The New York herald., 1879-09-14

Jenny Lind. He was born on December IT. 1915. al
La Chapele saintDenis little suburb of Paris. and
was educated by uncle who destined him for tina
law. lie placed in lawyers oiioe and spent
his time Ia evolving dramatic masterpieces that
were performed in barn by a company OF students
and grisettes. When he attained his majority he
was allowed to follow his bent. and in June, 1886.
was admitted as day pupil at the Conservatory.
hls professor was Jean Baise Martin, a famous
tenor OF the past. In teacher and scholar the old
and new schools OF singing met. Martin had been
star or the Theatre feydeau in its palmy days; he
had seen the birth OF the opera conlique; his style
was learned from the wandering Italian tronpes and
his master was Pasiello. Rogers method. the
other hand. was wholly French. He had
dramatic Intelligence ran of with all the Conserva
tory prizes III 1887, ana on February l6. 1885, made
his nrst appearance at the Theatre de la
Bourse i'll Haleyy's "LEclalr." His refined presence
and manner the OF his voice. the sureness
of his histrionic Instinct assured his immediate
success. The first role that he created that or
tho Marquis dc terlanges, i'll AMBROSE Thomas
'.Perruquer dc la liescnoe. which lived a short and
inglorious lie. He soon became indsp spensable to
every work OF Importance represented at the Opera
Comique. For ten years one success followed
another. "Hayeee." lies Mousquetaires do Ia
Refine" "I.a Part du Diable," and La Sirene'' were
trumphs no less for the singer than the composer
Then, by an evil chance he WAS tempted to joiu
Jenny Lind and sang at ier Majesty's ON that his
toric night when men were trampied under foot ut
tho door of the opera house III the rush the
Swedish Nightingale. Returning to France ho at
tanned what seemed the summit of his ambition.
He WAS engaged at the Grand Opera. 1t was u mo-
ment oil great excitement Meyerbeers third great
Paris. Extraordinary. sums had been spent on tha
scenery. Roger, the national tenor. held
be the right man for illustrous occasion.
Alas! managers. public. press. composers and the
tenor himself. all wrong The talent which
had agreeably flied the more confined limits OF
comic opera crunbled away before the grau ieur Of
Meyerbeer's masterpiece. In his phraslng there
we're beauties sentiment. beauties OF conception,
beauties OF thought; but there little either Of
vgor or intensity. After the first performance tho
critics predicted that Rogers voice would give
way beneath tho strain. Their predictions were verb
fed. Roger passed hurriedly through the repertory
OF grand OPERA and last confessed his incapacity
for the task.
In 1850 he made a first voyage to Germany. and
sang at the theatres of Franktort-on-Main and of
Hamburg, to the great delight OF the public. In
1851 he made a second voyage across the Rhine and
was as snccessful at Berlin as at Hamburg. Here.
however, he met with sad accident. On shoot-
ing expedition he received i'll his arm the charge
OF his gun. The wound was severe. and amputation
was necessary. When he got we'll he tried to
act with mechanical arn but his efforts were
frutless. Entering more upon the boards OF
the Opera Comique he was found co be no more than
the shadow OF himself. ana shortly Nterward no
disappeared forever from the scene OF his ancient
glory. Since then he taught music for living.
His face q familiar i'll the cafes and ut the
''irst nights" OF Paris.