Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-28
NINE. CARLOTTAPAT
Baroness Althea Salvador Tells Many
Interesting Things About
THE GIFTED SINGERS HOME LIFE.
Valuable Souvenirs of Honeymoon Tour
Around the World.
JEWELED VISITING CARD FROM CHILL
CORRESPONDENT OF THE DIsPArcH.l

years almost every day have seen Nine.
Carlotta Patti de Munck, and perhaps not
one of her pupils knew the great cantatrice
more intimately than I. To me she was
not only professor. but dear friend, and her
beautiful home life, her devotion to the
husband who now mourns her loss, can
never pass from my memory.
Well do 1 recall pleasant day last sum-
mer, when, seated in her dressing room, one
of the gems of her house, 1 said: 'Your
courtship and marriage must have been
romantic; where did you meet M. de
Munck?"
"In Brussels, about ten years ago; we
gave concert together, and when sang he
accompanied me. Love turned the pages of
music that we interpreted together, and we
were married not long after"
Before meeting Carlotta Patti, M. de Munck
had accepted a position as professor of the
violoncello in the Berlin Conservatory, but
for Carlotta's sake he resigned.
Their wedding tour was a voyage around
the globe, and they saw every country. Wis
tied every people. Perhaps no artists ever
travelled in so many different ways. They
were drawn by reindeer, by zebras, by horses
of eyery kind and color. They rode on the
backs of elephants, 10 sedan chairs and pa
lanouins; they traversed burning forests, cut
their way through ranks of fighting soldiers,
and witnessed the burning of Hindoo women
on the tombs of their husbands. They lived
in countries where serpents crawled on sofas
and chairs, where reptiles we're found In the
sugar; and in all these strange lands they
gave concerts to most enthusiastic audiences.
VALUABLE SOUVENIRS.
The souvenirs Of this voyage are the chief
ornaments in the home, No. 16 Rue Pierre
Charron, where Carlotta Patti passed the
last few years of her life. The ante-cham-
Der. dining room and one salon are nlled with
ivory carvings and elephants tusks from India,
rare birds, photographs and water colors repre-
senting all parts of the world, Oriental hang
ings and armor, Chinese vessels Indian toma-
hawks, etc The large drawing room, furnished
in red and gold, is filled with crowns OF gold
and crowns of silver, sparkling Jewels medals,
and thousand cuIiosities that form museum
by themselves. These crowns and jewels
were tributes offered to the talent OF the song
stress.
covered with Jewels. She told me only few
weeks ago that never in her life had she bought
Jewell and yet she possessed some OF the nm
est in the world. Among these was wonder
full topaz, similar to one owned by the Empress
of Brazil. in fact, there are but two OF the size
in existence. An audience in Para gave Nine.
Patti q pearl necklace and Q1aQem OF DrllllanIs,
and the Emperor of Brazil presented her with
a complete parure of diamonds. The Countess
d'Eu gave her parure of pearls: and neck
lace. bracelet and earrings of rubies and pearls
were gift from the Empress.
Among her possessions Nine. Patti had some
most curious visiting cards which she received
in Chilli. They are OF gold with the names
written in diamonds. "Chili is a country" said
Nine. Patti to me on one occasion, where
cards of this kind are left on artists, as In
other countries one sends 5onbons and How
ers."
Strange that with all this sincere admiration
the diva remained unspoiled. She was always
unaffected, always frank. always charming and
her laugh was music ITSELF
Nine. Patti was strikingly handsome
woman. Her face was oval, mouth small. teeth
regular and pearly, nose of the Greek type,
ewes black and brilliant and hair dark as a
ravens wing In evening costume-black and
white were her favorite colors-she was ra-
diantly beautiful As she sang, her beauty was
enhanced, for. while singing, the expression OF
ing.
A RIVAL TO ADELNA.
Once, it is said, that the voices of Carlotta
and Adelina Patti were SO much alike. that,
with closed eyes, one was unable to distinguish
them. Always has Adelina Patti feared that
Carlotta might be considered her superior and
there is no doubt that if Carlotta had not been
lame Adelina would have been pushed into the
background. Many persons who heard them
both, years ago, say that Carlotta was the
greater artist.
In addition to a wonderful voice, Carlotta
possessed great talent for music. and was so
skillful pianist that. had she chosen. the world
might have been astonished by her brilliant
technique. Carlotta understood something of
which few singers are capable-harmony, COM
position and counterpolnt. To-day. IN looking
over my music find some pages entirely re-
written by her hand, and others transposed to
suit the compass of my voice.
Carlotta PATHS autograph album would be
Aroa for a1Ga lr0s nfr r1nTo
during the last 35 years has written line of
prose or a verse; referring to her great talents
and her wonderful musical career.
Nine. Patti became professor in 1884, after
fall that unfortunately increased her lame
ness. 1t was not very simple matter TO be-
come pupil of La Patti. Singers and would
world but as the diva was wealthy she was
able to choose her pupils. In very short
time she conquered the admiration Of all dis
tinguished teachers OF singing in Paris. Her
most celebrated rival acknowledged not long
ago that mo one can initiate the Patti style-it
is Incompatible. always recognize her pu-
pills"
Among these pupils is Miss Whitney, of New
York, a young girl who possesses a high
soprano voice, and who, in the four months
she studied with Nine. Patti made most amaz-
ing progress. 1t is Miss Whitney who received
the last musical advice given by the great
teacher.
SHE LOVED AMERICA.
Nine. Patti had fondness for her American
pupils, and she amused us all by saying every
time we asked her what was her nationality:
Il am an American of course" She was born
in Florence, but was proud of her adopted
country. She spoke French, Italian, Spanish
and English and althou b in English she had
no accent yet a slight information made one
understand that it was not her native tongue.
Shall we, her pupils, ever forget the God bless
your with which she always dismissed us? To
the end of my life that phrase will be associated
with CarlOtta Patti.
From time to time Nine. Patti invited all
Paris to a musical fete, and one especially,
given last year, was original and a success in
every respect A stage was erected in the
small salon; this was brilliantly lighted, while
the audience, stationed in the largest salon,
was left in the dark, thus bringing ont the cos
tunes of the performers, who were Mime. PATHS
pupils. Among them was Mime. Mary Louvet,
since heard in opera At all these musicals.
NJ. de Munck, who is composer as well as
violincellist performed his own compositions
His favorite was the one he had baptized Scar
lotta," and in all salons this moroccan is favor
lite. M. de Munck, who is well known in
America, is violincellist to the Grand Duke of
Weimar, and has received many OF the princl-
pal decorations
The French Government was to have decor
ated Nine. Patti on the 18th of July. 1t would
have been one more honor added to the many
already received.
BARONESS ALTHEA SALVADOR