Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-01-19
THE TALE OF A LIFE
AStory with lima di Mursa'e Death
as the Closing Chapter.
FROM WEALTH TO POVERTY
She Was Once Famous singer Whose
Sweet Voice Charmed ThonsandS--She
Died in Munich. Destitute. and Her
Daughter Committed suicide.

NEW NoRS, JAM 10 0-From extreme pow
erty To bondleSs wealth and fame. From
atfiuence to poverty and death--heartbrolz
and forgotten. Such is the life story of lima
di MurSka, ono, the queen of song, at whose
feet lay the whole world
The news OF her death which has just been
received here, caused many sigh TO escape
the lips of those who had known her and had
been charmed 10y that wonderful voice
She died at Munich Thursday--a complete
wreck of her former self. Nothing was left
Of her glorious voice. Her fortune was gone,
and with il her friends The only one to re-
main with her to the last was her daughter,
who, heartbrcken at the loss of her beloved
mother, committed suicide by taking poison.
She had been stanch and true 10 her mother
in life; could she desert her in deaths
Not TO have heard Di Mursl when she.was
in her prime was a confession to bs ashamed
of. She held the world spellbound with her
glorious, pure and flexible soprano. Wher-
ever she went--m Europe, Australia, New
Zealand, North and South America-the
people went wild over her. Royalty patron
lied her. She was a queen among queens.
Di Mursha was not an old woman, as Is
generally believed. She was born in Croa-
tia forty-five years ago. Her parents were
poor. The girl gave evidence at an early
age Of being endowed with voice that was
remarkable for its purity and power
Wealthy people became interested IN her and
sent her 10 Vienna and Paris, where she
studied under Signor and Nine Machesi
She made her debut in 1862 at the Pergola
theatre, in Florence Pesth, Berlin, Ham
burg and Vienna engagements were crowned
with success, and the girl became popular
favorite
Finally her London debut was made at
Her Majesty's theatre as Lucia de Lammer-
moor. Her success was electrifying and her
reputation was established. Di Murska re-
mained in London until 1873, returning to
the continent only during the Off seasons.
Maurice Strakosch, that prince of impresa-
rios, piloted her over an extended tour be-
tween 1878 and 1876 She came to America
then for the first time. Her success in New
York was great The brilliancy of her vocal
work captured the town. She returned TO
Europe and did not return until two years
ago.
Alas, what change had been wrought in
those few short years. The beautiful woman OF
old had grown prematurely aged and feeble,
her voice had lost its purity and quality; In
short, lima Ill Murska was wreck of her
former self. She had been sent for by Mrs
L. B. Thurber, who wanted her as a teacher
as the National Conservatory of Music The
famous singer was hailed with delight She
had sung like a nightingale in her former
days. but she could not tell the pupils the
reason why. So they declared her failure
as teacher Of singing aud let her GO
Then injudicous friends advised her to
give a concert at Chickering hail. The only
thing she achieved WIS the conviction that
she was no longer the Di Murska who once
had the world at her beck and call She be-
came i'll. With illness, came poverty. Had
it not been for kind musical friends the
singer with her young daughter would have
been obliged TO seek public charity. Her old
friends once more came to the rescue. They
collected enough money to send her and her
daughter back TO Europe
On Nov. 10 last they sailed on the steamer
Elder. The singer and her daughter boarded
the steamer alone. They were sad, heart
broken couple. The once famous prima
donna said.
II am going away to die. ] want to die
among strangers The only friends ever
had were Americans Farewell, land OF
liberty and charityi7
1t was pathetic in the extreme When the
steamer drew out Of the slip the singer stood
on the upper deck, sadly waving her hand.
kerchief TO those on the dock who knew not
the heartache that woman was suffering
Tears streamed down her furrowed cheeks.
and the last seen of her she was in the arms
of her child, crying as if her heart would
break
They returned TO Munich. where they went
into retirement. The little money that had
been presented TO them here was soon gone
and poverty, direst poverty, stared them in
the face Death ended their misery.
Di Murska's voice was nearly three octaves
in compass. Her ability as bravura singer
was remarkable To this she added much
talent as an actress.