The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-19
oPERATIc ovERTUREs.
An Interview with Miss
Emma Abbott.
Her Tastes and Ideas of
Music generally.

/ as Honest LlItie EMMA from her 1aftn
/ full work and conscientious regard for pub
| lie engagements viii appear at Harper's
Theatre next Friday evening in the comic
opera of Fra Diavolo" She win be as
sisted by several well known operate fay
! orites, including William CASTLE George
| Comfy, Julie Rosewald Pauline Maurel and
others of equal note The following
INTERVIEW ~
will be found of interest, as it shows the
Prima Donna as she appears at home. AS
might naturally be expected she is an en-.
thusiast on the subject of music with
which her life has been so closely identi-
fed Perhaps the most prominent feature
and characteristic of this vocalist is her
natural and. affable manners. She does
not possess the least affeetation.
and is in private life. what
her soubriquet of Honest Emma would
indicate that she was before the. footlights,
conscientious and painstaking in anything
which she undertakes.
HER FAyoRTTE.
era, when she named Lucia.
''Why do you prefer the opera of "Lu-
cha" to other of your repertorie?'
Il presume it is because of the mad
scene. have made study of insanity,
since as child | saw poor insane girl.
1t has been great passion with me to OBJ
serve the moods and freaks of disordered
minds. have done so in the hospitals
both of this country and Europe, and have
been assisted in my studies by physicians
1t has been great pleasure to me TO re-
ceiye commentator from them, although
one eminent Boston physician has warned
me against too frequent representations
of Lucia" least it should prove injurious
to my own mind. Many prina donnas
find it convenient, in mad scenes, to dress
in white, tear down their back hair, and
then come to the front and sing their
score"
"Will this not do in ''Lucia?"
1T does not fill my conception of the
part Lucia" is mad from love, demon
stratively insane. The story shows that
she was deceived by her husband, ard to
properly portray mind gone astray in that
way requires the most exhaustive action.
/ dare not appear more than once week in
this role"
After Lucia" you have other favor
itesg"
81 am very partial to Paul and Vir-
ginia" and "Romeo and Juliet because |
created the roles of Virgiaia and Juliet in
this country"
"Why is it that when the public appear
to have gone crazy about the 'sBillee Tay
lor" and "Olivette" style of music, you are
still succeeding in Grand Opera"
SCTba tharna of all NM iS love and
so long as there are warm young hearts to
love and be loved, there will be those who
viii be interested in this subject and its
portrayal l have noticed that the infiu
ence of these operas extend to my com
pany. Fourteen of them have arranged
for seven marriages at the close of the sea-
SON ;"
How do you account for this ." inquir
ed the reporter with heart warmed by the
topic on hand.
oh presume they have been practic-
ing the Abbott kiss.
THE ABBOTT KISS.
by the way, Miss Abbott, can you dis |
close what is mysterious or wonderful
about this kiss of yours ?"
MY dear sir, you are stranger. and |
forgive the first offense. But trespass no |
more. have purchased a revolver to slay |
question | do not want your blood, there |
'ore beware"
''Is it not new departure for you to !
,ing in Fra Diavalo ? was the way the |
Exporter escaped from further discussion |
IF the kiss
II originally thought was foreordained
md predestined to embrace some tenor, but
'ecently I have appeared in Fra Diavolo, |
md have been encouraged to change my
mind. MY success as ZerIina has decided
ne to add several comic operas to my re
1ertoire for next season. The great diff
,ulty is to select an opera or operas which
will suit the public taste. So great is this
ask that I have caught myself wondering,
What will the public of 1881 require p
Il would be pleased to have the result of
Tour thoughts"
II have often wondered, if people de-
ided, what they would choose, whether
hey would fancy music of the old Gregg
ian style, the ''Billee Taylor" the Wag
erian or some other that we dream not of
s yet. For my own part, l think this
aste for Pinafore and its limitations will
fe out as quickly as it sprung up Neither
it my belief that the audiences of the
lture will care for the heavy Wagnerian
lusic which one has to hear so very, very
lany times to understand it, but will take
happy medium with fine harmonies and
road, beautiful orchestral effects.
WILL IT BE REALIZED
do you expect to see it IN our days 2"
Il sometimes wonder if perfect opera
ill ever be written. By the way, this
ear Mother Symptoms prophecy is to be !
if she fails, perhaps my dreams
lay come to pass. | imagine that the !
athor of my great opera must be a very, | {
cry extraordinary man. He must be a
reat singer himself. All the composers l
ave habit of putting some unpronounc
Die word on some very high note when it
impossible to sing the tone and make
lie word any more intelligible than Choc
NV"
what do singers do in such an emer-
sncy?.
They just sing all ah-ah and let the :
ord go. But / was telling you about this
naginary composer of mine. II he can
ng and write his own fbretto he will I
ever insert word that does not harmon
e with the tone. Next he would know
lat he would spoil the effect of beauti-I
Il opera by ending it with commonplace
male. Then he will have an interesting
lot, one that will catch the hearts of the
sople and sweep them along by storm.
hitting these points with plenty of beau
full melodies and broad harmonies, perfec- :
On would be reached
If Won Feel DesDondent :