The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-21
q cook him one Of these beloved national
MADAME ufnsrrn,s rARI.Y nlsroRY.


and artistic career, and The story Of her lite
az partially CLEANED from her own lips and
partially from those Of her friends may
prove of special interest. The remlnis-
ceuces 81 her childhood and first stsrt In her
musical career are evidently very dear to
her, for as she speaks OF them her eyes light
up and her whole face becomes animated
with an expression OF pleasure.
"It was very strange how came TO enter
| the operate Geld,D she said, speaking Ger.
| man, which language next 10 Hungarian.
that OF her nativity, and Italian, that OF
her professional and home life, Is the easiest
10 her. "Wheu Twas child never was
looked upon as the musical prodigy Of the
family. NV voice attracted attention even
when was little girl; but the great mu-
| steal wonder Of the house was an elder
sister (Bertha), who showed striking talent
for music and had beautiful voice. She
was soen imbued with the desire to become
a singer, aud was getting on famously In
her studies when gentleman who was
deeply In love with her. and whose love she
returned, Insisted upon marrying her be-
fore she had the time or opportunity 10
finish her studies"
"And did matrimony thus nip her opera
tic aspirations in the bud ?"
nestle circle after settling down In her new
home with her husband In Pesth TO enter
tain any desire Tor leaving IL and for enter.
ing upon the veDturescme career OF singer.
The held was thus left clear for me and
became the musical hope OF the family, for
already at the age OF twelve a well-known
Austrian musician and composer, Heben-
streiis said that my parents should have my
voice cultivated. He was my first .eacher.o
"Wbere were you living thenP"
ain kassan, Hungary, line old Episc0-
pal city, where was born and lived until
was scut TO the Conseryatoire in Vienna"
oRDEALs OF GrRLHooD.
"Aud what decided your parents at last
10 send your"
81 had participated in the numerous
Catholic Church professions through the
streets which are so customary In the Hun
gsrian towns when ! was little GIRL and
had sung at church, and my parents most
| intimate friends were pressing them to
| send ME 10 The Conservatoire In Nien-
ma, Finally Professor Helmersberg, the
celebrated director OF the Vienna Con-
seryatoire, visited Kassan and heard
me, and his advice to have me sent
10 Vienna was so urgent that my pa
rents, after much reluctant hesitation, final.
| lv consented. But, OF course, we were all
! dreadiuIly nervous as to the result OF my trial
in Vienna. To have gone there Mime.
| Gerster always laughs heartily when she
recalls this peculiar phase OF her early ca
reerl, and To have failed, would have eX-
posed the entire family to the gossip and
ridicule OF all The neghbors. And SO
the real object Of the trip to Vienna was
kept a profound secret. so that no one might
have the laugh on us il | were 10 return
upon an uniayorable result Of the ordeal"
But, Of course, it turned out fayora-
lblyf"
81 was heard by Nine. Marchesi, the
great vocal teacher OF Vienna, who accepted
me at once as a pupil, and by dint of hard
study was fortunate enough after the first
wear to win the first prize at the CoUseTva-
TORE. What decided me really TO 90 on
The operate stage, however, was Verdrs
kindly Judgment. He came to Vienna
when "Aida" was brought out, and the
COnservatoire gave little musical SOir<e in
his honor. / sang number Of the leading
airs from bis fayOrite operas, and Nine.
Marchesi told me that he had said TO her,
'QueStd giOUinettd dndera Subito matte
cio.' That really decided my fate, and
soon after made my debut in Venice, and
tue rest you probably KNOW"
/ HER ARTISTIC CAREER.
When it is remembered that Nine. Gers
ter, who was born in 1857 in Kassan, and Is
consequently only tweuty.three years old,
made her debut in Venice only four years
ago, the rapidity OF her artistic career will
strike Que as a remarkable feature of her
history. Signor Gardini, her first manager,
under whose auspices she made her d66ui
as GiIda i'm "Rigoletto" IN Venice. be-
came her husband in Pesth three years ago,
after an engagement IN Berlin, which town
she. according to the Berlin newspaper
reports, fairly took by storm. 1t was re-
corded in the journals that the Emperor had
sent her medallion Of briliants through
the imperial chamberlain, Count Perpom-
Der. and had appointed her Kaiserliche
kamcrsangerin. The roles in which she
scored her successes in Venice, Berlin,
ms well as in st. Petersburg, Moscow,
MarseiIIes, London, Genoa, and Pestb,
and other cities, are substantially the
same as those in which she has appeared
i'm New York. Two compliments paid
TO her by two distinguished persons OF
very different spheres OF life have been
sometimes publicly referred to. II was Am
broise Thomas who called her the "mode
| Ophelia," aud the Emperor William is re.
ported as having addressed her, after one OF
her performances, by the exclamation,
L" Sic sind cine perfehte ndchtigdH!" (You
are perfect nightingale y Upon her re-
turn to New York at the beginning OF thi:
month the Herald already published in iul
the names of the operas in which Nine
Gerster will probably be heard here during
the present season.