Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-19
OPERATE SECRETS.
A Talk with the Impressario of Her
Aajesty's COmpany-COlOuel Ma
plesOn Tells of the
Eceentricities of Prima DOnnas, the
Money They Receive, and the Down
fall Of the Ballet.


Patti. She is one of the most aggravatingly
1 cspriciOus young women ! have ever known.
| 1t takes all your time to listen TO her
wrongs. As to that alleged affront from
Cary which Adelina made all the fuss about
| in Cincinnati, there was not title of founda-
ton in the story which Patti told. She re-
ceived the fullest consideration from Mr.
! Thomas, and he even went out of the way to
| cater 10 her whims and fancies. Her re-
marks the other day about her sister pTiHa1
! d0aRds were most unjust. | undoubtedly
! think that Nine. Patti holds an unrivaled
rank in her profession, nor do | think finer
/ premiere has ever existed. She is the best
| 'Iraviata' that ever sang before any public,
| and her 'Ninetta' in GAIA Landra, and her
| other light soprano parts have seldom, If
! ever, been equaled. But Patti enjoys one
! fault in common with most other opera
/ singers. She Is not contented with light So
| prano. She must try heavy soprano parts
! like Aida and other kindred roles, and
! becomes savage at severe criticism.
Albani, who has the finest contralto
l ever heard, insists on singing soprano,
and the same peculiar obstinacy sfiiicts
tenors and baritones. Light tenors, like
Mougini and Bettini. who excel in BUbiere
will sing William Tel and OLIello, while bari
tones miserable unless they given
light music. CImpanini, | must say, Is
very reasonable man, and will listen to ad-
vice. Dear me, | shall never forget poor old
Lablache in Figaro and he was so fat that
he had not seen his knees for thirty five
years. What children they all are! Minnie
Hank sometimes causes me deal OF trouble
with her
wHIMs AND FAFCIES,
although this season L must say she is
behaving very well. Her general habit,
however, is to write me about three
long letters day, and always in blue
ink. How | do detest blue ink! Nilsson
she is another Joy. She il SO full of ca
price you can never tell until she is on the
stage whether she intends to sing or not. If
she would only behave herself, she can be
perfection as Elsa in Lohengrin and Mar
garita' in Faust only, of course, she too
must sing what least suits her voice. kellogg
is very good as long as she is away from her
mother. Accompanied by that inestimable
lady, she develops into a caution. With
the gentlemen of nv companies / have
not much trouble. Galassi is an excel
lent fellow. | discovered him twelve years
ago in a little theater IN small Italian
town. The most knowing of critics. who |
was with me, heard him sing, and said: He |
will never do | thought otherwise |
promptly engaged him, and am much graft |
fed, L assure you, with the result of my |
opinion. Arditi, my leader, is a very old |
friend. He has been with me twenty-five |
years. He is a wonderful man for his age; |
has all the agility OF boy. | think that |
seat in front of the prompter's box must |
have some specific virtue. Now there is Sir |
Michael Costa-as lively as a kitten and |
talks about remarryiDg, and yet he must be |
eighty four if day. Then Sir Julius Bene-
dict Is another octogenarian youngster. |
Why, dammee, sir, his wife had baby |
few months ago. How fond poor Tietjens
used to be of Benedict! Strange that Lucre-
tn BOrgid was the last opera in which both
Tietjens and Grisi sang. In both instances
the priHla donna could hardly finish the role,
and had to be assisted from the stage to the |
sick bed, which resulted soon afterward in
death"
THE SALARIES OF GREAT SINGERS
as there any exsggeration in the amount
Of salaries great singers are said to received"
we asked.
"No; hardly any. have paid Patti $1,000
a night for three performances. / believe
that il the highest price ever received by
prinld donna. As much as $4,000 and $1,000 |
is occasionally agreed to in special contracts;
but do not consider any primd donna ever
was or ever will be worth more than $1,000
night Tenors of position secure $500 a
night, and baritones about the same. Bassos
do not count, although they earn very COM
Portable salaries. Speaking OF bassos re-
minds me of Foil, and Foil brings up SAINT
ley, for they were always together. | will
give you an item of gossip about each.
Santley is utterly PLAYED out and has taken
to the church. He wears a broad-brimmed
hat, long coat and choker collar, and
teaches in London Sunday school. He is
now
a. Clerical-cut young man,
An out-of-the-rut young man,
\ singing and signing, and devil-defying
Always at church young man.
"Jack Foil has retired worth plenty of
money. You remember how whenever he
sang he always used to raise his hands on
-. l., III, A.
Well, on one occasion he was
singing MARCEL in Hngueaots, in which
there are good many bass parts. Foil was
fond of the monks chorus, and one night he
put on the disguise and mingled with the
but his tall figure and long
arms soon betrayed his presence and natu-
rally befogged the audience. A lady said
to me afterward, What a good idea it was
Of Marcel to disguise himself as a monk so |
hat he could learn the details OF the con-
,piracy for his master, Raoul'"
THE BALLET AND CHORUS.
"How about the ballet, colonel?'
ats day has passed." was the reply.
Jenny Lind gave it its death-blow in London
thirty years ago when she ordered the stage
% be cleared for thu celebrated pas de guarfre
n the judgment of Paris. CeriIo, Taglioni, I
Iuartette, and e600 a night were paid to I
hem. In those days a crowd of men, about
own were always at the back of the scenes t
men OF very large means who petted the l
Orps de ballet. Jenny became disguised, and
me night suddenly insisted that swelIs and I
lancers should be alike cleared from the
tage. So marked an expression on the part !
# the renowned edntatrice made deep sem C
alton and the ballet lest its popularity. At b
ne time people waited six hours at the theater
Oors to gain admission, and seats in the gal 1
cry sold at so apiece, for the privilege of q
eeing the display of limbs, and not for the
axe of the music. A little incidental diuer- Y
i.Sement, however, is still received with ,
avor, and graceful and agile daaseuses re- !
Give high salaries. | am delighted with +
'avalazzi. AS a rule they always behave !
themselves well when travelling with a COM
any, and give very little trouble had to e
i've my black boy dance in -4ida, on Mon 7
ay, with only pair of youngsters. had | i
Felve, but ten were seized in New York by !,
he Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to q
hildren, and the Lord knows what has be- =
Ome of them"
"How about the shorus?" inquired the re-
orter.
"No trouble whatever" said the colonel
They are mostly easily managed. About
10 is the customary salary, and they all d
ub together. One boils the M acaroni and the r
Their goes out for the onions, while the wo-
len roll the cigarettes. The ladies of the o
iorus are generally married to the gentle
ZEN. l should say, by the frugal way in L
hich they all live, that they each save "
bout so week. BIT come, young man, i
ust be off. To day is payday, and / am B
Ipectsd at the theater, SO goodbye"