
announcements that the first representa- ion would
be under the patronage OF Nine. Ia MARSHALL
herself and for the benefit of the poor Of Aisace-
Lorraine, caused tiutter among the densi-91aoaa-
DANES who began to move heaven and earth to
get an entry. There is nothing they like more
than these sort OF gatherings, where they can see
and c,iticse the leading ladies' OF society, and
elbow the aristocracy during the extracts along
the c0ulorS and in the saloon. But steps had
been taken to make the a-dience extremely OK
elusive. AL whose relations were not clearly
known were told that the tickets were all sold
and fabulous sums were offered two days b. fore
the event. Twenty-fiv dollars for sing seat
in the pOsterne were freely offered at the door by
a number of elegantly dressed young men who
had failed to gain admittance. Hence, the
places were kept for high officials, jour
nalists and literary men, the wealthy
BANKERS, the cream OF Partisan hi Oh life, and 5
few noble strangers who are now within our
gates. 1t representation de gaia, and, as
Nine. De CauX afterwards remarked, "quite like
st. Petersburg audience. for . performance
diamonds displayed was really astonishing. Be-
ginning with Nine. De Rothschild, opposite
where was sitting, who wore heart. haped
locket set with enormous brilliants, round as far
~ l could see, there appeared to be a continuous
stream OF diamonds, and constant scintillation of
light and color. But there was one exception
worth noting. In front box sat lady OF
middle age, dressed in simple muslin robe OF
sombre tint, and without single ornament
visible save plain marriage ring. Beside this
simple figure were three MISUNDERSTANDING
gentlemen, and in the boxes on either side were
two ladies who must have had millions value
in their hair. The plain little woman was the
Grand Duchesse Marie of Russia, who never
help il. But, as lady remarked, princess Of
the blood can afford such vas,aries, while plain
Nine. So-and-SO would be disgraced.
THE PERFORMANCE.
Nine. PATHS entrance upon the scene drew
forth slight applause, but all We're anxious to
hear her before committing themselves too far.
The first few notes, however, showed that the
voice was still there, and that the Diva is still
the gl'd,lde artistic she has been for many
years. Her accent, as l have remarked, was
nearly faultless, and as her rich notes came out
like showers Of pearls the vast audience began to
warm, and finally burst out into enthusiastic ap-
plause. Baron Rothschild applauded longest
and loudest, and tried his best to get an air re-
peated, but it was too evident that the part
would prove sufficient strain upon PATHS voice
to admit Of any extras. For light voice the
role of Valentine is out of the question, and
Meyerbeer came very near writing something
that could not be sung many times in . century.
During the third act Nine. Patti began 10
show her powers. and the audience was
moved but it was in the fourth act that she
gained her greatest triumph, and showed herself
an actress as well as cantatrice The stage was
literally covered with flowers, and boqnets poured
In from every direction. The marshal was appar
emily charmed; but there was one man present
who was radiant with JOY, and that was Maurice
Strakosch, who must have had his heart warmed
by tho sight OF this splendid reception given to
his former pupil. Nine. Patti sings here three
times more-once mora in "The Hugenots" and
twice in Faust" and then we shall not hear her
again until she appears upon the stage Of cur
new grand opera, now rapidly approaching COM
pletion. A detail to close. Nine. Patti was called
three times before the cur tan and was so deeply
moved that she could scarcely walk and had to
ask for aid. After her fatigue the emotion was
too much for her. On retiring to her room, she
found it full of flowers, and she marched 10 it
between two lines OF ngurantes, all the people
of the stage, with whom sho was great favorite,
having formed themselves into an escort of
honor