The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-12-20
The DopaldsoDviIIe Chief,
OUR LETTER FROM BRoAogRlm.
Two Dollars a Year,


OUR LETTER FROM BR0A0BRiM
Triumph of the New American Song-Birt
PATHS LaureIs in Danger-A Wrong
Impression Corrected A Magnificent
New Bnilding-A Venerable Church
miscellany.
NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 1884.
EDIToR CHEF:
The advent of the new singer, and one
who is flesh of our flesh and bone of oul
bone, is matter of sufficient importance
to demand something more than q passing
notice. If we measure worth by the re,
wards that it commands, no talent of brain
or muscle can compare with the voice OF
Il first class singer. For the past two sea.
aons we have imported what seems like Q
foreign exotic, but what is really native
product, at a cost of 5000 per night. He1
serene highness Patti sings four times G
week and adds $50, 900 to her bank account
every month, and she has so managed
things between here and Europe that she
can do this if see pleases fifty weeks in the
year. This represents million of dollars,
which, at the present rate of interest, rep
resents thirty three millions of dollars-so
she actually draws the interest of that sum
her voice representing that much capital.
But in the new star, Emma Nevada, Patti
has rival whom she may we'll fear. Young,
talented, enthusiastic in her profession,
with nc bar sinister to prevent her social
recognition, she comes to us in the early
morning Of her professional life. Twenty
years ago in The wild mountain range which
divides Nevada from Utah, little inviting
hamlet nestled among the hills. The pres
eut city of Austin was then but an assem-
blage of rud huts, for building materials
we're scarce ana living was very high. In
neat but plain little house lived the father
of the present prima donna-the principal
physician of the place. Who could have
dreamt in the midst of such rude surround
ings, that from this place would go forth
q musical miracle, before whose superior
talent all other artists should PALE. till she
stands the acknowledged rival of the great
est singer of these latter days, Patti? Those
who have watched the European papers
for the past year have noticed occasionally
references to the new American soprano,
Emma Nevada, and her advent in New
York was most anxiously looked for by the
musical public. It was daring feat to
bring her out in the same theatre and
with the same company that had sup
ported the 5000 goddess of song,
Patti. There is not one in million but
would have been irretrievably ruined by
the comparison, but this young girl, al
most fresh from the teachers hands, vet
biest with that supreme gift which the AL
million, almost unheralded came among
US, and now she has the town at her feet.
What is that divine power of voice which
SO completely and thoroughly enslaves US?
Whatever it is this young artless girl pos
sesses it beyond any other human being
that l have ever heard. In most artists
sou can see the effort to gain admiration
and applause, but this Emma Nevada sings
preciable sense of her surroundings OR
sapport-she would sing just Us we'll if she
were alone as if she stood before million
of crowned heads. She made her first ap-
The Patti season. Scalchi, the most superb
oontralto on the modern lyric stage, was
content to play second to Patti. Miss
Nevada made her first appearance in an
opera familiar to any opera-goer for the
!asttwo generations" Somnambula." New
York had seen Alboni, Gerster, Albani |
Nilsson, Patti and many others, but never
has there been more pronounced and |
gratifying success than that won last week |
by this young American girl. It is graf |
flying in more senses than one. II music |
3 the educator and harmonizer that its ad- |
mirers claim it is, we may reasonably look |
forward to the time when good music may |
be had within reach of the common peo-
pie. Heretofore it has been luxury only |
TO be INDUCED in by the rich, but the adj
vent of this new song-bird opens tremen-
dous possibilities for the future. Her open
ing opera, while one of the severest tests,
from an artistic standpoint, as an intro
auction for the divine young singer, could
not have been more happily chosen. Her SUD-
port was not all that could be desired. The
Elvino, instead of looking like romantic
young lover worthy of such bride, looked
more like butcher or brewer; how any
respectable young girl could have fallen in
love with him was mystery. But the su-
!nerior talent of the debutante bore down
every obstacle and swept them from her.
path as the hurricane sweeps the dust and
The chaff from its course. While she was
On the stage you lost sight of the theatre
md its surroundings, content to listen to
he divine melody she poured forth. and as
'he closed with the magnificent air which
'nds the opera Of Somnambula, the whole
,ouse rose as single man and the huzzas
nd braves that shook the Academy to it's
oundation proclaimed one of the grandest
'peratic triumphs of The century.
We congratulate Miss Nevada on the
plendid victory she has achieved, and her
ocial recognition by the very best families
just tribute to this young American
irl who brings back to her native land her
ranscendent talent and character as
potless as the winters snow upon the
Mountains of her native State.
While on the subject of music, let me dis
Ell widespread delusion and one which :
as received undeserved currency from a
1endacious press. Miss Morosni is not q
omely, but on the contrary, exceedingly :,
retty; she is just the kind of a girl that