The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-03
Patti in "se,nirnmide "

Madame Patti is the greatest soprano in
the known world beyond any sort OF doubt.
Her natural voice is a singular mixture of
the tenderest delicacy, the naivest girlish-
ness, and the most ardent, passionate
warmth She can at one moment carry you
into faryland with prolonged silvery tones,
which takes your breath and bid you listen
in blssful uncOnciousness; then she can
startle you, and set your pulses beating
wildly by some sudden and fitting sforzando.
Her runs are so perfect that machinery
could not improve them, and her embellish-
ments are so neat that no crossest singing
master in the world could find any flaw to
pick in them. Then her compass is vast, and
no part OF the scale shows any weakness or
difference Her pianissimos fade away yet
are never feeble or imperfect and when they
are as delicate as the faintest ray of sunset
they are still easily heard and hold the
heart entranced. The role of Semi
ramide" is we'll adapted to Madame Patti,
since it contains so many elaborate passages
of facie execution and intermixed with
these, many charming bit of delicious mel
ody. Her singing last evening was one of
the pleasures to be written on the walls of
the memory in letters of gold and rose.
The surprise of the performance now was
the phenomenal singing of Madame Scalchi
Lolli, the great 2ontrato. This lady has
never been known here, even by name, till
last evening, but in one performance she
convinced the assembled thousands that she
was an artist who dares to stand side by side
with Patti. Scalchi is in the rank of a con-
tralto, quite as absolute as Patti among So
pranos The first impression made by her
voice is not altogether pleasing, for it seems
too harsh, too loud and, in a word, little
manish. But listen patiently for q few
measures and you begin to feel n strange
fascination steal over you. She seems to get
slyly hold of your very heart-strings, and
before you quite know it you are led cap
tive. Certainly more marvellous voice, or
a more perfect method of using it in artistic
work, has not been heard either here or else
where. She is, in a word, one of the few ar
fists given to humanity in a century Her
execution is quite equal to that OF soprano
and in the long, exquisite runs and roulades
with Patti the matchless fitness of the tim
bre the purity of the information and the
dazzling dexterity, carried the audience
into bewilderment, then into tumultS
of unbounded applause. Such a COM
plete change in an audience from the first
doubt, through increasing warmth, to wild
eagerness, rs Scalchi produced last evening
with her rendering of Arsace, has not been
known in this city. She is already eStab-
lished in the admiration and the love of
thousands who heard her last evening, and
hereafter her name will draw like that of
Patti.
The whole presentation was so gorgeous,
complete and brilliant that it may be placed
in comparison with anything ever given here
or in any European capital.
THE COSTUMES.
Madame Patti, as Seniramide, dressed the
character with great elegance and thorough
appropriateness, saving her train. The coro-
net of jewels worn sparkled with every gem
of rare value, and exquisitely were they ar
ranged, The height they gave TO the fair
cantatrice was of benefit and becoming. Her
robe was of white satin, embroidered with n
deep border of leaves and gold bouillon. A
cloth-of-Sold overdress covered the waist and
met the border on the skirt. Her over-gar-
ment was of blue velvet, worked with gold
thread around the edge, which had flash
of gold fringe. There were three bracelets,
or gold bands, at different places on the arms
Nine. Scalchi wore the costume of the
young Grecian lad 1t was composed of
white velour, embroidered IN gold bouilon,
the under garment reaching to the knee.
The toga fell from the shoulders, and was
deliberately adorned. Stage sandals, laced
half way to the knee, encased her feet, and
gilt helmet was on her shapely head.
Signor Mont. as Oroe, the high priest, wore
the long flowing white robe and a girdle
decorated with various devices indicated his
rank.