Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-03-03
ADELINA PATTI.
How She Appeared at the Cincinnati
Musical FestIval-Her Diamonds
Her Wonderful VOice-Niccoiini.


writes lady to the San Francisco Argo-
naut when there were close upon hVe
thousand people packed in its walls, it
was brilliant sight to see. A view OF 1t
from the stage box was worth almost the
price of season ticket.
Besides the immense parquette there
are two tiers of baleonies-one of them
running all around the room, and which.
with the light toilets against the dark
wood of the walls, the flash of gems,U
may remark, ell PEASANT. that l have yet
10 see lady in Cincinnati without pair
Ct solitaires,) it was most brilliant
spectacle. They are an enthusiastic peo-
ple, although they tlatter themselves
that they are cold and phlegmatic. And
what greeting they gave the little diva
when she came tripping in! l had the
peculiar sensation rs looked upon her
for the first time that L
was looking upon the cpl
tome of all the human happiness that
this world can give. There she stood,
this marvellous woman-a greater auto
crat than the English Queen, or the
Car of all the Russias-ruling, not
single people, but a world. All the
gifts are showered upon her; the en-
chantment of an endless youth, beauty,
wealth, popularity, loYe-for it is cur
rently believed here that she leads u
life of idyllic happiness with Niccolini -
and the gift of song in Its divinest en-
tiretv. Who ever heard. of PATHS re-
gisters. 1t never seems to occur to any
one that she has any. She simply opens
her lips, and flood of music pours it.
self forth, which is peerless, perfect.
There is no evidence of any training, OF
difficulties overcome, of mechanical OBJ
stacles. The ease of it is inconceivabe.
Her voice plays among the notes like
drumming bird, among the trees, trities
with a trill, caresses a sostenuto, toys
mischievously with staccato. does
everything which IS wonderful beyond
the power of words to describe, and yet
how dare any one say, land yet, III
the face of such a marvel?-and yet |
have heard many one say that she re-
minds them of a fashion plate-and she
does,
Her small Greek head is crowned
with jet black hair, which grows around
her face and neck in exactly the line OF
beauty. She has worn one couture all
her life simple one-but eminently be-
coming. Her dressing is, of course,
marvel of elegance and taste, and with
her trim little tigure-for although she
is not small woman, she has the eff, ct
of being one-she has an indescribable
nattv air. She has funny little pigeon
walk-for, alas! the great diva's toes in
cline kindly to each other-and when
ever she crosses the stage, people ex.
claim: "What cunning little thing she
isl" She plays "La Travita' of her
best, they say-very much as little
child might, except in the dying scene.
Until the it would never occur to any
who did not know what
was going on, that Violetta was a naugh-
ty person. Albani is said to have wrung
the hearts Of Paris with the power of
her pathos in the scene with Germont,
but the Patti made quite q pleasant little
afternoon visit of his call and flnttered
around the stage in the loveliest, light
est manner possible. Her death scene
IS really one of considerable power, too
pal nfully realistic, many complained,
but it was pleasant 70 See this one dra-
matte fash in this atmosphere of froth and
Il ummery, laces, fashion plates, and dia-
monds.
PATHS diamonds are magnificent
Beside the usual solitaires in her ears,
sire wore riviere at her throat, OF
such tremendous solitairies as to make
:ileir genuiness doubtful, but reporter
interviewed Der next day III order TO as
sure Cincinnati, and she declared then
al! to he real but admits that she wear
soRse pasae III ''Semlramlde." In ad-
t1ition to her bracelets and fnger-rings,
for "Fslich the little singer has passion,
size wore across the breast of he, dress
"a huge mass of diamonds, which, upon
inspection, proved to be large horse
shoe shoulder clasp of bTilliants, to which
was appended comet of diamonds,
perhaps a quarter of yard in length.
Patti is very fond of the ornament, and
says it is a luck piece which she had set
according to her own fancy, and made:up
ofa lot Of diamonds which were lying
about doing no good.
Ofcourse, these were all worn in the
ballroom scene. in which, notwithstand-
ang the diamonds. and a magnificent tot
let of white silk, covered with lace and
cameHias, she looked as white, and in
Her music satisfies, delights, enchants
the ear; but A.bani transports the soul
Poor Niccolini derives no prestige
from the open preference ofthe greatest
singer of the world He is looked upon
with a contempt which the man really
has not earned, for who is to blame him
for taking the divine Adelina when fate
gave him sssch an opportunity? He is
handsome man, without the traditional
barbara look of the Italian tenor, acts
well, and sings fairly. But no one ever
applauds him, although he gets eight hun
dred dollars a night. People feel
called upon to take position on high
moral ground, and as they did not dare
to sit upon Patti-for by the royal right
of her marvellous voice, she does as She
wills unquestioned-they take it out on
poor Niccolini. What funny world 1t is,
when even moral indignation is bull
dozed into taking such crossed eyed
view ofthe objectionable sin! Niccoinis
manner to the prima donna is said to be
a caressing Difference, which is curious
commingling. 1t is very easy to keep
up this manner on an income of five
thousand two hundred dollars night,
which figure represents their joint earn
ings.