River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-04-27

watch over the huts for several days
ana prevented the natives from return.
ing 20 their dwellings.
---.--.-. . 49,
The First Performance Of Norma
Our friends al La Scala were highly
Jealous Of the triumph at the rival
house they went with no. haste TO
Bellini and offered him 5000 ducats,
with Pasta and Grisi--a name vet I'm.
known-for interpreters, if he would
renew lis allegiance to their banner.
Bellini applied to Romani for a libr T.
70, aud received "NOrma." Fortunate
was the hahlue OF the groom.room at
La Scala IN those days There was 90
be met the regal Pasta of whom Ialma
had said in her youth "Ihis child
has found what have sought in vain
for twenty years--in the full plentitude
of her powers. There also was Gin.
lictta Grisi, Hellenic IN that perfect
grace and beauty Of face and form
which were destined 70 become indeli.
bly, associated with the sacred wreath
and crescent Of the Druidic priestess,
now borne by the elder artist who broke
into cries Of generous admiration as
she discerned tho budding talents of
her youthful rival. "Tu irus loin
tn prendras ma place 1u seras Pasta!
exclaimed the Siddons of Song, with
all unselGsh enthusiasm OF true genius.
in the last rehearsal Pasta kept up
running commentary in her droll
FraucO.Italian patoes Oh Giulietta's
impersonation OF Adalgisa. Denis.
sima! bene; tres bien-pas NAL, la
piccola, y said she, addressing herself
TO the maestro. "FIow | should love
TO play Norma Cried Giulietta.
"Wait twenty years and we shall see,
replied Bellini. II will play Norma III
spite Of you, and in less than twenty
years answered the petulant sixteen.
year.old beauty. Bellini said, incredn.
lousy, "a POGO, poco," but hardly
two years after, Giulietta, true to her
word, took possession OF the role, and,
as we have said, so strongly identified
il with her personality that even now
that she has passed away, and many
other and some distinguished artists
have assayed it. the mere mention Of
the part calls to mind her name; and
the fame GTisi in Norma" has he.
come almost legend which gray.hair.
ed Opcra-goers still fondly rehearse
whenever the Younger generations
praise SEINE favorite Of the day in
their hearing. Wonderful to relate,
the first performance of "Norma" felt
fat. Here is what poor Bellini wrote
TO an old fellow-student of his at the
Conseryatorie OF Naples:
Milan, Dec. 20, 1881
VERY DEAR FLoRMo write to you
in grief, bitter grief, which | cannot
find words to express, but which you,
and you alone, will be able to under.
stand. / have just come home from
the Scala. First performance of Nor.
ma. Y VIII you believe 1t : fiascol fas.
co! solemn lasco! To say the truth,
the public was severe; it seems pos.
itively to have come with the express
purpose Of judging and condemning
me; and reeipitatively-at least, so
| think-it has consigned my poor
Norma" 10 the doom of the Druidess
herself. could no longer recognize
those dear Milanese who received en-.
Enthusiastically, and with joyful faces
aud warm hearts, 81 Pirata, ia
Stramera, and La Sonambula, and
vet thought | had given these works
a worthy sister in Normal Unhap-
lily il has not been so. was deceived;
I have committed a blunder; my fore.
east has proved false, and my hopes
Well, in spite of it all, If
perchance am not led astray by pas.
sion, the introduction, the sortie, Nor.
mas cuyallna, tn duet of the two wO-
men, with the trio that follows, and
then the other duet of the women, and
the whole of the second act, which be-
gins with the war hymn, are peiees Of
music of kind which pleases me so
well (modestly) that | confess | shall
be glad il through my artistic career !
am able TO compose the like Bias.
tai : Of theatrical works the public
Is Judge Supreme. Nevertheless, | re.
ly on appealing against its sentence
In this particular instance; and If at
last il owns il was wrong, / shall have
won my suit. and shall proclaim
"Norma" to DO my best opera. Ifnot,
| must resign myself to my sad fate
and by way Of consolation shall say
Did not the Romans hiss the "0lympi.
ade" of the divine Pergolese leave
by the mail, and hope 70 reach Ma.
pies ere this is in your hands. But
one or the other-either I or the let.
ter-will make YOU aware OF the mel.
ancholy fate OF Norma" Kissed
Don't worry yourself too much about 1t
my good Florimo; am young and l
feel within me the power 70 revenge
this terrible disaster. Read this letter
20 all or friends; like the truth TO
DO known in bad as we'll as good for.
tune. Farewell; w0 shall soon meet.
Tin then take kiss from your affec.
tionato BFlLNi
Norma" was always Bellini's favor.
ite amOng his own compositions. once,
when asked which OF his works he
would save lrst If they were imperll-
cd by shipvreck, he answered with.
out hesitation, "Ah my dear Nor.
ma ." No wonder, therefore, that
we should hear Of his weeping bitter.
~ over It's failure. But the Milanese
set about reversing their Judgment
even sooner than he had hoped. The
opera ran forty nights with increasing
success, the tidings Of which must
have reioiced Bellini when they reach.
ed him IN Catania, whittier he had
gone directly after its unlucky impe.
rere.--Cornhill Magazine.
It
A Fifeshire man recently took his
child 70 the minister 70 be baptized,
who asked him: care you prepared
for SO solemn and important an occa.
4. a. 4 80