Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-19
NINE. SCALCHrS BREAKFAST.
Its xyyxcr ARrlsncA1LY.
Ths Lawsuit That Grow ous or It-rse
rfsinsir, CsisseI MapIeson, Ardiu, and
mise Ksiisrs Testify.
New Yore Times, isth.l

Mise ksiis<s Testify.
New YORK Times. lstb.l
| The unmusicaI spirits who paw large
sums for seats In the opera IN order t1at
tbsy nsy gaze upon the personal charms OF
word.renow ned sougstrcsses had magni-
hcest opportunity yesterday In the Supc-
rior Court OF feasting their eyes upon two
popular psima-donnas, a contralto, and q
| soprano, who were present not to lin up
their voices IN song. but In testimony. A
bevy OF gilded youths, who a few hours
later would doubtless appear In Immaculate
shtrt.fronts 10 the lobbies OF either opera
hoase, were also upon the scenes. aud an
expression OF wi>fful pleasure illumined
their features, presumably called forth by
the fact that they could see all they required
without the boredom OF listening to music.
Nine. Sofia Scalchi, Countess Lolli, sat rs
gracefully rs she could in the middle OF the
| front row al seats. She was sumptuou.Iy
nttired In figured velvet dress OF an I'M
certain hue, wbicn looked red In one light
and purple In another. A blue bat WIS set
! resoluteiy upon the lady's brow. rs though
she had pressed II down and said. "Don't
| dare to moye:" diamond earrings shone
IN her ears bracelets encircled her wrists,
and long gauntlet gloves ran As far
up her arms as they could. Beside her
| were her costly seal-skin dolman, with its
| sable trimming, and her husband. The
fair countess was for this occasion only a
| plaintiff in a case against Henry T.. Abbey,
| her manager most OF last season. Count
Lnigi Alberto Lolli was much more in.er-
ested than his wife. He listened to the
whole proceedings in italics. as IL were,
and pulled at the points OF his upright col
/ lar ma tL<x~ 60 L.. 4,
| hurt him..
Soom> in all his glory would have hie-
| den his diminished bead II he had been
asked TO sit beside Miss Clara Louise KEEL
| logg, who was radiar, at the side Of Nine.
Scalchi. Miss Kellogg was in an Intensely
| good humor, and laughed all the time In
sheer youthfulness Of splits. The lady
wore q white cashmere cloak, embroidered
with red and other colOrs. Underneath
this was q dark cloth dress. Mrs. +. Ii.
| Thufber and variety OF maids, whose
uses were not explained, sat close to the
ladies.
| Colonel Mapleson, as imposing as ever,
well dressed as ever, placid az ever, and
| gallant as ever, was m the room, accompa-
MED by gold-headed waIklDg-stick, while
Max Mareizex. Signor Luigi Arditi. and
! opera myTmidiOns 10 an almost unlimited
extend, swelled the throng. The fair plain
tiff was represented by Simon Sterne, with
his partner, Daniel G.. Thompson, and an
assistant, John j. Creeney. Mr.. Henry Il.
Abbey, at present in London, had confided
his case 10 llessrs. DIN, Rives & Mont.
gomery. His testimony had been taken
there. Judge Ingnhsm presided over the
galaxy Of operate talent. Judge Truay
joined him a little later, evidently to Pee
vent his having all the good things to him
self.
Mr. Sterne. in opening the case for the
conralto, told the jury (who seemed a,
much pleased as though they were all in an
orchestra. box) that Mr.. Abbey had engaged
the services OF his eminent client for six
months at salary OF $1,000 per month
with all expenses. Nine. Scalchi claimed q
balance Of sllary which. with interest
amounted to SLAB, and the amount OF pas
sages TO Europe for herself, husband, and
maid, valued at $500.
"Mr. Abbey states" said the counsel
"thut Nine. scalchi failed to appear on
April 18th as Fides, in The Prophet at a
matinee; that he was forced to close the
house, and that she broke her contract
Now, the fact is that the opera, Carmen,
was to have been given that day, with
and Nine. Scalchi was notified to appear In
The Prophet Now" sid Mr.. SternC
with intense pathos. mime. scalchi IVA:
and Is but human. and had eaten a hearty
breakfast. 1t was impossible for her to ap
pear ut so short notice as Fides, but sh,
offered to sing in anything else, and even
two or three acts Of THE Prophet Mr.
Abbey declined and closed his house.
That Is why he has interposed counter
claim OF $4,000 for damages.
The first witness called was Colonel Jame'
II. Mapleson. who advanced in a majestic
manner to the stand, while Nine. Scalchi
smiled, Miss Kellogg Uttered, and Coun
Lolli looked at them in italics.
Your name. please!"
"James Ii. MapIeson." The gallan
gepilrmap seemed surprised that such
question was necessary even in the superior
How long haye You been an operate
managerf"
"For thirty years"
"Do yoI know Nine. Scalchii"
81 do. As prima donna contralto Of
meZZo-soprano she ranks among the leading
voices OF the world"
sis il necessary in your experience &c
substitute heavy opera like The Prophet
for light opera!"
at depends on circumstances.
What i the position Of The Prophet
as being light or heavy ~ continued Mr.
sterne.
at is Ole Of the heaviest Of operas" an
swered the Colonel. "and the r6!e OF Fide'
/. ore Of the heaviest OF roles"
Now, sir, Is 1t reasonable TO call upon
on operatic singer like Nine. Salcbi tC
sing FidCs in The Prophet without pre-
vious rehearsal, and with only notice Of
an hour md half"
"Well, it was very short notice under
the circumstances"
LET Us assume that she had not eaten fol
eighteen hours previously, do you think sh'
could have sung the part"
"Sbe would have given a very feeble per
Torrance OF it, was Colonel MaplesOn''
answer.
"With what effect upon her Z"
"She would have been disabled for con.
Siderable time" The Colonel glanced al
Nine. Scalch, who did no. look as ii by any
possibility she could have existed for
eighteen hOars without food.
''Supposing the lady TO have eaten at Il
O'Clock and to have leen called upon "a
sing two hours aiterward. what would the
eject lave benz" was the next question.
"Some ortists,'' said the Colonel, can
not sing after eating. Others-Mario. for
mstance-- could not sing without eating.
Mario always ate beefsteak before CON-
mcncing bis r6le."
Have you ever me. Mr.. Abbey"
"Once or twice." answered Colonel Ma
plesOp, in =rieyed tone OF voice.
DO YOU consider him good mana
ger!"
mo" said the witness. His eXpe-
ricnce. you know, was only obtained in
1888 and 1854. Before that he knew no.
thing OF operate management"
lis it usual to close house when a
prima-donna refuses TO sing?"
1T is not" was the answer. II think
by deliberately closing the theatre Mr.
Abbey pulled his nose at the expense OF his
| face"
Then Miss Kellogg. in q burst OF childish
| exuberance, leaned forward, and in stage
whisper remarked to Nine. Scalchi: "Ah.
| the Coloneps the only man who knows
how 20 close house." But Nine. Scalchi
was Obliged to tear herself away and repair
10 the wiiness-stand, which she did with
much composite on her part and consider
| able anxiety on he part OF Mr.. the
Count. her husband, whose eyebrows
seemed TO take long farewell OF
his eyes. Nine. Scalchi's testimony
was given through an interpreter. Is the
l,d, - hut ltftIa acnuainfed with the Eng