The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-07
ILLS NEW YORK LETTER.
rhe wild War of Words Between
Prima Donnas and Managers.
nilsson, Abbey and MapIeson Ready to
Clinch-A CHASTITY Adjunct to Bellevue
Notes About Books and Authors.


tricably mixed up that 1 doubt if they ever
aet fairly to rights again. One of these days
YOU will hear of Nine. Adelina Nilsson
manager of Her Majestys Opera Company,
and Of Mr.. Henry E. Mapleson, the renowned
prima donna soprano. Now the antecedents
AZ the trouble are thus: For some years
0olonel Mapleson has been giving perform
apces with Her Majesty's Opera Troupe, in
the Academy of Music, very unsatisfactory
He has produced only few old, hackneyed
operas repeating them over and over until
Everyone was sick of them. Then his best
Fingers have had bad habit of falling sick
Or something-and disappointing the public
And prices have been high and the Acad-
envy is a superannuated old hulk that ought
to have been torn down years ago, and alto
gether the public is tired and sick of the
whole thing.
But now handsome new opera-house is
being built and is to be under the manage
ment of Henry E. Abbey, manager who
has made himself very popular by always
performing all he promises. He is backed
up by the Vanderbilts and other wealthy
parties so there will be no danger of funds
running short, and he is just now engaged
in getting his troupe together. There is
where the trouble comes in. Mapleson is
cordially hated by all his singers, and they
are now leaving him and focking over to
Abbey. Hence these tears. Abbey has al
ready secured Campanini the famous tenor
and Schalchi Mapleson's best alto-indeed
the best alto in the world. He claims, too
to have secured Nilsson and Del Puente, both
Of whom are now singing for him. But
Mapleson also claims 'enl, and swears they
signed contract with him for next season
months ago. However, he has some doubts
about it, so he puts another string on his
bow and says Abbey is welcome to Nilsson,
for she is no great shakes, anyway. She
sang for him fifteen seasons Che says, but she
didn't do it), and her whims and tan
trums worried him almost to death
and made him bald. And now she's
crankier than ever, and her voice is failing
3 and her repertoire is limited, and altogether
he wishes Abbey much joy of her, and hopes
he won't get bald too.
oANTATRIcE ON THE wAR-PArH
That sort of talk made Nilsson mad as
hops-and when her temper once gets up,
Ca1l' she exclaimed the other day; I'D
like to get hold of him I'd make him balder
than turtlel Why, it's just awful how
that man lies He knows very well 1 never,
never never would think of singing for
him again, after the experience l had with
him."
What was the trouble Nine. Nilsson?" 1
asked
Trouble? Don't ask me about troubled
Wait till you have and old bald-headed id
- what is in oh, yes - duffer with
false teeth. trying to make love to you. Ugh
it makes me.sick even now to think of i'll
And mind tool he has a wife, already -
poor thing! l wonder if she knows how he
travels everywhere with that horrid Mrs,
Then it isn't your fault that he's SO
bald?"
my fault? bet you if could get hold of
him it would't be my fault if there was
hair left on his wicked old patel My fault?
No, tell you, its nothing but his own wick
edness. Why, he's told me lies enough to
make ten men bald as cobblestones"
Nine. Nilsson isn't as little as she was
once; and when she gets excited, and
clenches her white fists and flashes her big
grey eyes, she really looks as though she
could annhilate dozen Maplesons.
Then you positively will not sing for
Mapleson next season, but will sing for Abb
bey?'
well as you Yankee folks say, I should
- should - OH yes - should snilel
And Old Mapleson can have Patti all he
wants, and Nicolini too! If Nine Schalchi
and l, and Campanini and Del Puente can't
sing his old troupe into fits -- OIL he's
mean, horrid old reprobate, and l won't
talk another word about him, sol''
MANAGER ABBEY.
Going down to the Grand Opera-house, the
A. ~.
Fisk's audacious ventures and Josie Mans
fields conquests, 1 found Mr.. Abbey. He
was exceeding complacent and confident of
victory in the operate war, but dsinclined
TO talk about it, 81 leave it to Mapleson to
talk while l work." he said.
"Mr. Abbey, how did you come to be
manager? 1 asked
Because failed in the jewelry business
which my father left me" he said. THAT
was less than dozen years ago. in Akron, O.
lost $35, 600 in year, and didn't have
copper left to start anything else with. But
always was fond of theaters, and l soon got
a job as ticket seller at what they called
their opera-house' there"
How did you make a start as an indie
pendent managerr'
"Lotta my dear; Lotta She did the bust
ness for me. She came to Akron for night,
ten days after got my place in the box
office. l made myself mighty agreeable to
her and also to her mother, who was travel
ing with her as her business manager. The
little one was Just starting her career, which
has since been so successful, and Mrs. Crab
tree really didn't feel up to the task of con-
Quoting all the business Well, 1 was very
polite and accommodating, and the day after
the performance called on them, and the up
shot of it was that the old lady asked me to
go along with her and help manage Lolita.
agreed, and-we started three days later.
spent month with them, and then thought
could do better elsewhere; and, besides, 1
was only twenty four, and Lolita was about
the same age and-Mell peonle will talk