Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-26

play to the little nightingale, while her
skill in crescendo and diminuendo, and
her exquisite trllls and staccati on the
highest notes were absolutely phenom-
email.
The Baroness Rothschild certainly
had the support of many OF the best
critics and greatest artists of Europe in
her belief in the rare gifts of her little
American protege. Mime. La Grange,
after once hearing her, said warmly;
"My child, you will be another Jenny
Lind. Your voice is like hers-very
pure, of great volume. perfect intona-
ton, limpid, powerful, sweet, Chairman.
fs. chayuante. Then touching Miss
Abbott-s head, throat and heart, sue.
cessively, she continued, impressively,
"You have the three great things-the
mind: the voice and the warm heart"
APPRECIATION.
Gounod, after hearing her sing the
last act in Faust, wrote in her 'core:
"Voix iuste, claire, egale, luminneuse.
bien timbre"- criticism succlnct, yet
most generous. Patti at once ON hear
ing her sing, predicted for her the most
brilliant future and offered to take the
untried cantatrice to st. Petersburg to
sing with her. This offer Miss Abbott
declined and continued to study for
some time longer. The generous Patti,
however, insisted on giving her letters
to London managers and superb set of
antique iewelry, with the request that
she should wear them at her debut, and
as she bade her farewell, Patti said
Courage ma chere annie, your mezza
voce and sustenuto are SIMPLY perfect.
You will succeed"
Before singing in England MissAbbott
visited Italy aud ut Florence, accord.
ing to II Corriere 1taliano. created a
veritable furor, being recalled thirteen
times by the enthusiastic multitude.
On her arrival in London she made her
debut at the Royal Italian Opera, Co
vent Garden. Her emotions on that
memorable night it would be difficult to
describe. As the curtain drew up she
saw before her multitude OF people
the wealth and nobility OF England
glittering with diamonds and decora.
tions, waiting to hear her sing. There
was something paralizing in the sight,
and the girl who had not shrunk from
the hardships and cruelties of life turned
cold and trembled. But when she
stepped forward upon the stage the sud.
den resolve came to her TO sing to the
hearts as well as to the ears of these
people, and out of the fullness of her
soul she appealed to theirs with that in
tensity OF feeling that only one who had
sorrowed and loved, suffered and
struggled, could, she depicted the emo
tions and fate of the beautiful heroine.
The enthusiasm she aroused in their
breasts that night settled her fate and
sealed her success.
GREAT SUCCESS.
Shortly after this Emma Abbott ap.
peared at the Crystal Palace where she
sang with magnificent effect, carrying off
the honors from all competitors.
Mr.. Mapleson of her Majesty's Opera,
Drury Lane, London, who had watched
with great interest the career of the
young prima donna, then engaged her
for term of three years.
Through England and Ireland she
sang herself into the love of the people.
Their ears were won by her brilliant
Torture, sparkling chromatic runs,
birdlike trills, and extraordinary smor-
zanda on the highest nctes. Their hearts
were conquered by the tender underly-
ing pathos, the touch of soul and the
"tears in the voice" which, as in her
childhood, won the sympathies OF all
who heard her. Dublin, as Sir Robert
Stewart, the great musical authority,
wrote, was "taken by Storm" and
among other marks of appreciation be-
slowed on her was a chaste and beauti-
fully worked silver coronet and earrings
formed of Irish harps.
On arriving in her native country the
brave little woman, who had achieved
such triumph abroad, made her first ap-
pearance in New York, the proceeds of
which she gave to a charity of the
church whose beneficiary she had BEEN.
Five brilliant seasons in English opera
have since brought Emma Abbott into
intimate relations with the music-loving
public and she has become the recog.
nized American prima donna, the Queen
of English opera.
VARIOUS ROLES.
During this time she has appeared be.
fore crowded and enthusiastic audi
ences in the roles of "Mignon -
Lucia" Linda" "Anina," "G,lda, "
"Martha. "Zsrlipa," "Leonora," "Ju.
liet, "Virginia, and in a varied roper
tory of standard English operas. She
has also introduced into this country
the beautiful operas of "Paul and Vir-
ginia, Romeo and Juliet" and "King
for Day." creating the roles of "Vir-
ginia," Juliet" and "Nemea," for the
first time in English. Like Parepa,
Kellogg, Booth, Anderson, and in fact
all the celebrities who have made their
greatest regulations in America, Emma
Abbott has found many detractor' be.
cause she, through her strongly individ-
ualized character and enthusiastic ma
ture, like them, sets at defiance many
of the moldy traditions and stereotyped
forms OF the lyric stage. But the thou
sands of music lovers who have listened
to her voice find delight in its beautiful
tones and are charmed by the sweet sim.
plicity and naturaluess of her manner.
Their hearts are moved in sympathy
with the characters she portrays; her
success is their success.
THE VISION VERIFIED.
The dreams of her childhood have
come to pass. Her wishes for those
dear to her have been realized; many
velvet dresses and "shiniDg stones
have been added to her wardrobe; the
kind strangers who cast their bread upon
the waters have had it returned to them
again; sore souls and weary hearts have
been made happy by her thought. In
the very springtime of her youth, in all
its freshness and strength, she has be-
come the representative singer of her
country, the shining illustration of what
can be done by hard wsrk and honesty
in the face of poverty, loneliness and
misfortune.
When we see the slight yet rounded
form, the earnest eyes and fair hair oi
the prima donna as she portrays the