The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-26
A GREAT SINGERS FATE.

Vienna's Famous Prima Donna Goes
Mad and Takes Her Life.
Nine. Wilt, who lately committed suicide
at Vienna by precipitating herself from the
fifth story of the house in which she re-
sided, says a Paris letter to the Philadelphia
Evening Telegraph must have been one Of
the most extraordinary singers that in mod
ern times has appeared upon the lyric stage.
She occupied for twenty-five years the post
of leading prima donna at the Imperial
Opera House of Vienna. When her mar
velous voice began to fail, some ten years
ago. she left the stage, and only appeared
thereafter in concerts or in performances
for the aid of some charitable object. An
American gentleman of my acquaintance,
who is thorough musical connolsseur, told
me that he had often heard her toward the
close o! her career.
He described her voice as simply pheu0m-
enal. and surprising any other lie had ever
heard 1t was powerful dramatic soprano,
with all the lightness and fexibiity OF vOcati-
zation possessed by Adelina Patti So vast
was its range that she could sing one even
ing the Queen of the Night in THE Magic
Flute" and the next, AZucena in III TrO-
yatore." On one occasion, after she had
definitely quilted the stage, she appeared at
a benefit concert at Sansburg, her selections
being Ocean, Thou Mighty Monster" from
liza from the "Hamlet" of Ambrose Thomas.
and I'll Bacio." by Ardit singing all three
in incompatible fashion.
But for one drawback her career and her
fame would probably have been worldwide.
She was very plain and she lacked distinc-
tion, her appearances In her later years hav-
ing been that of good solid German house
wife. She delighted In doing her own house.
work, and there Is story eXtant as to how
an impresario once called to see the famous
,ri,r Il wit inta tn Otfa haF or
gagement. when he found himself confront
ed by stout, elderly woman, who was en-
gagged in scrubbing down the stairs. Can
l see Nine. WHIP" he asked very politely.
"What do you want with herP made
answer the elderly female, scTubbing away
meanwhile rs though her life depended
on the completion of her task. L want to
see her on busineSS-pray take her my card
and ask if l can see her" Wait bit, " and
the Scrubbing process went on more vigOr-
ously than ever. The manager grew impa-
tent. "But, my good woman, cannot stay
here all day. Leave your work for mo-
ment and bring NE an answer from your
mistress Just wait till have finished this
last STEP So the impresario was forced to
possess his soul with patience till the scOur-
ing process was completed. Then the indus
trious worker rose to her feet pulled down
her rolled-up sleeves, wiped her hands and
remarked: well. what have you to say to
Nine. Wilt? am Mime. Wilt"
Of late wears she has evnced symptoms
of mental arrangement aud these within
the past few months became so aggravated
and threatening that her family decided
upon placing her in an asylum. How she
learned this fact is not known, but on re-
turning the other day from walk size went
upstairs to her own room, took OIL her bon
net and hat and gloves, disposed them neatly
on the bed, and then she ascended to the
highest story (the fifth) of the house, opened
a window and flung herself from it head
long. She was instantly killed. And so i'll
melancholy fashion ended the brilliant Ca
rear of a prnat SINGER.