Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-09-20
Nilsson At Home.
The Quiet Married Life OF the Great
Swedish Prima Donna.
rRom an Esglish Letter. ]


Barely home l. the ll:.!e house in the Bel
grave road, tensnted by thai very aitsched aud
quiet couple. Monster and Madame Rouzsud.
The artistic nasure has fought against the
whi.eueJ sepulchre unIil Il has shown out the
vivid colofod pottery, bloomed IN graceful
lilies. bright blue lohe.ia, and horal wilder
ness spreading from The top Of TIE porch aud
masking the windows. Within doors are
signs Of artistic treatment ~ every step. The
walls aud ceiling are decorated after tic lsal-
ian fashion. Seyres vases and Dresden Ghep-
herdasses occupy every spare corns on esbl-
nets Of handsome Louis Seize work. \ lew
silver orsmcrls-one Of them racing cup,
,hc eif, Of ,he oll FREUD who shot the man
eater. whose siiiped hide siorns the smoking
roon-sre seen On the s.dcboard. aud beyond
these there is no sumptuous display Of wealth,
for the diva of She north iuifusts tAe great
bulk Of the outward aud tangible slgns OF TIL
unph to the custody % her BANKERS.
As the great Swedish singer. clsd 10 solemn
lisck. silh her fair lair. siauds 10 her pretty
d.swlug-room near her portrait ty Csbaoel,
IL is impossito not % mark tie contrast be-
tween the Christine Nilsson of evegtsy llie
and the Ophela Of the French painter. O.
phelia looks with great disiraueht eyes out q
the Gower-decked raimcut which clothes her
spr.ow. The very flower, droop in sympathy
with the loyelorn damsel, whose long haif also
hangs heavily downward II isa marvellous
impersona,on uf patience and suffering. "hlle
Madame Nilsson herself Is the most vivsoiors
Of artists resembling nothing less thaa 100
laneuid Opheie, the dying Niolcita. The hsp-
less Marguerite Ia every word and eetion ~
the great Swedish singer there Is intense vital
itv. Il speaks in the shoft cuiles ripping
over tho broad white forehead, 10 the uehi
braiis which confne ihe locks Of Ophclia. in
every fash Of the bright blue eyes, 10 every
tone of The bc.uliiul voice with hs powchol
vibrant quality This vitality, however. - Of
dis;inci qualify, foreign equality o. uo hcfy
impulse Of the l.siian and The qlquant ieiu-
lance ,of tho Fsenchwoman. Gnd resembles
them n tie clear radisuce Of the pcsll resem
bles the ruijy glow of tbc ruby, % the sui-
den nlsh 81 the danond
The most contentious Of singers. who, nl-
though an accomplished horsc- woman. rsirEius
from nouatiug horse during az engagement.
lest anv accident should interfere with tie pef-
krmance q her duties, Is aware Of the weak
pess iusep.ratle from her vigorous y. deli
cn,ely fensily fbre, snd on her days Of perfor-
msucs AZ tie opera IL invisible. Her friends
end NJ. Rouzigl and she ore 50 doseTyediy
populsr that their friends are men!-scsk
ier 10 vain; fof shc il aware that day tpet<
in alternate spells of praciicng and gossip 10
s,racis large percentage of The power needed
for The work q the cyculug. III 10 not
enough. 4" she will say, "io possess Il voice ana
knowledge of music, md some h'sulouic
talent or whatever it Is, 60 sing through on op-
era. You musi he strong. physically, brulsly
strong. II is tie kuowlcdee of this which
makes lyric artists NO sensitive when they are
said TO Ie m. They know tha, without ply
sical strength 90 sios through such an opera
as J.olepgrin, ioF Instance, art, talent gepius'
what you will. arc useless
Therefore Madame Christine Nilsson h'u-
zaud and Der husbanG-tho son Of ffonch
merchant. who msrrcd her after zine years
courtship-a Partisan of the Test type, live
very quietly 10 tho. house 10 the belgIavofosd
( which formerly belonged 10 tbeir old iricof,
/ Mrs. Richardson. Singing days, o. already
/ remarked. sre passed ais luiely, save for 60
/ hours' dive In an open carriage, 10 seelusion
( aud The invitations which descend 10 showers
are frmly bat gratefully declined. u muht
/ not le supposed, however, that either Mon.
siour ~ Madame RjuEaui are ayerso 20 social
pleasures. 90 the contrary. few enj1y truly
good intellectual converse aud harmless gay
/ e,y more than tbs model pair. who endure
/ Tie iau,s u their friends with infinite good
| humor. "My husband IS tres bon en'ant-
/ You must knoV hin. You are made g. un-
dcrs,and him." Christine Nilsson viii Say,
with a steady glance Of her great, csndid eyes
at titled Cfutch and T9Olbpck, who Las just
/ drawled out an elaborate compliment, snd who
/ cant understand Nilsson, you know"