Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-09-25
UNFORTUNATE OPERA SINGERS.
Sad Fate OF BrIgnoii, susini and Other
Once Popular Favorites.


II think" SAYS an old habitue OF the
theatre in New York. "that nine out OF
ten great musical artists come to some
unhappy end. Take Brignoli, for in
stance. He simply rolled in money.
For years there was steady deluge OF
gold on him. He practically had the
earth. He might have been living
now, q millionaire many times over.
His success, unlike that OF many other
favorites, was not short-lived. He
sang longer in the United States than
any tenor who has been here before or
since. But he was like all the rest.
The money which fell into his Golfers
fell into sieve. He always lived NJ
the Everett House when in New York.
He had spent SO much money there In
his prosperous days that the proprietor,
when he died, left a verbal direction
that Brignoli should always have free
home there as long as he lived. HN
died there absolutely penniless. He
was buried by the contributions OF his
friends and admirers.
Then there was poor Susini.
What sad fate he hadl He came
here twenty-five years ago, from South
America, and appeared ut the Academy.
The public idolized him in torrents.
He was a wonderfully companionable
man, and was loved personally as well
as admired artistically. In spite of all
the wealth that came to him he was al.
ways poor. His libsrality knew no
bounds. He was the prey OF parasites
and hangers on from the start. He
married finally a Miss Hinckley, Of
Albany, and out Of that marriage grew
tragedy. He loved his wife dearly,
aud when she died 1t broke him down.
He entirely lost his voice. With his
only child. daughter, he went to
live In London, but returned to New
York. where his daughter, who had
then grown up, married well-known
young dentist. She died, and it drove
her husband crazy. He hunted all
over the city with a pistol for tho
doctor who attended his wife. with the
firm intention of killing him. Not
finding him, he blew his own brains
out. Soon after this Susini, childless
widower, without pennyin the world,
went back to London and tried to make
living giving music lessons. His
career there was short. He was get
ting out of an omnibus in the street one
day, and was Knocked down by cab,
and died few days later in hospital.
He was buried in the potter's field, /
think.
Great, fat, good-natured, sweet-
voiced Amodio! In the dull season,
when he had no engagement. he lived
at Delmonicos on credit, paid his rent
in promises and his tailor in tho sauna
coin.
He had one tailor. however. who
I was not complacent. He dunned aud
I damned. and Amodio promised and
promised. At last the tailor had his
revenge. He met Amodio in upper
Broadway one afternoon when the
street was crowded with people.
Now are you going TO pay me that
bill or notP' said he tiercely, grabbing
Amodio by the sleeve. 1 want my
money; I've got to have it,
"'But how can | give you money
when | haven't got itp' Amodio said
in his good-natured voice. You are
an unreasonable tailor
Then off with that coat; that coat 3
mine cried the tailor.
"A crowd had gathered, of course,
and shouted and roared at the fun,
while Amodio pulled off the coat aud
handed it over with flourish to the
tailor. Then he went on his walk in
his shirt sleeves, shaking his fat sides
at the joke and stopping to tell every
acquaintance he met of his adventure.
Poor Amodio died of yellow fever
on voyage homeward from South
America. A man who was on the
vessel told me that after Amodio's body
was thrown into the sea the sharks
fought for it like tigers"