The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-11

now. she earned over S25O.0OO. The power O
Catalani's voice-a power which never tool
either from it's ~softness nor It's weetness-wa
so remarkable that fully to enjoy her singni
II was necessary to be placed at some distance
from the stage or platform on which sh'
stood. 1t is said that the formation OF he
throat was absolutely unique. as 1t gave her
power Of emission rs well rs agility In chro
matte passages altogether unrivalled: In thu
mntter OF execution. however. she was some
times unfavorably criticised. Like Braham,
she was at her best in the concert room
and was SO conscious OF her histrionic de
1ciencies that sho had an absolute dread
OF appearing on the operate stage. She
married n vagabond. who drank. gambled. and
otherwise sauandered the money she earned;
IL was he who suggested the method OF man
aging Italian opera which later became gem
| orally adopted. What Go you wantf' he said
to an impresario. with all these singers. who
are only n needless expensep My vile and
half u dozen dolls; that is oil you want Bong
once asked what had possessed her to marry
| this worthless follow. Catalan answered with
tho utmost simplicity: Il will tell you: l vent to
Lisbon. Zee Potueais. zey love mousique-zee
grand signoris. zee princes and zee counts.
zey nil tell to me Of love and Zey promesse
much zings. but zey no speak OF spousing; Nj.
Valbrcuue he ask me- to spouse i'm; l spouse
NJ. Nalbredue.'
The author OF these notes recalls tho story
OF Cornelie Falcon. whose name Is now for
gotten. but whom the connoisscurs OF her W
day described as faultless and hors Hgne.
They asserted that for grace. versatility. and
purity OF style sho had such n voice as
had rarely before been heard. A handsome
face and wcll-proportioncd. graceful figure
added their charms to the PROJECTIONS OF the
singer and actor. and her moral character was
so unblemished that out of respect for her
innocence Meyerbeer modified several pas
sages assigned to Valentine in THE Hugue-
nots." To her dazzling career there came u
sudden check. In the year 1927. when she
was only twenty-five. her health broke down.
and she went to Italy in the hope that a south
ern winter might restore her to her normal con-
dition. She returned to Paris in 1910 and was
announced to appear as Rachel in tho "Juive."
But when the opera had begun and the or
chestra had played the symphony. instead OF
the full. bell Like tones whichth audience were
waiting for. she could utter only harsh. coarse.
cracked. and tuneless notes. Lifting her eyes
to the audience. with despair in her features.
she burst into tears. and. although she strug-
gled through her part as bcst she could. she
never again vcntured to appear in public.
Nay. n few days after. she disappeared from
Paris. and her nearest friends could never
learn tho place OF her retreat. To this day 1t
remains unknown whether the on~ce-ndmirod
Falcon even survived her calamitous lasco.
Naturally we hear in this book n good denl
about Grisi and Mario. The author insists
that, transcendent as were Mario's gifts and
graces. it was Grisi who transformed him
from a dummy into an actor. The effect Of her
influence was an illustration OF Begrez's
sentiment: Eat will como ven she do fall in
lofe.' Giulia Grisi was a niece Of the famous
Nine. Grassini. greatly admired-some say
morathan admirably bothNap oleon andWel-
lington. The story runs that when Giulia was
yet a mere child her aunt made her sing to her
one day. and was SO charmed that she told her
that sle should leave lcgacies to her sisters.
but should bequeath nothing to her. boz
cause. gifted rs she was. she would certainly
one day become q great artistic. 1t is
certain that Giulia Grisi was no sooner seen
and heard than she took the coGnoScenMi OF the
day by storm. The statuesaue beauty OF her
face and figure at once gave her O prestige
which was confirmed by tho rich splendor
of her voice and the winning graces
OF her style. SO bewitched was the public
that it not only overlooked. but applauded as
a grace. the slight physical infrmity OF her
gait. Why. it used to BIO said. la Valliere herself
Iimped 1t seems that Crisis first husband
WIS u Al 10 EAclCcys u NelJ IAotS uiiiSuht ohu
common sort OF a fellow Of the bar
ber's block type. After his duel with
Lord CastlereaGh a separation took place
between the diva and this gentle
man. who imposed as. a condition a fine Of
$4,000 a year for life to be paid out OF his
wife's earnings as long as she remained on
the stage. We are told that Crisis social quail
were by no means on q level with
her professional capabilities. They who knew
her in private life describe her as uninterest-
ing and characterless commonplace in con-
and poorly furnished with ideas. At
the same time it was admitted that her heart
was excellent. her thoughtfulness practical.
and that she often proved herself rs kind and
considerate as sho was gifted and beautiful.
In the authors opinion Jenny Lind has been
overrated; he can recall no other
singer whose reputation was SO largely man
ufactured. Sho had. he acknowledges. a fresh
young voice. clear and even full in part OF its
compass. but it was very unequal. and she
sang not always in time. Her histrionic intel
ligencs was decidedly below the average: her
movements were tho reverse of graceful: in
deed. her physique was incompatible with
grace: her complexion was thick, her features
thick. her figure thick. her ankles thick; and
then slo was always Jenny Lind. not possess
ing the art OF merging her own personality in
the character represented. 1t is admitted.
however. to be only Just to say that what artis-
tic ability she had camo out in ora
torio. and that her rccitatlye revealed
the excellent training OF Garcia. AS to her
virtue. which has been exalted to the skies. she
was in this respect not superior 10 Cntalani.
Persiani. Malibran. Falcon. and a host OF
others. Among those who followed Jenny Lind
our author refers to Piccolomini as lone OF
tho most shameless pretcnders to art. who.
though she had not tho shadow Of a title to
figure in any artistic capacity, unless, per-
haps. that OF chorus singer. actually
found admirers" This disqualified young
woman knew. it appears. as well as any one.
what a couple Of hnmbuGs were sle and the
iinpresnlio who foisteh hcr on n credulous pub
lie. "One say she herself remarked. Eat
liccolomini one lcetel JMreaSe. but zcy give
me moneys and bouquets and clap-hunds.
what for not he IL leetel JarcenSe:'
Among tho danseuses whom tho author Of
these notes remembers was TaGlioni. who
died only eight years ago at the age OF 80.
We are told that Taglioni's performance in the
ballet OF Psyche " placed her on an eleva-