Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-11-29
SOME GREAT ARTISTS
BRIGHT "REMINISCENCES BY a WR-
oINlSN or MUSICAL TASTE
Jenny Lind's Appearance In Richmond
Anna Bishop and Patti-oid Bun
and Other Great vioiinists.

IL was during the year 1850 that baInu"'
brought Jenny Lind to Richmond. II was
with some difficulty that he was induceu
20 come 10 Richmond, as the Theatre was q
small one, and the musical-loving inhaDi-
tants Of virginia's capital were not sum
Gent to meet the expenses OF suoh .
luxury, but can we'll remember aiter tns
auction sale Of seats had been made ana II
was announced that the necessary sum
had been raised TO secure her appearances
how delighted the people were.
The old Marshall Theatre. situateu on
the same site as the present one, DIT aiteI-
wards burned down, was completely oaS Yea
hauled for the occasion; every NOOK hn ni
corner where seat could be placed Was
utilized. the entire stage was cleared OF It's
scenery. and tiers of rough Doarus WeIS
placed on each side, which were sQiu at
the moderate price of $40 seat lt was
ON the topmost row Of one OF these that l
WAC perched. in the midst OF oeYy OF
SCHOOLGIRLS from Mrs. Mead's famous
seminary. From this lofty. eminence an
entire view of the vast audience was nali
and the impression Of the great sea ot
faces. the brilliant costumes, the nAsh o.
ieweis and the great waving of fans, VIII
never be effsced from memory. The large
orchestra was placed at our feet on eac,i
sido ~ the STAGE. leaving an alley-waS
from the rear door for the great singer 10
enter. | can now see Barnum, IN Whiie
kids and faultless attire, as he proudly
stood at the door surveying the large au.
dience. and waiting to lead IN the great
prima donna.
A MOMENT OF EXPECTANCY.
At last the orchestra opened with the
FIRST numbers, but it was evident t tne
audience was restless and excited al they
came for was to see Jenny Llnd, ana no
thing seemed TO pacify them. Al last tne
next number on the programme was ioT
her appearance, aud the audience Waited
i'm breathless, almost painful silence; tneh
the heavy curtaIned door was drawn Dack
and there stood the great singer. barhuW
nj once bowed, took her hand and led her
TO the footlights and then retired. Al
the first sight of Jenny Lind the vast audi
once arose and yelled with delight, the Ia
dies waving their handkerchiets ana CLAP
ping their hands, while the men seemed 10
shout themselves hoarse. IL was seYefa!
moments before she could begin; there
She stood. calm and Unmoved, with a
smile on her face, while she gracefully
acknowledged the tribute OF welcome.
She was dressed, / think, IN pure
white silk gown her mar beng put
down over his ears IN her tayorlte styIe'
which was initiated so much afterwards
Her quite youthful face mad deilcate
sweet expression, together WIN genIIe'
simDle manner, devoid OF all stage ehect'
which completely won every one at once.
The orchestra begun the prelude ana
presently the silverv notes OF the great
artistic warbled forth, holding every one IN
n deap trance until the song was ended,
and then again the audience broke forth
IN wilder storm of applause than ever:
| cannot now recall the different pieces OF
| the programme, but there were TWO Whlch
seemed TO be more particularly impress
slye. one being a flute solo accompanied
| by the voice OF the great songstress. One
could scarcely be distinguished from the
other. and the last song, Home, sweet
Home which, think, was gwen as as an
encore This piece was sung az no one OUT
JENNY Lind could sing 1t, the tender ca
dence of her voice rising gradually INTO
power, her highest notes beng as soIt Ahu
rs sweet as the meilowest flute, and her
| trills more like those of a bird. There she
stood singing that favorite song IN nor
| broken English, touched evidently by the
thought OF her own home, and thus adding
| To il a tenderness that made II al the more
| beautiful. The last notes died away upon
| her lips in q sweet sadness, and then when
| she ceased not a sound was heard through
| ont The house. That vast concourse was
powerless TO move and speak after such a
| voice had charmed it; but the spell lasted
only tor moment, and then ons sponta-
neous burst OF applause went forth, ana
| the great Jenny Lind vanished, to be seen
| by q Richmond audience no more.
MADAM ANNA BISHOP.
The next singer of any note was Madam
| Anna Bishop, who sang in the old concer:
| hall in rear OF the Exchange Hotel. can
| remember her more for her vast size than
| the yastaess Of her voice, though she was
| then considered q powerful singer. and
| such WAS really the fact III one sense, FOR
she could be heard far beyond the confines
of the hall, even for blocks away; but the
| labor and effort of her singing was some
| what painful TO behold, and she would be
| suffused in rosy crimson after every enoTt.
| Vet can remember with what delight the
| music-loying people of Richmond
heard her, and her praise was sounded
| very far.
ADRLINA PATTI.
was boy of sixteen living in Philadel-
pbia during the winter of 1853 at the old
| United States Hotel, the most fashionable
resort of the Quaker City, when one day 1
| sauntered into the parlor, as was my Gus
tom to watch the new arrivals. AS en-
| tered | found but two persOns-a tall,
handsome foreigner and little girl with
large black eyes and rich clusters OF let
| black rinelets around her head, who
| seemed to be about ten years of age. She
was very pretty as she tossed her WayWard
head and pouted her ruby lips as she re-
plied in Italian to some request OF the
tall gentleman. At last by some coaxing
and threats she was induced TO come from
the window where she had been gazing out
on the crowded street, and TOOK
her place beside the piano, where
the gentleman was seated. She the1
began to sing some simple air:
cannot remember what, but the very frs
few notes of her sweet child-llke voice en-
raptured me. This was little Adelina Patti
the now world-iamOus prima donna. Tht
gentleman was Maurice Strakosh who haC
married Adelina's sister, and they were
making their first concert tou
through the States with the won
derful little musical prodigy, wh'
was already creating quite furo
by her vocal powers, which even at tina
tender age gave evidence Of great genius
Inext heard her in Richmond at the ole
African church, which was then the onl!
building of any capacity for on audience
and was frequently used for concerts, DC
Little Adelila made her first appearance
on the stage in pantelettes. and SAM
"Trab, Trab. Trab,h and other SIMPLE airs
her pure, silvery, little voice completel.
filing the large hall and quite captivating
her audiences. She soon after this wen
to Europe, studied for several years ant
again came back to America TO win fam
and fortune such as few have attained
but she has never honored Richmond
again by her presence.
OLE BULL.
In making these sketches Of celebrated
musical characters 1t is with much plea
sure that | write my reoollections o
Ole Bull, who undoubtedly was the great
eat yiolinlst of his day and as | am par
tial to the king of instruments car
all the more wildly remember the grea
Norwegian, who created such q Juror witt
his violin. NJ first contact with tn
, great artist bring us back again to tn
Old United States Hotel in Philadelphia
during the winter of 1853. l wa
passing through one of its Ioni
corridors one Sunday morning. when to m.
| astonishment heard the sounds Of VIC
, lin. which struck me as IN violation OF tn
sacred day. But the sounds were so melo
dious and so bewitching in all their va
rious modulations that l was drawn a
: once TO the door from which they pro
: ceeded and stood entranced by the won
! derful performance. feeling certain that
was a mastery hand indeed that wieldet
the bow. There / stood listening wit!
[ delight until the last sad note of the IN
strument ceased, and in few moment