The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-05

a sheet of note paper out of one the
drawers and wrote hastily a few lines.
Then she rang the bell and giving Anette
the letter said:
"Be sure to have it sent the very first
thing tomorrow morning"
On leaving the room the chambermaid
read the address:
"Mr. Maurice Savarez, Is West Four
teenth street, city,"
The name was that Of well-known op-
cratic manager. The pretty soubrette
smiled slyly on delivering the letter to
Jean. Both domestHs looked at one an
other in knowing way, but said moth
ing. .. 49,
The next morning before II an elegant
coupe dashed to the door Of Mrs. Van
Puyten's residence and thence leaped out
in state Of feverish excitement the we'll
known little figure of Savarez- Adelina
remained closeted with him for more
than an hour.
The result of this conference became
apparent the very next day. Mysterious
notices We're published by the papers,
limiting at the possibility and even
probability of an impending "event' of
unparalleled interest in the artistic
world.
A few days later there are appeared in
all the papers the following card:
ADELINA BARBERINI
has the honor OF announcing that she will /:
gvea :
CONCERT
to the benefit of or artist Mt the Acad- :
emy of Music on November 2Sth. :
The news of the impending event ran
like lightning through the city. The
papers published biographical sketches
of the artist, giving wonderful partic-
ulars of her former triumphs and hint
ing delicately at her present high social
position. In a few days every available
seat in the house was reserved. Many
had sent the tenfold of the actual price
for their ticket; the stockholders of the
Academy themselves on this extraordi-
nary and memorable occasion paid full
price for their boxes. Before the concert
had taken place the receipts had already
attained a sum which Signor Savaraz de-
clared to.be unparalleled in the annals of
musical enterprise.
At length the great day came. The
programme, distributed only on the
morning of the 18th, added still more to
the interest of the event, Signora Bar
berini was to appear as marguerite" in
the third act of Gounod's "Faust," sec.
onded by the first artists of the Italian
Opera
Long before o'clock the Academy
was crowded to it's utmost capacity. A
thrill of suspense and of intense curiosity
ran through the house while the over
ture, played by the orchestra of the Ital-
ian Opera, who had volunteered their
services for the occasion, and the other
numbers of the programme, all performed
by exquisite artists, were being disposed
of. All the interest all the attention of
the thousands of people who crammed
the house was concentrated on that
one act Of "Faust," which was
to close the concert. At length the
curtain rose, displaying the well-known
scenery of Gretchen's garden. Siebel
sang his air to the flowers Faust Zone of
the few good tenors still treading on
earth) rendered with exquisite feeling
his invocation to the dimora casta pura,
the wicked tempter Mephisto placed his
easket of jewels on q chair; then came
some soft, mellow tones in the orchestra,
announcing the entrance Of Margaret, the
garden door opened, and then--like the
roar of the ocean. there arose from all
parts of the house a deafening storm Of
cheers and applause which drowned every
other sound. One moment the artist
stopped at the door, seemingly dazzed
by the enthusiasm she excited, when she
advanced slowly, bowling as she went
When she had reached the foot
lights the musical director, a gray
haired veteran Of the artistic world, ros|
from his seat, and bowling low to the ar
tist, presented her, in the name of thu
orchestra, with beautiful nosegay o
white roses and violets. This was sig
nal for new and still more enthusiast,
ovation. Following the example of TIN
musicians and their director nearly tn,
whole audience rose from their seats
while shower Of flowers was poured
from the proscenium boxes on the stage
In the midst ofail this frenzy of applaus
the Barberini stood molionless with bowet
bead, a smile of unutterable happines
illuminating her face and big tears run
ming down her cheeks
Never did the great artist look NOR
beautiful. She had disdained to follow
the tradition, and had not concealed
under blonde wig her own beautiful
black hair, which fell in two shining
trcsses over her shoulders; her eyes, flash
ing with happiness, triumph and tears
gave a peculiar lustre to all her features
She stood there in all her dazzling beauty
with heaving bosom, like a statue, a worl
of art of wonderful perfection, but full
of passion and life.
More than five minutes elapsed befor
the first enthusiasm subsidized 80 as to al
low the artist to begin her part Hoy
she sang it, how after each air the ap
plause broke out afresh, how many time
She was called before the curtain at tn
close of the act---all this battles dcserip
ton and is still fresh in the memory o
all who have been fortunate enough t