Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-06

Il
...s.,M MRS; VIM: 3; Wolfe.
@ Mr.. HIT Il. B, Brockctt. i.''''''''' "0's'
"wynkep; Blynken and Nod Nevi
ss
A Dangerous Experiment.
The Patti concert at the so-called Audi
torium on Friday EVENING" critical esti
mate of which was printed yesterday morn
ing-exposed once again, and more pit
ilessly than ever, Pirtsburg's shameful lacl
of an adequate concert hall. 1t particularly
| proved the utter insufficiency of that barr
of place for such an assemblage.
The lives of 500 people were seriously
| endangered, not by the sake" story of q
fire in the ticket Office stove, but by the
| long, narrow entrance, the crowded, NOV.
| able chairs and the dangerously CONSTRUCTED
| aisles. This was in every mind, SO that
even less cause than usual would have
| suficed to start panic. Once started. the
inevitable result would have been an abso-
| lutely appalling loss of life.
1t is high time to speak plainly about this
| matter. That place should never again be
| used for a large audience, at least until a
| number OF exits be opened into the side alley
| and plainly marked. This much could be
| done SO easily that its longer neglect in
wolves the gravest responsibility. In the
| meantime, If managers want to draw larger
| audiences than Old City Hall can hold land
| that place is bad enough. in all conscienceD
| they must be able to afford to buy Off the
troupe at one OF the larger theaters for the
| desired evening.
This could certainly have been done in
PATHS case, to the profit and advantage of
all concerned. 1t was done when she was
here last, March 81, 1857. Then the Bijou
Theater was secured, with the result of ad-
mitting nearly 5000 people at prices from IS
down to 81 50, yielding in total receipts
almost 81, 900. Last week 2,452 people got in
ss,3ss
There was no falling off in the popular
demand for Patti this time. The former
experience could undoubtedly have been
repeated. The dlnerence In receipts would
have bought out night at any of the larger
theaters and left snug extra profit besides,
while several hundred more people would
have heard the concert at SO cents less cost
apiece.
PATHS Past in Pittsburg.
In 1857 the Diva was supported here by
Guile, Galassi and NovarA, with Valerga in
place of Scalchi, who was ill, besides Arditi
and another miniature orchestra. She sang
in the first part of the programme, "-ih
Jors' ln,'' from "Trayiata." and Arditi's
waltz song, "Il Bacio." The second act of
martha" filed the second part. Patti sang
her usual encores. Home, Sweet a ome,"
"Comin Thro' the Rye" and "Last Rose of
Summer"
Before that her last appearance was in the
spring of 1883, when she sang in "Travia ia"
with Mapleson's troupe at old Library Hall.
and the first since about 1856, when the tiny
l2-year-old was one of the attractions in a
concert of Paul Julien, the then fashion
able vlolinist, assisted also by Ettore Barili
and Aug. Gockell. She then sang the Rondo
from "Sonnambula,' - Spanish cauzone and
the same Echo Song" she sang last week,
besides helping the baritone in duo from
"Il Barbiere."
The very first time that Patti appeared
here she had TO be placed on a table, it is
said, to be seen by the people. 1t was in the
old Masonic Hall, on Christmas evening,
1852, when she was not quite IL years of age.
Ole Bull and Maurice Strakosch were the
other performers. The budding prima
donna was announced in big type, as:
"The musical phenomenon, only years
old. This extraordinary child sings the
songs of Malibran, Pasta, Jenny Lind,
Madame Sontag, Catherine Hayes, Albani
and Madame Bishop, exactly as composed
for them, with incredible ease and perfec-
tion." She sang the same echo Song,' "Ah,
non gitr,ge' (Sonnambula), Happy Bird
lings of the Forest and "Comin' 1hro' the
Rye'-and elected the following remarks
from the astucious critic of the long -de1upct
American:
'The wonder of the evening, though, was
the little Patti, musical prodigy, only 8
years old. In our estimation of her we are
desired to make no abatement on account of
her youth, but to try her at a woman's
standard. This is neither safe nor just for